Gazette Daily News Briefing, December 21st
This is John McGlothlen with the Gazette digital news desk and I’m here with your update for Monday, December 21st.
The weather today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Also breezy, with a northwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Tonight will be mostly cloudy during the early evening, then becoming clear, with a low around 22.
After not confirming any additional COVID-19 deaths over the last two days, the state Sunday morning verified 138 more, bringing the total number of people in Iowa whose deaths have been attributed to the respiratory disease to 3,589. Of the newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths, 82 were of people over the age of 80; 48 were between the ages of 61 and 80; seven were between the ages of 41 and 60 and one was between the ages of 18 and 40.
Authorities Sunday identified a man found dead after a fire damaged a six-unit apartment building and displaced tenants. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said the fire was reported just after 10 p.m. Friday in the 300 block of Vanderbilt Street in Fairfax. Smoke and flames were visible as crews arrived. The sheriff’s office said the man was found in an upstairs unit and pronounced dead. He was identified as Ronald D. Weston, who records show turned 44 earlier this year. The cause of the fire remained under investigation and the State Fire Marshal’s Office was assisting.
For the first time in Iowa State history, the Cyclones are headed to a New Year’s Six bowl. No. 10 Iowa State will play Pac 12 Champion No. 25 Oregon on Jan. 2 in the Fiesta Bowl. The Cyclones have had arguably the best season in school history, going 8-1 in the Big 12 and making the conference championship game for the first time in school history.
Kirk Ferentz will coach virtually this week, after his positive COVID-19 test, as the Iowa Hawkeyes prepare for the Music City Bowl. Missouri (5-5) will be the opponent Dec. 30 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. ESPN will have the telecast. Tickets will be available to the general public for the game, which kicks at 3 p.m., through Ticketmaster, with a seating capacity of around 14,000 fans.
