Iowa, Cedar Rapids | featured news

Iowa OSHA is investigating a Feb. 15 explosion that injured two workers at the Agri Star Meat & Poultry plant in Postville. The explosion in the dock area of the kosher meat processing plant happened after a forklift punctured a hose leading to a 100-pound liquid propane tank and the gas leak eventually ignited, police said.

CEDAR RAPIDS — A jury was selected late Tuesday for a woman accused of kidnapping and beating a 15-year-old girl with a hammer and electrical cord for several months.

While moderate and vulnerable U.S. House Democrats express reservations over the prospect of reversing a state-certified election, Democrat Rita Hart’s campaign has renewed its call for all lawful ballots to be counted as a GOP-pressure campaign builds casting the contest as a partisan power grab.

Despite concerns from some lawmakers and lobbyists, a bill to ban certain types of diversity training not just in public schools and universities — as first proposed — but also in “government agencies and entities” advanced Tue

DES MOINES — A bill that sponsors say is necessary to protect Iowa’s livestock production industry is just another version of an “ag gag” law struck down by a federal judge, according to opponents of House File 775, which was approved by the Iowa House 72-24 on Tuesday and sent to

Ask schoolteachers how the past year has gone, and you get myriad answers. The only constant: change.For seventh-grade math teacher Denise Melchert, the year has been a challenge in many ways. But it’s also taught her — and her students — a lot. And while the pandemic marks a crucial chapter in recent history, it’s only part of the story.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Police are investigating as a hate crime a racial slur painted overnight on a vacant rental house that has been the source of neighborhood complaints over the last year.Cedar Rapids police received a call about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday that a racial epithet was sprayed painted across the front of 2307 Bever Ave. SE.

Iowa reported 489 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday as well as eight new, confirmed deaths.The new numbers bring the total number of cases in Iowa to 346,303 and the total number of deaths to 5,683, according to Iowa Department of Public Health data.

Casey’s General Stores is acquiring 49 convenience stores in Oklahoma from Circle K, the company announced in a Tuesday news release.The Ankeny-based convenience store chain paid $39 million for the 46 leased stores and three owned stores.

DEWITT — A solitary figure clad in black stood keeping a lonely vigil Tuesday in a fallow field,Aishia Lankford was waiting, perhaps hoping to catch a glimpse of something to tell her if the human remains discovered Monday evening in or near a pond just off 270th Avenue were those of her 10-year-old daughter, Breasia Terrell.