From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
The Iowa City police chief says the department expects more charges targeting people involved in the Ped Mall shooting last month. U.S. Marshals took Damarian Jones into custody Monday near Atlanta, Georgia. He faces five counts of attempted murder. Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston also says the added Ped Mall patrols by four University police officers will continue into the Summer. Jones is to appear in court for his arraignment later today. He is expected to be extradited to Iowa pending an extradition hearing in Georgia.
The Cedar Rapids Marathon route is now officially certified, just weeks before thousands of runners are expected to hit the streets for the city’s first-ever marathon weekend. The finalized route comes after several adjustments over the past few months as organizers worked with the city, property owners and public safety officials. Race Director Jake Jass says higher-than-expected registration numbers also helped organizers make more informed decisions about where runners should go. The Cedar Rapids Marathon Weekend is set for June 7, and organizers say they’re expecting around 3,000 runners to take part in the inaugural event.
Governor Kim Reynolds signed legislation that boosts funding for charter schools in the state. Before this legislation, Charter schools received nearly $8,000 per student. The new law increases funding by more than $1,200 per student. It also gives the University of Northern Iowa the power to approve new charter schools in the state.
Iowa City’s school board heard the latest update from the district’s interim Chief Financial Officer as the District tries to stabilize its finances. It had tried to get a $25 million loan to stabilize its finances but was rejected by all banks. The district is now considering pausing its master facilities plan. The money issues also have the district revisiting its plan to contribute funding for a new rec center in Coralville. The financial crisis stems from lower enrollment and bad bookkeeping.
