Gazette Daily News Podcast, October 20

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Iowa COVID-19 hospitalizations are at the lowest level since May

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Iowa dropped for the seventh consecutive week, to 1,508, down from last week’s 1,718 new infections, according to numbers released Wednesday.

To date, 861,010 people have tested positive in Iowa since the pandemic arrived in the state in March 2020, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Linn County reported 135 new infections in the past week, down from 162 the previous week. The county has recorded 61,047 people testing positive since March 2020. Johnson County added 124 new cases, down from 148 reported the previous week. A total of 42,553 people in Johnson County have tested positive since March 2020.

Johnson County is no longer on the Wolf CO2 pipeline route

A pipeline proposed to transport carbon dioxide from ADM plants in Cedar Rapids and Clinton no longer would go through Johnson County, developers reported.

Wolf Carbon Solutions, based in Denver, Colo., will hold a second round of informational meetings Dec. 5 and 6 in four Iowa counties about the proposed 280-mile pipeline, according to an order issued Wednesday by the Iowa Utilities Board. The company confirmed its first round of meetings did not include proper notification of all landowners to be affected by the route.

Iowa City moving forward with updating recreation facilities, including City Park Pool

The Iowa City Council on Tuesday approved the 557-page Recreation Facilities and Programs Master Plan, which is a programming and facilities road map for the next 10 years. The plan, along with an executive summary, is available on the city’s website.

The council’s 4-2 approval signals support for fully renovating City Park Pool. Councilors John Thomas and Pauline Taylor were the two votes against the plan and favored deferring the vote to work out additional details after hearing concerns from residents. Mayor Bruce Teague was not present during Tuesday’s meeting.

Approval also allows the city to continue with renovations at Mercer Park, adjusting and expanding recreation programs, and evaluating the future of Robert A. Lee pool in the coming years.