Thursday Morning Read: Trump commutes former Agriprocessor manager Rubashkin’s sentence; Corbett passes gavel to Hart; ‘First Dude’ doll debuts

TODAY'S WEATHER — Wintry mix likely, falling temperatures. High 35, low 28.

TRUMP COMMUTES FORMER AGRIPROCESSORS MANAGER RUBASHKIN'S SENTENCE — President Donald Trump on Wednesday commuted the prison sentence of former executive officer of the now-bankrupt Agriprocessors, Sholom Rubashkin, who was serving a 27-year sentence for bank and wire fraud. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/trump-commutes-former-agriprocessors-manager-sholom-rubashkins-prison-sentence/

CORBETT PASSES GAVEL TO HART — The next mayor of Cedar Rapids, Brad Hart, will need to identify a new focus for uniting the community as the city moves beyond the flood recovery era, outgoing Mayor Cedar Rapids Ron Corbett said Wednesday. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/corbett-passes-gavel-to-hart/

'FIRST DUDE' DOLL DEBUTS — Kevin Reynolds, the husband of Gov. Kim Reynolds, became encased Wednesday in Iowa history. Reynolds — known as Iowa's first spouse, first gentleman or as the governor's sometimes calls him, 'the first dude' — was on hand for an unveiling ceremony of his doll likeness that joined 44 other figurines in the First Doll display in the first-floor south rotunda at the Iowa Capitol. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/kevin-reynolds-doll-makes-statehouse-debut/

HAWKEYES NAVIGATE THEIR FIRST EARLY-SIGNING PERIOD — If you're into college football recruiting, you've probably seen a few recent stories about how long players have been committed to their schools and how they stuck together. Iowa did get clipped by Michigan and Jim Harbaugh on a linebacker from the state, but other than that, the first mid-December signing date seemed like a standard signing day in Iowa City. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/sports/iowa-navigates-its-first-early-signing-period/

QUOTABLE — 'Our entire courthouse is for court functions. I support gun rights, but it doesn't even apply in this instance.' Brent Oleson, Linn County supervisor, on a state Supreme Court order on guns in courthouses. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/revision-alters-rules-on-guns-in-courthouses/