Gazette Daily News Briefing, February 25 and February 26
Welcome to the weekend!
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I’m here with your update for Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26.
It’s the weekend and we’re back to pretty nice weather. According to the National Weather Service, on Saturday it will be sunny, with a high near 38 degrees. And on Sunday it will be sunny, with a high near 48 degrees.On Sunday night there could be some rain, with the possibility of a thunderstorm after midnight.
Hundreds of Iowans did not get their correct federal tax refund due to a clerical error by the state revenue department, the department confirmed Friday, and state money will be used to fix the mistake.
A spokesman for the Iowa Department of Revenue said the department in January sent a file to the IRS that contained incorrect data for some Iowa taxpayers. Once the error was discovered, a corrected file was sent to the IRS. But in the meantime, as a result of the error, roughly 300 Iowans who had filed their 2022 federal tax returns did not receive the correct federal refund this year, the spokesman said.
The state revenue department has begun refunding the correct amount to those taxpayers, using state funds, and is confirming errors and working with affected taxpayers to resolve the issue, the spokesman said.
The Department of Revenue did not provide the total dollar amount of state funds needed to address the error.
Police have identified the 16-year-old who was shot to death last Saturday in northwest Cedar Rapids as Michael Alexander McCune of Cedar Rapids.
McCune was found suffering from gunshot wounds in the 1600 block of F Avenue NW shortly after 11:30 a.m. He died at the scene, Cedar Rapids police said.
A number of 911 callers alerted police to the sound of gunshots in the area.
McCune’s family set up a GoFundMe page, asking for help in covering funeral costs.
McCune’s mother is hoping to hold a service in Cedar Rapids and then bury McCune in Chicago, among other family graves, the GoFundMe states. The fundraiser had raised $1,513 as of Friday afternoon.
Antwan Steward, 16, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested Monday and accused of “recklessly” shooting a stolen gun at other people that day in the area where McCune was found dead. Police are not saying if the arrest is related to McCune’s death.
Collins Aerospace, the largest employer in Cedar Rapids, has signed an agreement with a Saudi Arabian firm to develop combat drones for the kingdom’s military.
A memorandum of understanding was signed Tuesday during the International Defense Exhibition and Conference 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Collins will provide its expertise in unmanned aerial system integration to SRB Aerial Systems to assist in developing the advanced drones, according to a Collins Aerospace news release.
As one of the only drone manufacturers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SRB Company has a goal of providing 100 percent locally owned and manufactured unmanned flight systems to the country.
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
