Wednesday Morning Read: Branstad earns praise, Meyer testimony wraps up, fatal motorcycle crash

BRANSTAD EARNS PRAISE - Gov. Terry Branstad earned high praise, and apparently a clear path to confirmation, from a Senate panel that questioned him for nearly two hours Tuesday on his nomination to be U.S. ambassador to China. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/nation-world/branstad-earns-praise-from-senate-foreign-relations-committee/

MEYER TESTIMONY WRAPS UP - After 11 days of testimony, jurors in the employment discrimination trial of a former associate athletic director against the University of Iowa heard five quick witnesses Tuesday before the defense rested. Closing arguments will start Wednesday, and then the jury of five women and three men will decide whether Jane Meyer is entitled to financial damages based on her claims of gender and sexual orientation discrimination, retaliation and unfair pay. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/evidence-concludes-in-jane-meyer-case-against-university-of-iowa/

FATAL MOTORCYCLE CRASH - One person was killed Tuesday evening after a truck turned into the path of a motorcycle near the intersection of Sutliff Road and Highway 1 just outside Solon. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/one-killed-in-motorcycle-truck-collision-near-solon/

ROUGHRIDERS ADD, AND LOSE - They drafted five goaltenders Monday and Tuesday, which seems like a high number. But there was a reason the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders did that. Coach/General Manager Mark Carlson confirmed that Drew DeRidder, who was expected to be a cornerstone for his club next season in net, has decided to leave and join the United States National Team Development Program instead. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/minor-league-sports/roughriders-draft-22-more-players-but-lose-top-goaltender/

QUOTABLE - 'We intend to instruct (traffic camera vendor) GATSO to keep the cameras on, but not issue citations until a stay order is in place.” Cedar Rapids spokesperson Maria Johnson, regarding city officials' plans to request a stay on a judge's order that traffic cameras on Interstate 380 be turned off or moved