Gazette Daily News Briefing, March 18 and March 19
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I’m here with your update for Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19.
If Saturday will be the cold snap, Sunday will be the gentle thaw.
According to the National Weather Service it will be a tad frigid today in the Cedar Rapids area with a high of 26 degrees, and wind chill values at -10 degrees.It will remain breezy, with wind gusts up to 30 mph, and there will be chances of snow flurries from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Sunday it is predicted to be sunny, with a high of 39 degrees. The wind will slightly lessen, dropping to 25 mph gusts
The week ahead is predicted to typically feature highs in the 50s and 60s, with the possibility of rain almost every day.
There was more good news for a major microchip expansion project in Cedar Rapids.
Collins Aerospace — the city’s largest employer — was awarded $1.85 million in state financial incentives toward its proposed $22 million expansion of its northeast Cedar Rapids campus to begin the production of microchips.
The Iowa Economic Development Authority board on Friday approved the incentives toward the project for Collins, a division of Raytheon Technologies, to renovate an existing building on its campus between Collins Road and Blairs Ferry Road NE.
This award supplements the local match the Cedar Rapids City Council approved on Tuesday of just over $1 million in tax incentives.
The company will use the building to develop and manufacture microelectronic — microchip — technologies for Collins Aerospace communications products, with production expected to grow.
In sports, Purdue was at the center of two major upsets on Friday evening, with Iowa’s Spencer Lee serving as the unlikely victim in the second.
In arguably the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history, the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, the shortest team in the tournament, stunned top-seeded and very tall Purdue 63-58 on Friday night, becoming only the second No. 16 seed to win a game in March Madness. The Boilermakers were sad to learn that having a player a foot taller than everyone else does not help if the other 4 players are unable to shoot, pass, or handle the ball.
Meanwhile, Iowa’s Lee was upset by No. 4 ranked Matt Ramos of Purdue Friday night. Ramos secured a pin in the last second of the match to beat the almost undefeatable Lee, who had recovered from a serious knee injury before searching for his 4th National Title.
Lee was seeking to become the first Iowa wrestler to win four national championships, a feat only completed by 6 collegiate wrestlers.
Iowa’s wrestlers still rank No. 2 in the nation in points, with more wrestling to go this weekend.
With Iowa State and Drake also falling in men’s basketball Friday, the chance for March glory is on the shoulders of the women.
Iowa advanced easily over its first round opponent, Southeastern Louisiana, 95 - 43. They play 10 seeded Georgia on Saturday. Drake and Iowa State also play Saturday, matching up against Louisville and Toledo, respectively.
