Gazette Daily News Briefing, May 8

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I’m here with your update for Friday, May 8.

On Friday it’s going to be a bit colder than what we’ve gotten used to lately. According to the National Weather Service, there will be a high of 52 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area, despite it being sunny. It will also be breezy, with a chilly wind of 15 to 20 mph sometimes gusting as high as 30 mph. With a low of 30 degrees, there could be a chance of some frost.

Thanks to enough people following guidelines on social distancing and avoiding large gatherings, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday the state is able to shift its COVID-19 focus from mitigation strategies to managing the impact on Iowans.

Even as the state Department of Public Health reported 655 new cases and 12 more deaths Thursday, Reynolds said Iowa is successfully dealing with the disease, which has claimed 231 lives in less than two months. On Friday, dentists may resume providing services and campgrounds, drive-in movie theaters, tanning facilities and medical spas all may reopen statewide, but with restrictions. Reynolds cancelled her Friday COVID-19 press conference as Vice President Mike Pence is visiting the state on Friday.

Malls are also being allowed to reopen in Iowa's more affected 22 counties, if they follow social distancing guidelines and stay below heavy occupancy. The Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, one of Iowa’s largest malls, indicated Thursday that it will reopen Friday under these guidelines, saying there would be multiple sanitation stations and more regular cleaning. Other retail stores are expected to reopen as well, while fitness centers can offer services again by appointment only.

Investigators on Wednesday arrested a long-haul trucker from Iowa who they believe is linked by DNA evidence to the killings of three women whose bodies were dumped in Wyoming and Tennessee in the early 1990s.

Police arrested 58-year-old Clark Perry Baldwin at his home in Waterloo on murder charges filed in Wyoming and Tennessee in the deaths of the women, including two who were pregnant. Investigators said they were looking into whether Baldwin could be responsible for other unsolved slayings. Police say they developed a DNA profile from semen and other physical evidence left at the scenes and matched it to DNA gathered from Baldwin.

The Iowa Supreme Court has approved a pilot program in the state’s 4th Judicial District to develop procedures for the use of electronic search warrants. Electronic search warrants, which  can be submitted to a judge from a squad car computer, will reduce the time required to obtain warrants. 

This briefing is sponsored in part by Corridor Careers.  Are you looking for a job? CorridorCareers.com is a resource to local job seekers where they can get job tips, sign up for local job alerts, build a resume and more. Check it out at CorridorCareers.com.