Government & Politics

Former Iowa City City Manager Steve Atkins died earlier this month at age 78. Atkins was city manager in Iowa City for 21 years, from 1986 to 2007 when he retired. Seven mayors served during Atkins’ tenure.

On the podcast this week, the Iowa State Fair is under way, schools talk about complying with the new state law that cracks down on certain materials, and two Siouxland men with ties to the atomic bomb.

The city of Cedar Rapids is trying again to seek a massive grant — $56.4 million — from the federal government to reconstruct the Eighth Avenue “Arc of Justice” Bridge over the Cedar River.

Gov. Kim Reynolds also begins ‘Fair-Side Chats’

“I think it's because we're all face-to-face, you know? The divisiveness comes from the fact that we're all in our houses, and on computers and social media, and we're not in person," said Beth M. Howard, an author and documentary filmmaker who was working on a film about Iowans' curious affinity for pie.

The city of Cedar Rapids has finalized a $10 million deal to buy land from Rick and Marsha Stickle to build a flood control levee around Cedar Lake — marking a key step to move forward with completion of the city’s network of flood protection.

A project that will transform the Central Plaza at City Square Park in the heart of Uptown Marion got a $100,001 boost Wednesday with federal COVID-19 relief funds award by the Linn County Board of Supervisors.

Also, presidential straw poll returns to Iowa State Fair