DYERSVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) – There will be no “Field of Dreams” game in 2023, due to the construction planned at movie site. The construction planned will create over a dozen ballfields on the movie site, which will host both baseball and softball teams. Hall of Famer and part-owner of the movie site Frank Thomas says he’s excited to get more bats in the hands of young players. “It’s very important because baseball here in the Midwest is very powerful,” said Thomas. “We want to be the staple in the midwest. We want be the Mecca…” Thomas stated they plan on putting in 9 baseball fields and 5 little league softball fields at the site. Major League Baseball will consider coming back in 2024.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The downtown library has opened up its fifth avenue entrance for pickups and returns during regular library hours. The drive-up return is open as well. This comes after a fire forced the building to close back in July. Firefighters said the fire started in a light fixture above the commons of the library. The sprinkler systems activated, and the fire was quickly extinguished. The library currently remains closed for cleaning and repairs, with the work expected to take several weeks. Staff said they will provide more updates as information becomes available, but they expect the building to reopen by September. Patrons can select the Downtown Library as their pick-up location when placing a new hold. Patrons who have a hold available at the Downtown Library will receive a notification via their preferences (email, phone, or text). Anyone who would like assistance with transferring a hold from the current pickup location can call the library at (319) 261-7323, and staff will be happy to help.
HIAWATHA, Iowa (KCRG) – Kim Downs has submitted her resignation as Hiawatha City Manager and accepted an opportunity to serve in Marion. Downs first worked in Ryan, IA before joining the City in 2005, where she held several roles including Deputy City Clerk, City Clerk, and then City Manager. She was the first female administrator in Hiawatha’s history in 2013 and was named the winner of the Iowa City Manager of the Year award in 2020 in recognition of her work ethic, professionalism, and collaborative spirit. “Kim Downs has unmatched energy and she leaves behind big shoes to fill,” said Hiawatha Mayor Bill Bennett. “She has been a great asset for Hiawatha and we wish her and her family the best.” September 2nd, 2022 will be Downs’ last day as Hiawatha City Manager.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Meetings are now set for people to discuss a proposed carbon capture pipeline that could move across Iowa, including portions of eastern Iowa. Chicago-based food processing company, Archer Daniels Midlands Co. (ADM), announced in January it had signed a letter of intent with Wolf Carbon Solutions on the 350-mile pipeline that would connect its Cedar Rapids and Clinton ethanol plants. This proposed 1,300 mile pipeline would come from Navigator’s Heartland Greenway. It would span 810 miles in Iowa, across 33 counties. It would also hit parts of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Nebraska on its way to a permanent storage site in Illinois. In eastern Iowa, it would go through Delaware, Buchanan, Fayette, Bremer, Butler, and Hardin Counties. The company is planning numerous informational meetings in communities across the state to show maps of where the pipeline would be located. Navigator says it will provide pre-printed maps to any landowner in attendance who requests one.
