Gazette Daily News Briefing, June 11
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I’m here with your update for Friday, June 11.
It’s going to be hot again on Friday, but this time it might actually rain a bit. Maybe.
According to the National Weather Service there will be a 20 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms in the Cedar Rapids area after 1 p.m. The chance will increase to 40 percent as Friday heads into Saturday. Rain or not, it is definitely going to be hot, with a predicted high of 94 degrees.
You wouldn’t know it from all the moisture hanging around in the air, but most of Iowa is in a drought. Nearly 90 percent of the state is experiencing some degree of drought according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. While rain did bring some relief in May, it was still below average, and the dry and hot weather in June has erased the gains.
It will no longer be a dry Kinnick Stadium this fall. A decade after University of Iowa Athletics launched a “Think Before They Drink” campaign aimed at curbing football-related binging, the department on Thursday announced its expanding alcohol sales at athletic events, including football, basketball, baseball, softball and wrestling.
Acknowledging risks that come with expanding beer and wine access to the game-going public, the department has committed 30 percent of its net alcohol sales to the research-based initiatives developed and supported by the UI Alcohol Harm Reduction Committee.
The decision comes after the University of Iowa athletics department has reported millions of dollars in budget deficits due, in large part, to disruptions caused by COVID-19.
Two seriously injured children remained hospitalized Thursday after their rented scooter ran a stop sign and was hit by a driver whose license was suspended.
Cedar Rapids police said the boys were both riding on a single VeoRide scooter in the alley between 15th Street SE and Camburn Court SE just after 4 p.m. Wednesday when they turned onto Mount Vernon Road SE.
They were struck by a westbound 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Dennis Lee Candler, 64, of Cedar Rapids, police said. Candler was ticketed for driving on a suspended license and failure to provide proof of liability insurance.
Based on witness accounts and video surveillance, the boys were not wearing helmets and did not stop at a stop sign before turning onto Mount Vernon Road, police said. The two boys were taken to University of Iowa Hospitals for treatment of life threatening injuries.
Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office said Thursday it learned that 19 refugee children were flown last month to Des Moines and taken to sponsor families, despite the Republican governor’s rejection of the Democratic Biden administration’s request that Iowa accept immigrant kids.
Reynolds and Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne both said the federal government withheld information on the flight despite repeated requests from their respective offices.
Axne joined Reynolds in criticizing the Biden administration for its responses -- or lack thereof -- to Iowa officials and also joined in the call for more investigation into the matter.
The Iowa Ideas 2021 virtual conference will be here before you know it, and we would like you to be our guest on the house. The Gazette is providing free access to this two-day gathering with more than 50 sessions- filled with thought-provoking local, and national speakers-- all ready to engage you on a variety of important and timely Iowa-issues. Join us October 14th and 15th for this can’t miss, idea-exchange experience. Learn more and register for the event at iowaideas.com
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