COVID-19 updates

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds and Dr. Caitlin Pedati addressed concerns of family members whose loved ones live in long-term care facilities. Those individuals have been without family visits since March. "As businesses reopen, activities resume, and life gradually gets back to normal, family members with loved ones in long-term care facilities are asking when they will be able to be reunited again," Reynolds said at Thursday's press conference...

LE MARS — There will be no music in Foster Park this summer as the Le Mars Municipal Band has decided to cancel the 2020 concert series because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  “We are sad that our band will not be able to share music with the citizens of Le Mars this summer at Foster Park," said Corbet Butler, president of the Le Mars Municipal Band. ...

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds had comments and information on the protests in Iowa in response to the death of George Floyd in Minnesota and COVID-19. "Hundreds of people gathered in several communities across the state in peaceful protests to speak their mind have their voices heard," she said. ...

LE MARS — Le Mars Public Library Director Shirley Taylor has announced the library is open to the public and there will be a summer reading program. The library building opened to the public as of June 1. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday...

LE MARS — The sendoff for Iowa National Guard Troop C, 1st Squadron “Red Horse,” 113th Cavalry Regiment was different than normal due to restrictions with the COVID-19 pandemic. The approximately 90 soldiers were honored at a formal ceremony Monday morning with that ceremony live-streamed on Facebook so family members and friends who weren’t able to attend could watch...

DES MOINES – Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) released information regarding two new unemployment benefit programs available to Iowans. Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), was created by the CARES Act and provides an additional 13 weeks of federally funded benefits to individuals who have exhausted their 26 weeks of regular state unemployment benefits. ...

PLYMOUTH CO. — The online dashboard at coronavirus.iowa.gov reports a second death of a Plymouth County resident from COVID-19. The individual was an 80-plus male according to Tara Geddes, community health manager at Floyd Valley Healthcare. The death is one of 522 reported from across the state as of 2 p.m., Friday...

DES MOINES — A new COVID-19 Iowa Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program was outlined Friday. Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, provided details on the new program. “Unfortunately, these weeks have also brought a sense of worry to many Iowans on how they are going to keep their homes due to a job loss or reduction in income due to the COVID-19 public health emergency,” Durham said. ...

LE MARS — Beginning on June 1, Floyd Valley Healthcare will be allowing limited visitors in the hospital, surgery center, emergency department and outpatients clinics during regular visitor hours. Visitor restrictions are still in place for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. There will continue to be no visitors at Park Place Estates Assisted Living to protect this very vulnerable population...

Editor’s Note: Over the course of the next couple weeks, the Daily Sentinel is paying tribute to the Class of 2020 spring athletes across Plymouth County who didn’t get a farewell spring sports season due to the coronavirus pandemic. In our sixth article in the series, we highlight the senior athletes in track and golf at Kingsley-Pierson.

LE MARS — The Le Mars Police Department is reminding residents a new law is in place within city limits regarding the discharge of fireworks. According to the city ordinance, which was approved by city leaders in September of 2019, the discharge of fireworks may only occur between noon and 11 p.m., July 3-5...

LE MARS — The doors at city hall in Le Mars will once again reopen to the general public on Monday, June 1. In addition, city council meetings will once again be made open to the public effective June 2. The council chambers will be open to 50 percent capacity and will put in place the six-foot apart recommendation of the CDC...

AMES – Financial help is available for producers impacted by the price declines and additional marketing costs associated with COVID-19. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, a federal program offered through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, is accepting applications for funding from livestock and crop farmers...

DES MOINES — A confirmed outbreak at a Tyson pork processing plant in Storm Lake is the latest hit to an industry which has seen numerous outbreaks in facilities across the state and beyond. Buena Vista County, where Storm Lake is located, has surpassed 700 positive cases with more than 400 of those being announced on May 26...

DES MOINES — Testing capabilities for COVID-19 have increased across the state to near the 5,000 tests per day which Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said was the goal. “We hit another high scheduled today,” Reynolds said. “At the State Hygienic Lab, we were just 93 short of meeting the capacity of 5,000 so as we continue to build out the testing options as well as really continuing our process improvement, we’re actually there. We have the capacity and we’re continuing to see Iowans use it.”...

PLYMOUTH CO. — The online dashboard at coronavirus.iowa.gov reports the first death of a Plymouth County resident from COVID-19. The individual was an elderly (81-plus) male according to Tara Geddes, community health manager at Floyd Valley Healthcare...

DES MOINES — More businesses and recreation areas will be able to reopen after Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced changes to the emergency proclamation at her Tuesday press conference. The latest reopenings to be allowed starting June 1 include casinos, amusement parks, bowling alleys, pool halls, arcades, skating rinks, skate parks, outdoor playgrounds, racetracks and outdoor performance venues. ...

DES MOINES — Nearly 1,700 appointments were scheduled as of 8 a.m., Friday, for Iowans at Test Iowa sites across the state to be tested for COVID-19, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced as her press conference. That number reflects the change Reynolds made in opening up Test Iowa to anyone who wishes to have a test done...

DES MOINES — Iowans can look forward to more options for entertainment starting Friday, along with a June 1 opening for school activities and high school baseball and softball practices in preparation for games. At Thursday's press conference, Reynolds also announced the Test Iowa program is being expanded and will now be open to anyone who thinks they should be tested. It had previously been expanded to allow essential workers to take the assessment for testing...

DES MOINES — Iowa is opening up more as residents head into the first weekend of the summer season. On Wednesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced effective May 22, movie theaters, zoos, aquariums, museums and wedding reception venues will be permitted to re-open with appropriate public health measures in place, including proper social distancing and increased hygiene...

DES MOINES — Iowa's COVID-19 numbers are now appearing in real time on the updated coronavirus.iowa.gov website, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday morning. "The latest update allows you to see case counts for the current day and look back at the numbers for any day since we began testing in early March," Reynolds said. ...

CHICAGO — The U.S. Census Bureau, in coordination with federal, state and local health officials, will begin to drop off 2020 Census questionnaire packets at front doors of households in Iowa starting the week of May 18. This is done in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their physical address. The Census Bureau began hand-delivering census materials on March 15, but suspended all fieldwork for this operation on March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic...

Two Iowa children may have a rare, inflammatory disease related to COVID-19, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The department received a report Friday afternoon that two eastern Iowa kids are showing symptoms of “multisystem inflammatory syndrome” — a rare and emerging disease that’s potentially fatal in children. Both of them are in stable condition, said Caitlin Pedati, the state’s public health director and epidemiologist on Monday...

DES MOINES — "Today, more than 100,000 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19 for a per capita rate of 1 in 31 Iowans tested, and that is unique tests, there is no duplications," Gov. Kim Reynolds said as she opened Monday's press conference. A total of 7,324 persons have recovered, with a recovery rate of 49 percent...

DES MOINES — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds delivered a message to the class of 2020 at her Friday press conference. “Iowa’s high school seniors won’t be defined by what wasn’t,” Reynolds said. “I believe that you’ll be recognized instead for your resilience in the face of adversity and your tenacity to navigate through even the most unlikely circumstances and those qualities will get you far in life. ...

LE MARS — The spring sports seasons were cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving athletes and coaches disappointed for what could have been. For seniors though, it was even worse as it was their last chance to compete in those sports at the high school level, and maybe, for the rest of their lives...

LE MARS — The City of Le Mars and Plymouth County Courthouse has announced their plans to continue being closed to the general public through at least June 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. City Administrator Jason Vacura said Monday, May 18 was their initial hopeful date to reopen, however with Governor Kim Reynolds recent proclamation to extend certain closures through May 27, the new target date is June 1...

LE MARS — In a statement issued to the Daily Sentinel on Thursday, Wells Enterprises has announced they are continuing to see a small percentage of team members test positive for COVID-19. However, Wells did not elaborate on what they deem a "small percentage."...

DES MOINES — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced the updates to her state public health emergency declaration with the new proclamation lifting more restrictions than the previous mandate which was set to expire at the end of the day on May 15. The new edict goes into effect at 5 a.m., Friday, May 15...

DES MOINES — A jump in positive COVID-19 cases to 539 new confirmed cases announced Tuesday was in part due to results just received from the state of Nebraska from a food processing facility. Of those new cases, 319 were tied to testing at the plant from April 28-30...

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is co-sponsoring legislation to help provide disability benefits for the families of first responders who contract COVID-19. Grassley says the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program, first enacted in 1976, currently requires evidence linking deaths from infectious diseases to work-related exposure...

WASHINGTON — Federal lawmakers are urging Congress to help rural America in the next round of coronavirus legislation. Congress approved more than $2 trillion in response to the pandemic in March, but many lawmakers say it doesn’t do enough to address the needs of rural Americans...

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and the head of the American Farm Bureau Federation appealed directly to Vice President Mike Pence in Iowa Friday to support a Justice Department investigation of possible price-fixing in the meat industry. Pence, head of the federal coronavirus task force, was in West Des Moines in part for a roundtable with Iowa’s senators, national agricultural leaders and Hy-Vee chairman, president and CEO Randy Edeker, who led the discussion of the food supply chain as chairman of the Food Industry Association.. ...

DES MOINES — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who visited the White House last week, is partaking in a modified quarantine after learning a member of Vice President Mike Pence’s staff tested positive for COVID-19. “Although I had no direct contact with her, out of an abundance of caution, I will follow a modified quarantine plan similar to what Dr. Fauci and other White House administration members have announced that they are doing,” Reynolds said...

LE MARS – Gehlen Catholic seniors were surprised when they saw their pictures and names lining the road for a Senior Sidewalk Parade outside of their high school building. On Monday, May 6, Gehlen Catholic seniors and their parents were notified via e-mail that yard signs would be placed outside of the Gehlen Catholic High School front doors. Each student would have their own yard sign displaying a senior picture and their name...

SIOUX CITY — For many, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased food preparation and mealtime at home, as well as sparked renewed interest in gardening and food preservation. In response to this movement, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach has launched weekly Sow, Grow, Eat and Keep quickinars to provide information to gardeners of all ages and skill levels...

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has obligated $78 million to the State of Iowa to help reimburse eligible expenses for emergency protective measures that the state has incurred as a result of its response to COVID-19...

WEST DES MOINES — Hy-Vee, Inc. announced it is now offering a two-hour express pickup option as part of its Hy-Vee Aisles Online grocery ordering service, allowing customers to pay a fee to pick up their order faster. Customers will see a “Get It Faster” option on Aisles Online time slots where the two-hour pickup option is available. ...

LE MARS — “There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment” - Robert Frank. In the midst of uncertainty, Chelsi Hector was able to do just this with her Front Porch project. With families contained to their homes because of the COVID-19 crisis, Hector grabbed her camera and while maintaining social distancing captured special memories of her closest neighbors and friends...

LE MARS — It’s definitely the toughest decision ever made for Le Mars Little League. On Wednesday, May 6, the Le Mars Little League board of directors voted to not have a 2020 season due to the COVID-19 situation. The board engaged in a thoughtful discussion during which many different scenarios were discussed...

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds reported Thursday that her meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday focused on the testing strategy Iowa is doing to track COVID-19 across the state. “I was also proud to be joined on the trip by Dr. ...

LE MARS — A united effort created by realtors across the United States was the reason behind the launch of Le Mars Food To Go, a Facebook public group page. Kylie Petty, Century 21 Prolink realtor, was the person behind the page’s creation in Le Mars...

LE MARS — While the doors at the Le Mars Public Library will continue to be locked to the public during the coronavirus pandemic, rest assured the library is conducting business “almost as usual.” The Library Board of Trustees met on April 30 to discuss the recent proclamation by Gov. Kim Reynolds that stated libraries may reopen on May 1...

DES MOINES — School districts across Iowa will soon be receiving money through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, to address some of the costs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That announcement came at the Tuesday press conference of Gov. Kim Reynolds...

WEST DES MOINES — Hy-Vee, Inc. has announced that effective Wednesday, May 6, it will limit meat purchases at all of its locations. In a statement, H-Vee officials said, "We continue to work with industry leaders so we are prepared for any possible fluctuations in product and can...

WASHINGTON — Wisconsin’s primary election has become a cautionary tale for election administrators and public officials all over the country. Nobody wants to see long lines of masked voters like Milwaukee saw on April 7 due to a lack of poll workers and polling places...

Iowans who refuse to return to work when recalled by their employer after a layoff or furlough triggered by COVID-19 may not be entitled to unemployment benefits, state officials said Monday. The announcement by Iowa Workforce Development follows reports that Iowans working at meatpacking plants and grocery stores stores are refusing to report for work out of concern for their own safety...

Iowa environmental and agriculture officials moved late this week to firm up plans to dispose of hog carcasses as COVID-19 continued to stress packing plants. At this point, industry and government officials said hog farmers have not resorted to euthanizing whole herds. ...

WASHINGTON — Democratic senators are accusing President Donald Trump of putting workers at risk by ordering meat and poultry processors to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senate Democrats are asking Trump to amend an executive order he signed last week, which declared meat plants to be “critical infrastructure” and ordered his administration to ensure that they continue to operate...