Gov. Kim Reynolds is ordering residents in northeastern Iowa to stay home for all but work and essential errands amid growing concerns about coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants and nursing homes.Reynolds on Thursday said that she was banning “all gatherings” for social, community, recreational and leisure purposes in region 6, which includes Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Grundy, Howard, Jones, Linn, and Winneshiek counties.Previously, the governor had banned all gatherings larger than 10 statewide. Reynolds said that residents...…Gov. Kim Reynolds is ordering residents in northeastern Iowa to stay home for all but work and essential errands amid growing concerns about coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants and nursing homes.Reynolds on Thursday said that she was banning “all gatherings” for social, community, recreational and leisure purposes in region 6, which includes Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Grundy, Howard, Jones, Linn, and Winneshiek counties.Previously, the governor had banned all gatherings larger than 10 statewide. Reynolds said that residents...WW…

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) -Archbishop of Dubuque has issued a statement to help answer questions eastern Iowa Catholics may have about whether they may, in good conscience, receive the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Janssen pharmaceuticals companies of Johnson & Johnson.The statement reads as follows:“Originally, it didn’t seem necessary to make a statement about the Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccine; any message would be essentially the same as what was said in December 2020 regarding the other vaccines.However, some Catholics are a little confused about whether they may receive the...…DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) -Archbishop of Dubuque has issued a statement to help answer questions eastern Iowa Catholics may have about whether they may, in good conscience, receive the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Janssen pharmaceuticals companies of Johnson & Johnson.The statement reads as follows:“Originally, it didn’t seem necessary to make a statement about the Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccine; any message would be essentially the same as what was said in December 2020 regarding the other vaccines.However, some Catholics are a little confused about whether they may receive the...WW…

Senator Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids) released a list on Thursday that shows the top 25 counties that have the fastest rate of increased COVID-19 cases. This list is based on when Gov. Reynolds loosened restrictions on May 1st for 77 counties. “Since April 30, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the 77 counties where Gov. Reynolds loosened restrictions has more than doubled,” Hogg said. “She urgently needs to reinstate restrictions in the counties driving that increase to save lives, protect workers, and slow down and stop the spread of COVID-19 to end the epidemic sooner. It is only by...…Senator Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids) released a list on Thursday that shows the top 25 counties that have the fastest rate of increased COVID-19 cases. This list is based on when Gov. Reynolds loosened restrictions on May 1st for 77 counties. “Since April 30, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the 77 counties where Gov. Reynolds loosened restrictions has more than doubled,” Hogg said. “She urgently needs to reinstate restrictions in the counties driving that increase to save lives, protect workers, and slow down and stop the spread of COVID-19 to end the epidemic sooner. It is only by...WW…

SHREVEPORT, La. () - Taniel Cole is in custody. According to police, he was arrested in Mississippi near the Alabama border, on I-20.KSLA surveillance video captured the alleged hospital shooting suspect carjacking a woman who was arriving for work at Buckner Square between 5:40 and 5:45 a.m. this morning.Buckner Square is located behind the station.According to detectives, the suspect forced her into the vehicle and they drove eastbound on I-20 toward Monroe. It’s unclear how far they traveled.The suspect exited the vehicle and left.At that point, the woman was able to call 911. She was...…SHREVEPORT, La. () - Taniel Cole is in custody. According to police, he was arrested in Mississippi near the Alabama border, on I-20.KSLA surveillance video captured the alleged hospital shooting suspect carjacking a woman who was arriving for work at Buckner Square between 5:40 and 5:45 a.m. this morning.Buckner Square is located behind the station.According to detectives, the suspect forced her into the vehicle and they drove eastbound on I-20 toward Monroe. It’s unclear how far they traveled.The suspect exited the vehicle and left.At that point, the woman was able to call 911. She was...WW…

Linn County has refrigeration trucks ready to serve as make-shift morgues, to handle an increase in COVID-19 deaths.Linn County Medical Examiner Donnie Linder said he is especially aware of the threat of the virus after spending the past week treating patients in hard-hit New Orleans. New Orleans has more than 20,000 confirmed cases with nearly 1,200 deaths across Louisiana. Besides being a medical examiner, Doctor Linder works as an ER doctor in St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Linder is also a clinical faculty at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. He said he was anxious to go...…Linn County has refrigeration trucks ready to serve as make-shift morgues, to handle an increase in COVID-19 deaths.Linn County Medical Examiner Donnie Linder said he is especially aware of the threat of the virus after spending the past week treating patients in hard-hit New Orleans. New Orleans has more than 20,000 confirmed cases with nearly 1,200 deaths across Louisiana. Besides being a medical examiner, Doctor Linder works as an ER doctor in St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Linder is also a clinical faculty at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. He said he was anxious to go...WW…

Hy-Vee announced it's limiting meat purchases at all its locations beginning May 6.Hy-Vee said in a statement:"We continue to work with industry leaders, so we are prepared for any possible fluctuations in product and can best serve our customers. At Hy-Vee, we have product available at our stores but due to worker shortages at plants as well as an increase in meat sales, customers may not find the specific items they are looking for. Because of this, we are going to put a limit on customer purchases in the meat department. Effective Wednesday, May 6, each customer will be limited to four...…Hy-Vee announced it's limiting meat purchases at all its locations beginning May 6.Hy-Vee said in a statement:"We continue to work with industry leaders, so we are prepared for any possible fluctuations in product and can best serve our customers. At Hy-Vee, we have product available at our stores but due to worker shortages at plants as well as an increase in meat sales, customers may not find the specific items they are looking for. Because of this, we are going to put a limit on customer purchases in the meat department. Effective Wednesday, May 6, each customer will be limited to four...WW…

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - After nearly seven months of COVID-19 restrictions, fewer drivers have taken to Iowa’s roadways, which, in turn, means fewer people at the pumps and less funding for road construction through the gas tax.Work to improve the interchange between Interstate 380 and Interstate 80 in Johnson County will now take more time. That’s after funding the Iowa Department of Transportation uses for road projects like the new interchange took a hit due to the pandemic.“Starting back in March we saw as much as 40% of the traffic go down,” Cathy Cutler, a transportation planner...…CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - After nearly seven months of COVID-19 restrictions, fewer drivers have taken to Iowa’s roadways, which, in turn, means fewer people at the pumps and less funding for road construction through the gas tax.Work to improve the interchange between Interstate 380 and Interstate 80 in Johnson County will now take more time. That’s after funding the Iowa Department of Transportation uses for road projects like the new interchange took a hit due to the pandemic.“Starting back in March we saw as much as 40% of the traffic go down,” Cathy Cutler, a transportation planner...WW…

Fast food giant Wendy’s is offering a freebie for its customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.The company tweeted on Tuesday it would be giving out free four-piece crispy and spicy chicken nuggets at all of its participating drive-thrus.“No purchase necessary, not a single string attached,” the tweet said.Wendy’s isn’t the first to give away free food at its drive-thrus during the pandemic. has been giving away free tacos on Tuesdays with no purchase necessary.Despite remaining open in its drive-thrus, once stay-at-home orders went into effect in many states. Sales dropped 20% for the week...…Fast food giant Wendy’s is offering a freebie for its customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.The company tweeted on Tuesday it would be giving out free four-piece crispy and spicy chicken nuggets at all of its participating drive-thrus.“No purchase necessary, not a single string attached,” the tweet said.Wendy’s isn’t the first to give away free food at its drive-thrus during the pandemic. has been giving away free tacos on Tuesdays with no purchase necessary.Despite remaining open in its drive-thrus, once stay-at-home orders went into effect in many states. Sales dropped 20% for the week...WW…

WASHINGTON (KCRG) -Republicans Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks were sworn into the 117th Congress on Sunday.Hinson will be representing Iowa’s 1st District in the House of Representatives, while Miller-Meeks will be representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.Posted by on Miller-Meeks defeated Democrat Rita Hart by six votes. Hart is , which has led some questioning whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would seat Miller-Meeks.“Given the fact that our state certified the election, it was a bipartisan council that unanimously certified the election. Given all that Nancy...…WASHINGTON (KCRG) -Republicans Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks were sworn into the 117th Congress on Sunday.Hinson will be representing Iowa’s 1st District in the House of Representatives, while Miller-Meeks will be representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.Posted by on Miller-Meeks defeated Democrat Rita Hart by six votes. Hart is , which has led some questioning whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would seat Miller-Meeks.“Given the fact that our state certified the election, it was a bipartisan council that unanimously certified the election. Given all that Nancy...WW…

State officials have identified another nine deaths associated with the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, along with several hundred new cases, according to new statistics provided on Sunday.The Iowa Department of Public Health said that two elderly adults (aged 81 or older) died in Black Hawk County, one elderly adult (aged 81 or older) in Bremer County, one older adult (aged 61 to 80) in Dubuque County, two elderly adults (aged 81 or older) in Poweshiek County, one older adult (aged 61 to 80) in Dallas County, and two older adults (aged 61 to 80) in Polk County. These new...…State officials have identified another nine deaths associated with the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, along with several hundred new cases, according to new statistics provided on Sunday.The Iowa Department of Public Health said that two elderly adults (aged 81 or older) died in Black Hawk County, one elderly adult (aged 81 or older) in Bremer County, one older adult (aged 61 to 80) in Dubuque County, two elderly adults (aged 81 or older) in Poweshiek County, one older adult (aged 61 to 80) in Dallas County, and two older adults (aged 61 to 80) in Polk County. These new...WW…