From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
Cedar Rapids police believe they’ve solved a more than fifteen year old cold case murder. Prosecutors charged 42-year-old Curtis Padgett of Cedar Rapids with the murder of 64-year-old Dennis First in May of 2007. Police say he stabbed him following an argument inside First’s apartment on C Street Southwest. Padgett is charged with First Degree Murder. He was already in the Linn County jail after his arrest on a harassment charge Tuesday.
The man charged in the stabbing death of Devonna Walker outside a Cedar rapids apartment complex made his initial court appearance. Shane Teslik faces charges of Voluntary Manslaughter and Disorderly Conduct. It follows after weeks of protests calling for an arrest in the case. A judge set Teslik’s bond at 50 thousand dollars. Online records show he is no longer in the Linn County Jail.
The jury in a Winneshiek County murder case will begin a third day of deliberations today. Aaron Whittle admits he shot and killed his father, Lawrence Whittle on March 17th of last year. But he has declared it was self defense. The jury began its deliberations Tuesday afternoon.
Organized student protests across Iowa yesterday called on lawmakers to vote against bills they say will hurt students who are transgender. Republicans are advancing a lot of legislation this session, ranging from restrictions on bathroom use for transgender students to issues including gender affirming surgeries and hormone treatments for minors. Students from Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Linn Mar, West Liberty, and other schools around the state took part in Wednesday’s rallies.
A Cedar Rapids lawmaker has introduced a bill to provide free school lunches for low-income families. The bill would also prohibit schools from collecting payments for lunch or breakfast from students eligible for reduced-price meals. State Representative Sami Scheetz says 20 Republican members of the House have signed onto the bill so far.
