From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
Layoffs at Deere are hitting home right now. 34 salaried people were let go at John Deere Dubuque Works this week, with another 69 in Waterloo and more in Johnston. Deere also says 99 other production positions will be eliminated. John Deere says the layoffs come after a 20 percent drop in sales this year, compared to 2023. Greater Dubuque Development says it’s hopeful the jobs aren’t lost long-term, but merely cyclical with the market.
The Strawberry Point Fire Department is back in service as of right now. Firefighters had announced in a social media post two weeks ago they were stopping service because of a disagreement with the city. The City Council later voted not to re-hire its Chief. City Administrator Deno Andrews thanked people involved in the discussions to return the service to the community.
North Liberty Police Chief Diane Venenga is back on the job. This comes after a three-month investigation found she did not violate any laws or act viciously. The North Liberty Police Department Officers’ Union and Sergeants Union detailed a number of grievances in a letter released in March. She has been on paid administrative leave since then. The investigation did find a need to improve communication and rebuild trust within the department. In a statement, she said she is committed to making those changes.
In Allamakee County, the City of Lansing no longer has any police officers. The police chief’s last day was last month, and its two other officers have found work elsewhere. The County Sheriff’s Office will cover the city’s law enforcement needs starting today.
A historic Marion cemetery received much-needed maintenance as part of a nationwide tour on Thursday. Marion’s Oak Shade Cemetery got extra attention from Jonathan Appell, who says he’s on a mission to save America’s Graveyards. Since Memorial Day, Appell has been on the road every day as part of his 48-state tour. At each stop, he visits a historic cemetery in need of maintenance, and shows as many volunteers as he can how to do it. This includes scrubbing down monuments to fixing leaning headstones. Appell leaves today for the east coast, where he’ll teach volunteers at 16 other cemeteries how to keep them in good shape.
