WATERLOO POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING ANOTHER PIZZA-RELATED CRIME. DURING RECENT WEEKS, SEVERAL DELIVERY DRIVERS HAVE BEEN ROBBED ON THE CITY’S WEST SIDE. WEDNESDAY WENT A STEP FURTHER. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE MARCO’S PIZZA LOCATION IN WATERLOO WHERE A PERSON REPORTEDLY SHOWED A GUN DURING A ROBBERY AROUND 1:30 IN THE AFTERNOON. THE SUSPECT HAD LEFT ON FOOT BY THE TIME OFFICERS ARRIVED. NO ONE WAS HURT IN THE INCIDENT.
CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS WERE ACTIVE IN UNRELATED INCIDENTS JUST A FEW HOURS APART AND AT SCENES SEPARATED BY JUST A FEW MILES LAST NIGHT. FIRST AROUND 9 O’CLOCK, AN ARGUMENT LED TO AT LEAST ONE GUN SHOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 32ND STREET AND MOUND FARM DRIVE. A SUSPECT WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. THEN AROUND 1 A.M. ONE PERSON WAS HOSPITALIZED AS FIRE DAMAGED AN APARTMENT IN THE 400 BLOCK OF ASHTON PLACE. FIRST RESPONDERS SAY A MAN WAS FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN THE UNIT DAMAGED BY THE FIRE.
LAST WEEK, GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS MADE NEWS BY TURNING DOWN 95 MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR COVID-19 SCREENING IN SCHOOLS. REYNOLDS TALKED ABOUT THAT DECISION IN A WEDNESDAY NEWS CONFERENCE. REYNOLDS PREVIOUSLY NOTED THAT THE FUNDS WERE INTENDED TO HELP SCHOOLS REOPEN, BUT IOWA SCHOOL HAVE LARGELY BEEN HOLDING IN-PERSON CLASSES THROUGHOUT THIS ACADEMIC YEAR.
A SO-CALLED VACCINE PASSPORT BAN HAS CLEARED BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE IOWA LEGISLATURE AND IS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNED BY GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS. THE MEASURE WOULD PREVENT BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, AND MOST OTHER ENTITIES FROM REQUIRING COVID-19 VACCINATIONS OR PROOF OF INOCULATION BEFORE OFFERING SERVICES. STATE CONTRACTS AND GRANTS WOULD BE WITHHELD FROM BUSINESSES OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT DO NOT COMPLY. THERE IS AN EXEMPTION FOR MEDICAL FACILITIES. REYNOLDS HAD PREVIOUSLY INDICATED SUPPORT FOR SUCH A BILL.
LOCAL LEADERS IN LINN COUNTY ARE TRYING TO DRUM UP SUPPORT FOR KEEPING A LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX WHICH HAS BEEN PUT TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. RON CORBETT OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS METRO ECONOMIC ALLIANCE JOINED REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN TALKING ABOUT THE ROLE OF THOSE SALES TAX DOLLARS. RENEWAL OF THE ONE PERCENT SALES TAX IN LINN COUNTY WILL BE SETTLED BY VOTERS DURING NOVEMBER’S MUNICIPAL ELECTION.
GRADUATION CEREMONIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA WILL BRING A BUZZ TO CEDAR FALLS THIS WEEKEND. EACH GRADUATE WAS ABLE TO INVITE SIX PEOPLE, SO KIM MANNING OF THE CEDAR FALLS TOURISM AND VISITORS BUREAU IS EXPECTING MANY TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO CAMPUS. COMMENCEMENT WILL BE HELD IN MULTIPLE SESSIONS BOTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY TO HELP ENSURE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
THE BREMER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS RELEASED DETAILS ABOUT SEVERAL DRUG ARRESTS IN PLAINFIELD RECENTLY. 41-YEAR-OLD ROBERT SHADOW FACES FELONY CHARGES AS A METHAMPHETAMINE DEALER. HEIDI SHADOW IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN IN POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AND RONALD MEYER REPUTEDLY WAS FOUND WITH DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. IN AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CHARGES, BREMER COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY THEY ANTICIPATE MAKING ADDITIONAL RELATED ARRESTS.
MARION SCHOOLS ARE DOWN TO THREE OPTIONS FOR A NEW NICKNAME. THE DISTRICT IS CONSIDERING “WOLVES,” “STORM,” OR NOT HAVING A NICKNAME AT ALL. ATHLETIC TEAMS FROM MARION HAD BEEN THE INDIANS AND INTENDED TO BECOME THE MAVERICKS UNTIL THE ORIGINS OF THAT NAME STOKED A CONTROVERSY. THE DISTRICT IS POLLING RESIDENTS THROUGH SUNDAY.
GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAYS SHE SUPPORTS A LEGISLATIVE EFFORT TO PREVENT TRANSGENDER ATHLETES FROM COMPETING IN GIRL’S SPORTS. THE IOWA GIRL’S HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC UNION WEBSITE SAYS THE ORGANIZATION SUGGESTS SEVERAL POLICIES IN-LINE WITH CURRENT IOWA CODE REGARDING TRANSGENDER ATHLETES.
THE CEDAR RAPIDS PUBLIC LIBRARY SAYS IT HAS LAPTOPS TO LOAN. THE COMPUTERS ARE AVAILABLE 10 DAYS AT A TIME, ALONG WITH A WIRELESS INTERNET HOT SPOT. PATRONS MUST BE 18 OR OLDER TO CHECK OUT A LAPTOP. THE CHROMEBOOK DEVICES ARE VALUED AT $350 EACH.
