Gazette Daily News Podcast, February 9

We will get a preview of Spring Wednesday with a chance for some snow becoming a chance for rain as it heats up to near 40 degrees. According to a forecast from the National Weather Service, there will be a slight chance of rain and snow in the Cedar Rapids area before 11 a.m., then a slight chance of rain between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Overall the chance for precipitation is listed at 20 percent.

Besides that it should be mostly cloudy, with a high near 38 degrees.

A requirement to expand access to the E15 blend of corn-based ethanol at Iowa gas stations, one of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ top priorities, appears to be well on its way to her desk.

The proposal passed through a streamlined legislative process Tuesday in the Iowa Senate, leaving it just a few legislative steps away from the governor’s pen.

The legislation would require that most Iowa gas stations offer E15 ethanol — a higher blend than the E10 fuel typically available — in at least half their pumps. The proposal contains a waiver process for stations that cannot obtain E15 ethanol or lack the sufficient equipment to store the fuel.

It also contains tax credits to support ethanol and other biofuels.

A Cedar Rapids man, charged in December with burglary, theft and gun charges, assaulted a Linn County sheriff’s deputy Tuesday as he escaped from a routine medical transport, fled on foot and stole an SUV before being nabbed, authorities said.

Tyler Glen Deemer, 34, escaped from a sheriff’s vehicle about 12:52 p.m. and fled from the area of the 900 block of Eighth Avenue SE. He was wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and was in handcuffs and leg restraints.

A short time later, residents reported that a man, later identified as Deemer, had stolen a silver Ford Edge SUV from the 900 block of 10th Street SE, according to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s deputies located Deemer in the stolen vehicle about 1:56 p.m. in the area of Robins and Boyson roads in Hiawatha. Law enforcement from several area agencies pursued the SUV westbound on Boyson Road. Deemer eventually ran the vehicle in the ditch on Carpenter Road near Indian Road NE and ran on foot. He was arrested after a brief chase about 2 p.m.

For his trouble, Deemer received multiple additional felony and misdemeanor charges.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District is considering asking voters this fall to approve a bond issue that could range from $55 million all the way to $420 million to help fund its facilities master plan.

In an update Tuesday that was open online for the public, Superintendent Noreen Bush presented three possible options for a general obligation bond this September: $55 million, $280 million or $420 million, depending on the scope of work.

Last year, the Cedar Rapids school board approved an agreement between the district and OPN Architects to study secondary schools for a facility needs assessment, including the district’s six middle schools, three high schools and its alternative high school, Metro.

It is estimated about $150 million will be needed to bring the district’s six middle schools — Franklin, McKinley, Roosevelt, Wilson, Harding and Taft — up to current education standards, Bush said.

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 online through Co-op Cart at newpi.coop.