Thursday Morning Read: Stand-your-ground, Coggon shooting update, Corbett testifies

STAND-YOUR-GROUND — 'For freedom's sake,' according to Rep. Matt Windschitl, Iowa lawmakers should approve a sweeping changes to Iowa's gun regulations, including stand-your-ground legislation that would allow Iowans to use deadly force to protect lives and property. The House Judiciary Committee followed his lead Wednesday night, approving House Study Bill 133, on a party-line vote 13-7 to send the bill to the full House. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/iowa-house-committee-approves-stand-your-ground-legislation/

NO ARRESTS YET — A month after the fatal shooting of Dylan Plotz in the small, Linn County community of Coggon, no arrests have been made. Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner said Wednesday police still are actively investigating the Feb. 1 incident. 'We are speaking with the attorneys to see where the investigation might end up,' Gardner said in an email. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/one-month-later-still-no-arrest-in-coggon-fatal-shooting/

SCHOLARSHIPS BACK — In the face of widespread blowback over its decision to cut millions worth of scholarships from thousands of students, the University of Iowa backtracked Wednesday. The scholarships for students already expecting them will be reinstated, UI President Bruce Harreld said in a statement. But the five programs in question will end after that. The announcement comes after a barrage of criticism from lawmakers and after two students filed lawsuits over the proposed cuts. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/university-of-iowa-reinstates-cut-scholarships/

CORBETT ON THE HILL — Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett made a case Wednesday to a Senate committee for federal flood protection aid and an examination of a benefit vs. cost funding formula he said favors coastal areas with pricier properties over modest Midwestern cities. But the 90-minute hearing, which included five witnesses before the 21-member committee, made clear Cedar Rapids hardly stands out. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/corbett-takes-flood-aid-case-to-congress/

NAIL-BITER IN DES MOINES — Courageous. Gutsy. And we're not just talking about Cailyn Morgan's fateful shot. Morgan connected on a tiebreaking baseline runner with 50 seconds left, and third-ranked Iowa City West made it stand up in a 40-38 Class 5A quarterfinal win over No. 6 Waukee at the girls' state basketball tournament Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Arena — despite a first-quarter injury to the left knee of arguably its top player, junior guard Rachael Saunders. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-prep-sports/short-handed-iowa-city-west-wins-a-thriller/

QUOTABLE — 'I just don't want to get in a position where we're making promises we can't keep. I think that's not a good idea to give people a false sense of security.' Johnson County supervisor Rod Sullivan, discussing a resolution that would take a stand against using county resources to aid in federal immigration enforcement efforts