A LINN COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY WAS SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES LAST NIGHT WHILE RESPONDING TO A CONVENIENCE STORE ROBBERY IN COGGON. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS IT HAPPENED AFTER 10 PM AT THE CASEY’S STORE THERE. THE OFFICER WAS FLOWN BY HELICOPTER TO UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITALS AND CLINICS IN SERIOUS CONDITION. ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CHASED THE SUSPECT WHO CRASHED A VEHICLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF COGGON. HE WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY APPREHENDED. THE SUSPECT IS DESCRIBED AS BEING A BLACK MALE IN HIS MID-30S, AROUND SIX FEET TALL AND WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 200 POUNDS. HE WAS WEARING A DARK HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND DARK PANTS AT THE TIME OF THE ROBBERY.
VIOLENT STORMS MOVED THROUGH CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA ON SUNDAY NIGHT. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS CONDUCTING A STORM SURVEY IN PELLA TODAY. A TORNADO IS BELIEVED TO HAVE PULLED APART SEVERAL FARM BUILDINGS NORTHWEST OF PELLA, WHICH WAS THE SITE OF A DAMAGING 2018 TORNADO. DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER ALSO KNOCKED DOWN POWER LINES AND CAUSED PROPERTY LOSSES NEAR THE DUBUQUE-JACKSON COUNTY LINE. THE STORM IN THAT AREA WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED AS A TORNADO.
IOWA SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS WAS ON FOX OVER THE WEEKEND SPEAKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY AMID BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE TALKS. MILLER-MEEKS IS IN HER FIRST TERM AND SERVES ON HOUSE EDUCATION AND LABOR COMMITTEES.
THREE PEOPLE – INCLUDING A CEDAR RAPIDS FIRE FIGHTER – ARE RECOVERING FROM INJURIES SUFFERED LATE FRIDAY AT A WAREHOUSE IN SOUTHWEST CEDAR RAPIDS. FIRST RESPONDERS WERE CALLED TO A FIRE AT PMX INDUSTRIES. THE COMPANY WORKS WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF COMBUSTABLE MATERIALS. TWO EMPLOYEES WERE INJURED, AS WAS ONE RESPONDING FIRE FIGHTER, REQUIRING A TRIP TO UNITY POINT-ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW THE INCIDENT STARTED, BUT CEDAR RAPIDS FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THEY BELIEVE IT WAS ACCIDENTAL. THERE WAS FIRE DAMAGE TO THE WAREHOUSE AS WELL AS TO SOME OF THE MATERIALS INSIDE.
A NUMBER OF FEDERAL LEGISLATORS ARE SEEKING BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON AN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN WHICH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF DEBATE IN WASHINGTON FOR MOST OF THE SPRING. IOWA SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS TALKED ABOUT THE EFFORT ON FOX THIS WEEKEND AND CRITICIZED ONE PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN PROPOSED BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. TWENTY U.S. SENATORS JOINED TOGETHER LAST WEDNESDAY IN BIPARTISAN SUPPORT OF A $950 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE BILL. THAT’S SMALLER THAN THE ORIGINAL PLAN PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN.
FEDEX COULD BRING MORE THAN 400 NEW JOBS TO CEDAR RAPIDS BY LATE 2022. TOMORROW THE CITY COUNCIL WILL LOOK AT PLANS FOR A NEW PACKAGE HANDLING FACILITY IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE CITY. IF BUILT, THE NEW FEDEX PROJECT WOULD REPRESENT MORE THAN 108 MILLION DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
WHILE STORMS BROUGHT MUCH-NEEDED RAIN TO IOWA SUNDAY, LOCAL FIRE OFFICIALS ARE WARNING THAT LONG-TERM DRY CONDITIONS COULD CREATE HAZARDS AS FIREWORKS FANS PREPARE TO CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 TALKED WITH MARION FIRE MARSHAL WADE MARKLEY. AUTHORITIES CAUTION THOSE PLANNING TO USE FIREWORKS TO BE AWARE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ALERTS LIKE RED FLAG WARNINGS AND BURN BANS. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE CONSCIOUS OF COMMUNITY ORDINANCES RELATED TO FIREWORKS.
LEGISLATIVE TALKS CONTINUE TOWARD A BIPARTISAN DEAL ON A FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE. IOWA REPUBLICAN CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS WAS A GUEST ON FOX TO TALK ABOUT AREA WHERE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM BOTH PARTIES CAN – AND CAN’T – FIND COMMON GROUND. MILLER MEEKS REPRESENTS SOUTHEAST IOWA. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAYS HE HAS NOT SEEN PARTICULARS OF THE BIPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
THE WATERLOO BUCKS STILL HAVE THE BEST RECORD IN THE NORTHWOODS LEAGUE. THE HOPE TO BUILD ON THEIR THREE-GAME LEAD IN THE GREAT PLAINS EAST DIVISION DURING A NEW TWO-GAME SERIES WITH THE EAU CLAIRE EXPRESS WHICH STARTS TONIGHT AT RIVERFRONT STADIUM. FIRST PITCH IN THAT GAME IS PLANNED FOR 6:35.
