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KXEL Morning News for Fri. Dec. 13, 2024

By Jeff Stein Dec 13, 2024 | 4:44 AM

From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:

 

Johnson County could team up with the City of Iowa City to build a joint law enforcement center. A committee that will advise the County Board about any future jail construction met yesterday. One proposal could be to build one building that would house both a new jail and the sheriff’s offices, but it could include a new headquarters for police, as well. The committee says it hopes to find out by February if the City is interested in such a partnership. Whatever decision is made, committee members also said they would like to put a new jail initiative before voters in November of 2026. Past referendums to build a new Jail have failed.

 

Undervalued, overwhelmed, frustrated–those are some of the words staff members at Washington, Kennedy and Jefferson high schools in Cedar Rapids used to describe how they’re feeling. Principals at the three high schools conducted the surveys in October, and also found almost half of those surveyed at Kennedy and Washington say they’re considering leaving the Cedar Rapids Community School District after the year. More than a quarter of staff members at Jefferson say the same. One common theme in those survey findings: positive relationships among coworkers. But staff members at all three schools also noted they would like more of a say in changes the district is making.

 

A suspect faces a felony charge in Ottumwa involving a school threat posted on-line. Ottumwa Police say the FBI contacted the police department regarding a threat made on the social media platform TikTok earlier this week. Police say the message contained the wording “shoot up the school” along with other concerning language. Thursday, a minor was arrested in connection with the post. The minor is charged with Terroristic Threats, a class D felony. The police department says the minor did not have the means to carry out the threat, but added this type of communication will not be tolerated.

 

Bremer County Sheriff’s deputies say they found a home with 27 cats during a medical call in a rural part of the county. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa has removed the cats, is giving them medical care, and will put them up for adoption.

 

A North Dakota panel approved a second permit for Summit Carbon Solutions, which wants to build a carbon pipeline in the state. The pipeline would span five states, including Iowa. The permit will allow for underground storage of carbon dioxide in North Dakota. Summit already has a permit to build the pipeline itself in North Dakota as well as Iowa and Minnesota. But it can’t start construction until it receives a permit in South Dakota. That state has already denied it once. But the company says it plans to re-file.