Podcasts about iowa river

In 1857, the Meskwaki Nation began the long process of piecing their homelands back together. After decades of war, dispossession, and removal at the hands of the American government and American settlers, the Meskwaki, bit by bit, purchase by purchase, started to reestablish a land base along the banks of the Iowa River, more than a century and a half before Land Back became a hash tag.  In Red Earth Nation: A History of the Meskwaki Settlement (Oklahoma UP, 2024), the historian Eric Zimmer traces the history of this settlement (importantly, not a reservation) and the Meskwaki people through their ancient establishment as a people, and their fight to retain identity, land, and indeed, their very existence. A powerful example of community-based history writing, Zimmer tells a story that, while certainly not a straight line, refuses to be simply a tale of woe and hardship. Instead, this is a story of survival, perseverance, and of savvy politics even in the face of the most difficult obstacles.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 1857, the Meskwaki Nation began the long process of piecing their homelands back together. After decades of war, dispossession, and removal at the hands of the American government and American settlers, the Meskwaki, bit by bit, purchase by purchase, started to reestablish a land base along the banks of the Iowa River, more than a century and a half before Land Back became a hash tag.  In Red Earth Nation: A History of the Meskwaki Settlement (Oklahoma UP, 2024), the historian Eric Zimmer traces the history of this settlement (importantly, not a reservation) and the Meskwaki people through their ancient establishment as a people, and their fight to retain identity, land, and indeed, their very existence. A powerful example of community-based history writing, Zimmer tells a story that, while certainly not a straight line, refuses to be simply a tale of woe and hardship. Instead, this is a story of survival, perseverance, and of savvy politics even in the face of the most difficult obstacles.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In 1857, the Meskwaki Nation began the long process of piecing their homelands back together. After decades of war, dispossession, and removal at the hands of the American government and American settlers, the Meskwaki, bit by bit, purchase by purchase, started to reestablish a land base along the banks of the Iowa River, more than a century and a half before Land Back became a hash tag.  In Red Earth Nation: A History of the Meskwaki Settlement (Oklahoma UP, 2024), the historian Eric Zimmer traces the history of this settlement (importantly, not a reservation) and the Meskwaki people through their ancient establishment as a people, and their fight to retain identity, land, and indeed, their very existence. A powerful example of community-based history writing, Zimmer tells a story that, while certainly not a straight line, refuses to be simply a tale of woe and hardship. Instead, this is a story of survival, perseverance, and of savvy politics even in the face of the most difficult obstacles.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Headlines:Should Nashville take part in 'No Mow April'? Why one community won't mow their lawns next month Timing crabgrass preemergence applications in springTurf fields may have ‘forever chemicals. ' Should kids be playing on them? ‘Irresponsible' Global Pesticide Regulations Spark Mass Outrage Joe Knows Turf:Spring Ferts Sponsor:The PatronsBurns:Registration open for Imperial County APCD's Lawn Equipment Exchange Program (LEEP) Colonial Downs controlled turf burn postponed again due to weather Iowa DNR finds no living fish in fertilizer-contaminated river Returns:How farmers are using AI to help feed the planet Special Thanks to Our Co-Producers:6r33k633kJohnnyFescueBusy Beez's TurfBenjamin MossingLonegooseTurfologyJesse Bousquet JrJbartleywOutsidefireBarthodaRyan DanescubwerthmannMtechLCS TurfLTK Trucking & FreightPaulSmithNestorReyesLW50SumbeachLush LawnsMatixwfcookwebcivilianZach_HKennardSchaneyTurf87MattMac1rLoonieGroundUpOrganicJosh1604NeilOBFenix Lawn CareHalpeetSeñorLawnGuard Well Lawn CareJonzyJonesDmillerWade Hustaddclausenkmbell221878JHarvJohnAvellutoCaliusOptimus

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for December 21, 2023.According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly cloudy on Thursday in the Cedar Rapids area, with the chance for rain increasing after 3 p.m. and heading later into Thursday evening. The high temperature will settle in at around 43 degrees.Bald eagle surveys in Iowa in 2023 showed a return to normal after 2022, the worst nesting season for many years because of bird flu, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported.Volunteers in January 2023 counted more than 2,900 eagles along 1,663.5 miles of Iowa waterways, which works out to almost two eagles per river mile surveyed, the DNR reported. The most eagles were spotted on the Mississippi and Des Moines rivers but the highest density (eagles per mile) was on the Iowa River.The H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has affected both domestic poultry and wild birds in Iowa, and eagles are no exception.In 2022, the number of young bald eagles fledged per nest in Iowa dropped below the threshold of one per nest for the first time in the survey's history. Only an average of .88 young were fledged per Iowa nest in 2022.The DNR numbers indicated that considering the rate of successful nests, a possible 720 young eagles were fledged by Iowa nests in 2023.If you haven't gotten your COVID-19 vaccine updated, yet, you are not alone.According to reporting from the Iowa Capitol Dispatch, the number of Iowans who have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations has plummeted in recent months, after federal officials ended a public health emergency declaration and there was a sense that the risk of catching the virus had lowered.Data from towa Department of Health and Human Services indicated about 10 percent of Iowans were considered immunized against COVID-19. That is calculated using the state's database of immunization records.The HHS also now lists the chance of catching COVID-19 in Iowa as Very High, with the number of flu infections also rising during recent months.More than 60 percent of Iowans were vaccinated during the worst throes of the coronavirus pandemic, but those initial vaccinations have become less effective over time.As we head into a busy travel week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now urging health care providers to vaccinate their patients and to recommend antiviral medications to those with flu or COVID. It has also provided a “vaccination conversation guide” intended to address concerns about the vaccine.

Michael Newton, ISU Public Safety Chief, explains how his department will keep students safe// Luke Hoffman, Iowa Rivers Revival, Fourmile Creek clean-up// Nina Marquart, Iowa Project Aware, Iowa River clean-up// Roby Smith, Iowa Treasurer, Great Iowa Treasure Hunt-Iowa State Fair// Phil Dix, Iowa State Fair food competitions// Wayne Frost, Iowa Barn Foundation, Iowa State Fair// Eden Gaul, Governor's Charity Steer Show, Iowa State Fair// Holly Schmitt, FFA State President, Iowa State Fair// Spencer Johnson, Coach of Gage Kile, Iowa gymnastics celebrity//

This is John McGlothlen with The Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Saturday, August 5th and Sunday August 6th.According to the National Weather Service, on Saturday, we'll have a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8 p.m. It will be partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Then Sunday, we'll have a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Showers and thunderstorms are likely after 2 p.m. with a high near 82. The low should be around 64. A restaurant that been a Coralville institution for nearly 46 years will be closing this fall. The owner of Iowa River Power Restaurant, at 501 First Ave., said she received an eviction notice from the owner of the building. The restaurant's last day of service will be Nov. 26 — the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Danise Petsel and her husband, David, bought the restaurant in 2002, which had opened in October 1977 in what had once been a power plant along the Iowa River dating to the early 1900s. In the first test of a proposal to build a carbon dioxide capture pipeline connecting ethanol plants across five states, North Dakota regulators Friday unanimously denied granting a siting permit to Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions. The North Dakota Public Service Commission was the first state board to consider the request, which was planned to cross 320 miles in that state. Summit proposed the underground pipeline to capture CO2 from more than 30 ethanol plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, and to store it deep underground in North Dakota. In a statement, Summit said it would revisit their proposal and reapply for their permit. Evidentiary hearings on its proposal to build 687 miles of the route in Iowa, crossing 29 counties, are set to start Aug. 22 in Fort Dodge and last several days. Summit has indicated it wants a decision by the Iowa Utilities Board on its hazardous pipeline permit by the end of the year. –

This is Jami Martin-Trainor, a summer intern for The Gazette, and I'm here with your news update for Wednesday, June 21st 2023. Today's weather is looking sunny with a high of 92, and we're in for a clear evening and a low of 66.Iowa's Joni Ernst partners with Democrat to limit Chinese purchase of U.S. farmlandFollowing Erin Jordan's investigative report on who owns Iowa farmland, Tom Barton reports on how Iowa Republican and United States Senator Joni Ernst announced a new bipartisan proposal to overhaul how foreign ownership of farmland is monitored.Ernst and Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow said they hope to limit China's ability to purchase United States farmland. The proposal also requires the federal government to consider removing some Chinese and foreign landowners of land they currently own. According to the Department of Agriculture, foreign ownership and investment in United States agricultural land has nearly doubled over the last decade. Ernst said current federal law doesn't offer enough oversight regarding which foreign entities are buying farmland.Ernst said China has been allowed to “use loopholes to attempt to exploit any potential vulnerability and assert control over our agriculture industry.”Ernst also clarified that the proposed legislation does not prohibit Chinese and other foreign ownership in the United States. She said the legislation ensures the USDA and FDA have adequate knowledge of who owns land to ensure leaders can protect national security interests.Middle Iowa River Watershed authority forming this monthThe Middle Iowa River watershed management authority is expected to formally establish by the end of the month. It will be one of the newest watershed management authorities in Iowa, and spans from Marshall to Johnson County. Watershed management authorities are agreements between cities, counties and soil and water conservation districts that coordinate water quality improvement and flood mitigation efforts. These were established in 2010 after the 2008 flood. Iowa currently has 27 existing watershed management authorities, which cover 40 percent of the state. Across the board, they have received funding from all levels of government and general community support.The Johnson County Board of Supervisors have overall allocated $125,000 for the Iowa River watershed plan. The project's description is to “develop Iowa River Watershed plan to address nonpoint sources of pollution.”Hunter Biden reaches deal to plead guilty in tax, gun casePresident Biden's son Hunter has reached a tentative agreement with federal prosecutors on Tuesday. The deal has him plead guilty to two minor tax crimes and admit to the facts of a gun charge under terms that would likely keep him out of jail, according to court papers filed Tuesday.Iowa United States Senator Joni Ernst commented on the plea deal to reporters on Tuesday. “I am just grateful that we are starting to see some level of resolution here,” Ernst said. “And we'll see what transpires over the course of the next few weeks and months. Obviously, if he pleaded guilty, there's something there.”Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley also commented via statement. “Today's plea deal cannot be the final word given the significant body of evidence that the FBI and Justice Department have at their disposal. It certainly won't be for me,” he said.Any proposed plea deal would still need to be approved by a federal judge. Both the prosecutors and the defense counsel have requested a court hearing at which Hunter Biden, who is 53 years old, can enter his plea.This has been your daily news podcast. For these stories and more, visit thegazette.com.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Tuesday, April 25.Tuesday will start a three-day patch with warmer weather and sunny skies, before rain arrives toward the end of the week. According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly sunny in the Cedar Rapids area, with a high near 57 degrees. On Tuesday night it will be mostly clear, with a low of around 33.The National Weather Service's Quad Cities bureau has been tracking precipitation, temperatures and snowpacks for months in anticipation of potential flooding. In its latest briefing, senior service hydrologist Matt Wilson warned of “worst-case scenario” conditions due to above normal temperatures and precipitation and melting northern snowpacks.Those forecasts are coming to a head in Eastern Iowa, where the bureau is anticipating major and moderate flooding along the Mississippi River from Lansing to Burlington. The river is expected to crest in upstream areas as soon as this weekend. Water levels may surpass some of the top three record crests for locations like Dubuque and Bellevue.On Monday afternoon, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Allamakee, Clayton, Clinton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine and Scott counties. The action lets state resources be utilized for response and recovery from flood impacts.The Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office has positively identified a body found in the Iowa River on Saturday as Cristian Martinez, a Muscatine man who had been missing for a week, according to a news release from Iowa City.Martinez, 20, was reported missing on April 15, a week before his body was found, when he didn't return home after a night out with friends. He was last seen by his friends on in the alley behind Bardot Iowa, a bar at 347 S. Gilbert St., sometime before 1 a.m.On Saturday, Iowa City police responded shortly after noon to Napoleon Park, 2501 S. Gilbert St., on the east bank of the river. A couple reported the body in the river, which was retrieved by Iowa City Police and Johnson County Deputies. Authorities believed it was Martinez but needed official confirmation.Harrison Elementary School will be demolished and a new building constructed on the site, the Cedar Rapids school board decided in a 6-1 vote Monday with Dexter Merschbrock opposing.Under the plan, Madison Elementary School, 1341 Woodside Dr. NW, would close and the attendance zone combined with Harrison Elementary, 1310 11th St. NW. No decision has been made about the future of the Madison Elementary building or land.The new concept deviates from two recommendations made earlier this month by a volunteer focus group based on an assessment of both schools...

This is John McGlothlen with The Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Monday, April 24th.According to the National Weather Service, there will be widespread frost before 9 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Then tonight, a 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch are possible.After waiting 52 years to hire its first female president in 2018, Kirkwood Community College last week introduced three women as finalists to succeed Lori Sundberg when she retires later this year. The first of her prospective successors to visit Kirkwood last week was Lisa Armour, who's spent her entire higher education career in Florida and currently serves as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs of Sante Fe College — an 18,000-student public community college in Gainesville. The last to visit was Lori Suddick, who's served institutions across the Midwest, holding various leadership posts at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay before stepping in as president in 2018 atop College of Lake County, a public community college in Grayslake, Ill. The second finalist introduced to campus — or reintroduced, more accurately — was Kristie Fisher, who early in her higher ed pursuits earned an associate degree from Kirkwood before later serving as Kirkwood's vice president of student services from 2006 to 2014. Since the finalist visits and on-campus interviews last week, the 15-member Kirkwood presidential search committee has been collecting input from faculty, staff and the broader community through online feedback forms. A proposed schedule of presidential-search activities doesn't identify a date for presidential selection. It does project an appointment date of Oct. 30.The Iowa Utilities Board issued separate orders Friday assessing $2 million in civil penalties to two pipeline companies that have been operating hazardous liquid pipelines and underground storage facilities in the state for nearly three decades without obtaining permits from the Iowa Utilities Board. The board began a review last year of hazardous liquid pipelines and renewals of expiring permits, discovering Enterprise Products Operating did not have a current permit for approximately 750 miles of pipelines in Iowa that transport propane, butane and natural gasoline, according to a news release. It also found Sinclair Transportation Co. did not have a permit for a roughly 12-mile pipeline in Lee County that transports petroleum products, according to Iowa Utilities Board records. Neither company had been issued permits required to construct, maintain or operate a hazardous liquid pipeline in Iowa, the utilities board said in its release. The utilities board issued a total of $1.8 million in civil penalties against Enterprise for not obtaining permits for seven hazardous liquid pipelines and two hazardous liquid underground storage facilities. It issued a $200,000 civil penalty against Sinclair for operating its hazardous liquid pipeline without a permit.A body that authorities believe to be that of Cristian Martinez — a 20-year-old Muscatine man reported missing a week ago — was recovered Saturday from the Iowa River, more than a mile downstream from where he was last seen. Iowa City police said they responded shortly after noon to Napoleon Park, at 2501 S. Gilbert St., on the east bank of the river. Authorities said a couple reported what they thought was a body in the river. The city said in a news release that the Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office would positively identify the individual found and determine the cause and manner of death. Martinez had gone to Iowa City with some friends who last saw him in the alley behind Bardot Iowa, a bar at 347 S. Gilbert St., sometime before 1 a.m. April 15. His phone had died earlier in the evening, according to the Iowa City Police...

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Wednesday, April 19.Wednesday will have a chance for rain in the morning and a chance for rain in the evening, with a break in the middle. According to the National Weather Service, it will be cloudy with a high near 70 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. Rain chances are predicted at 30 percent before 11 a.m., dipping down to near 0 percent, then back above 40 percent by 7 p.m. At this time the heavy rain appears to be predicted to fall early Thursday morning.Two Fairfield teens pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder for killing a high school Spanish teacher in 2021 over what prosecutors said was a bad grade, but one wouldn't admit to striking her with a baseball bat — instead saying it was his co-defendant who killed her.Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, 17, pleaded to first-degree murder, or aiding and abetting in that crime, during a hearing in Jefferson County District Court. He contended that he acted as lookout for 18-year-old Jeremy Goodale as he struck and killed Nohema Graber with a baseball bat on November 2, 2021. The 66-year-old Graber was a Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School.Goodale testified Tuesday during his hearing that it had been Miller who had planned the assault, brough the bat, and struck Graber. Goodale testified he helped Miller move Graber off the park trail, where he struck her and she died. Assistant Iowa Attorney General Scott Brown said the prosecution contends Miller was part of planning the murder and he also struck Graber with the baseball bat. Brown said that Miller also helped cover up the crime and destroyed evidence.Brown said the prosecution believes the murder was committed due to Graber giving a bad grade, and it was Miller who was in her class that year, not Goodale. Brown said the prosecution will recommend a minimum of 30 years in prison for Miller, with the possibility of parole. He said they will be recommending 25 years for Goodale, because he cooperated with the investigation. Graber, who grew up in Mexico, had been a Spanish teacher at Fairfield High since 2012. She left behind three children — Christian, Nohema Marie and Jared — and a former husband, Paul.The Iowa City Police Department has begun scouring the Iowa River and Ralston Creek in search of a 20-year-old Muscatine man who was last seen early Saturday, according to authorities.Cristian Martinez was last seen walking west in the 100 block of W. Harrison Street, south of downtown, about 12:56 a.m. Saturday. His phone had died earlier in the evening and his loved ones have been unable to reach him.Based on the direction Martinez was walking, police are concerned he may have ended up at the Iowa River. The Iowa City Police Department worked with Johnson County Emergency Management and the Army Corps of Engineers to reduce the flow from the Coralville Reservoir to help search the river for Martinez.Boats and drones have been used to search the river. Police have also searched nearby railroad tracks and Ralston Creek, and have obtained surveillance video from Iowa City, the University of Iowa, Johnson County and other private video. They've also reviewed Martinez' bank account and cellphone activity, according to a news release

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Wednesday, February 15.We'll get a break from precipitation on Wednesday, but it will be windy and cold. According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly cloudy in the Cedar Rapids area with the temperature dropping to around 30 degrees by 5 p.m. Wind of 10 to 20 mph could gust as high as 30 mph. On Wednesday night it will be cloudy, with a low near 23 degrees. Enjoy the view of grass, because a bunch of snow is predicted to come overnight into Thursday.Nearly 55 years after a private firm built the Mayflower Apartment Community overlooking the Iowa River, marketed to students as a “luxury” dorm — and 40 years after the University of Iowa bought the eight-story building outright — the UI is planning to sell its Mayflower Residence Hall.With those sale proceeds — plus any borrowing they need to do — UI administrators want to build a $40 to $60 million residence hall for returning students. Currently, most UI residence hall space is prioritized for freshmen.The master plan indicates a new returning-student hall could hold between 250 and 400 beds — making it similar in size to Stanley Hall, housing 354 students, or Daum Hall, housing 344 students. The plan aims to build the new hall on UI-owned land also on the east side of campus.Mayflower Hall was built in the 1960s in place of what started in 1851 as the Walter Terrell Mansion, home of the entrepreneur who built a dam and grain mill on the Iowa River. The mansion in the 1930s or 1940s became the Mayflower Inn, featuring the Mayflower Night Club, before it was demolished and replaced with apartments.Cuts that Kirkwood Community College announced Monday resulted in 28 layoffs, some occurring across programs the campus is eliminating or changing because of low enrollment.Both full-time and part-time employees were laid off in two programs the college is closing: Dental Technology and the Energy Production and Distribution program.Kirkwood announced plans Monday to close those for-credit programs following an internal review of its operations, which officials said wasn't documented in a report. By laying off 28 the employees and closing the associated programs, Kirkwood anticipates saving about $1.5 million a year.Iowa Homeland Security will pay more than $600,000 to replace firefighting clothing and equipment damaged in a Dec. 8, 2022, explosion and fire in Marengo after the company whose plant exploded refused to pay.The decision will allow more than 20 agencies that responded to the blaze to replace gear ruined by diesel fuel and a mysterious solvent stored at the plant operated by C6-Zero. Without the cash infusion from the state, some departments would be fighting fires with older, uncertified gear, said Josh Humphrey, Iowa County Emergency Management Agency coordinator.The explosion injured a dozen employees, caused an evacuation of nearby houses and polluted soil and water because of chemicals stored at the site, where C6-Zero was attempting to dissolve used shingles into oil, sand and fiberglass.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Tuesday, January 31.The last day of January will continue the cold trend, with some hope for warmer weather to come later this week. According to the National Weather Service it will be partly sunny in the Cedar Rapids area before gradually becoming less cloudy. The high will settle in at around 12 degrees, with wind chill values as low as -15 degrees. On Tuesday night it will be clear, with a low of around 3 degrees. Wind chill values will be as low as -10 degrees.A snowmobiler fell through the ice Sunday on Coralville Lake and was rescued by the North Liberty Fire Department, according to the city on Monday.The firefighters and Johnson County Ambulance Service were dispatched at 5:07 p.m. Sunday evening to an area just south of the Mehaffey Bridge Road Bridge, where they found a person in the water holding onto the ice.Firefighters used ice rescue suits, a rapid deployment craft and ropes to rescue the individual from the water. One firefighter was injured in the rescue and was transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, along with the snowmobiler.The fire department said that because of widely variable weather conditions across Iowa, ice on the reservoir and in the Iowa River has deteriorated and refrozen quickly, which creates dangerous conditions for recreation.Just three years into the University of Iowa's landmark 50-year deal for the private operation of its utility system as a way to raise money for education, cracks are emerging in the $1.165 billion agreement, with the operator accusing the UI of “breaching its obligations.”In a federal lawsuit filed Thursday, the UI Energy Collaborative outlined four main ways the UI was reneging: refusing to pay money it owes; rescinding approval to repair the utility system; refusing to file casualty insurance claims; and demanding payment for “unplanned” utility outages “even though the university's representatives participated in the very meetings and discussions planning for those events.”UI spokesman Steve Schmadeke said the UI and its public-private partners “have a disagreement regarding some of the terms and conditions” of the deal.The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is asking for more state money to prepare for and respond to foreign animal illnesses.Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig asked a budget subcommittee Monday to double the state appropriations going to that cause from $750,000 to $1.5 million.The boost would allow the department to better respond to threats like bird flu and African swine fever, Naig said. With the new money, the department would hire more employees and buy equipment for responding to African swine fever, Naig said.The department also is asking for increased funding for meat and poultry inspection, weights and measures, pesticide investigations and the soil and land conservation cost share.Gov. Kim Reynolds' proposed budget would keep the general fund appropriations to the agriculture department the same but would add $500,000 from a separate fund to cover the equipment costs for foreign animal illness response.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Friday, December 30.New Year's Eve... Eve will be pretty uneventful weather wise. According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny with a high near 35 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area on Friday. On Friday night it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of around 26 degrees.The Iowa River does not show signs of pollution from the Dec. 8 blast at a Marengo workshop that had large stores of petroleum products, officials said Thursday.The Iowa City Water Division earlier this month took samples of the Iowa River, which is an indirect source of drinking water for the city, after the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported contaminants from the C6-Zero explosion and fire had run into a stormwater basin in Marengo.Marengo is upstream of Iowa City.The State Hygienic Laboratory, in Coralville, analyzed the samples for petroleum products, such as gasoline and diesel fuel, and found “no reportable detection of contaminants,” the city reported.The city will continue to test the river weekly for the next three weeks.C6-Zero, a company whose business plan was to dissolve used roofing shingles into base ingredients, had an explosion and fire Dec. 8 that injured up to 15 people and caused an evacuation of homes near the Marengo workshop.Iowa's medical marijuana program saw growth in 2022 as the number of registered patients increased and as sales rose at the state's licensed dispensaries.As of November, the number of cardholders in Iowa's program stood at 14,466, close to double the 7,865 enrolled patients in December 2021, according to a new report from the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board, which administers the program.More health care providers are certifying patients for the program. As of November, 1,920 practitioners had certified a patient at least once, compared with 1,603 nearly a year ago.Lucas Nelson, the president of Bud & Mary's — formerly known as MedPharm — said the growth in patients shows an increased need for access in the state, both in the number of dispensaries and the types of products available. Bud & Mary's is one of two licensed marijuana manufacturers in Iowa and operates dispensaries in Windsor Heights and Sioux City.The Friends of Palisades-Kepler State Park hope relatively warm weather on Jan. 1 will mean they can set a record for the number of people attending a First Day hike at the state park in Mount Vernon.Palisades-Kepler is one of 17 Iowa state parks and recreation areas offering guided tours Sunday as part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources First Day Hike promotion.But if you visit any state park starting Friday through Sunday — and log it through the online State Park Passport — you will be entered into a drawing for a free two-night stay at a cabin at Pine Lake State Park near Eldora.The First Day hikes are intended to get Iowans outdoors on the first day of the year, a time when many people are setting resolutions for health — either mental or physical. Some park staff or volunteers are offering extras, such as birding tips, camp fires, cocoa or s'mores for these family-friendly events.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Tuesday, November 29. The weather the rest of the week will be a mixed bag, with the temperatures trending colder as the week goes on. According to the National Weather Service it will be cloudy with a high near 50 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area on Tuesday. There will be a 30 percent chance of rain mainly between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. It will also be breezy, with wind gusts as high as 30 mph. On Tuesday night it will be cloudy and blustery, with a low of around 21 degrees.Seven people died in six crashes on Iowa roads over the Thanksgiving holiday period, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.As of Monday, 315 people have died this year in traffic wrecks on the state's roads — surpassing the five-year average of 300 traffic deaths by this same date each year, despite efforts to crack down on distracted driving and excessive speeding.Iowa saw 356 traffic deaths in all of 2021, state figures show. The state hasn't had more than 37 traffic fatalities in a December in the last five years, a trend that suggests Iowa would not exceed last year's grim total with another month to go this year.The Kirkwood Regional Center in Coralville went into lockdown for about 10 minutes Monday morning after reports of an armed robbery in the area, according to an alert sent to Kirkwood students Monday.The Coralville Police Department contacted the regional center at 11:25 a.m. and requested that the campus lock exterior doors due to an armed robbery nearby. Staff immediately locked the doors and contacted Kirkwood Public Safety.At about 11:35 a.m. the police department contacted the school again to report that the suspect in the robbery, 21-year-old Jovon Ellis, had been caught, and the lockout could end, according to the alert.The robbery took place south of campus at the Knollridge Garden apartments, at 2551 Holiday Rd., Coralville, according to a news release from the Coralville Police Department.Ellis reportedly confronted two people who were leaving their apartment and ordered them back inside at gunpoint, where he stole their cellphones.Owners of a mobile home park near Iowa City have agreed to pay an $8,000 fine after multiple violations since 2020 for discharging wastewater into a tributary of Snyder Creek, which feeds into the Iowa River.Havenpark Management also agreed to build a new wastewater treatment facility for Sunrise Village, at 2100 S. Scott Blvd., by Aug. 31, 2025, according to a Nov. 17 consent order.Havenpark, based in Utah, was criticized in 2019 for buying mobile home parks, including some in Iowa, and increasing the rent anywhere from 24 percent to 69 percent.The penalty amount was based on whether Sunrise Village owners received economic benefit by the discharge, the severity of the situation and the culpability of the owners for the discharge. The maximum administrative penalty is $10,000.Earlier this year, Havenpark bought two other Iowa City mobile home parks — Lake Ridge and Modern Manor — for a combined $33.5 million.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Tuesday, September 6. According to the National Weather Service there could be some fog to start your morning commute on Tuesday, but most of it should clear out by 9 a.m. After that cloudy skies will eventually become sunny in the Cedar Rapids area, with a high near 81 degrees. The low is predicted to settle in at 60 degrees, with partly cloudy skies. Local governments in Johnson County want to make the Iowa River a signature attraction for residents and visitors. With the help of Think Iowa City, the cities of Coralville and Iowa City, along with Johnson County, are preparing a nearly $6 million application to the state's Destination Iowa program that will be submitted in the coming weeks. The joint application seeks funding for various projects improving water and trail access in the county. This includes a new park in Coralville with various amenities, a skatepark renovation in Iowa City, new boat ramps, and completing the Clear Creek Trail connection https://www.thegazette.com/local-government/campground-improvements-coming-to-growing-kent-park/ (out to Kent Park). The application is part of a long-term plan to develop features to make the river easier to use from the Coralville Reservoir dam all the way down south to Hills and Riverside. That includes improving the trail system, adding more boat ramps so people can easily get on the water and planning other attractions along the river. Navigating North Liberty will get more cumbersome once the University of Iowa completes its half-billion-dollar hospital project, according to a traffic study the university commissioned to determine what measures it should take to help mitigate congestion in the booming district. The study, which Shive-Hattery Architecture and Engineering produced in May, analyzed 20 intersections near Highway 965 and Forevergreen Road, where UI Health Care is building its $525.6 million campus. The firm recommended the addition of either traffic signals, more lanes or new restrictive signage at eight intersections to keep driving from devolving into unacceptable delays. The analysis suggests dual turn lanes and a traffic signal off Forevergreen Road and a single turn lane off Wheaton Road — both of which UIHC would pay for.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Tuesday, August 9. Tuesday will start a bit foggy, but the weather will be swell after that. According to the National Weather Service there will be patchy fog before 8 a.m. in the Cedar Rapids area. Otherwise it will be sunny, with a high near 81 degrees. Tuesday night it will be mostly clear, with a low of around 59 degrees. The wind will remain calm all day. City High School in Iowa City will honor a 17-year employee and “wonderful human being” who https://www.thegazette.com/news/coralville-man-dies-while-trying-to-save-child-in-iowa-river/?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&fbclid=IwAR1f01YQ3X8yP3OCBdTIvl9rqgDCJuXRjUUNVHO9-i1Kn0JZPo-RF1WNg-k (drowned Friday while trying to save a child from the Iowa River) in southern Johnson County. 42-year-old Wegayewu Faris,, had been a custodian at City High since 2005, according to Principal John Bacon. The school will honor him with a plaque highlighting his story. Faris was fishing Friday in the Iowa River at River Junction Access near Lone Tree when an 8-year-old boy, who was not related to Faris but was also fishing with family, went into the river and began struggling. Faris entered the river to try to save the child. With the help of Faris and a nearby kayaker, the boy got safely out of the water, but Faris became submerged. His body was found by law enforcement an hour later. A major part of Coralville's Fifth Street — an area described as the city's “civic center” — will be getting a $5 million upgrade starting next year. The portion of Fifth Street to be reconstructed starts at 12th Avenue and goes through the 20th Avenue intersection. The 12th Avenue intersection will not be impacted. The “total reconstruction” includes tearing out the pavement and replacing the sidewalks, as well as new water main and storm sewer. New trees, lighting and landscaping also will be added. Fifth Street will remain two lanes, but an 8-foot shared-use path will be added along the north side of the street out to 20th Avenue. Work is planned to be done in phases starting in the spring and continue over the next couple of years. According to the Associated Press, the FBI searched Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, people familiar with the matter said Monday. Even if it doesn't lead to a trial, a search of a former president's home is unprecedented. Trump, disclosing the search in a lengthy statement, asserted that agents had opened up a safe at his home and described their work as an “unannounced raid” that he likened to “prosecutorial misconduct.” The search intensifies the months-long probe into how classified documents ended up in more than a dozen boxes located at Mar-a-Lago earlier this year. It occurs amid a separate https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-presidential-elections-election-2020-subpoenas-54fcade9ac0e15faf544b615f8f45902 (grand jury investigation) into Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. It also complicates his potential run for president, which is almost certainly still going to happen.

This is John McGlothlen with The Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Monday, August 8th. Today in the Cedar Rapids area, according to the National Weather Service, we'll have a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 10 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. It should be a partly sunny day, with a high near 80. And winds from the north, 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Then tonight, it will be partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Authorities said a Coralville man drowned Friday evening while helping efforts to rescue an 8-year-old child who was struggling in the currents of the Iowa River near Lone Tree. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office reported a call came in shortly after 6 p.m. about a possible drowning at River Junction Access in southern Johnson County. Authorities said the child entered the river and began to struggle, so the man went in to help save him. But the man submerged, and a passing kayaker and another person tried to find him but could not. The kayaker rescued the child from the water. Bystanders performed CPR and the child was transported to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The body of 42-year-old Wegayewu Faris was found about 7:10 p.m. Authorities said he is not related to the child, but like the child he had come with others to fish at the river. The sheriff's office said Faris and the bystander were instrumental in saving the child's life. A woman was seriously injured by multiple gunshots in an alley outside an Iowa City bar early Sunday, according to an Iowa City Police Department news release. At 2:24 a.m., police responded to the H-Bar, at 220 S. Van Buren St., for a report of multiple shots fired and found the woman in the adjacent alley with multiple gunshot wounds. Investigating officers determined multiple people were in the alley when the shots were fired. The woman was treated on scene by emergency medical responders and transported to a hospital for serious injuries. Iowa City police said the suspected shooter was last seen fleeing the area in a vehicle. They are asking the public for assistance by sharing any related information or security camera footage. –

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Friday, Feb. 11. Friday's weather will be a good example of when you're about to make a seasonal transition and the weather can't quite make up its mind. According to the National Weather Service the day will start relatively warm, but windy, with a high near 40 mph and wind speeds of up to 35 mph. There will also be a chance of rain or maybe snow depending on the temperature around noon. Then Friday night the cold air will return, dropping the low to 7 degrees, with wind chill values as low as -10. This will lead into a colder weekend, with the 40s returning next week. In some good weather news, the risk of spring flooding on the Mississippi River, as well as its tributaries, including the Cedar and Iowa rivers, is near to being below normal, the National Weather Service reported Thursday. The Cedar River at Cedar Rapids has a 5 percent likelihood of reaching major flood stage of 16 feet this spring, compared with the 7 percent historical average, the National Weather Service reported., The river is 15 percent likely to reach minor flood stage of 12 feet at Cedar Rapids, which is below the historical risk of 25 percent. The Iowa River at Iowa City historically has a less than 5 percent chance of reaching its major flood stage of 26 feet and its minor flood stage of 23.5 feet.  It was a busy day in the Iowa Capitol. A proposed ban on transgender girls competing in girls athletics in Iowa passed out of an education subcommittee for consideration of the education committee. House File 2309 says sports teams either have to be for biological males, females or co-ed The Iowa House also approved a 2.5 percent increase in state aid to K-12 schools Thursday, a number which educators and Democrats called “woefully inadequate.” Democrats had proposed a funding increase of twice that much, saying that if Iowa can afford a $300 million corporate tax cut, which is being proposed in tax plans by the governor and Republicans in the Senate, then they should be able to afford $300 million for increased school funding.  The 2.5 percent was passed by House Republicans, anyway, in a 57-39 vote. Majority Republicans also added $19.2 million in one-time funds to help schools with inflationary pressures. In the Iowa Senate, a hearing was held on a bill that would enable parents to start legal proceedings against schools or educators who distribute books or materials the parents deem obscene. Sen. Jake Chapman, from Adel, said the intent of the bill is to empower parents to remove content from schools that they find objectionable when their requests to school boards and school districts fall on deaf ears. In its current form, which will come up for consideration in a Senate Judiciary Committee, a fine of up to $500 per day could be assessed against an instructor if a judge found that the material in question was obscene or pornographic. The fate of the bill, however, remains unclear, as Republican leaders in both the House and Senate have expressed reservations about criminal penalties being levied against educators. Finally, another longtime theater group has fallen victim to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the curtain fell on the final show for the Cedar Rapids Follies on March 31, 2019, it never went back up due to COVID-19 and rising production costs for the volunteer-driven production. Beginning in 1980, it was an annual effort that took more than 100 volunteers onstage and many more behind the scenes who typically spent their winters rehearsing, sewing and creating the scenery needed to create an original show from a new script every year. Support for this news update was provided by New Pioneer Food Co-op. Celebrating 50 years as Eastern Iowa's destination for locally and responsibly sourced groceries with stores in Iowa City, Coralville and Cedar Rapids; and online through Co-op Cart at...

Ep 1565 Luanne Krabbe, Iowa River Players Theater, Rowan by Radio on the Go

Episode 240 ~ September 17, 2020 Podcast Info / Topics Alan Drummond joins us to talk about learning to stand up paddleboard and his recent kayak trip on Lake Superior John Van Barriger was off exploring again. This time he was canoeing the Upper Iowa River.

Episode 240 ~ September 17, 2020 Podcast Info / Topics Alan Drummond joins us to talk about learning to stand up paddleboard and his recent kayak trip on Lake Superior John Van Barriger was off exploring again. This time he was canoeing the Upper Iowa River.

In today's episode, Rusty chats with Jerry Schappert, owner-operator of The Bug Doctor and founder of Pest Cemetry Pro to discuss his 30-year pest control journey that is still being written. Despite following ant trails along the Iowa River and catching stink bugs to play tricks on his siblings, Jerry had no idea he was setting himself up for the pest control career he knows and loves today. Listen in as Jerry shares stories from the past and present, proving that strong-willed individuals can trump anything! Topics include- training, culture, business operations, and management. For real-life training and videos with Jerry, visit www.pestcemetarypro.com

New York Times best-selling and award winning author, master carpenter and longtime fan of the great outdoors joins Ranger Ted for Episode 2 of the Wonder Outside Podcast. They sit down in the sunny, pre-Covid, Silverlake meadow in Los Angeles for a ranging conversation from Elk baths, Rocky Mountain inspirations and meandering Iowa rivers. Tim is a master storyteller and that's on full display in this episode. Tim discusses how the environment of the Rocky Mountains helped him find the characters and eventually the story that would become his best-selling novel, Descent. http://www.timjohnston.net/book/descent/ His latest novel is set in a place near and dear to us both, the rivers of Minnesota and Iowa. http://www.timjohnston.net/Tim and Ted have worked on cabins together, seen giant bald eagle nests and agree that when a storm kicks up its time to get yourself and your canoe off the river. They also talk about their profound experiences of riding bikes, eyes closed, at Burning Man. Wonder Outside is much more than just an interview show. It's a variety show thats specifically designed to keep discussions about the outdoors fun, useful, practical and motivating. In the 3 x3 Challenge we look at some nature escapes starting from a Main Street in Ventura, California. In the opening segment, Ted talks about how to use a naturalist journal when exploring the outdoors.The Where in the World Are You game tests your knowledge of geography and weather. DJ Shark is our musical expert as we discuss how the great outdoors influences our art and There's No Planet B gives you practical steps you can take to protect our planet and all its inhabitants.Every episode of the Wonder Outside podcast features an examination of a song or piece or art that is influenced by the great outdoors. None other than DJ Shark talks with Ted about Woody Guthrie's iconic 'This Land Is Your Land' song written in 1940. This song maintains its truth and relevance even today.DJ Shark is a prolific musician, DJ, composer, song writer and hosts his own radio show called All Time is Now. Podcast episodes from his show can be found at http://www.alltimeisnow.com/All_Time_is_Now.htmlRanger Ted has been building community his entire life. That's especially true in this podcast where you can access a wide variety of experts to help you experience the great outdoors in more meaningful ways. In episode 2, you'll hear about Super Nature Adventures www.supernatureadventures.com and their downloadable adventure kits. You can also look forward to hearing from Mike Murawski and Bryna Campbell, founders of Super Nature Adventures, as they'll join Ranger Ted in a later episode as guest Wonder Guides.Also Ranger Ted talks about the wonderful people at Save Our Monarchs. www.saveourmonarchs.org who help people everywhere plant milkweed and thus save our monarchs. Contact them now and get planting this Earth Day!http://supernatureadventures.comhttp://saveourmonarchs.orgGlobal Climate Change poses the biggest threat there is to the planet and all its inhabitants. Please visit www.350.org to become better educated and to get involved with switching from fossil fuels to renewables before it's too late. http://www.350.org

In the summer of 2008, the University of Iowa suffered a disaster beyond imagination. The usually scenic Iowa River that winds through campus became a formidable enemy to the state’s largest higher-education institution when it raged beyond its banks to historic flood levels, damaging more than 22 campus buildings. The university had to move quickly – not only to stay in business but to begin what would become an eight-year journey of recovery. University Architect Rod Lehnertz, who led the campus restoration, tells that story of recovery, the lessons learned and how the university is fighting back to minimize the impact of future floods.

In the summer of 2008, the University of Iowa suffered a disaster beyond imagination.  The usually scenic Iowa River that winds through campus became a formidable enemy to the state’s largest higher-education institution when it raged beyond its banks to historic flood levels, damaging more than 22 campus buildings.  The university had to move quickly – not only to stay in business but to begin what would become an eight-year journey of recovery.  University Architect Rod Lehnertz, who led the campus restoration, tells that story of recovery, the lessons learned and how the university is fighting back to minimize the impact of future floods. 

University of Iowa campus planning director Rod Lehnertz explains how the university plans to live with the Iowa River one year after the historic flooding of 2008. English professor Stephen Kuusisto describes new disability studies courses he's teaching. And engineering professor Craig Just talks about a handheld device invented at the UI that costs less than $10 and turns unpotable water into safe drinking water.

Rebecca Wodder from the Iowa River Project encourages Iowans to clean up our act.   Her study puts the Iowa River at the top of the worst list.    Jerry Vanstra from the Pro-life Federation of Michigan  gives the current presidential field grades on  their life votes.   Stephan Halper says it will be nearly impossible to keep Iran from achieving nuclear status.  "The Silence of the Rational Center".  Then, should we arm the security staff at Iowa's universities?