A Cedar Rapids man is facing multiple charges, accused of holding his parents hostage and demanding money. Investigators say 24-year-old Cole Calvert went on a crime spree over three days last week, which ended with his parents requesting criminal charges to be filed against their son. Calvert is accused of holding his mother at knifepoint last Wednesday to get money from her. Police say this happened while she was trying to drive him to a substance abuse program. For that incident, he was charged with second degree kidnapping and domestic abuse assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. The next day, Calvert was accused of forcing his father to take $500 out of an ATM. He is also accused of pointing two knives at his father at their home, forcing him to go to a bank for money. For this incident, Calvert was charged with first degree robbery, second degree kidnapping and domestic abuse assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Then on Friday, Calvert is accused of again holding his parents at knifepoint and forcing his father to go to a credit union. That led to charges of second degree kidnapping while armed with a dangerous weapon and domestic abuse assault while displaying a dangerous weapon.
The Linn County Secondary Road department will continue to work on clearing snow off the streets…but because of the bitter cold temperatures this week, they are putting down sand to give motorists traction. Salt mix does not work well to melt the snowpack in such cold, so they will need to rely on sand until they can mechanically scrape the snow off.
Police in Des Moines say the body of a man has been found inside a portable toilet outside the city’s Forest Avenue Library. Police say a city snowplow driver spotted the man’s legs sticking out of the portable toilet just after 3 o’clock yesterday morning. Police have not identified the man. Officials don’t believe foul play was involved but suspect weather was a factor.
The public is invited to view a draft of the Imagine College Hill! Vision Plan during the virtual Cedar Falls Planning and Zoning Commission meeting tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. The draft will include suggestions from community members whose feedback on walkability, size, scale, and character of new developments will be addressed. There will also a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission on March 10th, all before the Commission makes its recommendations on March 24. After the Commission makes its recommendations, the City Council will consider the Vision Plan and then announce the dates. The draft of the plan can be found at ourcedarfalls.com.
Authorities in central Iowa say a man has died and about two dozen others were evacuated from an apartment building after a fire broke out Sunday evening in Boone. Firefighters arrived to find fire coming from a fifth-floor unit on the south side of the six-story building. Authorities say firefighters found 66-year-old Steven Crise inside the burning unit; he was declared dead at the scene. Officials say about 24 people were evacuated from the building, along with several pets. No other injuries were reported.
The Linn County Fair Association announced yesterday Sawyer Brown will perform at the Linn County Fair on June 25. The country music band will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Central City. Tickets are on sale now The Linn County Fair Association said it plans to follow local public health recommendations that may be in effect at the time of the concert.
Meanwhile, the North Iowa Fair in Mason City is planning a 2021 return but with a new date. Organizers say that rather than having the fair in mid-July when neighboring county fairs are going on, they’ve chosen to hold the North Iowa Fair on August 5-8. Organizers say they idea is to allow youth groups to compete in other counties and hopefully then also compete at the North Iowa Fair, transforming it into more regional event. The 2020 North Iowa Fair, like so many others, was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
