Thursday Morning Read: Assessments rise, abortion ban passes House, murder conviction upheld

ASSESSMENTS RISE — Hundreds of property owners are expected to file appeals this year as assessments rose across Cedar Rapids. It could be a record year for appeals, said Beth Weeks, the city assessor. Cedar Rapids property values increased 8 percent overall, topping $10.2 billion. Value went up in all categories but agriculture. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/surge-in-appeals-expected-as-assessments-climb-in-cedar-rapids/

ABORTION BAN PASSES HOUSE — Declaring it's 'a great day for unborn babies,' House Republicans voted Wednesday to enact a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion and join 17 states in banning almost all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/iowa-house-gop-passes-20-week-abortion-ban-adds-abortion-waiting-period/

MURDER CONVICTION UPHELD — The Iowa Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld the 2015 conviction of Edward Cusic who struck his mother with a crowbar eight times, killing her in 2012. The court denied Cusic's four arguments in his appeal, affirming a Linn County jury's conviction of second-degree murder. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/appeals-court-upholds-murder-conviction-for-edward-cusic/

BOBBLE-HEAD FOR SCHEBLER? — OK, all you folks in Cedar Rapids, Walford, Fairfax, Swisher and rural Solon. All over Eastern Iowa, actually. Here's your chance to get a Scott Schebler bobble-head doll created and passed out at a Cincinnati Reds game late in the 2017 season. Read more and make your voice heard: https://www.thegazette.com/sports/cedar-rapids-baseball-fans-get-scott-schebler-a-bobble-head-with-the-cincinnati-reds/

QUOTABLE — 'It was just a respectful conversation about religious freedom. Am I as an atheist allowed the same religious freedom as everyone else in the state?' Justin Scott of Waterloo, an atheist who delivered the invocation before Wednesday's session of the Iowa House