Thursday Morning Read: Virtual graduates, fireworks moratorium questioned, DHS director retiring

TODAY'S WEATHER — Mostly sunny, still mild. High 79, low 61.

VIRTUAL GRADUATES — With her upright bass packed into her car, Nina Bernat spent a week in February auditioning for four music schools on the East Coast. Had she been attending a traditional high school, it would have been a difficult trip to plan, said Nina, 17, who is now bound for Juilliard in New York City. Nina knew 'this year was the year,' she said, to impress colleges. That's why she transferred in the fall from West High in Iowa City to the Iowa Connections Academy, an entirely virtual public school program. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/videos/iowa-city-musician-says-going-online-high-school-route-helped-her-get-to-juilliard/

FIREWORKS MORATORIUM QUESTIONED — The Johnson County Board of Supervisors' 90-day moratorium on fireworks sales is 'a blatant violation of Iowa Code,' says a state senator who shepherded the fireworks legislation through the Statehouse. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/iowa-state-senator-questions-legality-of-johnson-county-fireworks-moratorium/

NEW MARION ABUSE ALLEGATIONS — The Marion Police Department is investigating new claims of abuse alleged to have occurred in a classroom at Starry Elementary School. According to a news release, the alleged abuse took place during the 2015-2016 school year, which would indicate the allegations are separate from a series of abuse incidents that occurred in a kindergarten classroom between Aug. 26 and Oct. 21, 2016. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/new-abuse-allegations-under-investigation-at-starry-elementary/

IOWA EMBRACES INNER UNDERDOG — The Iowa baseball team seems to like the role of the underdog. The Hawkeyes mentioned it early in the year, starting when they lost starting pitcher C.J. Eldred and some of their relief staff to injury. It continued throughout the season as Iowa battled through tough series losses and seemed to culminate with a run through the Big Ten tournament as the No. 5 seed. On Friday, against top regional seed Houston, the Hawkeyes once again have a chance to use the underdog mentality as motivation. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/sports/iowa-baseball-team-embracing-inner-underdog-mentality/

QUOTABLE — 'Not everyone is coming to work out here to be an Olympic weightlifter. Some people come in and say, 'I just want to run a mile without stopping' or 'I want to be more active and be able to pick up my grandkids.'' Cliff Rudzki, co-owner of Fitness Farm LLC, a new gym in Cedar Rapids' Czech Village