Gazette Daily News Podcast: Friday, December 8, 2023
Update: Since the original episode audio was recorded, new information was released about the Wednesday’s crash involving a motorcyclist and bus. The podcast was updated to include the new information.
Stories referenced
– Cedar Rapids motorcyclist who crashed into bus has died
– Canadian National buys Iowa Northern Railway
– ‘Mary Poppins’ ready to work magic in Coralville center
Episode Transcripts
You are listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast on Friday, December 8. I’m Bailey Cichon filling in for Stephen Schmidt.
A Cedar Rapids man has died from his injuries after a Wednesday crash in Cedar Rapids. 29-year-old Lewis McColley crashed his motorcycle into a bus that was turning into a Casey's gas station on the corner of Ellis Boulevard and O Avenue Northwest Wednesday afternoon. A Cedar Rapids police officer had attempted to pull him over for not having a license plate. He had been fleeing police for about a minute before the crash. McColley was taken to Saint Luke's hospital in Cedar Rapids with serious injurie, then transferred to University of Iowa hospitals and clinics where he died Thursday. The bus driver, 63-year-old Mark Campbell of Cedar Rapids, was the only person in the bus at the time and was not injured.
Linn County Sheriff's Office is handling the investigation. The case remains under investigation.
Canadian National is adding 275 miles of track with its purchase of Iowa Northern Railway. Montreal-based Canadian National made the announcement Thursday. The sale is pending regulatory review by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. Canadian National is one of North America’s six biggest railroads and operates more than 18 thousand miles of track across Canada and the United States. Meanwhile, Iowa Nothern Railroad serves agricultural and industrial markets. The line runs diagonally through Iowa from Manly to Cedar Rapids with branch lines from Waterloo to Oelwein and Forest City to Belmond. Iowa Nothern Railway chairman Daniel Sabin said the Iowa carrier believes Canadian National shares the railroad’s commitment to local stakeholders and that the sale will benefit customers, employees and the local Iowa economy.
The magical musical ‘Mary Poppins’ is coming to Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. City Circle Theatre Company will bring the show to life onstage and in the air December 8 through 17. Allison Dixon of Iowa City plays Mary Poppins, a magical nanny joined by her chimney sweep Bert, played by Cedar Rapids’ Calvin Boman. Boman will defy gravity as Bert in an upside down tap dancing number. Read more backstage details in The Gazette’s story by Diana Nollen, available online. Use the link in this episode description to get there.
Finally, let’s take a look at today’s weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today will be partly cloudy with temperatures reaching a high of 54 and a low of 38. Looking ahead to the weekend, Saturday will be cloudy and colder than the past few days. Expect a high of 39 and low of 23. Sunday, temperatures will continue their downward slide. Expect a high of 32, a low of 20 and mostly sunny skies.
Thank you for listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast. I’m Bailey Cichon.
