Gazette Daily News Briefing, July 4 and 5
This is Katie Brumbeloe with The Gazette digital newsdesk, and here’s your update for the weekend of July 4. Happy Fourth of July!
This weekend will be mostly sunny and clear with calm winds, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday will be sunny with a high near 90 and low around 69 in the evening. Sunday will be about the same, with a high near 91 and evening low around 71.
The clear skies would be perfect for viewing fireworks but many cities canceled their shows this year because of the coronavirus. Some events are still on, though, with social distancing measures in place.
Coralville is hosting drive-in fireworks on Saturday starting at 9:45 p.m. at the Coralville Youth Complex. In Cedar Rapids, the Kernels are will be setting off fireworks at a ticketed event at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Visit thegazette.com for details a list of more fireworks shows planned in Eastern Iowa.
The state reported 390 new coronavirus cases Friday, pushing Iowa past the 30,000 mark since the start of the pandemic. As of Friday, the state had counted 30,355 cases of COVID-19.
Johnson County reported 15 new cases, its 17th consecutive day of double-digit increases. The county has had 1,234 confirmed cases. Linn County reported 14 new cases, its 13th consecutive day for double-digit increases. The county has had 1,241 confirmed cases since mid-March.
Some of the new cases involve student-athletes at Iowa’s public universities.
The University of Northern Iowa announced Friday that seven of its student-athletes and one staff member have tested positive for the virus.
Three new deaths were also reported Friday, bringing the state’s total to 720. With the first deaths in Cherokee and Wright counties, there have now been COVID deaths in 58 of Iowa’s 99 counties.
Black Lives Matter protesters, livid over Cedar Rapids’ approach to one of its key demands for police reform, brought the frustrations to Mayor Brad Hart’s front door on Friday.
About 200 protesters marched to Hart’s home in southeast Cedar Rapids as part of a rally for racial equity.
Protesters knocked on Hart’s door, but no one answered.
The rally was organized by the Advocates for Social Justice, a group that has led other protests and is advocating for police reforms in Cedar Rapids.
Protesters have objected to the city’s decision to open up the process of creating a police review board to public comments in meetings. Advocates say its a delay tactic that ignores research they have already done.
Hart told The Gazette on Thursday that he didn’t plan to attend the rally because he had already demonstrated his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, noting that the council had unanimously passed a resolution committing to act on the group’s demands for police reform.
This briefing is sponsored in part by Corridor Careers. Are you looking for a job? CorridorCareers.com is a resource to local job seekers where they can get job tips, sign up for local job alerts, build a resume and more. Check it out at CorridorCareers.com.
Have a wonderful Fourth of July!
