From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
A hands-free driving law is a big step closer to becoming reality after the Iowa Senate approved it in a 47 to 1 vote. It’s expected to win House passage later this week and be sent to the Governor. The Senate bill would make it illegal to have a cell phone in-hand while driving. The Governor’s Safety Traffic Bureau’s annual State Fair survey found 85% of Iowans support a hands-free driving law. If approved, Iowa will join 30 other states to adopt a hands-free driving law.
In the Iowa House, lawmakers approved a bill limiting students’ use of electronics during the school day, especially in the classroom. A cellphone ban is one of Governor Kim Reynolds’ priorities, after she pushed for the legislation during her Condition of the State address. Several districts already regulate cellphone use in school buildings. This bill would require other districts to follow suit starting in the next school year.
The family of Michael McCune erupted in applause as a judge sentenced a Maquoketa man to 32 years in prison in connection to his death. Devin Gardner pleaded guilty to stealing a vehicle and conspiring with three other teenagers to kill McCune in a northwest Cedar Rapids apartment complex in Cedar Rapids in February 2023. McCune was 16 at the time of his death. Gardner was also charged with burglary, assault with bodily injury, and criminal mischief during his pre-trial release.
The Iowa high school state basketball tournament is leaving Des Moines after years of competition at the Wells Fargo Arena. Starting in 2027, the tournament will be played at Hilton Coliseum on the Iowa State University campus in Ames. The move coincides with the opening of the multi-use CyTown district now being developed at the Iowa State Center. That district will have space for retail, food and beverage, common areas, and a 200-room Marriott hotel. The tournament has been in downtown Des Moines since 1963.
And two acts are now scheduled for the Velocity Festival planned at the Field of Dreams site near Dyersville. Nickelback and Brantley Gilbert are now are expected to be among the musicians taking the stage on August 31. General public tickets go on sale Friday morning at 10.
