Cedar Rapids, Linn County | featured news

Norman Fuller has always been drawn to solving problems — even before he knew what being an engineer meant.“I took an aptitude test in fifth grade, and the results said I should be an engineer. I was upset because I didn’t want to drive a train,” he joked.

States should take a closer look at their election laws to protect against fraud in mail-in voting, Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Wednesday.

DES MOINES — The Iowa Senate voted Tuesday to shorten Iowa’s early voting process to 20 days, close statewide election polls an hour earlier, condense absentee ballot rules and put in place tougher criminal penalties for “rogue” county auditors who fail to follow state rules.

DES MOINES — Legislation seeking to withdraw tax breaks and government incentives from Big Tech companies — if a court rules they have violated free speech rights by blocking conservatives from social media — was advanced Wednesday despite concerns it would be costly and problematic if lawmakers “weaponized” Iowa’s economic development programs.

DES MOINES — Legislation that would make major changes to Iowa’s bottle-deposit law cleared the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee on a 7-4 party-line vote Wednesday.

DES MOINES — A sweeping proposal to limit early and absentee voting in Iowa — among myriad other changes in how elections are conducted here — is on its way to Gov. Kim Reynolds after gaining final approval Wednesday by Republican lawmakers.The proposal sped through the legislative process over just eight days, and only with Republican support.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Stabbing victim Katrina Brinson and Arnell States — the man suspected of stabbing her — were involved in a domestic disturbance the day before Brinson died. According to Cedar Rapids police, officers were called just after 5 a.m. Feb. 19 to 1531 Washington Ave. SE for a domestic disturbance.

DES MOINES — Back in December, Debi Durham predicted 2020 would be one of the best years of her decade as chief of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA).“And we’ve had some stellar years,” Durham told the Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday.

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Two Coralville men were sentenced this week — one to more than 18 years and the other to 21 years — for drug trafficking and firearms.

Iowa’s Democratic attorney general has installed the Republican governor’s lawyer into a high-level job in which he is aggressively defending his former boss’ policy agenda and management decisions in court.