Gazette Daily News Podcast: Friday, March 15, 2024

– Linn County is receiving naloxone distribution machines

– Cedar Rapids restaurant ordered to pay back nearly $30,000 in tips and penalties

– Going green for St. Patrick’s Day events around Cedar Rapids

Episode Transcript

Coming up, free naloxone is coming to Linn County

And later, a Cedar Rapids restaurant is paying back nearly $30,000 in back wages and damages for an improper tip pool

Plus, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are popping up around Cedar Rapids. Stay tuned for things to do this weekend.

Welcome to the Friday, March 15 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.

First, the Linn County Public Health Department is working to bring seven vending machines stocked with free naloxone and other harm-prevention supplies to the public. Naloxone can reverse an overdose and is harmless if it’s given to someone who is not experiencing an overdose. The machines will also stock wound care kits, condom packs, hygiene kits, alcohol swabs, tampons and sharps containers. According to Linn County Public Health clinical services branch manager Heather Meador, other states use vending machines to distribute naloxone. Quote, “It’s really to set up low-barrier, easy access so that clients, or families and friends, can get resources that they need.” end quote. The funding for the machines and naloxone is from $150,000 allocated to the county as part of nationwide settlements with opioid drug manufacturers. The other supplies provided are funded through other resources. The Substance Misuse Steering Committee of Linn County will manage the upkeep of the machines. The group is composed of representatives from government and nonprofit groups that work to minimize the effects of substance use in the county. The locations of the vending machines are still being finalized but Meador said the machines will be in indoor and outdoor locations. From 2018 to 2022, drug-related deaths increased from 19 to 36 in Linn County.

Next, Lu’s Deli in NewBo has been ordered to pay nearly $30,000 in wages and damages by the U.S. Department of Labor after it found the restaurant’s management pooled tips improperly for years. An investigation by the department found that Lu’s Deli, located at 1010 Third St. SE, had been inappropriately distributing tips among management for at least two years, from September 2021 to September 2023. The investigation launched in September after workers found documents indicating restaurant owner Laurie Konecny was including herself in the tip pool. The allegations were confirmed by the investigation. As a result, the cafe paid over $14,000 in back wages and $14,000 in damages to 19 employees. Additionally, it paid a $1,325 penalty to the Department of Labor. The department said all back wages, damages and penalties have been paid.

The allegations came after now-former employee Cara Angellotti and co workers discovered a stack of the owner’s paystubs on a supply closet shelf. Angellotti said the paystubs included lines for tips the owner received, even during pay periods when she was on vacation. It is illegal for employers, including managers and supervisors, to keep any portion of tips for any purpose. An employer may not require employees to give a portion of their tips to employers or management, even if they receive minimum wage. Find the full story at the gazette dot com or follow the link in this episode’s description.

Cedar Rapids has a few St. Patrick’s Day traditions, like the annual SaPaDaPaSo parade. That starts at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The route starts on Sixth St. SE, turns down Second Avenue, turns on Second St. and heads back up at Third Avenue, ending at Greene Square. Plus, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the few opportunities to go to The Tycoon bar in downtown Cedar Rapids. The large windows make for a great spot to watch the SaPaDaPaSo parade. But if you’re looking for other options, here are a few of the events on The Gazette’s list, available at thegazette.com or hooplanow.com.

Saturday, you can enjoy an Irish music jam at Lion Bridge Brewing Co. in Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village. While you listen to live music you can enjoy traditional bangers and mash and the World Beer Cup Winner, Olde 17 Irish Stout.

For the 21 and older crowd, a bar crawl is being held in downtown Cedar Rapids and costumes are welcome. From 4p.m. until just shy of midnight on Saturday, you can check in at Pub 217 and crawl over to downtown bars with a mid-party at Rock Bar and after party at Hazzard County. Tickets are $20 a piece for each person in a group of four or more. Single tickets are $25 dollars today and $30 tomorrow.

There’s also the NiBeSaPaDaPaSo or Night Before SaPaDaPaSo or, let’s just say it all: Night Before St. Patrick’s Day Parade Society. This event is a pre-parade celebration featuring Irish storytelling and traditional Irish music. View performances at 7 and 9 p.m. on Saturday at Mirror Box Theatre in Cedar Rapids.

On Sunday, after the parade the Champagne Academy of Irish Dance is offering a free Irish dance performance and mini lesson at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. That kicks off at 3:15 that afternoon.

There’s more St. Paddy’s day fun going on around Eastern Iowa. View our full list of events in this episode’s description or at the gazette dot com.

Now, let’s take a look at the weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today it will be sunny. Expect a high of 58 degrees and a low of 38 degrees. Saturday it will be windy. Anticipate a high of 57 degrees and a low of 28 degrees. Weather in Cedar Rapids should be nice for the parade. It will be sunny. Expect a high of 40 degrees and a low of 18 degrees that night.

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