Gazette Daily News Podcast: Friday, May 10, 2024

– Justice Department, civil rights groups sue to block Iowa immigration law

– First Avenue Hy-Vee to close, leaving urban grocery gap in northeast Cedar Rapids

– Bud & Mary’s to sell cannabis vapes in Missouri

– Mucha artistry on display at Cedar Rapids museum

– Consider taking the Daily News Podcast Survey

Episode Transcript

Welcome to the Friday, May 10 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, Iowa’s new immigration law is headed to the courts. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice and Iowa civil rights and immigrant rights groups filed separate lawsuits to block the enforcement of the law set to take effect July 1. The law makes it a state crime for someone to attempt to enter Iowa after being previously deported or barred from entering the U.S. Doing so would be an aggravated misdemeanor, which carries up to a two-year sentence. In some cases, like for those with certain prior convictions, the state crime would become a felony. That is punishable by up to five to 10 years in prison.

A lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Iowa and the American Immigration Council on behalf of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and the thousands of immigrants the organization assists, including two anonymous immigrants. Hours later, the Department of Justice announced that it too had filed suit.

Now, the groups intend to ask a federal court for a preliminary injunction to block the law from being enforced during the course of the litigation, and prior to July 1.

The groups argue the Iowa law conflicts with existing federal law and interferes with the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration law. They also allege the law would allow Iowa immigrants with legal status to be arrested and deported, which goes against immigration laws set by Congress.

The ACLU lawsuit names Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and two county attorneys as defendants. The attorneys would be tasked with enforcing the state law in the counties where the anonymous immigrants named as plaintiffs in the suit reside.

In a statement, Bird said quote “Iowa stands ready to defend our immigration law that keeps Iowa communities safe." end quote.

Read the full story by Tom Barton at the link in this episode’s description or thegazette.com.

Next, the First Ave. Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids will close next month. According to Hy-Vee officials, the Cedar Rapids location and a Waterloo store will close because they have not met sales goals and financial expectations over the past several years. The Cedar Rapids location opened in 2002 after the City of Cedar Rapids dedicated a $915,000 incentive package to the project. The store serves two of the city’s older neighborhoods: Wellington Heights and Mound View.

All employees at the closing stores will be offered positions at other Hy-Vee stores in their area at the same pay rate with their existing benefits.

Pharmacy customers will automatically have their prescriptions transferred to another local Hy-Vee. They will receive information on that transfer in the mail. The store will close June 23.

Next, a Des Moines-based cannabis manufacturer will start selling cannabis vapes in Missouri. Bud & Mary’s is Iowa’s first licensed medical marijuana manufacturer. In 2022, the firm changed its name from MedPharm Iowa to reflect its focus beyond medical marijuana.

That year, the company started a $10 million expansion of its Des Moines production site. It also increased operations in Colorado and moved into Michigan for cultivation, production and sales.

The next move for Bud & Mary’s is Missouri. The Show Me State legalized recreational marijuana use in 2022 and allowed its first licensed sales last year. Bud & Mary’s Missouri sales will focus on Batch-brand vaporizers, which involve heating a liquid or oil that becomes inhalable vapor. On Thursday, the company said quote, “This initiative reflects Bud & Mary’s dedication to providing top-tier cannabis products to a broader audience while continuing to honor and serve its established customer base in Iowa.” end quote.

In Iowa, Bud & Mary’s has two dispensaries in Windsor Heights and Sioux City. Iowa allows medical marijuana and consumable hemp that can be found in drinks and gummies.

Looking for something to do this weekend? The National Czech and Slovak Museum’s blockbuster exhibition of the work of art nouveau father Alphonse Mucha is open. Three years ago, the museum submitted its request to host the international traveling exhibition to coincide with the museum’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Mucha was a Czech artist born in 1860. Art nouveau was originally called quote-unquote “Mucha style” and it become popular at the turn of the century. Mucha found fame designing posters for artists and productions in Paris. The designs featured muted colors and swooping designs framing a central figure. Art nouveau favors curved lines and nature. If you’re familiar with the mural near the museum in Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village, that is art nouveau style to a T. And inspired by Mucha’s work.

Beyond posters, within the exhibit you’ll find book illustrations and images on chocolate tins and eau de toilette bottles by Mucha.

Museum curator Stefanie Kohn told The Gazette, quote “He just was creating beautiful images to go on these everyday items.” end quote.

Hosting the blockbuster exhibition comes at a steep price, but grants and corporate and private donations are covering the expenses. Kohn said the museum received grant funding from Inspire Iowa, which specifically funds projects that will bring tourism to the state.

Kohn said quote, “You don’t have to be Czech or Slovak to love Mucha, so you’ll come see it for its own sake. We’re just glad to be able to bring it to Iowa.” end quote.

The exhibit will be open through Sept 1 in the Petrik Gallery. To prepare for the exhibit, the walls were painted sage green and neutral colors to reflect Mucha’s palette. Kohn said painting the space ahead of a new exhibit is common practice. The goal is to make the art stand out.

The exhibit is open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission ranges in price by age and senior, military, veteran and student discounts are available.

Want to read further? Find a link to today’s featured stories in this episode’s description. As always, you can find a full transcript of this episode at thegazette.com.

Hey listener! We're considering some changes to the Gazette Daily News Podcast, but we want to hear from you before doing so. This episode's description has a link to a brief survey or you can visit thegazette dot com slash survey. We hope you take a few minutes to share your thoughts on this show. Thank you!

Now let’s take a look at the weather in Cedar Rapids. Today will be partly cloudy with a high of 72 degrees and low of 46 degrees. Saturday will also be partly cloudy. Anticipate similar temperatures to today. Rain is the forecast for Sunday. Expect a high of 82 degrees and a low of 56 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