Thursday morning read: University of Iowa honors veterans, passenger rail not enough for I-380, coffee meets protein in Marion

Regulators undecided on Cedar Rapids casinos - Heading into a vote Thursday, state regulators remain undecided about granting a gambling license for a Cedar Rapids downtown casino.

'I've talked to a couple of them, and I would say there are not sufficient votes either way,' said Jeff Lamberti, an Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission member from Ankeny. 'It's not fun and not an easy decision.' Read more...

Road work prepares for railroad 'quiet zone' - It's a common occurrence in downtown Cedar Rapids — the deafening blare of a train whistle.

But an ongoing project between the city and Union Pacific Railroad aims to give a respite by potentially reducing the number of times trains need to use their horns. Read more...

UI honors veterans - They may be two of the Hawkeyes' biggest football names, but Nile Kinnick and Hayden Fry were honored by the University of Iowa for a different kind of role Wednesday night.

Kinnick and Fry were among six members of the armed forces that were given Hawkeye Distinguished Veterans Memorial Awards for their service to their county and the university community. The other recipients were Specialist 4 David Drake, Captain Luther Smith, Captain Jeremy Williams and Hospital Corpsman Willard L. 'Sandy' Boyd. Read more...

Passenger rail not enough on I-380 - Preliminary ridership estimates for a proposed passenger rail service between Iowa City and North Liberty will not offset the future need for improvements to the nearby — and congested — Interstate 380.

But the service remains a 'natural first phase' for expanded Corridor transit service, state officials say. Read more...

Marion's protein and coffee bar - Going on a diet is never easy. Add in giving up coffee drinks, and for some it can feel impossible.

That's where Innovative Protein & Coffee Bar hopes to help.

The coffee shop, owned by Innovative Aesthetics, opened Sept. 14 in Marion as part of the company's range of services; it has a spa in downtown Cedar Rapids and a weight loss center in Marion. The coffee shop is now its third location. Read more...

Waukon's Chad Beermann lands on his feet - He's not necessarily one of those people who believes everything happens for a reason.

Chad Beermann still wonders, for instance, why his Waukon football team lost the 2013 Class 2A state championship football game. Especially on a final-play field goal that hit off the crossbar before going over. Read more...