CEDAR FALLS POLICE REPORT ONE PERSON WAS SHOT SHORTLY AFTER 10 P-M LAST NIGHT. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN THE 2400 BLOCK OF OLIVE STREET, STEPS FROM COLLEGE HILL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN ONE DIRECTION AND A BLOCK FROM THE UNI CAMPUS IN THE OTHER. THE SHOOTING VICTIM WAS HOSPITALIZED. CEDAR FALLS POLICE ARE COLLECTING EVIDENCE AND TIPS, BUT THEY SAY IN A STATEMENT THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS A THREAT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
NEW VIDEO VISITATION POLICIES BECOME EFFECTIVE AT THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY JAIL NEXT WEEK. COMMUNICATING WITH PRISONERS THROUGH TABLETS REDUCES THE CHANCE OF COVID-19 SPREAD. SHERIFF TONY THOMPSON SAYS THERE ARE OTHER LONG-TERM BENEFITS WHICH HE HOPES WILL HELP INMATES STAY CONNECTED WITH THEIR FAMILIES. THOMPSON WAS A RECENT GUEST DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL.
UNLESS YOU WERE IN MARYLAND RECENTLY, YOU DIDN’T WIN THE 731 MILLION DOLLAR POWERBALL JACKPOT. THAT’S WHERE ONE GRAND PRIZE TICKET FOR LAST NIGHT’S DRAWING WAS SOLD. THE BIG PRIZE WAS THE FOURTH LARGEST IN POWERBALL HISTORY, BUT IT’S NOT AS BIG AS THE ESTIMATED 970 MILLION DOLLAR JACKPOT UP-FOR-GRAB IN FRIDAY’S MEGAMILLIONS GAME.
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM TRIES FOR THEIR SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN. IF THEY GET IT TONIGHT VERSUS INDIANA, IOWA WOULD ALSO IMPROVE TO 9-0 AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA. TIP-OFF BETWEEN THE HAWKEYES AND HOOSIERS IS SCHEDULED FOR 8 P-M.
IOWA AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE COLLABORATING TO BRING COVID-19 VACCINES TO THE STATE IN LARGER QUANTITIES. DURING A RECENT APPEARANCE ON KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAID IOWA HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST PER CAPITA POPULATIONS LIVING IN LONGTERM CARE CENTERS. RESIDENTS IN THOSE SITUATIONS ARE RECEVING PRIORITY FOR THE VACCINE. REYNOLDS SAID LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICES AND PHARMACIES ARE READY FOR ACTION WHENEVER MORE DOSES ARRIVE.
MORE SUSPECTS ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENT CRIMES ARE FILLING THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY JAIL. SHERIFF TONY THOMPSON SAYS THAT IS A SIDE EFFECT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, BECAUSE JURY TRIALS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD. THOMPSON’S OFFICE RELEASED ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON TUESDAY, AND THE SHERIFF WAS A GUEST YESTERDAY DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. ALTHOUGH CALLS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE DOWN IN 2020, SEVERAL TYPES OF CRIME WERE UP, INCLUDING DRUG VIOLATIONS, BURGLARY, AND SEXUAL OFFENSES.
AG EDUCATION WILL BENEFIT FROM A FUNDRAISING EFFORT UNVEILED IN BUCHANAN COUNTY YESTERDAY. THE BUCHANAN COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION IS HOPING TO RECEIVE ONE-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN DONATIONS TO BUILD A NEW EVENT CENTER IN TIME FOR THE COUNTY’S 2022 FAIR. ONCE BUILT, THEY SAY THE FACILITY WOULD PROVIDE A SPACE FOR 4-H AND FFA ACTIVITIES – AS WELL AS OTHER EVENTS – THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
LATE LAST WEEK, WATERLOO SCHOOLS ANNOUNCED THAT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD BE BACK ON THE DISTRICT’S CAMPUSES FOR FULL-TIME, IN-PERSON LEARNING AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY. THAT IS RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE TIMELINE IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SUGGESTED FOR ALL DISTRICTS DURING HER CONDITION OF THE STATE SPEECH EARLIER THIS MONTH. REYNOLDS WAS A RECENT GUEST DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. THE GOVERNOR NOTED THE DIFFICULTIES CREATED FOR BOTH PARENTS AND STUDENTS WHEN FAMILIES DON’T HAVE A FULL-TIME, IN-PERSON SCHOOL OPTION.
A DECEMBER CONTRIBUTION TO REYNOLDS’ CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION IS DRAWING SCRUTINY. THE 25 THOUSAND DOLLAR DONATION CAME FROM MARY ANN CHRISTENSEN, A BOARD MEMBER FOR ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST FAMILY-OWNED PORK PRODUCTION COMPANIES. CHRISTENSEN FARMS RECEIVED $1.8 MILLION IN 2020 THROUGH THE IOWA DISPOSAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THAT EFFORT REIMBURSED FARMERS WHO EUTHANIZED THEIR HOGS AFTER COVID-19 DISRUPTED THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN.
THERE IS A CEDAR FALLS CONNECTION TO A VEHICLE CHASE THAT INCLUDED ROADS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. AUTHORITIES ALLEGE THAT EARLIER THIS MONTH, DEVAN FORBES OF MANCHESTER SWIPED A TRUCK FROM A CEDAR FALLS ADDRESS. THE NEXT DAY, HE WAS CHASED BY POLICE IN PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WISCONSIN, ACROSS STATE LINES BACK INTO IOWA. FORBES ALLEGEDLY ABANDONED THE TRUCK AND THEN STOLE ANOTHER. THIS WEEK, HE WAS CHARGED WITH A VARIETY OF COUNTS RELATED TO THE CASE.
