Gazette Daily News Podcast, August 10
This is Stephen Colbert from the Gazette Digital News Desk and I’m here with your update for Monday, August 10, 2020.
Today’s weather has a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, but otherwise it should be partly sunny, with a high near 86. Tonight it will cool off to 61. Expect a lot of sun and a high of 84 tomorrow. After that, every day sees a 30-40% chance of rain until Sunday.
The number of coronavirus cases in Iowa rose yesterday to 48,742 total cases, and the total deaths attributed to coronavirus stand at 930.
While infections and deaths continue to rise, on Sunday the positive rate from all 7,000 tests for the previous 24 hours came out to 9% positive rate, keeping under the 10% threshold. Hospitalizations are also down from 229 to 221 the number of patients in intensive care dropped from 58 to 57, and the number of patients using ventilators dropped from 22 to 20.
Legion Arts stages comeback. The pioneering arts and culture organization that owns CSPS Hall in NewBo, had a “vibrant and exciting” spring season planned before COVID-19 swept through.
In March, the not-for-profit canceled all its shows featuring acts from different regions and countries overseas, assuming it was just a temporary pause. They planned to pick up in May, but all their events have been online. Now they’re finally opening their doors back up Thursday night, then noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
There will be in-person gallery exhibits in addition to some live performances or viewings outdoors. Precautions are being taken, including social distancing and checking guest’s temperatures at the door.
You can find this and the rest of our coronavirus coverage at our dedicated coronavirus page, TheGazette.com/coronavirus.
Iowa casino revenue is slowly recovering from the pandemic. State officials posted a report Friday showing adjusted gross revenue for July approached $120.4 million after the facilities and many other Iowa businesses were ordered closed from mid-March to June 1 under a gubernatorial emergency proclamation. Overall, commission documents indicated the state collected more than $17.2 million in gaming taxes on the July casino adjusted gross revenue and about $152,000 in state tax on sports betting revenue. Despite the return of revenue, attendance is sharply down from July last year with 1,175,723 gamblers passing through Iowa turnstiles, roughly a third of July 2019 traffic.
U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer got married on Saturday to Daniel Wasta in a small ceremony at the couple’s home. The couple, who have been together for about two years, were engaged in October 2019.
The 31 year old Finkenauer was elected to the U.S. House in 2018 and is seeking reelection this fall. She previously served two terms in the Iowa House.
The 27 year old Wasta, recently joined the Biden’s presidential campaign as the Iowa political director. He previously served the same capacity for Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Iowa caucuses campaign and also worked in the office of Iowa State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald and on a number of other political campaigns. Finkenauer is from Dubuque, and Wasta is from Cedar Rapids, but the couple hasn’t yet specified where they will make their new home.
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