Gazette Daily News Briefing, October 3
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I’m here with your update for October 3, 2023.
It will be hot again Tuesday, with a hint of the temperature drop to come. According to the National Weather Service there will be a high near 91 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area, with increasing cloudiness during the day. It will also be breezy, with wind gusts as high as 30 mph.
The Cedar Rapids Community School District is resuming classes Tuesday and taking “proactive safety measures” after classes were canceled Monday because of a threat made on social media.
Students are not allowed to bring backpacks, bags or purses unless it is a clear, see-through bag. Lunchboxes are allowed but will be examined by staff. High school students will not be allowed to be released for lunch.
“A serious threat was made over social media by an anonymous person over the weekend,” district officials said in an email to families Monday. “Due to the seriousness of the situation, it was important that we address the issue effectively and responsibly for the safety and well-being of our students, staff and the entire school community.”
District officials are encouraging families to discuss the situation with their students and the importance of reporting any suspicious or potentially threatening activity to an adult as soon as possible.
An investigation into the threat is being conducted by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, state public safety agencies and the FBI.
As of a Sunday night news release, the Cedar Rapids Police Department had not identified any suspects or made any arrests.
Cedar Rapids Police “investigators began working immediately to identify the nature of the threat and its source. This has become a complex investigation and all leads are being examined closely,” the release states.
Could Nascar be coming to the Iowa Speedway?
We do know that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will announce “a new major sports and entertainment event to be held in Iowa in 2024” during a news conference scheduled for Tuesday morning at the Iowa Capitol.
Reynolds’ office did not respond to a follow-up by the Gazette email seeking details about the announcement, including the type of event and community where it will be held.
The Athletic reports NASCAR is expected to add the Iowa Speedway to its 2024 Cup Series schedule. The speedway’s website briefly listed a “2024 NASCAR Weekend” for the Cup Series in June 2024, before it was removed Monday, the sports journalism website reported.
After some ups and downs, Hamburg Inn No. 2 will reopen this week under new ownership.
The iconic diner at 214 N. Linn St., rescued by Gold Cap Hospitality in August after turmoil that started in December, will open at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5. The public is invited to get reacquainted with the Hamburg Inn’s timeless classics like Pieshakes, fried chicken and bottomless coffee as the new owner ushers in a new chapter in the diner’s nearly 90-year history.
Remodeling over the past several weeks has focused on bringing the diner’s vibrant past to its forefront, honoring the essence of what brought the restaurant success for so many years
With a focus on artifacts, newspaper clippings, and the history of presidents and high-level politicians who made the space a hot spot, diners can expect a fresh look with paint, wainscoting, wallpaper and signage in the same vintage aesthetic of the diner’s heyday.
