CEDAR RAPIDS IS EXPECTING THE CEDAR RIVER TO FLOOD. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS A CREST LATE THURSDAY MORE THAN THREE-AND-A-HALF FEET INTO FLOOD STAGE. THAT IS LEADING TO ROAD CLOSURES IN SOME AREAS NEAR THE RIVER. CEDAR RAPIDS OFFICIALS ARE ALSO CLOSING BOAT RAMPS.
PARENTS IN THE CEDAR VALLEY ARE SCRAMBLING AFTER HAPPY TIME PRESCHOOL AND DAYCARE ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BE CLOSED FOR TWO WEEKS. MULTIPLE POSITIVE COVID-19 TESTS LED TO THE CLOSURE SO THE FACILITY CAN BE SANITIZED. OVER 100 CHILDREN ATTEND HAPPY TIME, AND FAMILIES ARE BEING ASKED TO SELF-ISOLATE. THE CENTER IS RUN BY CEDAR VALLEY CHURCH.
A MARION MAN IS GOING TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS AFTER SCAMMING AN ENERGY COMPANY REBATE PROGRAM. STARTING IN 2017, DUSTIN HUTCHESON TURNED IN FALSIFIED REBATE FORMS WORTH MORE THAN 300 THOUSAND DOLLARS. HUTCHESON WAS SENTENCED MONDAY AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO MAIL FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING.
THE CORONAVIRUS HAS FORCED CHANGES TO MANY SUMMER EVENTS. CEDAR RAPIDS’ FREEDOM FESTIVAL SPOKESPERSON KAROL SHEPHERD SAYS HER GROUP STARTED ADAPTING EARLY. THOSE CHANGES INCLUDE A MEDALLION HUNT – WHICH IS UNDERWAY – AND A DRIVE-THRU PANCAKE BREAKFAST THIS WEEKEND. MORE ABOUT 2020’S VIRTUAL FREEDOM FESTIVAL IS ONLINE AT FREEDOMFESTIVAL.COM.
A FORMER NEW HAMPTON MAN ADMITTED HE ROBBED A LIME SPRINGS BANK AT GUNPOINT LAST SEPTEMBER. 27-YEAR-OLD LUIS VEGA ENTERED PLEAS OF GUILTY TO BANK ROBBERY AND OTHER CHARGES IN FEDERAL COURT. SENTENCING WILL BE AT A LATER DATE. WORKERS RECOGNIZED VEGA BECAUSE HE USED TO HAVE AN ACCOUNT AT THE BANK.
WATERLOO IS LIKELY TO SPEND NEARLY 10 MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE TO REBUILD RIDGEWAY AVENUE BETWEEN KIMBALL AND ANSBOROUGH. THE CITY HAS BEEN LOOKING OVER OPTIONS SINCE 2017. THE PROJECT MAY ALSO INCLUDE ROUNDABOUTS TO EVEN-OUT TRAFFIC FLOW AS LANES ARE REDUCED. CURRENTLY FOUR LANES, RIDGEWAY COULD BE CHANGED TO THREE WIDER LANES, INCLUDING A CENTER TURN LANE.
ALMOST 5,000 RACIST EMAILS WERE SENT TO THE IOWA STATE CAMPUS COMMUNITY. OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES RECEIVED SIMILAR MESSAGES ACCORDING TO ISU TECH OFFICIALS. THE SPAM EMAILS WERE NOT SENT BY ANYONE AT IOWA STATE. THE SCHOOL CALLED THE MESSAGE CONTENTS “VILE.”
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES FOCUSES ON JOB TRAINING AT ITS RETAIL OUTLETS AND THROUGH OTHER PROGRAMS. A NEW PROJECT IN CORALVILLE WILL PROVIDE MANUFACTURING SKILLS. GOODWILL OF THE HEARTLAND VICE PRESIDENT JESSICA SCHAMBERGER TALKED TO OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION’S NEW VEGETABLE OIL PLANT. THE PLANT IS EXPECTED TO ADD 40 EMPLOYEES AS IT COMES ON-LINE.
MORE THAN 26 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR NORTH LINN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS HANDLED IMPROPERLY, ACCORDING TO AN AUDIT REPORT. STATE OFFICIALS STAY THE ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION HAPPENED THROUGH LAST SPRING. THE MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT INTO A PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION FUND. THE REPORT NAMES FORMER NORTH LINN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SECRETARY DANIELLE ARNOLD AS THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCOUNT.
FIREFIGHTERS RESCUED NINE KAYAKERS FROM BLACK HAWK CREEK OVER THE WEEKEND. IT HAPPENED AROUND 11:30 SUNDAY MORNING WHEN TWO ADULTS AND SEVEN CHILDREN ENCOUNTERED A FALLEN TREE IN THE CREEK. TWO OF THE BOATS CAPSIZED, WITH ONE OF THE CHILDREN HANGING FROM THE SNAG. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
A DICE GAME IN WATERLOO LED TO SHOOTING EARLIER THIS MONTH. DEVIN PENDLETON HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INCIDENT ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 13TH. PENDLETON HAS BEEN CONVICTED PREVIOUSLY FOR GUN CRIMES IN WATERLOO. CHARGES AGAINST HIM IN THIS CASE INCLUDE INTIMIDATION WITH A WEAPON AND BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM.
ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING IS BEING PREPARED IN LIEU OF THE ANNUAL CEDAR RAPIDS FREEDOM FESTIVAL. DURING A RECENT EDITION OF KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, EVENT SPOKESPERSON KAROL SHEPHERD SPOKE ABOUT ONE FAMILIAR ELEMENT WHICH REMAINS: THE FREEDOM FESTIVAL BUTTONS. HEAR MORE ABOUT THE VIRTUAL FREEDOM FESTIVAL AT KXEL.COM.
