Community News Stories

Decorah, IA—As of Tuesday, March 24, 2020, Hometown Taxi will be open for delivery services and essential medical rides only, due to COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Hours will be Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Delivery cost within Decorah is $5 and from Wal-Mart is $6. Discounts for seniors and people with disabilities still apply. Call 563-382-3155 for services, and check Facebook or hometowntaxidecorah.com for possible changes in delivery open hours.

“Since the fall of 1987, Hometown Taxi has been open every week in every type weather to serve our community with safe and friendly transportation to work, to medical appointments, to grocery stores, and to social events,” Scot Idstrom, Hometown Taxi partner said. “It’s terribly difficult for us to have to reduce our services at this time, but it’s the responsible thing to do to keep our riders and the rest of the community safe,” he continued.

“We wish our community of riders well and want to continue supporting them with this delivery service. We hope to resume our regular schedule sometime in the near future,” Idstrom said.

Hometown Taxi is a partnership owned and operated by Scot Idstrom, Ian Miller, Heidi Olstad, Ketel Paulsen, Eric Paulson, Daniel Rotto, Eric VanVliet, and Craig Witt.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been notified of one additional positive case of Iowans with COVID-19, for a total of 45 positive cases. 765 negative tests have been conducted at the State Hygienic Lab.

According to IDPH, this individual resides in Allamakee County and is a middle-aged adult (41-60).

A status report of monitoring and testing of COVID19 in Iowa provided by IDPH can be found here. In addition, a public hotline has been established for Iowans with questions about COVID-19. The line is available 24/7 by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-244-7431. The governor’s office and the Iowa Department of Public Health will be transitioning to mid morning updates as testing capabilities have expanded.

Gov. Reynolds will hold a press conference today from the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Johnston, IA at 2:30 p.m. to provide an update to the state of Iowa on COVID-19. Gov. Reynolds held a press conference later this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. The press conference will be livestreamed and posted in full on Governor Reynolds’ Facebook Page.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants have been forced to close to the public. Many of them are still offering carry-out and/or delivery, and in an effort to help drive customer traffic to our restaurants, I’ve compiled a list containing business hours, phone numbers, and various new policies if applicable. Additionally, I’ve uploaded the menus of every open restaurant to a Google Drive folder, so you can easily access each menu to determine what you’d like to order. You can access that Google Drive folder at the following link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1013wTaRdkMMzbtE6AuTcdOG9NTKbwsnC

Full Restaurant Info, in Alphabetical Order:

Coffee on the River

563-538-2899

https://www.coffeeontheriver.com

CLOSED AT THIS TIME

Expresso

563-538-4349

Carry-Out Only; No counter service—call in your orders

Deli Hours:

Sunday-Thursday: 6:00am-6:30pm

Friday-Saturday: 6:00am-7:30am

Fajita’s Grill

563-538-3000

Tuesday-Thursday: 11:00-2:00; 4:30-9:00

Friday-Saturday: 11:00-10:00

Sunday: 11:00-9:00

Kwik Star

563-538-4308

Regular Hot Spot Items to-go

Suspended Service Includes:

—Roller Grills

—Bakery Case

—Condiment Bar

—Nacho/Chili Cheese Machine

—Soup Bar

—Refillable Cups and Mugs

—Food Sampling

Main Channel Grill & Lodging

563-538-4955

https://mainchannelgrillandlodging.com

CLOSED AT THIS TIME

Milty’s

563-538-4585

https://www.miltys.net

Tuesday-Thursday: 11:00-1:30; 5:00-7:30

Friday-Saturday: 11:00-8:00

Sunday-Monday: CLOSED

CASH ONLY

Delivery Available on Request

NutMeg’s Cafe and Bakery

563-538-9214

https://manning48.wixsite.com/nutmegs

Wednesday-Sunday: 7:00-1:00

Safe House Saloon

563-538-4288

Monday-Thursday: 4:00-8:00

Friday: 4:00-9:00

Saturday: 11:00-9:00

Sunday: 11:00-8:00

Free Delivery

20% off carry-out beer and growler fills

Shep’s Riverside Bar & Grill

563-538-2009

Thursday-Tuesday: 11:00-7:00

CASH ONLY

Delivery upon Request

Thee O.P.

563-538-9383

CLOSED AT THIS TIME

TJ Hunter’s (Wednesday Rib Nights)

563-538-4544

CLOSED AT THIS TIME

—

Andy KelleherExecutive Director, Main Street Lansing563-538-9229P.O. Box 307, Lansing, IA  52151

MDH COVID-19 Hotlines are open 7 am – 7 pm.

Health questions: 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903

Community mitigation: (schools, child care, business) questions: 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504

APPLICATIONS FOR IOWA’S LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP) EXTENDED THROUGH MAY 31, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division of Community Action Agencies (DCAA) has extended the regular LIHEAP season through May 31, 2020. Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) Family Service Offices will continue taking applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through May 31, 2020.  Residents of Allamakee, Bremer, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard & Winneshiek counties can apply online at www.neicac.org or by calling the local Family Services office listed below. Applications for assistance can be completed without visiting an office. If your household applied for LIHEAP in the 2018-2019 LIHEAP program year, you can apply online.  Go to our website’s LIHEAP page http://www.neicac.org/LIHEAP  and look for the “Apply Online” link. Applications may also be requested by mail or by phone. NEICAC’s Family Services offices will not be scheduling face-to-face appointments with customers until further notice.

A household may be eligible if the household’s annual gross income of 175% of poverty or less – see chart below. 

(Please see below for office locations and telephone numbers)

For more information contact your local NEICAC (Community Action) Family Service Office or call the NEICAC central office in Decorah at (563) 382-9608.

(TO MEDIA – PLEASE ONLY USE THE LOCATIONS LISTED BELOW THAT ARE IN YOUR COVERAGE AREA)

Additionally, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) issued an emergency order directing all electric and natural gas utilities in Iowa to cease disconnection of residential service due to nonpayment. The extended winter moratorium period will continue until May 1, 2020. This statewide extension period issued by IUB order applies to all investor-owned, municipal and cooperative utilities in Iowa. For more information, visit https://iub.iowa.gov/press-release/2020-03-13/iub-emergency-order-extends-utility-winter-moratorium

For more information, please contact:

Karen Henry, LIHEAP & Outreach Director

563.387.4924

Emergency Proclamation Helps Farmers, Agribusinesses Meet Demand for Food and Supplies

DES MOINES, Iowa (March 20, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig issued the following statement in response to the State Public Health Emergency Proclamation signed by Gov. Reynolds today.

“Gov. Reynolds has shown tremendous leadership to our state during this challenging and evolving situation,” said Secretary Naig. “I appreciate her continued support of the agriculture community. We’ll continue working together to find solutions that keep the supply chain moving so we can get food from the farm to the grocery store shelf.”

The emergency proclamation temporarily suspends the oversized, overweight and hours of service regulations that apply to commercial vehicles transporting “agricultural supplies and commodities including, but not limited to, livestock, raw milk and crop supplies.” This waiver helps farmers and agribusinesses continue to meet the demand for food and supplies during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The proclamation is effective immediately and lasts until April 16, 2020, at 11:59 p.m.

Gundersen moves some clinic appointments to phone 

Gundersen Health System is changing how it handles some clinic appointments at all locations to help prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Effective immediately and for the coming weeks, some scheduled clinic appointments will be converted to a phone visit or canceled to help us focus on preparing for COVID-19 and treating patients with the virus.

In either case, patients will receive a phone call from their healthcare team to confirm a phone visit or cancellation. Patients do not need to call us. If an appointment is canceled, we will work with patients to reschedule it for a later date.

In cases where a patient needs to be seen in person, the appointment will continue as scheduled. If you do not hear from your provider, plan to be at your appointment. Patients are reminded that only one support person may accompany them to appointments and are asked to drop off and pick up patients, rather than waiting inside the clinic.

For the most up-to-date information, visit gundersenhealth.org/covid19

Telephone: (563) 387-1417

Luther College extends distance learning period through spring semester 

On Wednesday, the Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed nine additional cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, one of which is located in Winneshiek County. Given these developments, federal and state guidance on travel and social distancing, and our obligations to protect the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and the local community, Luther leadership has decided to extend the period of distance learning through the remainder of the spring semester. Beginning Monday, March 30, and continuing through Thursday, May 21, all courses at Luther College will be held in distance learning formats.

All students who complete graduation requirements during the Spring 2020 semester will formally graduate from Luther College and become alumni in May 2020. Luther College is committed to celebrating this important accomplishment, and it will hold on-campus commencement exercises for the Class of 2020 at a date yet to be determined, depending upon local, regional and national considerations for individual and community health.

“I know that these are anxious and uncertain times. Together we will find answers to the questions that you may have now, as well as those that may arise in the future. This situation is challenging and not what we planned. But I know that our community is strong and that our commitment to academic excellence is unwavering. Even though the distance learning approach is going to be different for many of us, I know that the content of what we are going to do together will endure,” said President Jenifer K. Ward.

Campus buildings will be closed to visitors and the general public. Effective immediately, all events at Luther College are canceled through at least Thursday, May 21. The Campus Programming Office will work with event planners and hosts to identify and cancel events, including those sponsored by groups not affiliated with Luther College.

Consider Donating Personal Protect Equipment to Assist in
COVID-19 Response
Businesses and organizations are urged to donate personal protective equipment, or PPE, by
contacting their local public health department and the county emergency management
agency.
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging Iowa businesses and organizations
to donate extra personal protective equipment to assist health care providers and health care
facilities responding to COVID-19.
“This an unprecedented public health disaster, and stocks of personal protective equipment for
health care providers are being used rapidly,” said Ken Sharp, division director of Acute Disease
Prevention, Emergency Response and Environmental Health. “Any organizations that have extra
PPE supplies that aren’t immediately needed should consider donating them to help those on
the front line of this disease.”
Any type of health care PPE will be welcomed, especially gloves, gowns, eye protection, and
masks. Local public health and local emergency management officials will can work to address
needs locally and beyond.
To donate PPE, please contact county public health department or local emergency
manager. Local health department contact information can be found
at https://idph.iowa.gov/lphs/local-public-health-agencies, county emergency management
agency information can be found
at https://www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/documents/county/COORD_Public_List.pdf.

Decorah Public Library expands digital materials access

Decorah Public Library staff have been working to expand access to free e-books, digital audiobooks, and magazines for Decorah and rural Winneshiek County residents while the library is closed.

The first step towards gaining access to digital library materials is to sign up for a Decorah Public Library card; Decorah and rural Winneshiek County residents can do that by visiting the library website at www.decorah.lib.ia.us.

If someone already has a library card but can’t find it, they should email dpllib@decorah.lib.ia.us and staff will respond with the card number. That same email address can be used for questions or troubleshooting assistance. Staff will respond as soon as they’re able.

Library staff will continue to order additional digital materials for the community; users can request specific items for purchase through the Libby/Overdrive system or by emailing ktorresdal@decorah.lib.ia.us.

For additional Covid-19 information and resources, as well as current library news and online offerings, visit www.decorah.lib.ia.us or follow Decorah Public Library on Facebook.