Gazette Daily News Podcast: Thursday, February 8, 2024

– Records: Iowa Atheltics assistant IT director enticed teen

– Linn-Mar school board member Matt Rollinger resigns

– Big’s BBQ and Brew Pub moving to new Mount Vernon location

Episode Transcript

You are listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast on Thursday, February 8. This podcast gives quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Coming up, Iowa Athletics assistant IT director is accused of enticing a teen

And later, a Mount Vernon barbeque and brew pub is moving to a new location.

First, A Cedar Rapids man is accused of contacting a girl he believed was under 16 and sending her pornographic photos and videos, along with hundreds of messages saying he wanted to have sex with her.

64-year-old Mark Sevcik was charged last week with enticing a minor under 16 and three charges of telephone dissemination of obscene material to a minor. Enticing a minor is a felony and telephone dissemination of obscene material to a minor is an aggravated misdemeanor. Sevcik is an Iowa Athletics assistant information technology director and help desk supervisor.

According to a criminal complaint, Sevcik communicated with the minor on various social media platforms from August 2023 through last month. He sent dozens of graphic photos and videos, including a graphic photo of himself, and told the underage girl he wanted to perform sex acts with her. He bought underwear for her and quote “encouraged” end quote her to delete their communications.

Police obtained a search warrant for his vehicle where they found the underwear and condoms. Bail was originally set at $20,000 when Sevcik was arrested on Jan. 30. That changed after his initial appearance last week when Associate District Judge Brandon Schrock released Sevcik to the State Department of Correctional Services for pretrial supervision. Sevcik was previously charged with interference with official acts in a separate case on January 3rd. That is a simple misdemeanor. Sevcik was detained by officers at a fast-food restaurant on Mormon Trek Boulevard. When officers asked him to turn over his phone, he pulled away from officers and tried to conceal it. According to the complaint, he attempted to turn off the cellphone and had to be physically restrained by officers so they could retrieve the phone. There’s no information in records to clarify if the two cases are related. A non-jury trial date for the simple misdemeanor is set for February 16.

Read the full story at the gazette dot com or follow the link in this episode’s description.

Next, Linn-Mar school board member Matt Rollinger has resigned more than a year before the end of his term. Rollinger did not provide a reason in his resignation letter and was not present at the meeting in which the resignation was read. Rollinger was elected in November 2021.

During his term, he opposed a now-defunct policy that spelled out inclusive practices for transgender students intended to protect them from discrimination. This included giving students access to restrooms, locker rooms or changing areas that corresponded with their gender identity. After the policy was adopted in May 2022, Rollinger was invited to a private meeting with Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, which he said he did not attend as a school board representative. Rollinger did not alert the board about the meeting beforehand and received backlash as a result.

Rollinger’s seat will be filled by appointment by the school board. The term expires at the next school board election in November 2025. The deadline to submit an application for the seat is Feb. 21 by 4pm. A motion to appoint a new school board member will be made Feb. 26 by the Linn-Mar school board.

Next, Mount Vernon’s Big’s BBQ and Brew Pub is moving to a new location. The new location is in downtown Mount Vernon, specifically 106 First St. W. Big’s BBQ and Brew Pub hopes to reopen on Feb. 15. Along with the new location, the restaurant is planning to add a breakfast menu. The original location at 124 Second Ave. NW closed on January 28. Owner Nanette Rambo said the restaurant grew out of its original location and called the new location quote “prime” end quote.

Rambo and her husband Jimmie Daugherty purchased the restaurant in 2021.

As always, you can find a link to each of the stories featured in today’s episode in this episode’s description or at the gazette dot com.

Finally, let’s take a look at today’s weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today it will rain. Anticipate a high of 58 degrees and a low of 43 degrees. Friday will be mostly sunny with a high reaching 49 degrees. Temperatures are expected to drop to 30 degrees that night.

The Iowa Ideas In-Depth Week on Homelessness kicks off on February 12th. Participate in daily virtual sessions over the lunch hour on homelessness, resources and long-term solutions in Iowa. Register for free at Iowa Ideas dot com.

Thank you for listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast. Stay up to date with the latest news from Eastern Iowa at the gazette dot com. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com