Gazette Daily News Podcast, April 19

It will become increasingly cloudy during the day, Tuesday, with rain arriving Tuesday night.

According to the National Weather Service there will be a high near 52 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. The chance for rain will mostly be in the overnight hours as Tuesday becomes Wednesday, the low will be around 40 degrees.

A man wanted for murder shortly after the attack at a downtown nightclub this month was tracked down by federal marshals to a Chicago suburb and was arrested Monday. He is the second man detained in the shooting that killed two and injured 10.

Dimione Jamal Walker, 29, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Matteson, Ill. He faces charges in Linn County of first-degree murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent and felon in possession of a firearm. He was also wanted by the Illinois Department of Corrections on a charge of parole violation — possession of a weapon.

The other suspect in the case, Timothy L. Rush, 32, is in jail on charges that include a second-degree murder charge that he killed Nicole Owens, 35. Michael Valentine, 25, also was killed in the attack. Authorities would not confirm if they believe Walker is responsible for that murder, and would not further explain why he faces a first-degree murder charge while the other suspected gunman faces a second-degree murder charge.

Save CR Heritage, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving historic properties, launched a petition drive this month for the closure of Garfield Elementary School to be put on a Cedar Rapids school board meeting agenda.

Under a new Iowa law, residents can bring an agenda item to a school board with signatures of 500 district voters. If enough signatures are gathered by the end of the month, the closure would be placed on the May 9 school board meeting agenda.

As part of a new school district facilities plan Arthur and Garfield Elementaries are set to be closed to make way for a new elementary school. Both buildings were opened in 1915, and while the buildings will not be demolished, there are no plans for how they will be repurposed. This is why the heritage organization’s members want to get on the agenda so the public’s views on future plans can be addressed.

Starting this week, masks now are optional for most patients, visitors and fully vaccinated staff members at UnityPoint Health hospitals in Eastern Iowa.

Health system officials announced a revision of mask policies at hospitals and associated clinics at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital in Waterloo and UnityPoint Health-Finley Hospital in Dubuque.

However, masks still are recommended for those who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, are immunocompromised or otherwise desire to wear a mask. People who have tested positive for COVID are also recommended to mask.

Revision to masking policies is based on community transmission levels of COVID-19, officials said in their announcement Monday. Currently, all three hospitals are in areas with low virus transmission.

Support for this news update was provided by New Pioneer Food Co-op. Celebrating 50 years as Eastern Iowa’s destination for locally and responsibly sourced groceries with stores in Iowa City, Coralville and Cedar Rapids; and you can order online through Co-op Cart at newpi.coop.