Friday Morning Read: Iowa lawmakers pull gun bill after Florida deadly shooting, sales tax extension clears hurdle, will success of alternative energy sources hurt the power grid?

Iowa lawmakers pull gun bill after Florida deadly shooting- Shockwaves from a deadly shooting at a Florida high school shook the Capitol on Thursday, where lawmakers halted plans to change the state's gun permitting law and directed Iowa school officials to adopt security plans to deal with 'active shooter' or disaster situations.

The 'constitutional carry' firearms legislation that was slated for action was pulled from the Senate Judiciary Committee in the aftermath of the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., a day earlier. Read more...

Iowa sales tax extension for school projects clears hurdle- The end of funnel week at the Iowa Capitol is marked by sleep-deprived lawmakers checking smartphones to see where they are supposed to be, legislative staffers burdened by growing three-ring binders paper and a dwindling number of lobbyists as senators and representatives whittle away at the list of bills that will meet the Friday's deadline to be eligible for more debate.

Still, lawmakers lifted significant pieces of legislation, including a long-sought 20-year extension of the 1-cent Secure an Advanced Vision for Education sales tax for school building that is set to expire in 2029. Read more...

Iowa Ideas: More sun, more wind - But will their success hurt the power grid?- North of Kalona, near the unincorporated Johnson County community of Frytown, a small electric cooperative has established itself as a solar energy leader.

Farmers Electric Cooperative's 3,373 cumulative watts of local solar power per customer ranks first in the state and third in the nation.

The co-op, which began investing in solar about a decade ago, now generates about 20 percent of its power from solar panels. The cooperative's entire grid can be fueled by solar on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Read more...

Karma Coffee Cafe shares caffeine, community in Hiawatha- Diane Peterson fell in love with the social aspects of coffee in Germany.

She and her husband lived there while he served as a physician in the U.S. Army. She remembers people inviting them into their homes to share a cup of coffee and companionship.

'It was the very early '80s. Starbucks hadn't hit yet,' she said. 'It was more person to person, people inviting you into the home. They enjoyed very strong, robust coffee.'

She also vividly remembers another coffee experience, before she was a regular drinker of the caffeinated brew. Read more...

Iowa City West stops Cedar Rapids Xavier in battle of defending state champions- A pair of 2017 state champions served notice Thursday night that they are ready to defend their crowns.

Iowa City West and Cedar Rapids Xavier, last year's 4A and 3A titlists, went back and forth at Ron Thillen Gymnasium. In the end, it was the defensive pressure of the Trojans that proved to be the difference in a 54-49 West triumph in the Mississippi Valley Conference finale for both teams.

The win moved West, ranked No. 3 in 4A, to 17-3 overall, 14-2 in the MVC. Xavier, ranked No. 1 in 3A, closes the regular season at 15-6, 10-6. Read more...