In a letter to Vice President Mike Pence – the head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force – Governor Kim Reynolds, U.S. Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley along with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig are asking for additional support from the administration for the state’s pork producers.
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs (IDCA) announced today that it has awarded $191,000 in grants to Iowa artists and small nonprofit arts organizations who are reeling from the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of initial claims in Iowa, filed between Sunday, April 12, and Saturday, April 18, was 27,912. There were 26,192 initial claims by individuals who work and live in Iowa, and 1,720 claims by individuals who work in Iowa and live in another state.
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation declaring Thursday, April 9th as a “Day of Prayer” in Iowa, urging Iowans to “unite in prayer” in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, inviting Iowans to participate in the 59th Annual Iowa Prayer Breakfast, which is offered entirely online this year.
Gov. Reynolds signed a new proclamation continuing the State Public Health Emergency Declaration, ordering additional closures and relaxing additional regulations to support the state’s efforts to combat COVID-19.
Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) is outlining the benefits of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, which provides unemployment benefits for the self-employed, independent contractors, nonprofit employees, gig economy workers, those who have exhausted other unemployment insurance benefits, and those who may not have sufficient work history to qualify for a regular state claim.