From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
For many in Iowa, school is just five days away. Lawmakers approved a new law requiring public schools to remove all books that have “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act,” but excludes religious texts. School libraries must develop “age-appropriate” collections. Some district leaders tell us they haven’t reviewed any books because they haven’t gotten any guidance from the Iowa Department of Education. Iowa State Education Association union president Mike Beranek says it appears the state will not supply districts with any guidance before school starts, leaving the situation ambiguous right now.
Firefighters put out a fire at the Brucemore Mansion yesterday afternoon. The historic site in Cedar Rapids, was in its final phase of repairs since the 2020 derecho caused more than $3 million damage. Crews say the small fire was contained to an attic area. Smoke forced an evacuation of the mansion.
Passengers can now use facial recognition technology at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids. It’s called Credential Authentication Technology, otherwise known as CAT2. The Eastern Iowa Airport is one of about two dozen airports across the country that have CAT2 machines. TSA officials say the added element of taking a passenger’s photo and comparing it to their ID increases security. The process takes a few extra seconds. Passengers can decline using the new technology but airport employees say it’s hoped the technology will allow the airport to operate faster and smoother.
And the Iowa State Fair is heading into its final weekend with the possibility of shattering attendance records. So far, the fair is over 4,000 people ahead of this point in 2019. That year holds the record for the highest attendance, with almost 1.2 million people attending. The fair needs an average attendance of around 110,000 people over the next three days to top it.
