The report that Iowa Senate President Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, claimed clearly showed that the Senate Republican caucus no longer has a problem with sexual harassment was finally released on Friday, as most Iowans were busy with Black Friday shopping and Thanksgiving leftovers. The redacted two-page long report is light on details, but documents that staffers fear retaliation if they report problems and that problems go beyond staff and include the actions of Republican senators.
Paul Brennan
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Holiday pop-up shops on the Ped Mall open on Saturday
The first of three temporary structure that will house the Downtown Holiday Market’s pop-up shops was delivered to Black Hawk Mini Park on Wednesday afternoon. The pop-up shops are replacing the one-day tent sale that was held in the park for the past two years.
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Driverless car tests have started on I-380
Highway tests of driverless cars have begun on Interstate 380, between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa Department of Transportation Director Mark Lowe said in an interview with Radio Iowa earlier this week. But this first phase of the testing is likely to disappoint anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of something futuristic while commuting […]
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Federal court stops Trump administration attempt to punish ‘sanctuary cities’
On Monday, a federal judge in the Northern District of California issued permanent injunction preventing the Trump administration from cutting off federal funds to so-called “sanctuary cities.” The administration’s attempt to punish those cities with funding cuts is also the subject of lawsuit the city of Chicago has filed against the U.S. Department of Justice. In August, Iowa City joined in a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Chicago in that case.
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Sen. Bill Dix changes his mind again about what Iowa Senate Republicans will do about sexual harassment
Iowa State Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix has reversed his position on what he will do to address sexual harassment and other workplace problems in the Senate Republican caucus. Again. Two weeks ago, Dix and Iowa House Speaker Linda Upmeyer announced the State Senate and House would jointly hire a human resource manager for the legislature. Creating the HR position was a response to jury to award a former Senate Republican staffer $2,2 million, after finding the Senate Republican caucus violated laws against workplace sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation.
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First survey of the health of Iowa’s LGBTQ community has begun
A first of its kind health survey of Iowa’s LGBTQ community is now underway. The Iowa Cancer Consortium, in partnership with One Iowa, the University of Iowa College of Public Health and Des Moines University, is sponsoring the survey. “Basically we saw the need for more data,” Levi Lappin of the Iowa Cancer Consortium explained. “There’s not much health data for the LGBTQ community at the state-level.” But that’s not an issue unique to Iowa, he said.
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Cedar Rapids Police Department is increasing traffic patrols this week
Cedar Rapids is increasing traffic patrols this week, as part of the statewide special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP). The Cedar Rapids Police Department is one of approximately 170 law enforcement agencies around the state, according to Pat Hoye, the bureau chief for the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB).
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Iowa’s Jamie Johnson resigns from the Trump administration after CNN exposes his views on African Americans and Muslims
Jamie Johnson, a former radio talk show host on WHO in Des Moines, resigned from his senior position in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, after CNN reported on some of his public comments on African-Americans and Muslims.
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Iowa City police issue warning about a sudden increase in tire slashings
More than 20 cars in Iowa City have had their tires slashed since Tuesday, according to a press release from the Iowa City Police Department (ICPD). The largest number of incident have occurred in southeast part of the city, “specifically in area of Miami Drive, Nevada Avenue and Union Road.”
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Suspect taken into custody in Liberty High School shooting threat
A minor has been taken into custody for shooting threat that caused the Iowa City Community School District to cancel classes at Liberty High School. The threat was posted anonymously on Instagram Thursday night, according to a statement North Liberty Police Chief Diane Venenga emailed to Little Village.
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Classes canceled at Liberty High School due to credible threat of shooting
The Iowa City Community School District Superintendent Stephen Murley announced this morning that classes were cancelled today at Liberty High School due to a credible threat to “shot up the school.”
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Cedar Rapids casino rejected by state gaming commission. Again.
All three proposals for a casino in Cedar Rapids were rejected by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) on Thursday. The five members of the commission voted 3 to 2 against the proposals, during their meeting at the Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque.
