Cedar Rapids, Linn County | featured news

From a makeshift classroom in her Cedar Rapids home, April Tierney is reaching students around the world, teaching math, science, history and “herstory” through the online platform, Outschool.

IOWA CITY — A man arrested by Iowa City police in a case condemned by a federal judge as “walking while Black” has filed a federal civil rights complaint against the city, Johnson County, the arresting officers and an assistant county attorney involved in the arrest.

IOWA CITY — The International Writing Program (IWP) invites U.S. students ages 15-22 from Iowa and across the country to apply to their virtual summer programs, hosted with major support from the University of Iowa, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, and the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.

DES MOINES — After learning that some sexual abuse victims were expected to pay the cost of processing evidence kits, an Iowa lawmaker shepherded legislation through the House to establish a tracking system that eventually will be paid for by criminals.

DES MOINES — The Iowa House approved one of the GOP majority’s priority bills, the Workforce Child Care Facility Tax Credit, which will make up to $3 million a year in tax credits available to developers who build or rehabilitate child care centers.

DES MOINES — Law officers no longer would be able to ticket a driver for not displaying a front license plate on a vehicle as a primary offense unless the citation was issued in conjunction with another violation, such as exceeding the posted legal speed limit, under a bill the Iowa Senate approved Tuesday.

IOWA CITY — An Iowa journalist covering a protest for racial justice was blinded when a police officer shot pepper spray in her face and jailed for hours despite telling him repeatedly that she was just doing her job, according to video played Tuesday at the reporter’s trial.

WASHINGTON — A little-known element of President Joe Biden’s massive stimulus relief package passed by the Senate on Saturday would pay billions of dollars to disadvantaged farmers — a provision that would benefit Black farmers in a way that some experts say no legislation has since the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

IOWA CITY — A week after vowing to stick with Iowa City’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission after her resignation as chair of the group, Royceann Porter has resigned.

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man who sexually abused a child, videotaped it and unknowingly distributed still shots online to an undercover officer, was sentenced Monday to 30 years in federal prison.