Johnson County Public Health and hospitals respond to recent spike in COVID-19 cases
Sebastian Lechuga, News Reporter
July 8, 2020
Despite a sharp increase in positive coronavirus cases in Johnson County in the month of June, Iowa City hospitals say they are not experiencing challenges dealing with an increase in COVID-19 patients. Daily case counts have consistently increased in Johnson County since June 15. Many restaurants and retail s...
Yes, the former U.S. vice president Johnson County is named after held slaves, married and fathered children with enslaved woman
Lyle Muller, PolitiFact Iowa Editor
July 8, 2020
PolitiFact Iowa is a project of The Daily Iowan’s Ethics & Politics Initiative and PolitiFact to help you find the truth in politics. Edited by Caleb McCullough and Rylee Wilson What do you do when your county is named after a plantation owner from the 19th century who not only own...
Supervisors to form committee to change namesake of Johnson County
Rylee Wilson, News Editor
July 8, 2020
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will create a committee to find a new namesake for Johnson County, which is currently named after Vice President and slaveholder Richard Mentor Johnson. As previously reported by The Daily Iowan, University of Iowa Special Collections archivist David McCa...
Community members call for change to the namesake of Johnson County amid anti-racism movement
Mary Hartel, News Reporter
July 2, 2020
Iowa City community members are urging Johnson County residents and local leaders to reconsider the namesake of Johnson County. Currently named for former U.S. Vice President and slave owner Richard Mentor Johnson, the county was established in his name in 1837. The initiative to change the J...
Gov. Kim Reynolds, Johnson County extend public health emergency declarations
Josie Fischels, Summer Editor
June 25, 2020
In response to the spike in positive cases of COVID-19 in Johnson County and other counties in Iowa, the Declaration of the Public Health Disaster Emergency has been extended to Aug. 1, or as long as Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ State Disaster declaration remains in effect, by the approval of the Joh...
Johnson County Supervisor incumbents win primary election
Riley Davis, News Reporter
June 2, 2020
Incumbent Johnson County Supervisors Lisa Green-Douglass, Royceann Porter, and Rod Sullivan won the primary election nomination for the Democratic ballot Tuesday night. As of press time, Green-Douglass received the most votes with a total of 18,875 while Porter received 16,961 and Sullivan won t...
Kunkel wins Democratic nomination for Johnson County Sheriff
Molly Allen, News Reporter
June 2, 2020
Detective Sgt. Brad Kunkel won the Democratic nomination in Tuesday’s primary election for Johnson County Sheriff. Kunkel won 82% percent of the vote. His opponent, Sgt. Al Fear, garnered 17% percent of the vote. Lonny Pulkrabek, who served as Johnson County Sheriff for 15 years, ran for th...
Iowa City protest remains mostly peaceful despite tension with police, broken glass
Caleb McCullough, Summer Editor
June 2, 2020
A night of protesting unfolded across Iowa City Monday night to protest the death of George Floyd and police violence against black people. The night ended with minor property damage and no major altercations between protesters and Iowa City and Johnson County police. Old Capitol - 21 N. Clinton...
At Coral Ridge Mall, police meet protesters with chemical irritant, flashbangs
Sarah Watson, Fall Executive Editor
June 1, 2020
More than a dozen police, sheriff, and state trooper squad cars as well as a fire engine blocked off the 25th Avenue entrance to the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville Sunday night into the early hours of Monday morning as a group of about 50 people protesting police brutality against black people gathe...
Hundreds gather at Pentacrest for ‘Say Their Names’ rally against police violence
Caleb McCullough, Summer Editor
May 30, 2020
Hundreds of people gathered on the Pentacrest Saturday to rally against police brutality and in honor of George Floyd as days of protests, some violent, have taken place across the United States. Local leaders and protest organizers took turns speaking before the crowd, donned in masks and face sh...
Iowa to ease restrictions on amusement parks, casinos; allows bars to reopen
Sarah Watson, Editor
May 26, 2020
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced more steps to reopen Iowa businesses, including allowing bars to reopen on Thursday and easing restrictions on casinos and amusement parks beginning in June. At her daily press briefing Tuesday, Reynolds said bars, wineries, and distilleries would be allowed to op...
Iowa City businesses reopened cautiously commencement weekend
Sarah Watson, Managing Editor
May 17, 2020
Zoey Sletterhaugh’s parents drove five hours from Kansas City to be with their daughter in Iowa City for her virtual commencement ceremony this weekend. The trio, which was supposed to include her grandparents, in their 80s, and her brother, wholives in Colorado, spent the morning taking p...