SPM News

President Donald Trump will visit Cedar Rapids tomorrow. Trump today has approved Iowa's application for a major federal disaster declaration in the aftermath of last week's devastating storm. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds asked for nearly 4-billion dollars. Iowa’s coronavirus website has made the pandemic look less severe than it is because of a software error that artificially lowers the number of new confirmed cases. An Iowa City nurse practitioner, said today that the Iowa Department of Public

News 304081720 President Donald Trump will visit Cedar Rapids tomorrow. Trump today approved Iowa's application for a major federal disaster declaration in the aftermath of last week's devastating storm. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds asked for nearly 4-billion dollars, including almost 3.8-billion to cover the loss of corn and soybean crops, and the rest for utilities, homes with major damage, and public assistance. Trump today will visit Minnesota and Wisconsin to speak about jobs and the economy.

304 news 081420 Officials say it will take five days or longer to restore power to some Iowa homes and businesses after a wind storm left damage across the Midwest on Monday and killed at least four people. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds held a news conference in Cedar Rapids today, one of the most heavily affected areas. Reynolds says Iowa will submit its application for a federal disaster declaration, and Iowans should have power fully restored by Tuesday. Siouxland District Health Department’s

A show of support for teachers and school safety in the age of COVID-19 is planned for this weekend in Sioux City. SPM’s Sheila Brummer has more. An activist group organized a flash drive event for Saturday, pushing for a safe return to learning this upcoming academic year. “I want to get back to normal, I want to get back to school. I just want get back to school. I just want to have everyone wear masks so we can do it.” That’s Jeremy Dumkrieger, one of the organizers of the group “Iowa

Noon News 081420 Officials say it will take five days or longer to restore power to some Iowa homes and businesses that have been without electricity after a wind storm left damage across the Midwest on Monday and killed at least four people. The Siouxland District Health Department has reported ten new cases of COVID-19 in Woodbury County on Friday. Health officials said the additional cases are from the 114 tests reported on Thursday. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health as of 9

Even though there is a positive case of COVID-19 at an elementary school in Sioux City, summer school will continue. A spokesperson for the Sioux City Community School District says a positive COVID-19 case was reported at Morningside STEM Elementary. The person who tested positive and others who came in close contact have been told to self-isolate or self-quarantine. Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day of summer school for certain and in the district. Head Start programs will start in-person

One of the organizers of the Facebook group, “Iowa Educators for a Safe Return to School’ put out a statement on social media about the decision by the Sioux City Community School District to have students attend in-person class two times a week. Jeremy Dumkrieger said “Thank you Sioux City Schools, I’m a little less worried about my kid. Hybrid classes wll cut down on exposure!” Dumkrieger, an art teacher from northwest Iowa, talked to Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer about the “Safe

In the past few months, thousands of people across the country received mysterious packages of seeds in the mail from China. The USDA now says the packages contain seeds for more than a dozen different plants including mint, morning glory, cabbage rosemary and sage. Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer looks at the growing concern for a few in Siouxland as well. Local extension experts once again say if you do happen to end up with the seeds do not plant them because they could be damaging.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced candidates running for office try and become creative in reaching out to potential supports. Democrat J.D. Scholten gassed up his RV, nicknamed “Sioux City Sue” and hit the road after a hiatus of several months. He goes head-to-head in the 4 th Congressional District after his challenger, Randy Freenstra of Hull beat long-time incumbant, Steve King. Scholten was on the road when he talked to Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer about the campaign, a strained

On Tuesday afternoon, Former Vice President Joe Biden named onetime rival Kamala Harris as his running mate. The California senator, was one of about two dozen Democrats who spent time in Iowa and even here in Siouxland trying to secure the nomination for President. Harris dropped out of the Presidential race in December, just two months before the first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucuses. It was back on July 5 th of last year, when candidate Kamala Harris spoke to an overflow audience of around 350