Aaron Hosman

Mariah Schrack of Dubuque joined over 150 other couples in a lawsuit against the U.S. State Department. The couples are all waiting for K1-Fiancée Visas, which allow someone from outside the country to enter the U.S. and then marry a citizen within 90 days. The lawsuit claims the State Department has deprioritized those visas, after lifting Covid-19 related restrictions on other forms of visa pretentions.

A member of UE 896, the union representing graduate employees at the University of Iowa said the school needs to expand testing and move all courses online before the next semester. He said his union believes that provides the best protections to students and faculty, as the number of self-reported cases nears 2,000.

NESTS or Nurturing Every Student Together Safely, was formed to fill the gaps in the Iowa City Community School District's Return to Learn Plan for vulnerable and at risk youth. The centers provide things like childcare, support for online learning platforms and address language barriers.

The Community Transpiration Committee is pushing for all bus passes to work between both the Iowa City and Coralville bus systems. Currently, only the most expensive pass does that. The group also wants the system to serve people who work second or third shift, or work Sundays.

The Atkins Memorial Union Hall lost its roof in the August 10th derecho. Days of rain have only made the damage inside the building worse. Tonya Lyle of Atkins is planning a 5K run/walk in town to benefit the Legion's repairs.

The Executive Director of Buchanan County Economic Development said she’s only aware of two shops in the county closing due to the pandemic. One business owner bought a second shop, a restaurant, before Covid-19 related shutdowns, but said business is now going well thanks to her community.

Cornell College's President said the school is using rapid antigen tests to tests hundreds of students daily. Most students also live on campus, making testing and control of the virus easier.

Developers hope the 'Clean and Contain Scale' can be used by all types of businesses and organizations to help people understand what they are doing and what they can improve upon to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

Over 60 animals and counting have been brought in to an eastern Iowa wildlife rehabilitation center and sanctuary following the August 10th derecho. Some animals were either orphaned, displaced or injured in the storm.

Because of Covid-19, the center is all run through the window of your car while wearing a mask. FEMA is urging people to register online or over the phone and only come to this in-person site if you need help uploading documents.

Two women from Marion wanted to help those impacted by the dercecho. So together they started selling t-shirts which quickly raised $6,000 dollars and they now have plans to produce more.

On Monday, Waypoint Services along with other homeless assistance organizations met with FEMA, the city and county to develop a plan to address the now growing homeless population. Collectively they are trying to create a community assessment to identify how they can best help and develop a centralized system.

Two mobile homes are still without power in one Cedar Rapids mobile home park. That's after many residents moved out and aren't coming back because of the extent of damage.

Dozens of families, many non-English speakers, living at the Arrowridge and Shamrock Apartments on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids had to move out of their units Sunday for storm damage repairs.

Tom Fruehling, a 75-year-old Vietnam veteran and popular Coolidge Elementary crossing guard needed help cleaning up storm damage to his home after the derecho. Dozens of people showed up Saturday to help, including students, both past and present he's mentored for years.

The owners of the Reuben Ash Home estimate that for nearly 180 years, a pine tree stood strong on their property, towering over most every other tree around it. After last week's powerful derecho, that same tree crushed part of the house and a crane service was needed to remove it.

Rochelle Meeks of Cedar Rapids suffers from a long list of medical problems like lupus, asthma, diabetes and tubes in her heart. Now, on day eight with no power, her health is becoming more of a concern.

Pamela Smith says she had to throw out $400 dollars worth of food after not having power for days. Now her family of seven is turning to places like city-run neighborhood resource centers for food and assistance. Five centers were set up Monday across Cedar Rapids.

After Monday's derecho, 11-year-old Christopher, with the help of his mom, started cleaning up their Cedar Rapids neighborhood. One person donated a wheelbarrow and other tools so Christopher can keep working.

Residents at Moundview Manor Apartments in Marion had their first hot meal following Monday's storm on Friday. Elevators are also off in the three-story building and some people are without flashlights and other supplies.

Things like ice and charcoal are now hard to find across Linn County as people prepare for a third night without power.

An employee at Culver's Garden Center in Marion says during the early part of the season, business increased, especially when stimulus checks were issued.

Online sales helped the Chocolate Haus in Amana during the early part of the pandemic. Now, as foot traffic in the area begins to pick-up, they are looking to hire additional staff.

Since completing his prison sentence, Jordan Phillips of Cedar Rapids is putting his life back together. He now has a job and this November he’ll be able to vote again thanks to a new executive order restoring some felon voting rights.

A children's consignment shop in Cedar Rapids hoped to make it through slowing sales during the pandemic, but last week, after five years, Polka Dots & Denim officially closed. Now, the former owner is adjusting to looking for work of her own.

UNI staggered student's move-in schedules each day, limited the number of people moving into a building per day, required face coverings, and limited the number of guests to help with the move.

Not following the mandate could result in a fine up to $200 dollars. The Prairie du Chien police chief said in a Facebook post that although he supports wearing a mask, his department won’t enforce the rule.

The series of community listening sessions is meant to highlight the racial injustices that exists, but also to gather information city leaders can use to make the community more equitable for people of color.

For older brick buildings, similar to the Iowa Building in downtown Cedar Rapids, an engineer says water freezing and then thawing causes most exterior brick failures.

The Great Jones County Fair was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With livestock shows still on, Chuckie's tenderloins was the only vendor that got to serve the few at the fair this year.

People lining the streets of downtown Marion with signs and flags encouraged those driving by to honk in support of police. Organizer Gage West said he started the event to show support for local law enforcement, not to counter the Black Lives Matter Movement.

An Iowa City woman is recovering after she said she was hit by a semi-truck while stranded on the side of Interstate 80 Saturday.

The U.S. Cellular Center is set to host a concert series featuring local bands called, 'Live at the Five.' The event space will limit the number of people, have socially distant seating and require masks.

At Cedar Rapids Washington High School Monday Morning, district leaders laid out their tentative plans to reopen schools. Plans that give teachers and students a choice to return to the classroom or learn and teach from home.

A comedian touring the country made his way to eastern Iowa, but his shows are about more than getting a few laughs. He has a mission to help those in need. Cover charge for his shows are socks and underwear to donate to people facing homelessness.

The shop manager said it has been a busy summer for the store, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. She expects weekend heat to bring in a lot more people.

The school board made the decision Tuesday night to start with online learning, but interim Superintendent Matt Degner said that could eventually change.

Waypoint Services in Cedar Rapids is fielding more than 200 calls a day from people looking for rent assistance or help with moving costs. In order to qualify for the assistance, an individual or family must be facing eviction or homeless and living with a family member or friend.

St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids is keeping it doors closed and sticking with live-streamed and virtual services, at least until the end of the month. In March, the church started using only an iPhone and tripod to stream their service on Facebook.

Bikers rode through parts of eastern Iowa making stops along the way, taking selfies to post online. It's part of a continuing effort to spread awareness for Elizabeth and Lyric, along with other Iowa families that still don’t have answers into their loved ones’ disappearance.

The CDC recommends a two-layer cloth mask, but Sam Jarvis with the Johnson County Public Health Department said having any face covering is better than nothing for protecting yourself and those around you.

In Muscatine on Monday a mask mandate took effect requiring residents to wear a face covering in all public, indoor and outdoor spaces. The Muscatine County Attorney is working with Iowa State Attorney General’s office to determine if local government can issue and then enforce this type of mandate.

The Linn County Board of Supervisors approved the use of the county’s Fillmore Building as a summer cooling and water center. That’s as some public places typically open for cooling off are closed due to Covid-19.

Since 2018, when the Iowa Supreme Court struck down an abortion law with a 72 hour waiting period, Governor Reynolds has appointed 4 new justices to the court.

Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, places where people can usually cool-off from the summer heat, like public libraries, are closed, presenting a challenge for people who are homeless or don’t have access to air conditioning.

Born out of the Black Lives Matter Movement, Dubuque artist Shelby Fry said she had the idea to use her talents to share a message of acceptance. It’s now being painted on the facade of the Five Flags Center in Downtown Dubuque - a 28 foot by 105 foot mural representing all walks of life, spelling out ‘solidarity.’

As of June 19th, 6,800 scooter rides and 1,300 e-bike rides were logged in the first few weeks of the program this season. Program leaders says rules of the road need to be followed and riders should be responsible in order for the program to expand.

Country Financial Insurance will donate $3 million dollars this year to organizations that support first responders, military members, and healthcare workers. As a part of their Operation Helping Heroes Program, the company gives its agents across the country money to support in their own communities.

The Cedar River is expected to reach just into major flood stage Thursday night into Friday, which can create unsafe conditions in some areas.

Organ transplants in the United States are starting to bounce back to pre-Covid-19 levels. That’s after a dip during the midst of the pandemic, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Iowa Donor Network says they aren't able to tie their decrease directly to Covid-19, yet.