From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
Governor Kim Reynolds has called state lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session on Friday. This comes after President Trump announced the nation’s largest ever steel plant is coming to Lee County, in southeast Iowa. The Mesabi Metallics plant aims to begin producing steel in 2030. It’s set to create up to 6,000 jobs during construction and more than 1,700 permanent jobs. The $15 billion dollar plant is expected to generate $95 billion dollars for Iowa’s economy. The governor says because of the size of the investment, changes are needed to what’s called the Major Economic Growth Attraction program or MEGA. This program helps the state complete large-scale development projects.
Police have identified the 17-year-old found dead over the weekend in Waterloo. Officers found 17-year-old Owen Cannon dead in the brush along West Third Street, and say there was evidence of gunfire. They have not announced any suspects or arrests.
Eastern Iowa Health Center plans to more than double the number of exam rooms in its Cedar Rapids pediatric clinic. It estimates that would allow more than 16,000 exams when it opens in January, up from about 8,600 now. The Center’s expansion costs about $1.6 million, and the health center is still raising money for it.
Results of a $1 million dollar state study narrowed down the key factors why Iowa ranks second in the country for new cancer cases. It lists obesity, binge drinking, and smoking as the biggest behavioral factors. The second phase of the research begins next year, where experts say they will look into environmental factors like water quality. State Medical Director Robert Kruse says lung cancer, melanoma and prostate cancer are leading cancers in Iowa. Female breast cancer and colorectal cancer are also among the highest. Northwest Iowa had the highest cases of prostate, while lung cancer was highest in the east.
A Fayette County sergeant is recovering from injuries after his squad car hit a Black Angus cow that had run into the roadway. The Sheriff’s Office says Sergeant Dan Hostetler was responding to an emergency situation near Oelwein at the time. He was treated for minor injuries. His squad was totaled. And the cow did not survive.
