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Hometown Current

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Iowa County supervisors discuss speed change for Conroy

MARENGO — Some residents of the unincorporated community of Conroy have asked Iowa County Supervisors to reduce the speed of a 45 mph speed zone through the town. Supervisors mentioned the request to County Engineer Nick Amelon Oct. 23. Amelon was reluctant to change the speed based on a request, citing precedence for future cases. Supervisor Kevin Heitshusen said supervisors would look at each request case by case. Approving one doesn’t guarantee approval of another, he said. Supervisor Abigail Maas said this is a legitimate concern brought to the attention of supervisors because of a daycare in the area. Maas felt Amelon was making mountains out of mole hills when he suggested several speed changes on other county roads earlier this year, she said. Those suggestions were all based on geometry, Amelon said. He has to be able to legally justify the speed limit based on Iowa Code, he said. Discussion continued Nov. 6. Supervisor Jon Degen said he doesn’t see a problem with setting the speed limit through Conroy at 25 or 35. He thinks the stretch of road in question would qualify as rural residential, which would justify the slower speed. There are several houses on that stretch

Iowa County, IA · 1d

KCRG.com

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Suspicious item cleared following investigation at Mercy Medical Center

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Cedar Rapids Police were called Monday morning to investigate a suspicious item at Mercy Medical Center. A Mercy spokesperson tells KCRG that a bag was found unattended in Lundy Pavilion, the hospital’s entrance off of Eighth Avenue. CRPD’s bomb squad was called to investigate...

Cedar Rapids, IA · 1d
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KCRG.com

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‘More investigation’: Dyersville residents seek answers about Iowa’s cancer rates

DUBUQUE COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) - For Kay Vifian, questions about Iowa’s high cancer diagnosis rate are personal. Her husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer more than a year ago. The Dubuque County resident says he is doing well, but she wants more research and discussion about what could be...

Dyersville, IA · 1d
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Cedar Rapids Gazette

partner publisher · 638 followers
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I-380 construction expected to end within 3 months

CEDAR RAPIDS — Motorists, rejoice: Construction on I-380 is nearing the end. The southbound lanes of Interstate 380 at the Highway 30 interchange no longer cross over the highway. Instead, drivers will continue straight onto the three widened lanes. This work is part of a larger project by the Iowa Department of Transportation to rebuild and widen north and southbound lanes of I-380. There still is more work to be done in the project’s north segment, which is the portion of I-380 between 120th Street and the Highway 30 interchange. The northbound stretch of the north segment isn’t in its final configuration yet, and some work on highway medians and the sides of the road remain, said John Lamping, an Iowa Department of Transportation resident construction engineer. The southbound rest stop is still closed as well, but Lamping said workers are hoping to reopen it in mid-December. The weather will determine when exactly construction in the north segment will be finished, but Lamping estimated it could happen in the next three months. The larger project’s south segment includes the stretch of I-380 north of Interstate 80 to north of Swan Lake Road. Work in the south segment is largely done,

Cedar Rapids, IA · 17h

Des Moines Business Record

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Iowa Finance Authority awards nearly $9 million in tax credits for affordable housing

The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors has awarded nearly $9 million in federal housing tax credits and nearly $66 million in tax-exempt bond financing to support the development of 595 affordable rental homes in four Iowa communities. The projects include 240 new apartments at Crescent Heights Apartment Homes in Council Bluffs, 112 apartments at The Wilmac in Dubuque, 87 apartments at Rath Fifteen 15 in Waterloo and 156 new apartments at Central at 8th in West Des Moines. The Dubuque and Waterloo projects will convert existing buildings into apartments, while the Council Bluffs and West Des Moines developments will involve new construction. The awards were made through the federal 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, which helps finance affordable rental housing for income-qualified households. The authority received six applications requesting more than $14 million in annual tax credits and nearly $104 million in tax-exempt bonds.

West Des Moines, IA · 1d

cbs2iowa.com

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E Avenue and F Avenue bridges to close Tuesday for floodgate testing

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The E Avenue and F Avenue bridges over the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids will close Tuesday morning for floodgate testing. The closures are scheduled to begin around 8:30 a.m. and are expected to last until midafternoon. The bridges are between First Street NW and First Street NE.

Cedar Rapids, IA · 1d

KCRG.com

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Water main break impacting homes in Solon, city says

SOLON, Iowa (KCRG) - The City of Solon said in a statement on Facebook a water main break is impacting homes on Tuesday. The water main break occurred on Sovers Street, impacting homes on Sovers and Marshek Court. Crews are on the scene working to get water service restored. An...

Solon, IA · 12h

Iowa City Press-Citizen

partner publisher · 3.5K followers

Johnson County Conservation settles open meetings lawsuit

The Johnson County Conservation Board has settled with the estate of former conservation director Larry Gullet and former operations superintendent Wade Schultz over an open records dispute. The lawsuit was filed by Gullett's widow, Connie Gullett, and Schultz over records from closed sessions held by the conservation board in 2024 that allegedly discussed "specific law enforcement matters," concerning an investigation or audit. A 2025 state audit found that Johnson County Conservation misused or misappropriated more than $90,000 in funds between 2019 and 2024. The report specifically mentioned two Johnson County employees − Schultz and Gullet, who were placed on immediate administrative leave on June 6, 2024. Larry Gullet died in September 2024 , and the lawsuit was filed by his widow on his behalf, according to court filings. More: Iowa Regents to choose new leader for UI center after rocky start The county disclosed the minutes and audio recordings of three closed sessions cited in Gullett and Schultz's original complaint during litigation, but as part of the settlement, both parties agreed to keep the records confidential. The conservation board also paid Schultz and Gullett's attorney fees, and the board adopted and read into the record a statement recognizing Larry Gullet's

Johnson County, IA · 1d

cbs2iowa.com

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Culver’s Garden Center breaks ground on Marion event venue

MARION, Iowa — Culver’s Garden Center & Greenhouse broke ground Monday on The Secret Garden, an indoor event venue expected to open in summer 2027. The venue at 1682 Dubuque Road will accommodate up to 300 guests for weddings, corporate events, private celebrations, workshops, art classes and community gatherings. Plans call for landscaping and gardens surrounding the space.

Marion, IA · 22h

freemanjournal.net

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The military chaplain: stories of strength, courage and need

When the movie, "Fighting Spirit: Combat Chaplain's journey" is shown Sunday night at the South Marion United Methodist Church, there will be a special bonus. One of those present finished a deployment of nearly a year while serving as a chaplain for Iowa, and will be on hand to explain his experiences and talk about the film.

Waterloo, IA · 1d

KCRG.com

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Johnson County auditor explains how 2,017 ballots were overlooked as predecessor calls for resignation

JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) - Approximately 2,017 absentee ballots were left out of Johnson County’s election-night results after boxes were placed on a shelf in the counting room and overlooked, Auditor Julie Persons said. Election officials subsequently recounted more than 26,000 absentee ballots, and no election outcomes changed. The...

Johnson County, IA · 11h

kchanews.com

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New Hampton Schools Facilities Community Engagement Meeting Tuesday (Nov. 10) Night

New Hampton School District officials are seeking public input on the future of its school buildings. In that effort, Superintendent Erik Smith says stakeholders are encouraged to attend the Facilities Community Engagement Meeting Tuesday (Nov. 10) night, when school officials pick up where they left off last spring after presenting a facilities assessment of the district’s three school buildings.

New Hampton, IA · 18h

cbs2iowa.com

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Linn County launches targeted update to 2013 comprehensive plan, seeks public input

LINN COUNTY, Iowa — Linn County is updating its comprehensive plan for the first time since 2013, including proposed changes to its future land use map and planning strategies. At an open house Monday in Cedar Rapids, residents could review the draft map and share feedback. Planning and Development...

Linn County, IA · 1d

Daily Iowan

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JoCo takes steps to implement a language access plan by the new year

Johnson County has begun to implement a new language access plan, which sets countywide policy and procedures for how language access will be approached. The county is home to people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. According to the Johnson County Steering Committee, 14-15 percent of residents speak a non-English language at home, prompting the county to create and implement a language access plan.

Johnson County, IA · 2d

kiow.com

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Rain delays Mason City road project past Thanksgiving as other North Iowa work nears finish

MASON CITY, Iowa — Rain has pushed a Mason City road project behind schedule, while several other North Iowa construction projects are nearing completion, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. “Unfortunately with the rain, the project will probably extend past Thanksgiving,” Iowa DOT spokesman Pete Hjelmstad said. “We’ll...

Mason City, IA · 16h

Hometown Current

partner publisher · 412 followers

News briefs: Sand launches transition website

Governor-elect Rob Sand launches transition website DES MOINES — Governor-Elect Rob Sand announced last week that Elisabeth Buck and Morgan Miller will serve as co-directors of the official Sand Transition Committee, overseeing the transition process as the new administration prepares to take office in January. Sand is launching a new website to keep Iowans up-to-date on the transition process, job opportunities and information on boards and commissions. Visit IowaForAll.com to learn more, stay updated, or provide feedback to the incoming administration. Benton County Supervisors name new assessor VINTON — The Benton County Board of Supervisors acknowledged the appointment of the new county assessor, Jordan Neve Nov. 3, 2026, at the Benton County Service Center in Vinton. The board approved a variance to the subdivision ordinance for Mike Evans, allowing the transfer of a lot with no building. Michelle Friedman also received a variance to the subdivision ordinance. County Engineer Myron Parizek received approval for two Federal Aid Agreements with the Iowa Department of Transportation for County Highway Bridge Program Projects on 63rd St. and 32nd Ave. Dr. The 50-foot bridge on 63rd St. is about three miles east of Highway 218. The short bridge on 32nd Ave. Dr. will be

Iowa · 1d

KIMT

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North Iowa Concert Band plays free show at NIACC Tuesday, Nov. 24

MASON CITY, Iowa — The North Iowa Concert Band will perform its fall concert Nov. 24 at the North Iowa Community Auditorium on the NIACC campus. The free concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public. Conductor Mary Kate Arians will lead the band through an...

Mason City, IA · 1d

KIMT

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Mason City event tackles cervical cancer with survivor's story

MASON CITY, Iowa — A cervical cancer survivor will share her story at a free community event focused on prevention and early detection. CG Public Health is partnering with Knock and Drop Iowa to host a presentation on cervical cancer survival, routine screening and prevention through the human papillomavirus vaccine on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 11 a.m. at Southbridge Mall in Mason City. Guest speaker Zuli Garcia, a cervical cancer survivor and founder of the nonprofit organization Knock and Drop Iowa, will share her personal experience navigating a cancer diagnosis to highlight the lifesaving role of early detection and vaccination.

Mason City, IA · 1d

cbs2iowa.com

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Cedar Rapids to build new fire training facility after $60 million bond approval

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Cedar Rapids firefighters are preparing for a major training upgrade as the city moves forward with a new fire training facility funded through a $60 million Fire Department bond approved by voters during the November 3 midterms. The training facility is the first project expected...

Cedar Rapids, IA · 1d