Gazette Daily News Briefing, November 19
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I’m here with your update for Friday, November 19.
It’s going to be a bit warmer on Friday, on the way to a nice weekend. According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly sunny with a high near 41 degrees during the day in the Cedar Rapids area. On Friday night it will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 35 degrees.
An attorney with Hunter Companies confirmed Thursday the local firm is no longer proceeding with plans to buy the former Transamerica site and develop a mixed-use facility there, casting uncertainty on the future of the 51-acre property at Edgewood Road and 42nd Street NE.
A preliminary subdivision plat was slated to come before the Cedar Rapids City Planning Commission on Thursday after its initial consideration was tabled in October so Hunter Companies could work with residents to address concerns about the development.
The planned mixed-use facility had riled up hundreds of residents who mobilized against the proposal over concerns with traffic, stormwater management and tree removal.
Hunter Companies had been making efforts to seek community feedback before coming back with a proposal, however, and it was not clear as of Thursday why they decided against going forward on the project.
Turmoil over Coe College’s commitment to diversity reached a crescendo during the private school’s recent presidential search, leading two trustees to submit scathing letters of resignation and students to hold protests Thursday.
Protesters have asserted the issues go beyond the trustee resignations and relate to diversity issues across campus — but they cited the Oct. 25 resignation of longtime trustee Darryl Banks, a Black man who graduated magna cum laude from Coe in 1972 and was elected its last Rhodes scholar 50 years ago.
In his letter of resignation, Banks cited the way the college’s leadership had handled the search for a new Coe president over the summer as the tipping point for his decision to depart.
A Monticello man was taken into custody late Wednesday after setting off an explosion in his home.
David John Costello, 62, was arrested Wednesday night after authorities responded to a domestic disturbance 911 call.
Costello’s wife reported that Costello was threatening to “blow up the residence,” according to a Monticello Police Department news release from Police Chief Britt Smith.
When a Monticello officer and Jones County deputy arrived at the scene, the officers found Costello in the basement of the residence.
As officers tried to communicate with Costello, he ignited an explosion in the basement, the release said. After the explosion, Costello was taken into custody.
The Monticello Fire Department also responded to extinguish the flames in the home.
The Jones County deputy and Costello were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
After surrounding residences were evacuated as a precaution, the Cedar Rapids Hazardous Devices Unit assisted in securing the residence
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