A Cedar Rapids man faces a criminal trespass charge after allegedly violating a warning to stay away from Cedar Rapids schools. Chad Chumley, 29, of 1500 Oakland Rd., Apt. 511, was arrested on the misdemeanor charge just after 8 a.m. Monday after he allegedly visited Garfield Elementary School, 1201 Maplewood Dr. NE. Chumley was found [...]

Confession: I hoard kitchen appliances. Not your everyday appliances, like a toaster or my Kitchenaid mixer, but one-use only items, like a panini maker and more than I’m willing to admit “incredible kitchen appliances” from late-night infomarcials. Yes, I have a Magic Bullet. But this blog will focus on the panini maker. My husband gave me one for [...]

Jill Jones tells people it’s a good day when she can bake. Of all her tasks as chef and food service manager at Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, baking is one of her most enjoyable. “It’s working with your hands,” Jones says. “You get immediate satisfaction, but then you have to wait. It’s kind of like [...]

UPDATE: A lawsuit filed by the Occupy Cedar Rapids protester group is headed to federal court. Occupy Cedar Rapids filed a lawsuit last week , asking a judge to issue an injunction to prevent the city from removing tents and other property from a city-owned lot they have been occupying. The city filed paperwork in U.S. District [...]

Demolition crews have begun the removal of the helix portion of the former First Street Parkade. The helix, which extends about 10 feet over a floodwall into the Cedar River, has required some creativity in order to prevent the pieces from falling into the river. Demolition of the ramp began July 5 and is expected [...]

IOWA CITY – Texas Gov. Rick Perry was late getting into the campaign, but he was quick in hitting the traditional campaign stops for presidential hopefuls vying in Iowa’s leadoff caucuses. Two days after officially entering the presidential race, the three-term Republican governor was at the Iowa State Fair Monday morning before taking his “Get [...]

Sarah Palin will make a stop at the Iowa State Fair Friday. “We accept with gratefulness an invitation to meet folks at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines this week,” an announcement on Palin’s political action committee site states . The full itinerary of the trip isn’t posted. While Palin hasn’t announced her plans for the 2012 [...]

MARENGO – The prosecution continues its case this morning in the first-degree murder trial of Tonch Weldon who is accused of killing a 35-year-old woman who lived with him and his wife in 2009. Weldon, 39, of Blairstown, is accused of killing Amy Gephart, 35, who was shot once in the chest with a 20-gauge [...]

Updated by Jim Malewitz 9:01 p.m. A McGregor brewery has announced plans to expand a 25,000-barrel-per-year operation in Coralville’s Iowa River Landing district , which would make it, by far, Iowa’s largest brewery. Backpocket Brewing will open the 15,000-square-foot facility featuring a large tap room and beer garden for the public in Coralville. Backpocket currently has a brewing operation at [...]

The man suspected of killing his wife and fleeing to South Dakota earlier this month told investigators he “lost it and blacked out” during an argument in their Greene home. Thomas J. Petersen, 39, of Greene, now faces a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the June 4 stabbing death of his wife, Judy [...]

Organizers have canceled the Iowa City start to the 2011 Air Race Classic , which was scheduled to begin Tuesday in Iowa City. The forecasted showers and thunderstorms in the area and along the route prompted the cancelation, organizers said. Pilots will instead start in Alliance, Neb. Wednesday. Racers have until noon Wednesday to get there, and [...]

A 28-year-old man who tried to eat meth while fleeing from police in Cedar Rapids was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in federal prison. Michael S. Brecht, 28, of Cedar Rapids, pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine following a prior felony drug conviction. Brecht must [...]

A 26-year-old Cedar Rapids man was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison Friday for having child porn on his computer. John Thomas Dolehide pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. As part of the plea agreement, Dolehide admitted he had images on his home computer on June 17 and [...]

A 21-year-old West Branch man was killed Monday after he apparently lost control of his motorcycle on Route X30 in Muscatine County. Tony Dean Good was southbound on X30 when he apparently went into the west ditch and lost control around 2:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, according to an initial accident report from the Iowa State [...]

University of Iowa officials said Friday they will appeal a regional FEMA decision that the UI Museum of Art is ineligible for replacement funding. The appeal will be made to Iowa Homeland Security and submitted to FEMA headquarters in Washington D.C. in the near future. UI General Counsel Carroll Reasoner said in a statement Friday [...]

UPDATE: More than $102,000 in Alburnett city funds were improperly disbursed or went undeposited, according to a state audit released Friday. The Auditor of State found more than $88,000 in improper disbursements during a three-year span between January 2006 and Dec. 31, 2009. The improper disbursements included $64,186 of payments to Amber Franklin, the Linn [...]

Judith Ann “Judy” Lafler, 68, of Prairieburg, died Monday, June 28, 2010, at her home. Visitation: 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Services: 10:30 a.m. Friday by the Rev. Bill Harnish at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Central City. Survivors include three children, Bill (Deb) Lafler of Anamosa, Doug (Lisa) Lafler of Chicago, Ill., and Julie [...]

Jack J. Zazza, 89, of 161 Kyrie Dr. SE, died June 29, 2010, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy following an extended illness. Private family funeral services will be held at a later date. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Entombment [...]

Michael L. Dirkes, 100, died Tuesday, June 29, 2010. Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, rural Oelwein.