Podcasts about Linn County

A startup newspaper in Albany was determined to see Mattie Allison hanged, one way or another; and the townspeople were mostly convinced. But when her court case got started, the real story came out (Albany, Linn County; 1880s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1803b.campbell-the-stalker-murdered-in-albany.486.html)

Russell Hecker borrowed a friend's car to make a quick liquor run. He brought it back 12 hours late and dripping with blood — and there was no sign of the man he'd gone on the run with the previous night. (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Linn County; 1920s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1610d.murder-of-bootlegger-frank-bowker-414.html)

The BEEvent, hosted annually by the Linn County Master Gardeners, provides gardeners and small farmers with essential knowledge and practical tools to support and protect bee pollinators. This week, Master Gardeners Ranee Webb and Rich Little join us to share what's in store for this year's event. Register for BEEvent: https://www.linnmastergardeners.com/beevent Information on Mason bees and BeeNotes: https://www.linnmastergardeners.com/pollinator-info  

On today’s In Touch with Southeast Iowa program we speak with State Senator Dawn Driscoll and State Representative Heather Hora about the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approving a casino in Linn County on a vote of

Four protesters were removed from the state capitol yesterday. Governor Reynolds says Iowa was doing DOGE before it was a thing. And will Linn County get a gambling license today?

A Linn County case with a strong element of self-defense, and a Malheur County child-abuse travesty that ended with a shotgun blast, were called Unwritten Law triumphs in the newspapers — but there were differences. (Linn and Malheur County; 1900s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1509d.powell-n-brown-UnLaw.html)

Welcome to Episode 177 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast, which is also Part 3 of our special three-part series with three farmers who are receiving Iowa Farm Bureau's 2024 Young Farmer Leadership Award: Nate Hofmann of Linn County, Kaitlyn Porter of Franklin County, and James Hepp of Calhoun County. Part 1 (released December 2) features Nate Hofmann. Part 2 (released December 5) features Kaitlyn Porter. Part 3 (released December 9) features James Hepp. Register to join farmers like Nate, Kaitlyn and James at Iowa Farm Bureau's 2025 Young Farmer Conference, January 17 and 18 in Des Moines!

Walter has been a drummer for  40 years with some of the most influential artists ever! Including: The Dynatones, Linn County, Big Joe Turner,Lowell Fulson,Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Mary Wells,Luther Tucker, Tim Hardin, Sir Mack Rice of The Falcons, Lightning Hopkins, Mark Naftlin, Big Jack Reynolds, Bobo Jenkins, Featured drummer on over 25 LP's and numerous singles. Warner Bros., RCA, Rhino, Rounder, Blue Suit, Red Lighting, Solid Smoke, Westside, Bad Daddy,...

Welcome to Episode 176 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast, which is also Part 2 of our special three-part series with three farmers who are receiving Iowa Farm Bureau's 2024 Young Farmer Leadership Award: Nate Hofmann of Linn County, Kaitlyn Porter of Franklin County, and James Hepp of Calhoun County. Part 1 (released December 2) features Nate Hofmann. Part 2 (released December 5) features Kaitlyn Porter. Part 3 (released December 9) features James Hepp. Register to join farmers like Nate, Kaitlyn and James at Iowa Farm Bureau's 2025 Young Farmer Conference, January 17 and 18 in Des Moines!

Welcome to Episode 175 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast, which is also Part 1 of our special three-part series with three farmers who are receiving Iowa Farm Bureau's 2024 Young Farmer Leadership Award: Nate Hofmann of Linn County, Kaitlyn Porter of Franklin County, and James Hepp of Calhoun County. Part 1 (released December 2) features Nate Hofmann. Part 2 (released December 5) features Kaitlyn Porter. Part 3 (released December 9) features James Hepp. Register to join farmers like Nate, Kaitlyn and James at Iowa Farm Bureau's 2025 Young Farmer Conference, January 17 and 18 in Des Moines!

Blues legend Bo Ramsey plays a rare Linn County show Oct. 12 at the Ideal Theater, with Joe and Vicki Price. The show will mark one of the very few times Bo and Joe have performed on the same bill since the two played together in the seminal Iowa Blues Band, Mother Blues, back in … Continue reading

The railroad, the local police agencies, and the U.S. War Department all desperately wanted to prosecute somebody, anybody, just not the young Marine who almost certainly was young Martha Brinson James' actual killer. (Albany, Linn County; 1940s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1607b.war-bride-murder-3.399.html)

Apparently desperate to avoid charging a uniformed U.S. Marine with the crime, prosecutors sought a scapegoat to pin the murder of Martha James on. They found one, and they had to work really hard to make it stick ... but they got it done. (Albany, Linn County; 1940s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1607a.war-bride-murder-2.398.html)

Local authorities were stumped; the entire nation was watching, and the most likely suspect, a uniformed U.S. Marine, was already being hailed a a heroic would-be-rescuer in the press. So they went looking for a patsy to pin the crime on ....(Albany, Linn County; 1940s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1606d.war-bride-murder-1.397.html)

In April 2004, 23-year-old Alonzo Brooks made a decision that he could have never anticipated would result in his murder. He just wanted to go to a party with some of his friends. But when he didn't return home the next morning, the rumors were already swirling about what may have happened to Alonzo in the small town of La Cygne, Kansas, that night. Over 20 years later, Alonzo's case has been riddled with misinformation, conflicting stories about what happened that night, and missteps by law enforcement, causing many to question what's really going on in Linn County, Kansas. Alonzo Brooks was 23 years old when he was killed on the night of April 3, 2004, or early hours of April 4th in La Cygne, Kansas. Alonzo was black and Hispanic with black hair and brown eyes. He was 5'8” and weighed approximately 180 lbs. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI Kansas City office at 816-512-8200, the Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS, or submit a tip online at Tips.FBI.Gov. For more information about the show, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.com. Follow us on social media: Twitter: @VFJPod Instagram: @VoicesforJusticePodcast TikTok: @VoicesforJusticePodcast Facebook: @VoicesforJusticePodcast   Voices for Justice is hosted by Sarah Turney Twitter: @SarahETurney Instagram: @SarahETurney TikTok: @SarahETurney Facebook: @SarahETurney YouTube: @SarahTurney The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Local swindler's anti-impotence scam brought him and his company to national attention; but it wasn't until he added a quack birth-control remedy to his line that he was busted and jailed for his fraud. (Albany, Linn County; 1910s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1605a.swindlers-edward-f-lee-viagra-spammer-389.html)

Song: The Change Music by: Mary L. Cohen ​Notes: “My dad played the copper fish mold.” — aren't you curious now? Listen in as Mary Cohen and I explore family music, personal structures for improvisation, creating connections between incarcerated and not-incarcerated people, and more… We wander a bit through grief and disconnection and finding what is, in a conversation that's real and messy and touches on fear and joy, building a caring community for ourselves, our neighbors, the global world… living with regret and streaming grace to the person we were when we made a mistake; restoring connection. It's a glimpse of the rich variety of resources Mary draws on as she shapes her life… I hope to add some into mine. Songwriter Info: Mary L. Cohen, Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Iowa, is lead author of Music-Making in U.S. Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices (2022). She co-founded the International Music and Justice Network: IMAJIN Caring Communities, a group of researchers from 18 countries who study music-making in prisons, and you are welcome to join by contacting Mary to get on the group email list (mary-cohen@uiowa.edu). From 2009 to 2020 she led the Oakdale Community Choir with incarcerated and non-incarcerated participants where participants have written over 150 songs, and the Oakdale Choir performed over 75 of these songs, available with the Creative Commons License. To continue working toward the choir's goals of building communities of caring through singing and songwriting, she founded the Inside Outside Songwriting Collaboration Project where partnerships between incarcerated and non-incarcerated songwriters create original songs, build relationships, and learn about transformative and generative justice. She has been a keynote for conferences in Germany, Canada, and Portugal, interviewed by the BBC3 Music Matters, and has over 40 publications in journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. She leads weekly music groups inside the Juvenile Detention Center of Linn County. ​ Sharing Info: The song is free to share, and Mary welcomes networking support and invites you to further your education and activism regarding environmental justice, restorative/transformative/generative justice, and simply acting with kindness to all you encounter. ​ Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:05:45 Start time of reprise: 01:07:58 Links:  Oakdale Community Choir website: https://oakdalechoir.lib.uiowa.edu/ Dave Camlin's new book is Music-Making and Civic Imagination: A Holistic Philosophy. His website: https://www.davecamlin.com/civic There is a new 30 minute documentary film about the Oakdale Community Choir called "The Inside Singers." The 3 minute preview of the film is available at https://vimeo.com/169192145. Iowa PBS did a short 8'30" video story on the Oakdale Community Choir. Find it here: https://www.pbs.org/video/the-oakdale-community-choir-coralville-iowa-bfe7bd/ Andy Douglas, local Iowa City nonfiction & spiritual author wrote Redemption Songs: A Year in the Life of a Community Prison Choir about his experiences singing in the Oakdale Community Choir For people interested in abolition of the prison industrial complex, here are some good resources: Mariam Kaba's We Do This Til We Free Us University of Santa Cruz's Visualizing Abolition resources (including the Music for Abolition collection) Critical Resistance online at https://criticalresistance.org/ The book Mary wrote with Stuart Paul Duncan Music-Making in US Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices To hear two versions of the Oakdale Community Choir performing "The Change" visit https://oakdalechoir.lib.uiowa.edu/original-works/ Most recent one was December 14, 2016 concert themed "Look on the Bright Side" track 13 The first version was Fall 2014 and is available under "Original works" link (scroll down a bit) along with the Fall 2016 version. The simple score of the song is available on that link too. Voice Science Works with lots of tools for voice habitation: https://www.voicescienceworks.org/ "The Real Work" (song) by Gretchen Sleicher, words by Wendell Berry https://songsforthegreatturning.net/originals/therealwork/ ​ Nuts & Bolts: 6:8, minor, round Join the A Breath of Song Mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me.  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html

Song: May My Tears Water a Sapling Music by: Mary L. Cohen ​Notes: Mary Cohen's huge heart and willingness to do big work in the world shines through in this song, with lyrics sparked by the 2020 midwestern derecho with devastated so many trees. When we talk in next week's songwriter conversation, the depth of Mary's passion for how singing can support and feed change is evident. I hope you can join us as we explore the US prison-industrial complex and music, the role of mentorship, and how self-care can adapt. In this episode, I invite you to experiment a bit, finding musical touchstones as a way into harmonizing. In the links, you'll find several different arrangement/performances you can listen to for other harmonizing ideas, if that's up your alley. Songwriter Info: Mary L. Cohen, Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Iowa, is lead author of Music-Making in U.S. Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices (2022). She co-founded the International Music and Justice Network: IMAJIN Caring Communities, a group of researchers from 18 countries who study music-making in prisons, and you are welcome to join by contacting Mary to get on the group email list (mary-cohen@uiowa.edu). From 2009 to 2020 she led the Oakdale Community Choir with incarcerated and non-incarcerated participants where participants have written over 150 songs, and the Oakdale Choir performed over 75 of these songs, available with the Creative Commons License. To continue working toward the choir's goals of building communities of caring through singing and songwriting, she founded the Inside Outside Songwriting Collaboration Project where partnerships between incarcerated and non-incarcerated songwriters create original songs, build relationships, and learn about transformative and generative justice. She has been a keynote for conferences in Germany, Canada, and Portugal, interviewed by the BBC3 Music Matters, and has over 40 publications in journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. She leads weekly music groups inside the Juvenile Detention Center of Linn County. ​ Sharing Info: The song is free to share, and Mary welcomes networking support and invites you to further your education and activism regarding environmental justice, restorative/transformative/generative justice, and simply acting with kindness to all you encounter. ​ Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:48 Start time of reprise: 00:18:20 Links:  Oakdale Community Choir website: https://oakdalechoir.lib.uiowa.edu/ Nuts & Bolts: 3:4, Major, unison with optional harmonies Join the A Breath of Song Mailing list (https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share)  to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!

Featured Stories:– Authorities seek Iowa sex trafficking victim who killed alleged abuser– Budget cuts, homelessness among topics in annual Linn County address– Orchestra Iowa among area organizations receiving Inspire Iowa grants– Consider taking the Daily News Podcast SurveyThis episode was hosted and produced by Bailey Cichon.

This month, I spoke with Savannah Hanning, the trial court supervisor in Linn County. We discussed her career and her experiences working in the Iowa Judicial Branch. Host: Abhash Shrestha Guest: Savannah Hanning  Website: www.iowacourts.gov YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702 X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts  Music: Item Title:                      Inspirational Strings Logo Item URL:                        https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3 Item ID:                         XUG4BU3 Author Username:                 Oasis_Music Licensee:                        State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT Registered Project Name:         In the Balance Podcast License Date:                    January 17th, 2024 Item License Code:               AY7ZT3DRG8

As the head of Willamette Riverkeeper, Travis Williams has worked to protect the river for much of his professional life. The environmental nonprofit’s efforts have been both wide and deep, from helping enforce the Clean Water Act, clearing up trash, restoring habitat, contributing to the Portland Harbor Cleanup, working to protect fish populations and preventing concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, along waterways in Linn County.   Williams says the nonprofit is strong and does not expect any interruption in the work when he steps away in the coming months to focus on the Willamette River Preservation Trust. It’s a land trust focused on conserving creeks, rivers, floodplains, oak savanna, upland forests and more for the mid to northern Willamette Valley. We sit down with Williams about the health of the Willamette over the last two dozen years, and how his past work relates to his future plans.

In a race with Portland neophile Henry Wemme to be the first owner of an airplane in Oregon, Cornell-educated John Burkhart was two weeks too late; but unlike Wemme, he designed, built and flew his own machine. (Albany, Linn County; 1910s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1410d.310.burkhart-aviation-pioneer.html)

Featured Stories– NAIA approves transgender policy limiting women's sports to athletes whose biological sex is female– Linn County jury convicts Cedar Rapids man of fatally stabbing Devonna Walker– Downtown Iowa City opens temporary pop-up storefrontThis episode was hosted and produced by Bailey Cichon.

Linn County will soon dispatch a mobile mental health care clinic for residents. The Mobile Crisis Intervention Team will be able to work with residents throughout the county and assist in a crisis situation.  Workers have traditionally met with residents in emergency rooms but the mobile clinic, a modified van with a workspace and onboard generator, will provide more flexibility.  We hear more from Todd Noble, the county’s health administrator, about the need for more accessible care and how a statewide mental health crisis is affecting the region.

Debbie Fairbanks from Western Plains High School in Kansas is the Foodservice coordinator and JR Burdick is a dairy farmer in Linn County, MO.

If so, the Linn County lad might have revolutionized air travel. But a launch-day disaster ruined his prototype, the Great Depression scared off all his investors, and the Hindenburg disaster ended the era of airship travel. (Linn and Benton county; 1910s, 1920s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1602c.pt2-slate-metal-airship-inventor-379.html)

Stories featured– Judge who led Linn County drug court retires next month after 34-year career– Iowa farmers of color gather for first time to form connections, find resources– Curious Iowa: Why can't Iowans choose their utilities provider?Episode TranscriptYou are listening to The Gazette's Daily News Podcast on Monday, December 18, 2023. This podcast brings quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I'm Bailey Cichon filling in for Stephen Schmidt.The Judge who led Linn County drug court is retiring next month after a 34-year career. Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover said she has enjoyed her career but 20 years on the bench is quote “long enough” end quote. Hoover is 58 years old, which puts her many years ahead of the mandatory retirement age for Iowa judges, which is age 72. Over her career, Judge Hoover worked for Iowa Legal Aid and Linn County Advocates, worked as a public defender, served as a district judge and lead the Linn County Drug Treatment Court. While working as an associate district judge, Hoover began creating sentences that would allow someone to “buy down jail time” by completing treatment. Several people did just that and maintained drug-free lifestyles that allowed them to regain custody of children and employment and improve relationships. Additionally, Hoover was the judge in the trial for Jerry Burns, who was charged in 2018 for the murder of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids in 1979. Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole.Hoover said, quote, “It's been a great honor to serve.The most rewarding part was being the drug court judge. I started in September 2007. But Judge Valerie Clay is taking it over, so I'm leaving knowing the program is in good hands.” End quote.Hoover will retire Jan. 2. You can read the full story by Trish Mehaffey at thegazette.comNearly 100 farmers of color gathered Saturday in Des Moines to help minority farmers succeed in Iowa. The Iowa Farmers of Color conference will become an annual networking event for Iowa's Black and minority farmers.The conference was organized by Todd Western III. Western was inspired to start the conference after visiting a national gathering of Black farmers in North Carolina called the Harvest Ball. Western said, quote, “I was just so overwhelmed with the camaraderie, the community, the networking and the friendships of Black farmers coming together. I said, ‘We have to do this up north.'” End quote.Western's family has owned his Iowa farmland for more than 150 years. He is one of about 72 Black farmers in Iowa, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Conference speakers highlighted federal programs through the USDA and nonprofits that aid minority farmers who have historically been left out of the department's loan programs. Speakers also touched on the isolation and unique challenges farmers of color face. Western said he hopes Iowa's Black farmers lean on the relationships they built at the conference. This week's edition of Curious Iowa answers this question: Why can't Iowans choose their utilities provider? Iowans have customer choice for insurance, groceries and other goods and services, but when it comes to utilities, location dictates which utility provider they can use. In the story,

Welcome to the weekend!This is Stephen Colbert from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Saturday, December 2nd, and Sunday, December 3rd, 2023.According to the National Weather Service, Saturday will be Cloudy, with a high near 38 with a slight chance of rain and snow after 5pm. Snow is likely Saturday night, possibly mixed with rain, particularly after 1am. Otherwise it'll be cloudy, with a low around 33Sunday morning snow and rain are likely, otherwise it'll be mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Sunday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 25.Vivek Ramaswamy condemns eminent domain, carbon capture pipelinesThe Ohio biotech entrepreneur and Republican presidential candidate was joined at the Des Moines rally by state lawmakers who have led efforts to restrict eminent domain authority for the pipelines, as well as activists who have opposed their construction on their land.Ramaswamy said Iowa's Republican leaders have supported the pipelines' construction despite the opposition of voters.“Why are the Republican puppets that claim to represent you, why are they supporting this issue, or even worse, ignoring it?” he said.Ramaswamy said the driving force behind his attention to the issue was the possibility of using eminent domain to involuntarily take land — through easements — to build pipelines.The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Kelo v. New London, which broadened the federal standard for eminent domain, was wrongly decided, he said, adding eminent domain should not be used for private companies.Linn County Mental Health Access Center now open 24/7the Linn County Mental Health Access Center is now available around the clock — 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year — taking walk-ins for adults ages 18 and over who are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.Patients can receive services without an appointment and do not have to be residents of Linn County to receive services at the center. People can come to the center on their own or be brought to the center by loved ones, law enforcement or mobile crisis teams. The facility is located at 501 13th St. NW, Cedar Rapids.Iowa's GOP representatives join bipartisan vote to expel SantosAll four of Iowa's Republican U.S. representatives voted Friday to expel New York Republican George Santos from Congress, joining the bipartisan vote to oust the representative who has faced a string of scandals and criminal allegations.The extraordinary move makes Santos just the sixth member of the U.S. House — and first Republican — to be voted out by his peers. He is also the first since the Civil War to be expelled without first being convicted of a crime.The vote, which required a two-thirds majority, passed 311-114. The “yes” votes included 105 Republicans and 206 Democrats, while the “no” votes included 112 Republicans and two Democrats.Have a good weekend, everyone.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for November 8, 2023.According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly cloudy Wednesday with a high near 55 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. On Wednesday evening the sky will gradually become more clear, with a low of around 36 degrees.There were mixed results with local bond elections on Tuesday night.Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly defeated a $220 million bond referendum that would fund improvements to schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, leaving officials to find other ways of addressing needs they say won't disappear despite the failure.According to unofficial results, about 38 percent of voters in the district were in favor of the measure — far short of the 60 percent needed to pass it. There was an almost 24 percent voter turnout for the school and city elections in Linn County, with some voters turning up at the polls to vote only on the Cedar Rapids bond referendum. Ely voters also soundly rejected a $7 million bond referendum for a new Community Center — a facility that would have housed City Hall, the public library and recreational services.The new facility, proposed to be built where City Hall currently sits at 1570 Rowley St., off State Street, was intended to be more noticeable for residents and visitors, accessible to trails and other amenities.One bond that made it through with the voters' seal of approval was a $43 million general obligation bond issue that will fund construction of a swimming pool and wellness center in the College Community School District that will be operated by the YMCA.The measure passed with 65 percent support, according to unofficial results.We have results of all the other area city council, mayoral, and school board elections on thegazette.com. Election results also will run with additional analysis in the Thursday print edition of the Gazette. An East Dubuque man was shot Tuesday by a Delaware County Deputy who was attempting to take the man into custody after the fatal shooting of a Fareway employee in Monticello.Monticello police responded to the Fareway Meat and Grocery Store at 7:29 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a shooting. There they found a Fareway employee who had been shot.The employee, Aaron McAtee, 48, of Monticello, was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he died, according to a news release from the Monticello Police Department.McAtee had been outside the store near the loading dock when he was shot, in what police believe was a random act of violence, the release states.Investigators identified Nathan Russell, 38, as a person of interest in the shooting, and he was located by a Delaware County Deputy in Hopkinton. The deputy attempted to take Russell into custody, but Russell failed to comply with directions and the deputy shot him, according to the release.Russell was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with gunshot injuries. The deputy has been placed on leave pending the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for November 6, 2023.According to the National Weather Service Monday will likely be the warmest day of the week. The prediction is for 68 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area, with mostly sunny skies. On Monday evening it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of around 41 degrees.According to reporting from the Associated Press, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is expected to endorse Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in his bid to secure the Republican nomination for president. DeSantis has been struggling to maintain his claim to be the solid 2nd place alternative to former President Donald Trump, and an endorsement from Gov. Reynolds could give his campaign a boost in momentum as the Iowa Caucuses are rapidly approaching.The Trump campaign was quick to criticize the news that Gov. Reynolds could endorse a political rival.“Kim Reynolds apparently has begun her retirement tour early as she clearly does not have any ambition for higher office,” the Trump campaign said in an emailed statement. “Earlier this year, she promised her constituents that she would remain neutral in the race, yet she has completely gone back on that promise. Regardless, her endorsement will not make any difference in this race.”Trump is the heavy favorite to win in Iowa. DeSantis is competing with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to emerge as the second place choice in Iowa and on to New Hampshire.But we've got our local elections to focus on this week.Tuesday is Election Day in cities and school districts across Iowa. Voters will choose representatives on their city councils and school boards, and they'll weigh in on ballot issues that could raise property taxes to pay for new schools and community facilities.But early voting numbers reported in two Eastern Iowa counties show early interest in weighing in on those choices is lagging compared to the last city and school elections in 2021.As of Thursday, Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said turnout was down about 50 percent from early voting in 2021, totaling 4,785 ballots cast.Miller said he thinks there are too many other distractions and voter apathy all contributing to a lack of turnout for this election. He estimated 75 to 80 percent of Linn County's registered voters will opt not to vote.In Johnson County, election technician John Deeth said the county finished the 2021 election with 3,898 absentee ballot requests. Deeth said he did not anticipate turnout climbing as high as 2021, when, like in Linn County, there had been more contested elections.A 17-year-old faces a felony charge after authorities determined he posted an Oct. 27 social media threat against Metro High School, Cedar Rapids police said Saturday.The arrest marks the second time in a month that police have detained a teen for posting threats on social media against Cedar Rapids schools.In the latest arrest, the threat against Metro quickly was determined by police to be unfounded and classes in the district went on uninterrupted. But the threat was then shared by others on social media, police said.On Friday, a 17-year-old boy “was located by CRPD officers and taken to detention,” according to a police news release. Police said the teen, who they did not name, is not a student in the Cedar Rapids Community School District but they did not say where he is from or where he was located.Police said the teen will be charged with intimidation with a weapon, a Class D felony. The case, once the teen is charged, will proceed through juvenile court, according to Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for October 30, 2023.It will be sunny Monday with a high near 39 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area, according to the National Weather Service. On Monday evening there will be increasing cloud cover, with a low of around 27 degrees. The wind will pick up Monday evening to 25 mph, portending a cold and possibly snowy Tuesday morning.As Nov. 7 elections approach, many Iowa cities will have more open spots on the ballot than candidates to fill them.Recent local election cycles in Iowa seem to have seen an uptick in open council seats on the ballot, said Mickey Shields, director of membership services for the Iowa League of Cities. He said the main drivers of fewer people stepping up to run for local office seem to be a mix: Longtime council members are looking to fully retire, political polarization is fueling heightened negativity toward city officeholders, and population loss is creating a smaller base of potential candidates.More recently, Shields said League members have shared there's more negativity circulating public service that goes beyond the scrutiny that working as a public official entails, worsened by social media or a disputed set of facts on a community issue.“I always go back to talk to folks, especially people who stopped being a council member, it's kind of like, ‘Why volunteer to get yelled at?'” Shields said.In the Corridor, publicly available candidate listings with the county auditors' offices show there are five city councils in Linn County and three in Johnson County without enough candidates running to fill open seats, despite being Iowa's second and fourth most populous counties, respectively.Some Iowa communities don't have anyone filed to run for office. Clayton County, for example, shows at least three communities — Elkport, Osterdock and Saint Olaf — have entirely blank ballots, and several more don't have enough candidates.Cedar Rapids students are showing a return to pre-pandemic learning levels on the Iowa School Report Card, with three schools categorized as “high performing” — the second highest rating schools can achieve.Historically underserved groups of students also are also showing improvement, with Black students, students learning English as a second language and students with Individualized Education Plans (special education) increasing by 5 or more percentage points in math proficiency and 2 percentage points in English and language arts.Students in Cedar Rapids schools' learning English as a second language also outperformed their peers in the state by 8 percentage points.Among many other improvements, the district's four-year graduation rate rose to 80.3 percent.This is a “significant milestone,” and the district has made “remarkable progress” on the report card, according to a news release from the district. Elementary and middle schools' math proficiency rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with English language arts only a few percentage points away.Former Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday dropped his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, ending his campaign for the White House after struggling to raise money and gain traction in the polls despite staking everything on winning...

This week Julie and Chrissa are joined by Erin Foster, to share updates on the Linn County Mental Health Access Center since we last spoke with her in 2021. Listen to Erin's first episode with us here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HsliJ9RWljjI3EhBxF9qN?si=Ggnb5hNITsOxKRBlRGRH5g Erin graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology in 2007. After graduation, Erin was employed by the Area Substance Abuse Council as a Prevention Specialist. In 2013 she then became the Director of Prevention for Linn, Benton, and Jones County. While at ASAC, Erin worked on community policy as well as provided trainings to businesses, schools, and the community on  topics such as effective substance use prevention, related strategies, Emerging Drug trends, specific opioid related topics such as Naloxone use.  In December of 2019, Erin left ASAC and started her current role as the Director for the Mental Health Access Center in Linn County. Ering provides leadership in the implementation and coordination of services for people with urgent or crisis behavioral health needs including both mental health and substance use disorder crises. Erin believes the Mental Health Access Center will write a new story for the community by providing both services, in tandem, for those in need. We want to hear from you! How has an access center provided you or a loved one with needed resources?  Let us know by texting or calling our anonymous number: (515)-650-3231 Connect with the Access Center online at: Web: https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/1423/Mental-Health-Access-Center To start behavioral or mental health services in Iowa call Heart and Solutions at (800) 531-4236.  Connect with Heart and Solutions online at: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Youneedatraining Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2dWKD6TenIMIC76ctq21YN Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPmrcmi5HUINpWEjHfHzTnQ/featured Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YouNeedaCounselor Heart and Solutions Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Heartandsolutions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/you_need_a_counselor/ Web: http://www.heartandsolutions.net

Welcome to the weekend!This is Stephen Colbert from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Saturday, October 7th, and Sunday, October 8th, 2023.According to the National Weather Service, Saturday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Saturday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.Sunday, will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 65, cooling to a low around 39 Sunday night.Iowa Democrats release details of mail-in caucus planIowa Democrats will wait until Super Tuesday in early March to release the results of its planned mail-in caucus presidential preference contest that begins months earlier.Iowa Democrats will be able to register for the mail-in absentee process starting Nov. 1, according to new details released by the party. Presidential preference cards will be mailed starting Jan. 12.Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart briefed reporters Friday ahead of a meeting of the Democratic National Committee's rules committee, which has yet to sign off on Iowa Democrats' presidential preference plan.Cedar Rapids considering rules for controlling feral cat populationA proposed ordinance intended to control the population of free-roaming cats in Cedar Rapids is causing concern among animal welfare activists over provisions that include setting a threshold for ceasing to feed to animals.The changes, if adopted by the City Council, would make Cedar Rapids one of several cities in Eastern Iowa to adopt rules for “trap-neuter-return” — a common way of keeping community cat populations under control without having to euthanize them.Family farms turning pumpkin patches, orchards into tourist drawsFrom new pumpkin patches to lavender fields to honey to maple syrup, family farms have become popular destinations for families to enjoy the outdoors, connect with farmers and the local food system, reduce screen time and entertain, educate and stimulate children.Johnson and Washington counties have teamed up on a new marketing effort to create a regional brand and promote the area as an agritourism destination.At the state and local level, government and business leaders have sought to promote and leverage Iowa's natural assets and entrepreneurial farm operations to further grow agritourism and engage the public in Iowa's agricultural operations, whether through farm or winery tours, cider houses, hay rides, apple- and berry-picking or other activities.Besides the Johnson and Washington county effort in the Corridor, Linn County also is working to boost agritourism, seeing its potential to attract visitors.Go to TheGazette.com to read our full interview with with Sarah Thompson, rural development director of Greater Iowa City Inc., about the effort and the potential to increase agritourism in Iowa.Don't forget to register for our free 2023 Iowa Ideas conference!Iowa Ideas is an annual virtual conference designed to gather Iowans from all perspectives to explore, discuss and offer solutions on issues impacting the state. Every attendee has the ability to customize their own schedule, with over fifty sessions across nine tracks. The free virtual conference will take place October 12-13. Register for free at IowaIdeas.com.Have a good weekend, everyone.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for October 6, 2023.A chance for rain in the morning, and quite a bit cooler. According to the National Weather Service there will be a 30 percent chance for rain in the Cedar Rapids area Friday morning. The high temperature will crest at 56 degrees with a stiff breeze all day.A teenager has been charged in connection with threats to Cedar Rapids schools circulating on social media that led to classes across the district being canceled Monday.Cedar Rapids police announced Thursday night they had worked with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to arrest a 14-year-old. Authorities said the teen is from Cedar Rapids, but did not say if the teen is a student in the Cedar Rapids Community School District nor say what charges he or she faces.The district had notified parents last Sunday that district schools would be closed Monday because of the threats, which they did not describe. Cedar Rapids schools reopened Tuesday, although many students — about 40 percent — stayed away.The district also imposed temporary new rules because of the threats: Students are not allowed to bring backpacks, bags or purses unless they are clear and see-through. Lunchboxes are allowed but will be examined by staff. High school students are not allowed to be released for lunch.The district said Thursday after the arrest that it would continue with the safety protocols for Friday, but intended to lift them next week.More than three-fourths of Linn County is now engulfed in exceptional drought — the most severe drought condition — according to a Thursday U.S. Drought Monitor report.This is the driest the county has been in the history of the U.S. Drought Monitor, which began in 2000. This is also the first year there has been exceptional drought in Eastern Iowa at all.The average temperature in Cedar Rapids throughout September was 5 degrees higher than the historical norm, according to the National Weather Service Quad Cities bureau. The city received just over an inch of rain that month — 2.33 inches less than normal.The swath represents the only patch of exceptional drought in Iowa and the Midwest at large. It currently makes up about 3 percent of Iowa's land. Exceptional drought has historically been contained to central and west Iowa — not Eastern Iowa.About a quarter of the state is still covered in severe drought, stretching from the northeast corner down to the southeast corner. Northeast Iowa, where exceptional drought plagued farmers and ranchers last month, has improved. The rest of the state is experiencing severe or moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions. None of Iowa is drought-free.Collins Aerospace, which employs about 9,000 people in Iowa, will lay off 68 employees in Cedar Rapids.According to a state notice, the layoffs will occur Oct. 13.A company spokesperson confirmed last month that Collins was planning layoffs across the company -- not in one specific division or location -- totaling less than 1 percent of its total workforce. One percent of its 7,000...

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for October 5, 2023.According to the National Weather Service there will be a slight chance of showers between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday. There will be increasing clouds during the day in the Cedar Rapids area, with a high near 76 degrees.There was supposed to be an auction for Mercy Iowa City in Chicago on Wednesday. At least that appeared to be the plan for most of the day.Then, without explanation, Mercy Iowa City at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening announced the historic auction for its assets as part Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings would be continued “to a later date.”The decision, according to a court filing made public just after 7:30 p.m., was done in “consultation with the official committee of unsecured creditors” — a group formed to represent the more than 400 individuals and companies that Mercy owes more than $17 million.Although the continuance did not set a new auction date, Wednesday evening's court filing indicated it would happen before the sale hearing, set for Oct. 10.Mercy spokeswoman Eileen Wixted said Wednesday evening the auction process was delayed “so the parties can continue negotiations.”As part of Mercy's Aug. 7 bankruptcy petition, it announced the University of Iowa was offering a “stalking horse” bid for substantially all its assets of $20 million.However, that was nowhere near paying off the $63 million in secured debt Mercy Iowa City has to bondholders, including its largest Preston Hollow Community Capital.There were several objections to Mercy accepting the university's bid, and further negotiations have led things to where they are now.A Linn County woman is charged with vehicular homicide in the death of a motorcyclist Tuesday evening.Debra Trimble, 60, collided head-on with the motorcyclist, Chad Craig, 48, of Cedar Rapids, while Trimble was attempting to pass another car in a no-passing zone on Cottage Grove Avenue, near Highlands Court SE.Trimble was driving north in a Pontiac Vibe just after 7 p.m. when she tired to pass the other car while going uphill on a curve.A news release from the Linn County Sheriff's Office states Trimble is from Marion, but a criminal complaint lists her home address in Cedar Rapids.Craig was pronounced dead at the scene. Trimble has been charged with homicide by vehicle, operating under the influence and unsafe passing.A large fire broke out in a homeless encampment near South Gilbert Street in Iowa City Wednesday afternoon.The Iowa City Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire and no injuries have been reported. None of the nearby buildings were damaged, according to Fire Chief Scott Lyon, who spoke with The Gazette at the scene.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Elvis himself is rumored to have played at The Cottonwoods, a jumpin' joint near Lebanon, where thousands danced to the music of many of the 20th Century's greatest musicians. Today, it's a vacant lot — piled high with memories. (Lebanon, Linn County; 1930s, 1940s, 1950s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1208a-cottonwoods-dance-hall-hosted-music-legends-maybe-even-elvis.html)

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for September 7, 2023.According to the National Weather Service there will be a high of 77 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area Thursday. It will be cloudy through mid morning, then the sky will gradually clear. The wind will be calm all day, with the low dropping down to 52 degrees.A Linn County jury Wednesday convicted Brandon Lee Nelson for attempting to kill one police officer and pointing a gun at another after leading authorities on a high-speed chase on July 30, 2022.The jury deliberated more than four hours following four and half days of trial. All jurors were polled, as requested by the defense, and all confirmed the 13 guilty verdicts.The officers, Blair Klostermann Cavin and Matt Jenatscheck, who shot and injured Nelson after he pointed and aimed a shotgun at them, were in the courtroom for the verdict, along with a few family members and other Cedar Rapids officers.Nelson, during testimony Tuesday, said he planned to have the police kill him because he was depressed over a breakup with his girlfriend and didn't have the “courage” to kill himself. Nelson told the jury he had no intention of killing or harming the officers.Nelson was hit three times before being downed by police at the scene. He discharged the shotgun once.University of Iowa police are investigating a body found on campus Wednesday morning, although “the death is not believed to be suspicious.”Emergency responders were called to the north patio of the Stanley Hydraulic Laboratory on Riverside Drive. at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday on a report of an unconscious and possibly deceased male, according to UI police. When they arrived, responders confirmed the death.“Based on the preliminary investigation and assistance from the Johnson County Medical Examiner, the death is not believed to be suspicious,” according to police.The individual, whose name was not released, isn't a current student or employee, and the incident does not pose a threat to campus safety, authorities said.Five current and former Iowa and Iowa State student-athletes have pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the state's investigation into illegal sports betting, agreeing to pay a fine instead of risking jail time, according to court documents.Current and former Iowa State University athletes Hunter Dekkers, Jake Remsburg and Dodge Sauser, and former University of Iowa athletes Aaron Blom and Gehrig Christensen, all have pleaded guilty to underage gambling.That charge carries a $645 fine and no jail sentence. Previously, all five had been charged with tampering, an aggravated misdemeanor that can be punishable with a sentence of up to two years in jail.

When first reported, it looked like a simple murder-suicide. But it quickly became clear that it was something far more sinister — and the motives of the killer were uglier and more sordid than anyone had thought possible. (Brownsville, Linn County; 1860s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1708d.sidney-barbara-smith-murders-458.html)

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for September 4, 2023.It's going to be a hot one for your Labor Day. According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 96 degrees. There will be a bit of a breeze, with a wind of 5 to 15 mph gusting as high as 25 mph.In tallying up assets for its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing — adding together everything from investments and real estate to office furniture and petty cash — Mercy Iowa City is reporting it's “doubtful' or perhaps even impossible for them to collect $161.7 million in patient account receivables.That nearly $162 million is out of $189 million in currently owed patient fees for services billed or rendered — which could include charges not just to patients, but to insurance providers or government payers.“The health care industry practice is to state accounts receivable at the gross value of the charges,” Mercy officials told The Gazette when asked about the many millions it won't collect “Contractual reductions by commercial and government payers, charitable care, and uncollected bad debt substantially reduce the cash collected by the provider/hospital.”Still, Mercy acknowledged that a deeply flawed rollout of an updated electronic medical record system in March 2022 “created significant operational problems,” including challenges with coding, billing and collecting for patient services.“Mercy continues to work through the poor implementation of its IT system that negatively impacted its cash collections,” officials said.We have much more detail on Mercy Iowa City's recent bankruptcy in the Gazette or on thegazette.comA Palo man turned himself in to authorities after they said he pushed a juvenile into a fire pit, causing severe burns.According to a Linn County Sheriff's Office news release, deputies were dispatched at 10:35 a.m. Saturday to a splash pad in Palo after receiving a report of a juvenile with severe burns to his head and shoulder. The callers said he had come from 1003 First St. in Palo.After investigating, deputies determined the juvenile — whose age was not released — had gotten the burns when a man had shoved him into a fire pit, according to the news release. Deputies believe that man was Christopher Wayne Maas, 42, of Palo.Linn County deputies searched the home at 1003 First St. but were unable to find Maas. According to a news release, Maas turned himself in to Cedar Rapids police and was taken into custody by Linn County deputies.Maas was booked in the Linn County Jail on charges of child endangerment causing bodily injury and interference with official acts. The incident remains under investigation.The Cedar Rapids Fire Department was called to the scene of a crash in northwest Cedar Rapids Friday night after a stolen car, which was being pursued by police, crashed into a home.Cedar Rapids police were called to 4515 Martin Ct. NW at 11:24 p.m. Friday on a report there had been a burglary and a vehicle — identified in court filings as a Toyota Scion tC — was stolen. According to a news release issued by the police department, officers located the stolen car being driven in the area.When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver — Robert William Becker, 37 — lost control and crashed into the house at 909 Wiley Blvd. NW, the release states. Becker reportedly fled the scene, but was apprehended.Becker has been charged with second-degree theft, in addition to a variety of eluding charges.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for August 11, 2023.According to the National Weather Service showers and thunderstorms will be likely Friday morning in the Cedar Rapids area but should likely end by 9 a.m. The sky will gradually clear after that Friday, with a high of 90 degrees. There will be a slight chance of rain Friday evening into Saturday.The state's investigation into illegal sports gambling in the athletic departments at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University picked up steam Thursday when another eight people — five of them current student athletes — were charged, bringing the number of people implicated so far to 15.Like those charged before, the eight new defendants face charges of tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison if convicted. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has been leading the probe. The UI indicated earlier that 26 current athletes were involved, and ISU said there were “approximately 15” current athletes involved.At ISU, running back Jirehl Brock headlines the list of Cyclones charged, along with tight end Deshawn Hanika, defensive tackle Isaiah Lee and offensive lineman Jake Remsburg. All players were starters last year.At the UI, current wide receiver Jack Johnson, former wide receiver Arland Bruce IV, former safety Reggie Bracy and student manager Owen O'Brien were charged.In a statement last week, after the first round of charges were announced, gambling regulators said they had uncovered no evidence that Hawkeye or Cyclone games were compromised, despite some of the player bets that were alleged.Even if they avoid criminal penalties, several of these athletes could run into eligibility problems if the NCAA finds them to be in violation of anti-gambling rules. A Linn County jury on Thursday acquitted a Swisher man charged with driving his pickup truck into abortion protesters last year.The jury deliberated more than five hours Thursday after the three-day trial in Linn County District Court before finding David Alan Huston, 54, not guilty of assault by use of a dangerous weapon-vehicle, an aggravated misdemeanor, and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.A sealed verdict — not read in open court, which is typical in misdemeanor cases — was filed by Associate District Judge Russell Keast.Ayla Boylen, a protester who testified against Huston, said Thursday, “I believe this acquittal sets a dangerous precedent for the safety of anyone practicing their First Amendment rights in the state of Iowa.”The city of Cedar Rapids has finalized a $10 million deal to buy land from Rick and Marsha Stickle to build a flood control levee around Cedar Lake, with additional land providing for a flood plain — marking a key step to move forward with completion of the city's network of flood protection.The Cedar Rapids City Council unanimously voted this week to approve the city's purchase of the property at and around 550 Stickle Dr. NE and Cedar Lake for a segment of the city's approximately $750 million permanent flood control system. The deal also includes easement rights around Union Pacific's north rail yard and the lake.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for August 7, 2023.According to the National Weather Service showers should clear up before 9 a.m. on Monday. Despite that, it will be mostly cloudy still with as hgh near 81 degrees. On Monday night it will be partly cloudy, with a low of around 62 degrees.One person was injured Saturday in what appeared to be a targeted shooting at Hannah Park in Marion.Marion police responded to the shooting at approximately 4:35 p.m., and found a victim who'd sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to a news release from the police department.Police report the investigation is ongoing and there is no threat to the public.A judge has ruled against Palo-area residents who filed a lawsuit last year opposing the rezoning of land for two industrial-scale solar projects.The lawsuit argued the Linn County Board of Supervisors did not follow county land-use policies and used illegal spot zoning to rezone nearly 2,000 acres to allow for a renewable energy project near the decommissioned Duane Arnold nuclear plant.Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Lars Anderson denied those claims.“The (county's) Comprehensive Plan provides for preservation of agriculture as well as protection of resources, under which the development of renewable energy is appropriate,” Anderson wrote in the July 20 decision.Anderson said the 1,934 acres rezoned for the Duane Arnold solar project didn't constitute spot zoning because it wasn't a “small island” of land and because the new uses fit with the county's goals to provide “protection and enhancement of the health and safety of all Linn County residents though the use of renewable energy.”The Palo decision signals the Duane Arnold Solar Project may soon be able to move forward.A newly released New York Times/Sienna College poll of Iowa Republicans shows former President Donald Trump with a commanding lead, but less dominant than national polls.The survey of 432 likely Iowa caucusgoers was taken before a third indictment against Trump was made public Tuesday, charging him with federal crimes connected to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.The new poll suggests more Iowa Republican voters are open to alternatives to Trump, but still overwhelmingly back him.Trump carried the support of 44 percent of Iowans polled — 10 percentage points lower than the support he holds with Republicans nationwide.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Wednesday, July 26.Wednesday may start with rain, but it will end up sunny and hot, hot, hot. According to the National Weather Service there will be a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mostly before 9 a.m. After that the clouds will gradually part until it is sunny, with a high of 96 degrees and a heat index as high as 105. On Wednesday night it will be mostly clear, with a low of around 72 degrees.Linn County has agreed to pay an Oelwein man who was beaten and seriously injured by two inmates inside the county jail last year an $85,000 settlement of his federal lawsuit.Ethan Palmer dismissed his suit last week against Sheriff Brian Gardner, jailer Pete Wilson and others in the sheriff's office.According to the lawsuit, Palmer asserted that on May 27, 2022 in retribution for reporting and assisting in an investigation and prosecution of Justin Michael Buehler, he was severely beaten by inmates Johnny Blahnik Church, and Gregory Sills, while in custody in the Linn County Jail.On Jan. 7, 2019, Palmer gave federal agents information that Buehler regularly sold meth to other employees at Pries Manufacturing in Independence, according to the suit. Later that month, Palmer made controlled purchases of meth from Buehler to assist in the investigation.Buehler was convicted and sentenced to 30 years for distributing methamphetamine.Palmer was treated at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for extensive injuries, including facial trauma, an orbital fracture, broken nose and teeth and a fractured knee.A Cedar Rapids man, who a federal prosecutor called a “menace to the community” for operating a shop to sell synthetic marijuana that netted over $1.3 million in 18 months, was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in federal prison in a case put on hold for a decade after he fled the country.Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Chatham said Mohammad Al Sharairei, 47, knew the substances he was selling were “poison,” displayed in colorful packages attractive to kids. He was “brazen” because even after law enforcement seized some of his merchandise in 2013, he continued to distribute synthetic marijuana.This case has been pending nearly a decade because Al Sharairei, after being charged, agreed to plea in 2014 but he and his wife, Melissa Al Sharairei, fled the country.Al Sharairei remained a fugitive until he was extradited from Brazil. According to U.S. marshals, he and his wife were arrested in Sao Paulo in February 2019 on a local charge, and turned over on the federal warrant in January 2022.Both the Hawkeye and Cyclone athletic programs in the new budget year are anticipating earning record-breaking revenue. However, the biggest bump may come from Iowa women's basketball, which is projected to triple the revenue of last year in the upcoming season.In total, UI Athletics is expecting to generate $140.3 million in revenue, 9 percent over last year's record-setting $129 million.Iowa State University Athletics, which also generated a record $106.1 million last year, in the new budget year expects to bring in $111.5 million — thanks to strong anticipated ticket sales, philanthropy and multimedia revenue.Following the national rise of Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeye

On April 3rd, 2004, 23-year-old Alonzo Brooks went out to a party in Linn County, Kansas. When Brooks didn't return home that night, friends and family got nervous and got authorities involved. After a search by police and the FBI, his family organized a volunteer-led search team, and they were able to locate his body nearby. His cause of death is still indeterminate. Donate to NCMEC through my campaign! https://give.missingkids.org/campaign/kendall-rae/c438796 This episode is sponsored by: Nutrafol - Promo code: KENDALLRAE Check out Kendall's other podcasts: The Sesh & Mile Higher Follow Kendall! YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook Mile Higher Zoo REQUESTS: General case suggestion form: https://bit.ly/32kwPly Form for people directly related/ close to the victim: https://bit.ly/3KqMZLj Discord: https://discord.com/invite/an4stY9BCN CONTACT: For Business Inquiries - Kendall@INFAgency.com

Headlines: Lake communities line up for herbicide approval from APA Fertilizer Prices Continued to Fall in March Fertilizer kills 50K fish in Linn County creek, owner fined Joe Knows Turf: Lawn Leveling and some more leveling. Sponsor: The Patrons Burns: Rebates for electric lawn equipment in San Joaquin Valley Some people are not cutting their lawns during the month of April Returns: ‘I love what I do': Nutrien Ag Solutions' only woman plant manager excels in male-dominated industry Investigating pest management on U.S. golf courses Mailbag: Talkin' about Jack K's soil test and giving some advice to Bryan C! Because We Care: WeCareLawnCare.info Special Thanks to Our Co-Producers: 6r33k633k Busy Beez's Turf Benjamin Mossing Lonegoose Turfology Jesse Bousquet Jr Jbartleyw Outsidefire Barthoda Ryan Danescu Tifway Lawn NateKrez Harperexplores bwerthmann Mtech LCS Turf LTK Trucking & Freight Nreyes LW50 Sumbeach Lush Lawns 813King matix wfcook webcivilian Zach_H Kennard SchaneyTurf87 DynoSportDan MattMac1r GroundUpOrganic Josh1604 zerocool NeilOB Halpeet SeñorLawn GuardWellDFW

The state of Iowa spent roughly $15.7 million on a financial-management system that was ultimately scrapped before its launch. Iowa law enforcement officials are hoping this is finally the year state lawmakers pass a bill requiring cell phone use in vehicles be hands-free. Plus, Linn County will likely continue its pause on new utility-scale solar installations through June.

In September, deranged housewife Emma Hannah gunned down a dangerously sexy neighbor she suspected of making moves on her husband; then in November, 18-year-old Lloyd Montgomery had a temper tantrum and murdered his parents. (Jordan and Brownsville, Linn County; 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1810a.1812.montgomery-murder.html)

When the sheriff arrived to enforce the law, he brought with him a pro-temperance preacher from one of the local churches — whose presence seems to have sparked a murderous response from the man he'd come to arrest. (Plainview, Linn County; 1920s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1611d.sheriff-murdered-in-liquor-raid-gone-bad-419.html)

Willamette Valley town's mascot was the state's wealthiest housecat; he owned City Hall along with the farm it was built on, as well as an iconic red barn. Today, you can visit Kitty Kat's grave, but his barn has been moved to a new place. (Tangent, Linn County; 1980s) (For text and pictures, see http://offbeatoregon.com/1201b-kitty-kat-owner-of-city-hall-richest-cat.html)

Russell Hecker borrowed a friend's car to make a quick liquor run. He brought it back 12 hours late and covered with blood — and there was no sign of the man he'd gone on the run with the previous night. (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Linn County; 1920s) (For text and pictures, see http://offbeatoregon.com/1610d.murder-of-bootlegger-frank-bowker-414.html)

Lebanon man lived a quiet, respectable life after the Civil War, but back in his youth he was a member of Olney's Detachment of the Oregon Cavalry — a Union Army outfit nicknamed “Olney's Forty Thieves.” (Lebanon, Linn County; 1860s, 1950s) (For text and pictures, see http://offbeatoregon.com/o1111c-black-sheep-of-union-army-last-oregon-vet.html)