Gazette Daily News Podcast: Tuesday, April 16, 2024

– Eldora teen found dead, 12-year-old taken into custody

– About 100 trees removed for new road on University of Iowa medical campus

– As expected, Caitlin Clark is the WNBA No. 1 pick, by the Indiana Fever

– Without funding, nonprofit that helped students graduate high school closes

Episode Transcript

Coming up, a 12-year-old is in custody after a 13-year-old was found dead in Eldora

And later, University of Iowa staff and students are angry after the university removed about 100 trees

Plus, a nonprofit that helped Cedar Rapids high schoolers graduate is closing this fall

Welcome to the Tuesday, April 16 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, a 13-year-old girl was found dead in Eldora Sunday evening. Eldora Police Department and Hardin County Sheriff’s Office responded at 5:27 p.m. to a report that someone had been shot. After arriving at the 800 block of 12th Street, police placed a 12-year-old boy in custody. A news release from the department did not explain the boy’s role in the death or what charges he faces. The identities of the two minors have not been released. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was called to assist with the ongoing investigation.

Last night in Brooklyn, New York, Indiana Fever’s selection as the No. 1 WNBA draft pick was Caitlin Clark. During her college career, Clark broke records and raised the University of Iowa women’s basketball program to new heights. On ESPN’s pre-draft telecast, Clark said, quote “I’m ready for this chapter in my life. I’m ready to be an adult.” end quote. Under the WNBA’s salary structure, the No. 1 pick will earn $76,535 this season. If you’re looking to follow the next chapter in Clark’s career, 36 of the Fever’s 40 games will be nationally televised. The 2024 season starts May 14 at Connecticut. The first home game is May 16 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Next, University of Iowa campus planners cleared about 100 trees without warning staff and students. The clearing was necessary in order to make way for a new road. Now, University of Iowa employees, students, faculty and emeritus faculty are angry. And they want to be involved in future decisions about tree removal. A letter employees plan to send the University of Iowa this week says, quote “We’re saddened by the College of Medicine’s decision to cut a grove of 70+ healthy, diverse new- and old-growth trees over spring break for temporary earthmover access and new roadways. This decision was made without transparent communication to stakeholders.” end quote.

The new road will link Newton Road and the fountain entrance of the UI Hospitals and Clinics. The projected cost of the road project is $17.5 million. It’s the first new road on campus in a decade but it meant the UI had to remove or relocate 126 trees in March. Twenty-three of those trees were moved to other locations across the main campus and Oakdale campus. The trees that were removed will be replaced with new trees in the area or elsewhere on campus. This fall, the construction project is expected to be substantially complete and 86 trees will be planted on the site. Once work for the new inpatient tower is completed in 2026, the location of the remaining tree plantings will be decided. Additionally, planners altered the road design to preserve three large oak trees UI arborists said would be difficult to replace.

While the UI website that provides details about the road project says construction would start this spring and include relocation of utilities, it does not mention tree removal.

Next, a local nonprofit that provides one-on-one mentoring to Cedar Rapids Community School District students is closing at the end of the school year. Since it was founded in June 2021, Empowering Youths of Iowa has helped dozens of students graduate high school. It is currently working with 122 Cedar Rapids students. The reason for the closing is lack of funding. The main financial contributor to the nonprofit was the Cedar Rapids School District. The district has been using federal pandemic relief dollars to provide extra funding to community partners, like Empowering Youths of Iowa. That funding expires in September. Now, the nonprofit is transitioning into a charter school. Charter schools are tuition-free schools that are publicly funded but independently run under an approved charter with the state. In Iowa, charter schools get per-pupil state aid.

Find a link to each of today’s featured stories in this episode’s description or at thegazette.com.

Finally, let’s take a look at the weather in Cedar Rapids. Expect a thunderstorm today. Temperatures will reach a high of 71 and low of 54. Wednesday will be cloudy. Anticipate a high of 60 degrees and a low of 43 degrees.

Thank you for listening to the Gazette Daily News Podcast. Stay updated with the latest Eastern Iowa news at thegazette.com. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com