Gazette Daily News Briefing, May 6

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It should be a bit less rainy and a bit warmer Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service, there should be a high of 64 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area Wednesday. It should be mostly sunny for most of the day, although there will be a chance of showers after 4:00 p.m. Wind speed should remain steady in the 5 to 10 mph range.

Iowa reported its largest death toll from COVID-19 so far on Tuesday. However, on a day health officials reported the grim record of 19 coronavirus-related deaths in a 24-hour period, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds appeared to signal that Iowa has passed its peak of the disease and is moving into the 'recovery phase' of responding to the pandemic.

Reynolds also indicated that the record number of increased cases in Iowa is due to the state increasing testing. She said the state must balance people losing their lives in the future with people losing their livelihoods now. The state reduced social distancing restrictions on 77 of its lesser affected counties on Friday. The remaining 22 are set to see many of their restrictions expire on May 15th. 207 people have died from the disease so far in the state, while 10,111 have tested positive for COVID-19.

Reynolds also indicated that the record number of increased cases in Iowa is due to the state increasing testing. She said the state must balance people losing their lives in the future with people losing their livelihoods now. The state reduced social distancing restrictions on 77 of its lesser affected counties on Friday. The remaining 22 are set to see many of their restrictions expire on May 15th. 207 people have died from the disease so far in the state, while 10,111 have tested positive for COVID-19.

Revised models by the University of Washington have Iowa hitting its peak in deaths and infections per day in June. This disease model has been cited previously by the White House due to its comparatively conservative predictions for deaths and infections.

Nearly 1,400 workers at three Tyson Foods pork processing plants in Iowa have tested positive for the coronavirus, the state reported Tuesday. The Iowa Department of Public Health revealed for the first time that the state's largest workplace outbreak has been at the Tyson plant in Perry in Central Iowa. There, 730 workers were confirmed to have the virus, 58 percent of those tested. The Tyson plant in Waterloo has had 444 workers test positive, and its Columbus Junction plant has had 221 confirmed infections, the department said. Tyson Foods has had several meat plants close due to the quick spread of the disease, joining several other meat plants nationally. Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring meat production as an essential service, partially to protect the companies from their workers seeking legal damages and to prevent national meat shortages.

A judge has again reset the sentencing for a Manchester man convicted in February of fatally stabbing 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in 1979. 6th Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover reset the sentencing of 66-year-old Jerry Burns, 66, to Aug. 7 in Linn County District Court.  Hoover cited the need to observe COVID-19 safety precautions as the reason for the delay.

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.