Week in Iowa: Recap of news from across the state

In the news

SEVERE WEATHER: Parts of Iowa were hit with intense storms Tuesday night, including confirmed tornadoes in Mitchell, Cerro Gordo, Hancock and Pocahontas counties.

Torrential rains gave way to flood warnings Wednesday. And then Thursday saw wind advisories and gusts of up to 60 mph throughout Iowa.

NO LONGER FIRST-IN-THE-NATION? Under rules approved by the national Democratic Party this week, Iowa is no longer guaranteed the leadoff position in the presidential nomination process.

Under the new rules, state parties will have to apply to be one of the first four or five states to vote on their presidential preferences. Iowa will be applying, state Democratic Party officials said, but Drake University political science professor Dennis Goldford said, “It certainly does not bode well.”

Iowa Republicans are confident they will retain their first-in-the-nation caucuses.

BIDEN VISIT: President Joe Biden stopped in Menlo in west-central Iowa on Tuesday at a distilled grain storage facility to announce the Environmental Protection Agency will allow the sale of E15 ethanol-blend gasoline this summer. The sale of E15 is typically halted in the summer because of concerns about air quality.

FINKENAUER CAMPAIGN: The Iowa Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments about whether Cedar Rapids Democrat Abby Finkenauer’s name can appear on the June 7 primary election ballot.

Polls show Finkenauer ahead in the three-way race for the Democratic Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Finkenauer’s nomination petitions were challenged by Republican Kim Schmett, a former congressional candidate, and Leanne Pellett, co-chair of the Cass County Republicans, who argued Finkenauer failed to submit the required number of valid signatures.

The State Objections Panel ruled Finkenauer had enough signatures — barely — on her nominating petitions. A Polk County judge disagreed, saying she hadn’t met the minimum requirement. Finkenauer appealed that ruling to the state Supreme Court.

The Iowa justices are expected to issue a ruling quickly since primary ballots have to be printed soon.

They said

“The mere fact that a free, democratic nation is being brought down, potentially, by an autocratic, murderous thug should be concerning to everyone. If it's a free-for-all, and he recognizes no boundaries, that means he likely won't stop." — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, on Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine

“Thank you to the Biden administration for this very welcome news. While there is more to be done from the administration to address high energy and fuel prices, unrestricted access to E15 is a great first step,” — Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds on the emergency action to sell the higher ethanol blend through the summer.

More news

NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING: One man faces charges in the shooting early last Sunday that killed two and injured 10 people inside the Taboo Nightclub and Lounge, 415 Third St. SE.

Timothy Ladell Rush, 32, faces charges of second-degree murder, willful injury, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, reckless use of a firearm and possession of a firearm as a felon.

Michael Valentine, 25, and Nicole Owens, 35, both of Cedar Rapids, died of gunshot wounds. They were at the club celebrating a friend’s birthday.

Records showed Rush is the father of Owens’ baby, born in 2021. He is being held in the Linn County Jail on a $1.5 million cash or surety bond.

Police initially said they thought two men were involved in the attack, but no other arrests have been made.

SOCIAL SERVICE BOOST: Linn County supervisors on Wednesday divvied up $11 million in federal pandemic funds.

About half that amount went to water and sewer projects in small cities in the county, with the highest awards — $1 million each — going to Mount Vernon, Lisbon and Walker.

The other half was split among social services and nonprofits, with Foundation 2 Crisis Services getting the largest award — $900,000 — to apply toward new headquarters.

County supervisors will award another $22 million in pandemic funds in May or June.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The city of Cedar Rapids will spend around $5 million in federal pandemic funds to turn the former Colonial Center, at 1500 Second Ave. SE, into up to 25 affordable housing units.

The building in the Wellington Heights neighborhood has been vacant for around 10 years. After the August 2020 derecho, the city proposed turning the building into affordable housing and an emergency shelter, but set aside that idea after neighbors protested.

A HOME FOR WRITERS: A two-story, $1.6 million building is going up for the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program, right across the street from the UI president’s home. It will be donor-funded.

John D’Agata, a former director of the nonfiction program, said his dream is to have a “writing corridor stretching down Clinton Street” that would include the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the playwriting, creative writing and Spanish creative writing programs. At least one UI leader thinks that’s a good idea.

1st & 1st DEVELOPMENT: Cedar Rapids officials on Tuesday unveiled the $81.5 million development of long-vacant city-owned land — where the city had hoped to build a casino.

The development, which will get underway in May or June, will bring a mix of restaurants, housing, hotel rooms and a Big Grove Brewery to the land on the west bank of the Cedar River.

The development team of 1st and 1st LLC includes Joe Ahmann, president of Hiawatha-based Ahmann companies; Matt Swift, Big Grove co-founder and CEO; and Nate Kaeding, business development director of Coralville-based Build to Suit.

“It’s going to be a great addition to Cedar Rapids,” City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said.

The water cooler

CARLIN ABORTION CLAIM: State Sen. Jim Carlin, R-Sioux City, made a false claim at a Mason City event Tuesday that Democrats in Congress are sponsoring a bill to legalize abortions "28 weeks post-birth." Carlin is running for the U.S. Senate and will face Sen. Chuck Grassley in the June 7 Republican primary.

Gazette Des Moines Bureau