Gazette Daily News Podcast, October 12

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Construction of Cedar Rapids’ Flood Control System in the city’s northwest quadrant will come sooner than expected, city officials announced Monday. The city will dedicate $10.2 million of its nearly $28.2 million allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act to two projects in the Northwest and Time Check neighborhoods.

The projects will bring permanent protection to the part of town where Army Corps of Engineers funding can’t be used.

Half of the allocation will go toward a project to elevate a segment of O Avenue NW over the top of a levee and include an ADA-accessible ramp. That project is expected to start next summer. The other half of the funds will speed up the project to reconstruct Ellis Boulevard NW, with an anticipated 2023 start.

The sentencing of a Cedar Rapids man convicted of fatally stabbing Chris Bagley in 2018 will not go forward Tuesday because a judge will first rule on his motion for a new trial.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Christopher Bruns postponed Tuesday’s sentencing because the defense asked for a new trial based on several issues. A ruling must be made on those before the court can move forward to sentencing Drew Blahnik, who was convicted in July of second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and obstruction of prosecution.

Blahnik’s lawyer argues there should be a new trial because the case was largely built on the testimony of two other men who were also convicted in Bagley’s murder. They testified and cooperated with the prosecution to receive less prison time in their convictions.

Bruns is expected to rule soon on the new trial. If the motion is denied, a sentencing hearing will be set.

Cedar Rapids Superintendent Noreen Bush has been named 2021-22 Iowa Superintendent of the Year by the School Administrators of Iowa.

Bush was nominated by her peers and selected for the award by a committee of Iowa superintendents. She will be honored at the School Administrators of Iowa annual conference in summer 2022.

Bush also will represent Iowa in the National Superintendent of the Year Program, sponsored by The School Superintendent Association, which honored her with the 2021 Woman in School Leadership superintendent award.

Bush has worked as the Cedar Rapids Community School District superintendent since 2019, and also served as deputy and associate superintendent of the district. She began her career in education as an English and drama/forensics teacher in Clayton, Mo.

The Iowa Heartlanders hit the ice for the first time Monday. The ECHL minor-pro hockey team held its first practice Monday morning at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

The Minnesota Wild affiliate team will play a preseason game this weekend at Kansas City against the Kansas City Mavericks. The regular season begins Friday, Oct. 22, at home against Kansas City.

Tuesday will be sunny with a high near 72. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tuesday night: There will be a 30 percent chance of showers after 1 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 55.

More rain is expected Wednesday, with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.