Marissa Payne

Asked about how she’d address "sensible gun laws" after the Thursday morning Perry High School shooting, Iowa’s 2nd District U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson said in a town hall meeting, "I think if we could legislate away this kind of hate we would have done it by now."

Some residents of Westhill Village Apartments in northwest Cedar Rapids were ordered to vacate by the end of the month after an engineer flagged structural issues with the properties and determined they are “not safe to occupy.” Issues were found during regular city inspections.

The Linn County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday appointed Kirsten Running-Marquardt to be board chair in 2024.

Iowa City joins Democratic-led cities with the city council’s passage of a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War. “Washington has not heard us, so we’ve come to you to amplify our voices.”

New Silent Book Clubs in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids are an “introvert happy hour.” To participate, you don’t have to read — or finish — an assigned book. The increasingly popular groups allow people to come with a book of their choice and read in community with other book lovers.

The Iowa City Council elected Bruce Teague to serve as mayor for a third time. Mazahir Salih was chosen to serve as mayor pro tem. On the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, Rod Sullivan and Jon Green were appointed chair and vice chair, respectively.

Across Iowa, programs are increasingly drawing residents and visitors outdoors at a time of year when temperatures drop and it may be tempting to hibernate indoors. Winter recreational offerings encourage people to get outside year-round, harnessing the Hawkeye state’s natural assets to keep people active despite colder weather.

Linn County Sustainability is about halfway through a pilot program with the Linn County Emergency Management Agency and four community organizations to create an All-Hazards Emergency Plan Template — an effort to help community groups plan for disasters before they strike.

Cedar Rapids officials are exploring options to potentially build a multimillion-dollar dual-use intergenerational center and sports complex. But the effort remains years away from coming to fruition and would require private funding to bring to life. Here’s how the city’s approaching the possible project.

Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz received a 4 percent pay increase this week to $379,475. “I think the citizens of Cedar Rapids have a tremendous value in having probably one of the best city managers in the country in our city,” said council member Scott Overland, chair of the council’s Finance and Administrative Services Committee.

Cedar Rapids envisions transforming downtown into a mixed-use district with expanded residential and retail offerings. But in the near future, it’s unlikely the skywalk system will shift from its focus of serving the downtown workforce.

Michaels, the North American arts and crafts chain, will soon open a location at the Westdale Town Center in southwest Cedar Rapids. Westdale Mall’s redevelopment is nearing completion with only three restaurant and five retail locations remaining.

Jennifar Bassett, a Cedar Rapids native, has been hired as the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance’s Downtown District program manager.

Also, Linn County awards funds to reduce lead hazards

During the holidays, we’re tempted to spend too much money on gifts, stay up too late, fill our calendar with parties, skip regular exercise or eat too much. Here’s what a UI professor had to say on how centering your values can help avoid holiday burnout.