Cedar Rapids, Linn County | featured news

DES MOINES — The federal government announced Monday it will support the ethanol industry in a lawsuit over biofuel waivers granted to oil refineries under President Donald Trump’s administration.

DES MOINES — Legislation lawmakers have sidelined in previous years appeared headed to approval by the House Labor Committee on Monday night despite Democratic arguments against changes reducing benefits to unemployed Iowans.

The Gazette’s Business Notes is a compendium of the week’s promotions, new hires, certifications, added business lines and business events, among other items, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and the rest of the Corridor.

CEDAR RAPIDS — The woman who was fatally stabbed at a motel in southwest Cedar Rapids has been identified as Katrina Latrese Brinson, 34, of Cedar Rapids.

IOWA CITY — An Iowa City man stands accused of a shooting death earlier this month.According to an Iowa City police criminal complaint, officers were called to 615 S. Governor St., No. 6 at 7:53 p.m. Feb. 12 for a report of a man being shot and killed during a robbery. Multiple people were reported to have been present during the robbery.

There is no “easy button” to press to redraw congressional and legislative election districts in a year that could prove especially hard since the federal government doesn’t promise to deliver the census data needed to start the process until a month after Iowa law says lawmakers must finish it.

DES MOINES — Legislation intended to “back the blue” in Iowa by attempting to prevent local entities from “defunding” police drew protests of unnecessary state intrusion and concerns over unintended consequences for smaller communities with sharing arrangements during a legislative hearing Monday.

Iowa reported 189 new coronavirus cases and 38 new, confirmed deaths Monday, according to data from the Iowa Department of Public Health.The new numbers bring the state’s totals to 332,762 cases and 5,374 deaths since March. The state’s seven-day average of new cases is 492.

CHICAGO — Former U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan Jr., who retired last week from the U.S. Department of Justice after 23 years, has joined Taft Law in Chicago as a partner in the firm’s white collar criminal defense and commercial litigation practice groups.

American Airlines’ nonstop service between Eastern Iowa Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor will pause in April before resuming again in June, airport officials said Monday morning.It will be the first time American has provided the nonstop route during summer months.