CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Cedar Rapids City Council has unanimously approved the purchase of a First Street property in the Time Check neighborhood, one of the last remaining homes blocking the city’s flood protection and park plans for the area. The council voted Tuesday to pay the established fair market value of $130,000 for the property. In 2024, the city approved the Greenway Parks Plan, which would add 100 acres to the city’s park system. The plan includes amenities such as a skate park, sledding hill, and multi-use green spaces, all behind a levee. The city said FEMA will not certify the flood protection system if residents live in the area. City officials said that has kept flood insurance rates high for residents in the surrounding community. The acquisition has drawn criticism. One speaker at the council meeting said the owners do not wish to sell. “This acquisition is not voluntary. The owners do not want to sell. And this city has a documented history of along with attempted targeting and purchasing of properties of people and businesses that do not want to sell them,” the speaker said. The city and a resident of the home did not respond to requests for comment.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A Waterloo man who cut his ankle monitor and escaped from a residential re-entry facility was sentenced to a year and a half in prison Wednesday. In January, Nicholas Campbell-Scott fled from the Gerald R. Hinzman Center in Cedar Rapids and was found almost a week later in Coralville. Campbell-Scott was serving time for possession of a firearm by a felon when he escaped. He has also previously been convicted for escape and absence from custody.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – A Dubuque man was convicted by a federal jury this week after he attempted to enter a city council meeting while carrying a loaded firearm. Austin Andrew Goodman, 42, was found guilty of possessing a firearm while prohibited after having been committed to a mental institution. The verdict came after a one-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Evidence presented at trial showed Goodman entered a building in Dubuque on March 3, 2025, wearing a suit with an American flag draped over his shoulders and tape over his mouth. He had a loaded firearm on his hip and two dogs on leashes. Goodman attempted to enter the city council chambers while a meeting was in session and was live streaming his entry on Facebook. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (KCRG) – Alliant Energy has received the final permits to proceed with the construction of the Bobcat Energy Center in Marshalltown. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approved the permits last week for the proposed 650-megawatt generating station. The DNR issues permits only if a facility meets or exceeds air quality standards. Alliant expects the center to bring an economic boost to Marshalltown, adding around 360 construction positions. The center is expected to open for operation in 2029. Once in operation, the center will provide 720 megawatts of generation capacity to help meet demand in the area.
