From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
The ACLU of Iowa says at least seven cities have enacted bans on drag performances which they say violate the U.S. Constitution. Four cities, including Grinnell, are amending those ordinances. But the ACLU says three cities, including Dyersville, have kept the restrictions on the books. Lexi Belle, a drag queen based in Cedar Rapids, says drag is not adult oriented. Belle says drag is a form of performance art and entertainment.
A teacher is suing the Ottumwa Community School district, saying administrators failed to stop students from using racial slurs against him. Robert Bender was hired by the district as a behavioral teacher in 2021. Within months, he claims students started routinely calling him racial slurs and left him racist notes. The suit claims other teachers and staff heard, but didn’t do anything. Two students were disciplined, but Benton says he had to supervise one of them and the student continued using slurs. The school district has denied the allegations.
A shopping center in Iowa City is going up for sale next month. The Iowa City Marketplace is in the 1600 block of Sycamore Street. According to a listing on R.I. Marketplace, it’s seeking a starting bid of $5 million. The listing also shows says the center is 81 percent occupied, with an estimated yearly income of nearly $2 million. An online auction is set for next month.
Major League Baseball has announced a tribute game for former black baseball league players in Alabama in 2024. There were some news reports that this would replace the “Field of Dreams” game which was played at the movie site in Dyersville the last two years. But in yesterday’s announcement, the name “Field of Dreams” was not mentioned. The game will be between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. The teams will play at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama on June 20, 2024–one day after the Juneteenth federal holiday.
