Gazette Daily News Podcast, March 16

It will be the warmest day of the week Wednesday, at least until warm temperatures return late in the weekend. According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny in the Cedar Rapids area Wednesday with a high near 68 degrees. It will also be a bit breezy, with a wind of 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15-20 mph by the afternoon. Wind gusts could reach as high as 30 mph. On Wednesday night there will be increasing clouds, with a low around 44 degrees.

Over 60 employees will be let go from the Duane Arnold Energy Center in May under its plan to draw down staff at the closed nuclear plant near Palo.

Iowa’s only nuclear plant, which was to be decommissioned in October 2020 but was shut down after being extensively damaged in the August 2020 derecho, had about 500 employees before being closed. The plant is owned by Florida based energy company NextEra.

NextEra spokesperson Megan Murphy Salyer said Tuesday that the layoffs are part of the company’s continued plan and gradual drawdown of the decommissioning plan.

Along with an enhanced retirement program, NextEra says it is also working with employees to place them in other jobs throughout the company or help with job searches in the industry. NextEra is also partnering with Alliant Energy and other companies to identify opportunities for employees.

NextEra submitted its application last month to Linn County to construct utility-scale solar projects near Palo called Duane Arnold I and II.

This may not be the permanent end for nuclear energy in the state.

A new type of nuclear power plant — smaller, modular and designed to be safer in power outages is gaining some popularity nationally. MidAmerican Energy is asking the Iowa Utilities Board for permission to investigate the possibility of such a plant as part of a $4 million low-carbon emission pilot that would also include solar and wind power. They have asked the state for an answer on the project by October of this year.

Iowa County officials told the Gazette they believe the Wasserbahn Waterpark Resort’s sudden closure earlier this month was likely related to finances and came after recent complaints.

“There’s probably going to be a lot of civil litigation with this, which is not unusual when a hotel goes out of business,” Iowa County Sheriff Rob Rotter said. “There’s been nothing criminal reported to us so far.”

With tube slides, an 160-gallon bucket dump, geysers and a floating log walk, the Wasserbahn has been a popular Eastern Iowa attraction since it opened in 2004. The hotel, built in 1971, had changed names and gone through several owners since 2011. It is located off Interstate 80 in Williamsburg.

Recent hotel and pool inspections show customer complaints, including one about black mold seen in part of the hotel that had been closed off for renovations and another from a family who said they got sick after visiting the water park Feb. 8.

Wasserbahn’s fate is unclear at this time as it changes hands between owners. It appears as though its future as a water park hotel is in doubt.

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.