Wednesday Morning Read: Alliant rate hike, Jerime Mitchell lawsuit, Iowa gun bill

ALLIANT RATE HIKE — After six years of frozen base rates, Alliant Energy customers can expect to see their electric bills increase by as much as $3 to $5 a month in April. In about one year, the utility company expects monthly rates for the average customer to have gone up by $12 to $14 total. The utility's average customer bill is about $113. The Iowa Utilities Board must approve Alliant's request. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/alliant-energy-announces-plan-for-10-to-12-percent-rate-increase/

JERIME MITCHELL LAWSUIT — Jerime Mitchell and his wife are suing Cedar Rapids police Officer Lucas Jones and the city over a Nov. 1 traffic stop shooting that left Mitchell paralyzed. According to the lawsuit filed in Linn County, the Mitchells are suing Jones and the city for negligence, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and loss of consortium. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/jerime-mitchell-and-wife-sue-cedar-rapids-officer/

SENATORS MULL GUN BILL — Opponents of legislation that would expand gun rights in Iowa made a last-stand show of political force Tuesday at the Statehouse in hopes of heading off or softening aspects of the bill expected to pass the Senate and land on Gov. Terry Branstad's desk. Backers of House File 517 told three members of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee the sweeping changes are needed to protect Iowans and their rights. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/iowa-senators-begin-gun-bill-consideration/

IOWA'S NIT MOTIVATION — Sometimes it's OK to play angry. The Iowa men's basketball team has a little anger at the moment. Sure, the Hawkeyes are more than a little frustrated they won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament. But that's secondary to the frustration they have with themselves for how the Indiana game played out in the Big Ten Tournament. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/sports/iowa-balancing-motivators-for-nit-run/

QUOTABLE — 'Everyone has certain causes they gravitate toward because of what they're involved with. Here we are, suddenly, knee-deep in cancer — and children's cancer which is another animal. Until you've been the parent, it's something most people imagine in their nightmares.' Brianna Wills, whose son Calder was diagnosed with cancer in February, talking about raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's annual fundraising campaign