The number of measles cases is rising in Iowa and has spread to other parts of the state. The outbreak remains concentrated in southwest Iowa. Iowa HHS says there are now 42 cases reported, including in the northeast and central parts of the state. That compares to just nine cases reported last year. Forty of those infected this year are unvaccinated.
Democrat Lynne Walz is getting a key endorsement from the governor of Kansas. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly traveled to Omaha to endorse Walz for Nebraska governor. Kelly says Walz is everything Nebraska needs right now and added that Walz is smart and experienced.
President Trump talked up Iowa's Republican candidates during a rally on Sunday. During the president's speech at the Five Flags Event Center in Dubuque, the President spoke about the Iowa GOP's First in the Nation status, shouted out the Iowa Hawkeyes following their Saturday win, and told voters to pretend he is on the ballot and get to the polls. Trump was talking about a proposed steel mill in southeast Iowa when he was interrupted by protestors, who were kicked out of the event. Midterm election day is tomorrow.
Early voting is up in Iowa this year compared to the last midterm election cycle, and is still available today. As of Sunday, more than 437-thousand voters have already cast their ballots through mail-in and early in-person voting. That's 20-percent of the more than two-point-one million voters registered in the state. Early in-person voting will close today in Iowa, and midterm election day is tomorrow. Absentee ballots must be received by county auditor's offices by the time polls close on election day.
Eligible EMS departments across Iowa are now officially cleared to opt-in to a pre-hospital blood transfusion program. The rollout comes after a successful year-long pilot program and utilizes the LifeFlow rapid infusion device. The device allows emergency crews to administer a life-saving unit of blood to critical trauma patients in less than two minutes while en route to a medical facility. The program's framework was engineered and tested by the Des Moines Fire Department and West Des Moines EMS.
Elkhorn is set to have its own fire department. Elkhorn's Suburban Fire District says it will reinstate an operating fire department when its contract with the city of Omaha ends on December 31st, 2027. Plans call for Elkhorn to have two district-owned fire stations with at least two staffed ambulances and one staffed pumper tanker.