Coronavirus

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CORONAVIRUS IN THE NEWS: March 17: 11:58 a.m.

Iowa lawmakers grant Reynolds expanded power as they suspend legislative session
Des Moines Register: The Iowa Legislature has suspended its session for 30 days after passing legislation early Tuesday morning to keep the government running and …

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Guest opinion: Staying at home and practicing social distancing protects people like me

Submitted by Claire Richmond

When the news of COVID-19 contagion broke and zombie apocalypse-level panic ensued, I hoped that the masses were washing their hands. As so many people dismissed the illness as a mild …

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Latest coronavirus updates: March 17 | 11:58 a.m.

Public Health and Government

Des Moines Water Works is operating under a four-phase Contagious Disease Response Plan, closing the general office building to walk-in customers, suspending in-home customer services visits except for emergencies and suspending service …

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Reynolds orders restaurants, bars, gyms closed

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, in an unprecedented move, issued a state of public health disaster emergency declaration today mandating the closure of the state’s bars, restaurants, fitness centers, theaters, gaming facilities, senior citizen centers and…
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Reynolds not ordering businesses to close, but urges best practices

The Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed one additional case of COVID-19 in Dallas County and the State Hygienic Lab has added an additional shift to expand testing capabilities, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced at a …

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Latest coronavirus updates: March 16 | 5:35 p.m.

Public Health and Government

Pleasant Hill announced changes in public services Monday afternoon. The Pleasant Hill City Hall will remain open during business hours but the public is advised to call 515-262-9368 instead of visiting …

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CORONAVIRUS IN THE NEWS: March 16 | 5:13 p.m.

Dow tumbles nearly 3,000 points — worst point drop in history
CNN Business: It was another ugly day for U.S. stocks. The Dow today recorded its worst one-day point drop in history and its worst performance …

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Latest coronavirus updates: March 16 | 5:13 p.m.

Public Health and Government
Gov. Kim Reynoldsannounced new assistance released by Iowa Workforce Development for employees and employers affected by related layoffs, including guidance for employees filing for unemployment insurance claims. Individuals laid off due to COVID-19 …

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DSM International: No reduction yet in flight schedules

Nationally, airlines are changing flight schedules rapidly in response to the COVID-19 virus, but there have not yet been any reductions in flights at Des Moines International Airport, said Kayla Kovarna, communications, marketing and air …

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Restaurant association CEO worried pandemic ‘will cause permanent closures’

Concern is mounting over whether Iowa’s more than 6,000 restaurants and bars will be able to successfully weather dramatic declines in revenue due to customers staying home to slow the spread of the highly contagious …