Cedar Rapids | featured news

DES MOINES — Back in 2003, the United States launched war on Iraq, the Columbia space shuttle blew up, a road map to peace in the Mideast was released and postponed, and there were nearly 8,500 cases of SARS — the acute respiratory syndrome — that led to 810 deaths around the world.

IOWA CITY — Mercy Iowa City is implementing staff reductions, furloughs and other polices for its employees in an effort to cope with the financial impact the hospital as faced in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

IOWA CITY — Given COVID testing can be cumbersome, uncomfortable, and time consuming for busy and often low-risk college students, the University of Iowa this spring is trying a different approach to stopping campus cluster infections that’s less invasive — at least for students.

DES MOINES — Majority Republicans in the Iowa Legislature will begin negotiations next week aimed at reaching a compromise funding level for K-12 school districts in fiscal 2022.House Republicans, who have a 59-41 majority, have proposed a 2.5 percent base increase in general fund state aid for elementary and secondary schools.

DES MOINES — Iowa gamblers were all in on sports wagers in January, driving betting activity to a monthly record $149.5 million.

DES MOINES The 2018 appointment of an Eastern Iowa district court judge by Gov. Kim Reynolds will stand, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday, ending a three-year controversy over whether Reynolds had missed the legal deadline for appointing the judge.

DES MOINES — Iowa’s partial face mask mandate, public health restrictions on businesses, and limits on public gatherings are being lifted.

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Linn County Board of Supervisors on Friday voted to freeze elected officials salaries in the upcoming 2022 fiscal year.

About a decade ago, Troy Van Beek used to lug around a solar panel to explain to potential customers that the technology, which still was relatively new at the time, can’t “steal sunlight.”

Everyone who went through the derecho has a story to tell that they will remember and recall for years to come. What's your memory that you want to share? The Gazette is collecting photos, videos and stories from the August 2020 derecho to share online and in the newspaper.