Gazette Daily News Briefing, May 12

Today's weather is starting with another frost, but after that, it's going to be a bright and sunny day with a high near 62. Tonight, the temperature will drop to around 44, and starting tomorrow the rest of the week has chances of rain and thunder storms.

Over the weekend, the number of coronavirus cases in Iowa rose to 414 to 12,373 total cases in 93 of Iowa's 99 counties. The number of statewide deaths attributed to coronavirus has risen by 6 to 271.

Today Kim Reynolds, operating in modified quarantine, is expected to ease more coronavirus related restrictions accross the state. During Monday's briefing she said she's impressed with progress so far, saying 'We can continue, I think, to lessen the restrictions and open up our state and start to begin in a very thoughtful, safe and purposeful way to continue to reopen our economy.'

UnityPoint Health hospitals have a new policy to test all patients for coronavirus. Previously, at risk patients who were showing symptoms got priority, but now all patients will be tested, even if they're there for non-coronavirus reasons. This is especially important as hospitals are getting more traffic now thanks to the ban on elective procedures being lifted.

After reports of an uptick in COVID-19 cases, Postville kosher meat plant tested more than 400 employees.The test happened on May 5th, but so far no results have been revealed.

Citing a worldwide downturn in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials of Raytheon, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids' largest employer, said more furloughs could be on the way. No number for how many employees are expected to be impacted have been revealed.

You can find all this and the rest of our coronavirus coverage at our dedicated coronavirus page, TheGazette.com/coronavirus

An unsealed search warrant reveals more details of the grisly attack on Chris Bagley in 2018. The initial information of Bagley's fatal stabbing over drug robberies was revealed during a hearing last year, but the March 2019 search warrant obtained by The Gazette on yesterday gives a better indication as to why prosecutors asked a grand jury to review the case before charging three men last year. The full details can be seen at TheGazette.com.

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