A DRIVER AND THE POLICE WHO WERE CHASING HIM REACHED SPEEDS OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR, TEARING THROUGH PARTS OF LINN COUNTY EARLY THIS MORNING. THE PURSUIT BEGAN IN SOUTHEAST CEDAR RAPIDS, SPILLING ONTO HIGHWAY 13 AND THEN EASTBOUND ONTO U.S. HIGHWAY 30 SHORTLY AFTER 1:30 A.M. 29-YEAR-OLD ANDREW LIKANCHUK EVENTUALLY WENT OFF ROAD AND HIS VEHICLE TURNED OVER NEAR MOUNT VERNON. LIKANCHUK HAD NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES; LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE DETAILS OF THE CHASE.
MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF FUNDRAISING BROUGHT IN OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS FOR A NEW ADDITION TO THE UNI-DOME ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA. A FOOTBALL MEETING ROOM IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE FACILITY WILL OVERLOOK THE FIELD. THE UNI ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT UNVEILED THEIR PLAN FOR THE SPACE YESTERDAY. THE MEETING ROOM WILL BE NAMED FOR THE LATE VAN G. MILLER, FOUNDER OF THE WATERLOO-BASED VGM GROUP.
UNI POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR CHRIS LARIMER CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF EARLY VOTING DURING A RECENT APPEARANCE ON KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. LARIMER SAYS IT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS STAGE IF OR WHETHER EARLY VOTING WILL BENEFIT ONE PARTY MORE THAN THE OTHER. HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR LARIMER AT KXEL.COM.
IOWA SECRETARY OF STATE PAUL PATE RECEIVED ANOTHER FAVORABLE COURT DECISION. JUDGE WILLIAM KELLY BACKED GUIDENCE FROM PATE LIMITING COUNTY AUDITORS TO ONLY PLACING BALLOT DROPBOXES IN OR JUST OUTSIDE THEIR OFFICES. KELLY REJECTED A REQUEST FROM A LATINO CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION HOPING FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED DROP BOXES AT PLACES LIKE GROCERY STORES. MANY COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS HAD ALREADY DROPPED PLANS TO ADD DROP BOX LOCATIONS EVEN IF KELLY’S DECISION HAD COME DOWN DIFFERENTLY.
IT’S BEEN A REMARKABLE YEAR FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S IOWA RURAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE. THAT’S ACCORDING TO RECENT KXEL GUEST GRANT MENKE, THE STATE DIRECTOR FOR USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT. MENKE SAYS THAT DESPITE COVID-19, HIS OFFICE SET A NEW RECORD FOR PROJECT INVESEMENTS. MENKE SAYS OVER 16 MILLION DOLLARS WAS SPENT ON SMALL BUISINESS JOB CREATION EFFORTS ALONE. VISIT KXEL.COM TO HEAR MORE OF THE INTERVIEW WITH MENKE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HOPES DRIVERS WILL NOTICE NEW SIGNAGE IN WESTERN BLACK HAWK COUNTY. THE INFORMATIONAL EFFORT HIGHLIGHTS THE DRY RUN CREEK WATERSHED, WHICH WINDS ITS WAY INTO CEDAR FALLS AND THE CEDAR RIVER. RESOURCES OFFICIALS SAY THE DRY RUN CREEK WATERSHED SIGN NEAR THE WESTERN END OF UNIVERSITY AVENUE WILL EDUCATE BY-PASSERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CREEK TO WATER QUALITY EFFORTS. A U.S. EPA GRANT PAID FOR THE NEW SIGN.
THE FINAL WEEKEND AHEAD OF THE 2020 ELECTION HAS NEARLY ARRIVED, GIVING CANDIDATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT LATE CAMPAIGN PUSH. LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT TUESDAY, UNI POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR CHRIS LARIMER TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN TODAY AND 2016 AS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP RUNS FOR RE-ELECTION. LARIMER SAYS HE IS WATCHING HOW STONG OPINIONS ABOUT THE TOP OF EACH TICKET AFFECT DOWN-BALLOT RACES IN THIS CYCLE. HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH LARIMER AT KXEL.COM.
A POWER PLANT ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN NORTHEAST IOWA WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN. ALLIANT ENERGY’S COAL-FIRED PLANT IN LANSING WILL GO OFF-LINE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. ALLIANT IS ATTEMPTING TO ELIMINATE COAL FROM IT’S PORTFOLIO BY 2040 IN A SHIFT TO SOLAR, WIND, AND OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY. THE LANSING POWER PLANT HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR 72 YEARS. THE CLOSURE ALLOWS ALLIANT TO AVOID SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
JOHN DEERE IS HOPING A FREE ONLINE CONCERT WILL HELP FARMERS. VIEWERS OF THE COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO DONATE WHEN THE PROGRAM STREAMS FROM NASHVILLE ON DECEMBER 9TH. FARM RESCUE IS THE GROUP WHICH WILL COLLECT THOSE DONATIONS. FARM RESCUE ASSISTS PRODUCERS EXPERIENCING VARIOUS TYPES OF ADVERSITY IN IOWA AND SIX OTHER MIDWESTERN OR PLAINS STATES.
