Gazette Daily News Briefing, April 29
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I’m here with your update for Friday, April 29.
It will be warmer Friday but the chance for rain will remain. According to the National Weather Service there will be a chance for showers, with thunderstorms possible, after 10 a.m. in the Cedar Rapids area. The listed high is 65 degrees with mostly cloudy skies. Rain becomes even more likely Friday night, jumping from 40 percent to 90 percent probability, with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and a half an inch possible. The low should be close to the high temperatures earlier in the week, settling in at 56 degrees.
Several petitions are circulating through the Iowa State University community opposing changes to its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences — specifically its history department — after administrators earlier this year announced $15 million in cuts by the 2026 budget year.
The petition references Iowa State’s recent decision to exit the prestigious Association of American Universities after 64 years, which the school did after criticizing the AAU ranking system — noting it favors “institutions with medical schools and associated medical research funding.”
Also circulating are two separate petitions opposing proposals to eliminate the ISU Department of History’s graduate programs.
All of this comes as the university in February announced a need to “right-size its budget in response to changing enrollment and student demand, as well as position the college for future success.”
An Iowa City clinical psychologist Thursday said one of the Fairfield teens charged with killing a Spanish teacher with a baseball bat would benefit from juvenile court treatment and rehabilitation services — if moved out of adult court — but admitted there is no specific programming for homicide defendants.
Psychologist Brenda Payne, who testified for the defense during a hearing to determine if the murder case against Jeremy Goodale, 17, should be transferred to juvenile court, said she conducted several tests to help form her opinion. She tested the teen’s intellectual, executive, emotional and personality functioning. He is “bright,” has “above average” problem solving skills and no mental health issues.
Goodale is the first of two teens seeking to have their cases transferred from adult court to juvenile court, where they could face lesser charges and penalties if convicted. Goodale and Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, 16, are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony in the killing of Nohema Graber, 66, the Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School. Her body was found in a park near the school in November.
A 73-year-old man died Wednesday morning after a farming accident in rural Linn County, according to authorities.
According to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Stephen Jay Martin, of Springville, had been operating a field processor near the intersection of Bowdish Road and Whittier Road north of Springville when he stopped to make some adjustments to the equipment. Martin appeared to have slipped and fallen, causing an injury which resulted in his death.
Martin’s family discovered the incident and called law enforcement. Linn County deputies, sheriff’s rescue, Central City Fire and Center Point Ambulance responded about 7:45 p.m.
Next stop Baltimore for Tyler Linderbaum.
The Ravens took the former Hawkeyes star center with the No. 25 pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Thursday’s selection marked the 19th time that an Iowa offensive lineman has been drafted in the Kirk Ferentz era.
