Gazette Daily News Podcast, December 28

I guess you could call this the beginning of a winter thaw. According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly sunny with a high near 39 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area on Wednesday. On Wednesday night it will be mostly clear, with a low of around 34 degrees. Some areas of drizzle and warm air overnight will give a preview of Thursday's weather.

The ages and weights at which children would be required to ride in car safety seats would increase under proposed state legislation.

This is among the proposals made by state agencies filed in advance of the 2023 session of the Iowa Legislature, which begins Jan. 9. Each year, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency collects proposed legislation filed ahead of the upcoming session, and it is posted online at legis.iowa.gov under “pre-filed bills.”

Children would be required to ride in a rear-facing car seat until the age of 3 while weighing up to 30 pounds, and would be required to ride in a safety seat until the age of 8 under legislation proposed by the state Public Safety Department.

Under current law, the requirements are lower: up to 1 year while weighing less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing seat, and up to the age of 6 in a safety seat.

Iowans shook things up when it came to their favorite liquor brand this past year — and set yet another record for liquor sales.

For the first time in a decade, Black Velvet Canadian Whisky was unseated by consumers as Iowa’s preferred liquor — by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, according to a new annual report from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, which serves as the state’s exclusive liquor and wine wholesaler.

Iowa is one of 18 states that directly controls the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. The division also regulates and licenses establishments that sell alcoholic beverages in Iowa.

Black Velvet, which had held the No. 1 spot since at least fiscal 2012, when the state began reporting the top brands, slipped to No. 2.

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky and Hawkeye Vodka rounded out the top five on the annual list of top sellers, as they did in 2021.

The Iowa City Municipal Airport is looking to use solar power to offset some of the airport’s major electrical uses.

The solar power generating project is in the early stages, but it’s been a topic of discussion for the airport commission in previous years. Now, the funds to move forward with the project are available.

Director Michael Tharp told the Gazette the airport will be using funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law passed last year, which sets aside money for airports, road maintenance, water quality and more. There are various eligible uses, including for environmental projects.

The airport commission at its Dec. 8 meeting selected engineering and planning firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly (CMT) to serve as the consultant for this project. CMT has offices in nine states and has experience working with airports that have had the same goal as Iowa City.