From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
The new Cedar Rapids casino will open sooner than expected. Developers with Cedar Crossing say a mild winter allowed construction crews to finish work to allow a mid-November opening instead of New Years Eve, as first planned. An official grand opening is set for December 4-5. Among the first performers will be the country band Old Dominion, Switchfoot, the Marshall Tucker Band, the Commodores, and Carrot Top.
If your child goes to school in Iowa, there’s a one-in-four chance there’s an armed officer on campus. A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa claims student resource officers in schools are causing harm to some students. In Cedar Rapids, the ACLU says black students make up 19 percent of the population, but account for 29 percent of the referrals to SROs and 46 percent of arrests by SROs. Cedar Rapids Schools say its top priority is creating a safe, secure, and supportive learning environment for every student.
The United Auto Workers Union is countering John Deere’s proposed two year contract extension. Members are asking for a higher wage increase and more retirement benefits. Earlier this month, the company unexpectedly offered to extend its current collective bargaining agreement through October 2029. The UAW countered the offer, but Deere says that exceeds its proposal by a half billion dollars. Deere says the Union has scheduled a vote on its original offer for August 23.
New details about the fire that destroyed the Agri Star meat processing plant in Postville. Fire Chief Jeffrey Bohr says as flames from the fire had temperatures reach 1,500 degrees, collapsing a floor just as firefighters got out of the building on Tuesday. There were no injuries. 600 people work at the plant that is now 75 percent destroyed. It’s not clear what will be the future of the Postville plant.
The Rabbi in charge of kosher certification says the Postville facility provided a significant portion of kosher beef and chicken for the United States and that other suppliers will need to ramp up supply ahead of the Jewish high holidays. Rabbi Moshe Elefant says the kosher supervision agency OU Kosher is working closely with AgriStar and all other suppliers to find solutions for ramping up production at other plants.
