Gazette Daily News Briefing, November 23
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I’m here with your update for November 23, 2023.
Happy Thanksgiving!
According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny Thursday in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 42 degrees. On Thursday evening it will become cloudier, with a low of around 23 degrees.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has approved a manure plan for Supreme Beef, a cattle feedlot in northeast Iowa, but opponents questioned whether it’s legal for the applicant to tweak the plan midway.
The DNR held a public hearing for Supreme Beef’s nutrient management plan application Oct. 16 and an equal number of people spoke for and against the plan for disposing of manure from up to 11,600 cattle.
The agency accepted revisions to the plan Nov. 8, 16 and 17, before issuing final approval last week, according to the letter the DNR sent Supreme Beef owner Jared Walz.
The plan for how Supreme Beef will apply liquid manure to farmland is in effect through the 2028 crop year. The feedlot must keep records of manure application so the DNR can review them during inspections, the letter says.
Supreme Beef hasn’t been able to apply manure to land since May, a month after Polk County Judge Scott Rosenberg sided with nature groups that sued the DNR and Supreme Beef over a previous plan they said was flawed and would endanger waterways in the Driftless region.
Opponents at the public hearing in October said Supreme Beef’s newest plan still had omissions and inaccurate information. These opponents, who include neighbors of the feedlot and water quality advocates, say they question whether the revisions to the plan after the Oct. 16 public hearing are legal.
Once rehabilitation work is complete this spring on a once-blighted building in Wellington Heights, Hawkeye Area Community Action Program will own and operate the old Colonial Centre property that the city of Cedar Rapids is transforming into affordable housing.
The Cedar Rapids City Council this week approved HACAP’s proposal to own and manage the building now dubbed “The Heights” at 1500 Second Ave. SE. When construction is complete in March, this city project will offer 25 affordable rental units and be turned over to HACAP to run.
“I think a lot of us look at that facility as a gateway into every day improving Wellington Heights,” Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said. “I’m thrilled about the partnerships all around and even happier that we know there’ll be resources there on-site to have a more comprehensive and holistic support for citizens.”
EntreFEST, the two-day conference celebrating entrepreneurialism and innovation, returns to Cedar Rapids in 2024 after two years in Iowa City.
The conference will be held June 13-14. Venues will include the Geonetric Building, 415 12th Ave. SE, and the Olympic Theater, 1202 Third St. SE, with more to be announced.
In addition to keynote speakers and panels, EntreFEST features dozens of smaller sessions that cover all aspects of business and entrepreneurship. Attendees are able to ask questions and interact with speakers, while happy hours and live entertainment give attendees the chance to network and unwind afterward.
More information about venues, speakers and tickets will be announced soon
To wrap up, I have some nice offers for all of our listeners who love the classic experience of reading a newspaper. If you're in The Gazette's delivery area, you're eligible for our Black Friday month-long special where you can get up to 50% off on your print subscription.
It should be noted that a print subscription also gives you access to all our content on thegazette.com as well.
If you’re interested in the deal, head on over to thegazette.com/friday
