SPM News

This week on The Exchange . . . We check in with Tyler Brock of Siouxland District Health about the spread of the coronavirus in Woodbury County Also, we talk with Sioux City Community School Superintendent Paul Gausman about the ongoing school closure and efforts to keep students learning until classes resume. And we talk with Western Iowa Tech Community College President Terry Murrell about how the school has moved all of its courses online until the end of the spring term to prevent the

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says she is somewhat optimistic about the number of people recovering from COVID-19. At a news conference this morning she reported no new deaths. The Iowa Department of Public Heath updated that information to include an elderly patient who died in eastern Iowa. There are 97 news cases and no new deaths. A total of 1,145 have tested positive. A total of 27 Iowans have died. There are 122 currently hospitalized and 431 patients have recovered. “Only 10% are

More than 100,000 Iowans filed for unemployment benefits in the first two weeks of massive business closings. The person in charge of Iowa Workforce Development called the situation “staggering”. People from all kinds of backgrounds wondering when will they go back to work? Many rely on seeing people face-to-face for their livelihoods, including singer-songwriter and music teacher Mike Langley. The Sioux City artist tells Siouxland Public Media how he has modified his business in this new age of

The number of confirmed cases of the new cornavirus in Iowa jumped by 102 for a total of 1,048. So, far the illness has claimed 26 lives in the state. Health officials say long term care facility and resident make up 11-percent of COVID-19 cases and 46-percent of deaths in the state. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is defending her use of a tool to help guide the state’s response to the outbreak that critics have called arbitrary and unscientific. The matrix developed by the Iowa Department of Public

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds faces intense criticism for refusing a statewide “stay-at-home” order. One local state lawmakers says it’s something he also would like to see enacted as well. Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer reports. State Representative Chris Hall says Iowa need clear guidance when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. “You can look around and see people are continuing to use public space; through no bad intentions of their own are putting others, especially older Iowans at risk

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds ordering more businesses to shut down to try and reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The move includes camp grounds, bowling alley, playgrounds and malls. Police will be given guidance this week on how to enforce the statewide ban on gatherings of more than 10 people. Stephan Bayens, the commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, says misdemeanor charges are possible if people ignore warnings. “Law enforcement is asking Iowans to take their responsibility

Refugee and immigrant-led organizations in Iowa are banding together to provide information on COVID-19 in ten different languages. The program through the group Embarc is mainly targeting Iowans from Burma and Central and East Africa. Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer with a look at what is being done locally to reach out to minority communities. When it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic there is concern not everyone is getting the message. Erica DeLeon is the Director of One Siouxland, a

There is a growing concern in the state of Iowa the governor isn’t doing enough to stop the spread of COVID-19. Governor Kim Reynolds says she does have strong guidelines in place. But, Don Dew the Executive Director of the Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland says it’s not enough. “Governor Reynolds, you say you are driven by the data. Please look at the data why it is so much better to do mitigation to lock down the state.” Dew along with other members of Iowa’s Independent Living Network

The Democratic leaders of the Iowa House and Senate urged Republican Governor Kim Reynolds to issue a formal stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They sent a letter to the governor asking her to go further in her response to the new coronavirus Democratic U.S. Congresswomen Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne also called on Reynolds to do the same. Reynolds says she’s already put strong restrictions in place. Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer talked to one local politician who

Governor Kim Reynolds says she wants her team to have a conversation with the Iowa Board of Medicine after it unanimously voted to ask her to issue a formal shelter-in-place order. Board members are appointed by the governor and oversee physician licensing and regulations. Reynolds says she hasn’t received the board’s letter yet. “I am always interested in getting and hearing the feedback of the medical community, but I would like to have them walk through with our team what we’re already doing