Gazette Daily News Podcast: Thursday, March 7, 2024

– Nikki Haley suspends her campaign and leaves Donald Trump as the last major Republican candidate

– Voters approve ‘crucial’ capital improvements fund for 3 area school districts

– Jill Weigel narrowly elected to Hiawatha City Council

– Seed truck crash blocks traffic in Linn County Wednesday

Episode Transcript

Coming up, Nikki Haley suspends her presidential campaign after Super Tuesday losses

And later, voters elect a new Hiawatha City Council member and approve capital improvement funds in three school districts

Plus, a seed truck crash blocked traffic for two hours Wednesday morning

Welcome to the Thursday, March 7 edition of the Gazette Daily News Podcast. This podcast gives quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has suspended her presidential campaign. This comes after 15 states and one territory awarded Super Tuesday victories to candidates former president Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Trump is the last major candidate running for the 2024 Republican nomination. Haley did not endorse the former president when she suspended her campaign in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday. Instead, Haley said Trump would have to earn the votes of those who supported her. Haley said quote, “At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people.” end quote. Haley made history as the first woman to win a Republican primary contest when she beat Trump in the District of Columbia on Sunday and Vermont on Tuesday. As for Trump, he is on track to reach the 1,215 delegates needed to secure the Republican nomination later this month.

Next, voters in the Linn-Mar and Marion school districts have renewed capital projects funds. Additionally, Benton Community School District voters approved the creation of a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy or PPEL. A PPEL is a tax-supported fund that is used for security enhancements, heating and cooling upgrades and other infrastructure improvements. PPELs will generate millions in annual revenue for the school districts. In the Linn-Mar district, 74.8 percent of the 2,842 votes were in favor of extending the levy. Linn-Mar plans to use the funds to upgrade doors and locking systems, repair and replace roofs, and make other updates and improvements to things like technology, parking lots and school buses. The revenue from the PPEL is also helping fund projects in Linn-Mar’s five-year facility master plan including: new tennis courts, a larger performance venue, an indoor athletic center and a new administration building.

In Marion, 79.7 percent of the 645 votes cast were in favor of the measure. A portion of the funds will fund projects at Marion High School, including updating the heating and cooling system and upgrading to more energy-efficient lights. Both the Linn-Mar and Marion school districts have had PPELs in place for over a decade. The two district’s PPELs will be extended through 2035 at the existing rate of $1.34 per $1,000 of taxable property value.

Finally, a year after a multimillion dollar bond referendum in Benton Community School District failed, voters approved the creation of a PPEL. Almost 55 percent of the 1,515 votes cast in Benton and Iowa counties were in favor of the measure. The Benton Community PPEL will also be set through 2035 at a rate of $1.34 per $1,000 of taxable property value. Additionally, it is estimated that the property tax levy will increase the overall school tax rate of 74 cents per $1,000 of taxable value. Benton Superintendent James Bieschke said he was grateful that the measure passed and quote, “Now, we have a lot of hard work to get quotes, bids and carry out the plans as we advertised to our community.” end quote.

In Hiawatha, a three-way race for an at-large seat on the Hiawatha City Council ended in victory for Jill Weigel. According to unofficial election results, Weigel will fill the vacancy created when Steve Dodson was elected Hiawatha mayor in November. Weigel is a forensic interviewer at the UnityPoint Health-St Luke’s Child Protection Center. She will fill the remainder of the four-year council term and serve through 2025. Weigel received 44.2 percent of ballots cast and defeated small business owner CJ Flynn by just three votes. Flynn got 43.3 percent of the vote while BAE Systems facilities manager Adam Kirkpatrick received 12.2 percent of the votes.

On Wednesday, Weigel said she would feel better when results are canvassed and made official given the slim margin of victory. Weigel said she looks forward to the opportunity to learn and improve Hiawatha. Quote, “I really want to get my bearings and figure out how the council works together and look at the priorities and the agendas and figure out the best way that I can have an impact moving forward.” end quote.

Flynn said if the results stand once votes are canvassed, he is not planning to seek a recount.

Next, traffic was blocked on Highway 13 for about two hours Wednesday morning after a seed truck crashed. According to a news release from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the crash took place on Highway 13 near Travis Road at 8:42 Wednesday morning. The driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle. The truck rolled and stopped on its side. The truck fully blocked the southbound lanes on Highway 13 and corn and debris blocked one northbound lane. The driver and a passenger were both trapped and had to be removed from the truck cab. Their names have not been released due to the severity of their injuries. Northbound traffic was altered for about an hour and southbound traffic was closed until 10:40 Wednesday morning.

As always, you can find a link to each of the stories featured in today’s episode in this episode’s description or at the gazette dot com.

Finally, let’s take a look at the weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today will rain. Expect a high of 57 degrees and a low of 40 degrees. Friday will also rain. Anticipate a high of 45 degrees and low of 27 degrees.

Thank you for listening to the Gazette Daily News Podcast. Stay up to date with the latest news from Eastern Iowa at the gazette dot com. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com