Gazette Daily News Podcast: Wednesday, February 14, 2024

– Cedar Rapids community solar garden begins operations

– Preschool to be offered this fall at every Iowa City elementary

– Cedar Rapids, Iowa City Restaurant Week release menu specials

Episode Transcript

Happy Valentine’s Day! You are listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast on Wednesday, February 14. This podcast gives quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Coming up, a community solar garden is up and running in Cedar Rapids

And later, preschool is coming to every Iowa City Community School District elementary school

Plus, the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City restaurant weeks are coming soon

First, Alliant Energy’s Cedar Rapids Community Solar Garden is up and running. More than 300 customers have already subscribed to the garden which is made up of 18 thousand solar blocks. At full capacity, these blocks can generate 4.5 megawatts of energy. That would power 3,600 homes. Subscribed customers will receive monthly energy credits on their electric bills, starting at 5.59 cents per kilowatt-hour for the 20-year duration of the project. Alliant Energy anticipates the credits will add up to about $30 per block per year. The city of Cedar Rapids, First Interstate Bank, Transamerica and AEGON Asset Management are anchor tenants. Additionally, $250,000 worth of blocks were allotted to the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity. Most of the remaining subscribers are residential customers.

This is Alliant’s largest operational solar project in Iowa and its second operational community solar garden. The solar garden is located on Alliant-owned property in Cedar Rapids north of the 1100 block of 33rd Avenue SW.

Next, half-day preschool options will be available at every Iowa City Community School District elementary school this fall. This includes a free full-day option for families that qualify at Lemme, Weber and Grant elementary schools. Limited spots are also available at a tuition rate of $650 a month. Executive director of elementary schools Eliza Proctor said the goal is to make sure every child has the opportunity to go to preschool. The program’s expansion will offer preschool to about 30 percent more children. Preschool enrollment for August is open for families with a child who is turning 4 on or before September 15. For more details, read the story at The Gazette dot com or follow the link in this episode’s description.

Next, Restaurant Week in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City is coming soon and the menus are now available.

Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week runs from Feb. 16 to Feb. 25. 19 restaurants are participating this year. Four of those restaurants are new to the event. To kick things off, a Fork & Knife Feast will be held tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15, at EPIC Event Center. The event includes unlimited food and drink samples. Tickets are $75 and are available at cedarrapids.org.

Think Iowa City Restaurant Week runs from Feb. 17 to Feb. 26 and includes 22 restaurants. Many of the restaurants were not featured last year. Think Iowa City is also holding a month long food drive that benefits North Liberty Community Pantry, CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank and Coralville Community Food Pantry. The pantries are in need of canned fruits, vegetables and meats, cereal, pasta, soups, peanut butter and non-perishable items. Donations are being accepted through February 29. Items can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Think Iowa City, located at 900 First Ave. in Coralville.

Find the full list of restaurants participating in the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City restaurant weeks at the gazette dot com or find a link in this episode’s description.

Finally, let’s take a look at today’s weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today it will be cloudy. Anticipate a high of 49 degrees and a low of 28 degrees. Enjoy the warm temperatures while you can because Thursday is expected to reach a high of 36 degrees. Thursday will be mostly cloudy. Temperatures are anticipated to drop to 25 degrees Thursday night.

Thank you for listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast. Stay up to date with the latest news from Eastern Iowa at the gazette dot com. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com