FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING FOR A MICHIGAN MURDER SUSPECT IN CEDAR RAPIDS. 24-YEAR-OLD FRANKY ACKLEY IS BELIEVED TO BE IN EASTERN IOWA AFTER THE EARLY MARCH SHOOTING DEATH OF A 25YEAR-OLD MAN IN JACKSON, MICHIGAN. ACKLEY HAS DARK HAIR AND COULD BE DESCRIBED AS TALL AND THIN – 6’1” AND 145 POUNDS. OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES INCLUDE A CLEFT LIP AND A TATTOO ON HIS LEFT HAND. HE IS BEING SOUGHT BY U.S. MARSHALS, WHO CAN BE CONTACTED AT 319-362-4411
A NEAR-COLLISION BETWEEN A VAN AND A SEMI ON IOWA HIGHWAY 13 IN LINN COUNTY STILL SENT ONE MAN TO THE HOSPITAL THURSDAY AFTERNOON. JACOB COWGER WAS DRIVING THE VAN. HE AVOIDED THE SEMI BUT WENT OFF THE ROAD AND ROLLED HIS VEHICLE IN THE PROCESS. THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT IS INVESTIGATING.
A WARMER SPRING FORECAST NEXT WEEK WILL HOPEFULLY HELP THE CHURCH ROW NEIGHBORHOOD GARDENS IN WATERLOO TO A GOOD START. FORMER WATERLOO CITY COUNCILMAN STEVE SCHMITT WAS A RECENT KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL GUEST AND TALKED ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY GARDENING PROJECT GOT STARTED. A CEREMONY IS PLANNED FOR SATURDAY MORNING TO BLESS AND OPEN THE CHURCH ROW NEIGHBORHOOD GARDENS FOR THE SEASON.
IN SPORTS, IOWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH LISA BLUDER HAS WON THE LEADERSHIP AWARD, GIVEN ANNUALLY BY THE GIRL SCOUTS OF EASTERN IOWA AND WESTERN ILLINOIS. BLUDER WAS NOTED FOR INSTILLING COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER IN YOUNG WOMEN.
POLICE IN CEDAR RAPIDS WANT TO KNOW WHO WAS SHOOTING IN THE PARKING LOTS AROUND LINDALE MALL ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AUTHORITIES SAY THERE WERE TWO VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A “SHOTS FIRED” REPORT SHORTLY BEFORE 4 P-M YESTERDAY. EVIDENCE OF THE SHOOTING WAS RECOVERED AT THE SCENE, BUT POLICE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY HAVE A WORKING DESCRIPTION OF EITHER VEHICLE. INFORMATION TO ASSIST THE INVESTIGATION MAY BE SHARED WITH LINN COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS AT 1800-CS-CRIME.
CARE FOR OLDER IOWANS – AND WORKERS IN NURSING AND RETIREMENT HOMES – REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THURSDAY, IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS PROVIDED AN ASSESSMENT OF EFFORTS BY HEALTH CARE COMPANIES TO PROTECT THOSE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. MEANWHILE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS AND RECOVERED CAN HELP THOSE WITH MORE SEVERE CASES. BLOOD DISTRIBUTION CENTERS ARE COLLECTING PLASMA FROM FORMER PATIENTS. SERUM TREATMENTS FROM THIS PLASMA ARE BEING USED TO HELP BOOST THE IMUNE SYSTEMS OF COVID-19 PATIENTS IN SOME HOSPITAL AND INTENSIVE CARE SETTINGS.
NASCAR DRIVERS WILL NOT VISIT THE IOWA SPEEDWAY IN NEWTON ON THE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED DATES THIS SUMMER. XFINITY SERIES EVENTS IN JUNE AND AUGUST, PLUS A TRUCK SERIES RACE, WERE CAUGHT IN THE SUFFLE WHEN NASCAR RE-WORKED ITS SCHEDULE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. THE SPEEDWAY SAYS BOTH SERIES COULD STILL COME TO IOWA LATER IN THE YEAR. TRACK OFFICIALS ARE OFFERING CREDITS OR REFUNDS.
THE 16TH ANNUAL CEDAR VALLEY TOURISM AWARDS CEREMONY WAS HELD ONLINE THURSDAY. SOME OF THE WINNERS INCLUDED A BANDS OF AMERICA CONCERT AT THE UNI-DOME (NAMED OUTSTANDING EVENT), THE OUTSTANDING LODGING ESTABLISHMENT WAS THE HOLIDAY INN & SUITES AND BIENVENU EVENT CENTER, AND THE WATERLOO BLACK HAWKS WERE NAMED THE YEAR’S OUTSTANDING ATTRACTION.
THE OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT AWARD WENT TO WILBO’S BURGERS, BRATS, AND BEER IN CEDAR FALLS. WILBO’S MIMI RICE WAS A GUEST THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. SHE TALKED ABOUT WORKING THROUGH CHANGES HER RESTAURANT (AND OTHERS) HAVE EXPERIENCED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. RESTAURANTS AND MANY OTHER BUSINESS HAVE THE OPTION TO RE-OPEN AS EARLY AS TODAY AT REDUCED CAPACITY.
BUS SERVICE IN CEDAR RAPIDS WILL BEGIN TO ROLL AGAIN ON MONDAY. TRANSIT OFFICIALS SAY CITY BUSES WILL RUN FROM 5:15 IN THE MORNING TO 7 P.M WITH HOURLY SERVICE. THE EXCEPTION IS ON ROUTE FIVE, WHERE BUSES WILL RUN EACH QUARTER HOUR. NO FARES WILL BE COLLECTED, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME SPECIAL RULES IN PLACE, INCLUDING MODIFICATIONS ON WHERE PASSENGERS CAN ENTER AND EXIT THE BUS, PLUS FACE MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED. NO MORE THAN TEN RIDERS WILL BE ALLOWED ON A BUS AT ONCE.
THE CITY OF CEDAR FALLS CANCELED A PAIR OF SUMMER CAMPS ON THURSDAY. THE RECREATION AND FITNESS CENTER AND HEARST CENTER FOR THE ARTS CAMPS WILL NOT BE HELD. FULL REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO HAD REGISTERED. A CITY ANNOUNCEMENT INDICATED THAT BOTH THE REC CENTER AND THE HEARST CENTER ARE AT WORK ON ALTERNATIVE SUMMER PROGRAMS.
