Gazette Daily News Podcast, Dec. 27

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This is John McGlothlen with The Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Monday, Dec. 27th.

In the Cedar Rapids area today, according to the National Weather Service, we can expect patchy fog between 9 and 10 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a steady temperature around 39. Winds from the west, 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Then tonight, increasing clouds, with a low around 27.

A bicyclist from Walford was struck from behind by a vehicle and killed on Christmas Day, according to a news release from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. About 2:25 p.m., a northbound 2017 Ford Escape driven by Holly Dubishar of Amana struck a northbound bicyclist near 11609 Linn Benton Rd. The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office on Sunday identified the victim as 76-year-old Terry Zabortsky of Walford. The crash remains under investigation by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

A Cedar Rapids woman woke up to the sound of a burglar opening her refrigerator, according to a Linn County criminal complaint. During the incident in the early morning of Oct. 30th, the resident confronted the female intruder in the living room of her home in the 3500 block of Elm Avenue SE. The alleged burglar was wearing gloves and “indicated she was going to take the victim's computer to make Christian music with it,” according to the complaint. Police said before leaving the home, Brittany Miles wrote her name on a piece of paper and the resident was able to identify her in a photo array. Miles was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree burglary, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. She is being held in the Linn County Jail on $15,000 cash or surety bond.