In the course of two years, teenager Daje Shelton is placed in an alternative high school, attends the funerals of friends shot in the streets of North St. Louis, falls in love, becomes pregnant, struggles towards her uncertain graduation, watches the Ferguson protests — just four miles away — on television and gives birth to a boy, grappling with the reality that her son may fall into the cycle of violence and incarceration in which black men in Missouri have been trapped for decades.
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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).
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Fashion Forward: Jamie Elizabeth Hudrlik of Dirty Birdies Vintage
I think I’m a big color freak because I’m a painter. I just love color. I have this beautiful cardigan that wasn’t even for sale. I got it in Des Moines at this cool thrift store where they sell yarn. There was this really, really chunky knit red cardigan and it was just so yummy.
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A Snuggie bar crawl, ice rink, polar plunge and more will come to North Liberty this winter
North Liberty celebrates Iowans’ least favorite time of year with a festival’s-worth of physical, social and family-friendly events, including its first ice rink. Pre-registration begins Monday, Nov. 20.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Experience the wonder of ‘Annie’ at Theatre Cedar Rapids
By the end of the Theatre Cedar Rapids production of Annie, you may want to adopt Evie Kunz, in the title role, yourself.
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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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Retiring Hawkeye Marching Band director Kevin Kastens will lead his final Kinnick halftime show this weekend
The Nov. 18 Iowa football game against Purdue will be Kevin Kastens’ last as director of the Hawkeye Marching Band. After 170 halftime performances, this will be his finale.
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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.”
