Thursday Morning Read: ‘Power retail center’ plans, new trial for Luerkens, ‘bittersweet’ union win

'POWER RETAIL CENTER' PLANS — A Cedar Rapids developer is planning a new 'power retail center' called Peck's Landing on the site where Peck's Green Thumb and Garden Shop has operated for decades. What are the future plans for Peck's? Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/plan-power-retail-center-would-replace-pecks-garden-center-in-cedar-rapids/

NEW TRIAL FOR LUERKENS — The Iowa Court of Appeals has ordered a new trial for a man found guilty in 2015 of stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death in the parking lot of the Marion Hy-Vee. The Iowa Court of Appeals ordered that a jury should have been allowed to consider the insanity defense for Nicholas Luerkens, 34, who was convicted of the first-degree murder of Lynnsey Donald, 29. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/appeals-court-orders-new-trial-for-luerkens-in-marion-stabbing-death/

'BITTERSWEET' UNION WIN — In one of the first arbitration cases under the state's new collective bargaining law, which dramatically reduced public employee unions' bargaining authority, an arbitrator recently ruled in AFSCME's favor in a case involving secondary wage issues, including pay dates, salary structures and direct deposit requirements. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/iowa-union-scores-bittersweet-win-under-new-collective-bargaining-law/

TENNIS DISTRICT ASSIGNMENTS DRAWING IRE — It would be difficult to argue that the boys' state tennis tournament should represent the best statewide talent. Yet, when the Iowa High School Athletic Association released its district assignments last month, another significant logjam was created in Class 2A. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-prep-sports/district-assignments-continue-to-draw-ire-from-boys-tennis-community/

QUOTABLE — 'I want to make sure that we do things to get rid of some of these insane mandates and the crazy rules and regulations on insurance companies, so the premiums for people who work can come down.' U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, on the latest proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act