On Tuesday, the Federal Communication Commission voted to eliminate a 77 year-old rule intended to ensure TV and radio stations serve the needs of their local communities. The vote on the so-called “Main Studio Rule” followed party lines, with all three Republican commissioners voting in favor of killing it, and both Democrats voting to preserve it.
Cedar Rapids News
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Cedar Rapids Sen. Rob Hogg voted out as Minority Leader
Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids is out as minority leader in the Iowa State Senate, following a vote by the chamber’s Democratic caucus on Sunday. Hogg had only been minority leader since last November. He was elected to the position after Mike Gronstal, who had led the caucus for 20 years, lost his seat in the 2016 election.
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Protesters stand up for immigrant rights outside Cedar Rapids ICE offices
A group of activists and community members gathered on the south side of Cedar Rapids Thursday afternoon outside a nondescript building with a tiny sign: “Homeland Security.” They were protesting the detention of Asucena Natareno Ramirez, who had been detained following a routine check-in at the Cedar Rapids office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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Auction for Access will raise money to support a woman’s right to choose
People will be able to support reproductive rights and have a good time at the Auction for Access in Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The auction is a fundraiser for Iowa Abortion Access Fund (IAAF), which has helped women seeking to exercise their right to choose cover the cost of clinic expenses since 1978.
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Cedar Rapids ICE agents arrest woman and hold her without bail even though she has papers to be in the U.S.
Asucena Natareno Ramirez has been held without bail in an Iowa jail since Oct. 3, and her attorney still can’t get a satisfactory explanation for why she was arrested. Natareno Ramirez, a native of Guatemala who has been living with relatives in Mount Pleasant while her application for asylum is under consideration, was at the Cedar Rapids office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a routine check-in when ICE agents arrested her. Her attorney Dan Vondra was informed by phone that the agents had an administrative arrest warrant that alleged she is present in the country “in violation of the law.”
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Linn County residents have few options for early voting
Early voting in Linn County for Nov. 7 election began on Monday, but currently the only location where voters can currently cast a ballot in person is the Linn County Auditor’s office. Two locations will be added later this month, but only for one day each.
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Recycle your eclipse glasses to help school kids in other countries
A new program is accepting donations of eclipse glasses, which will be distributed to schools in Asia and South America.
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Plan for the future of Cedar Rapids schools calls for closure of eight elementary schools
The Cedar Rapids Community School District will close eight elementary schools and replace the buildings of almost all the remaining 13 elementary schools, according to a presentation on the district’s new Facilities Master Plan at the Board of Education meeting on Monday.
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New marathon will take runners from Cedar Rapids’ New Bo Market to Kinnick goal line in Iowa City
A newly announced marathon, Run CRANDIC, will set off from The NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids and take runners all the way to the goal line of the University of Iowa Kinnick Stadium. The event, which will take place Sunday, April 29, has been in the works for a long time, organizers said during a Thursday morning press conference.
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Lawsuits over Cedar Rapids I-380 speed cameras are headed to the Iowa Supreme Court
No city in Iowa has made more money from traffic cameras than Cedar Rapids. But two cases challenging the city’s use of traffic cameras on Interstate 380, which were recently accepted for further review by the Iowa Supreme Court, may change that. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, the city may have to refund some of the fines it has collected. It may also face lawsuits for violating the rights of people ticketed because of the cameras.
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Democratic candidate for governor John Norris talks Iowa values, changing the culture of farming and how to win in 2018
Speaking at the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union Hall in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday night, Democratic candidate for governor John Norris said, “I spent a couple of months testing the waters about my candidacy. After testing the waters, I found them high in nitrates and bacteria.”
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How will the new texting while driving law be enforced, and what are your rights?
It’s been called a texting ban, but the new law impacting Iowa drivers and their phones goes beyond just texting. As of July 1, drivers are prohibited from viewing “images visible on the screen of a hand-held electronic communication device” including texts, instant messages, emails, games or websites. Viewing GPS information, as well as emergency traffic and weather alerts is still permitted.
