Wednesday Morning Read: Cedar Rapids pursues speed camera fines; trucking industry sees growing gap in drivers; Cedar Rapids police to get body cameras

TODAY'S WEATHER — Partly cloudy, continued mild. High 39, low 28.

CEDAR RAPIDS PURSUES SPEED CAMERA FINES — Only days before Christmas, Cedar Rapids this week sent out 221,000 notices warning people if they don't pay their traffic camera citations — some up to seven years old — they will face a penalty and be turned over to a state debt collection program. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/days-before-christmas-cedar-rapids-sends-out-221000-speed-violation-notices/

TRUCKING INDUSTRY SEES GROWING GAP IN DRIVERS — Joseph Scherbring was the model of the American truck driver. Since his first day with Cedar Rapids-based CRST Expedited on Feb. 1, 1971, the Manchester native drove more than five million accident-free miles. But after nearly 47 years, Scherbring, accompanied by his wife of 64 years, Katie, retired Monday during a special reception at CRST Expedited headquarters. Scherbring, 86, is one of a growing number of truck drivers nearing retirement age in an industry already starved for an experienced workforce. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/trucking-industry-sees-growing-gap-in-drivers/

CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE TO GET BODY CAMERAS — The Cedar Rapids Police Department plans to outfit its force with body cameras after getting approval Tuesday from the City Council. The council approved a $300,000, three-year contract with Keltek Inc. of Baxter, in partnership with Panasonic, to supply the cameras along with training, docking and charging stations and licensing, but excluding data storage cost. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/cedar-rapids-police-to-get-body-cameras/

HAWKEYE MEN WIN THIRD STRAIGHT — The Iowa men's basketball team and its leading scorer, forward Tyler Cook, saw something Tuesday night that almost certainly won't be seen the rest of this season. Southern Utah guarded the post one-on-one for almost the entirety of the game. Despite a definite size advantage in the Hawkeyes' favor, Cook, Luka Garza, Cordell Pemsl, Jack Nunge and Ryan Kriener all saw single coverage when the ball was fed inside. Iowa's 92-64 victory — its third straight — didn't come just because of that, but the 52 points in the paint that were its result didn't exactly hurt the cause. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/sports/iowa-outruns-southern-utah-for-third-straight-win/

QUOTABLE — 'Our best days are ahead.' Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett, as city officials paid tribute Tuesday to Corbett and four other outgoing members of the Cedar Rapids City Council before their final meeting. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/cedar-rapids-honors-5-outgoing-city-council-members/