I drive each morning from north of Walker to Cedar Rapids. It’s a pleasant drive to Center Point, especially these past few weeks. The mornings are bright and cool, there’s a good breeze and the land rises and falls in green folds.
Some mornings, mist hangs in the low land east of the paved road above Center Point, and everything is [...]
Archive for August, 2008
This land is our land
Posted in Other, tagged land, Linn County on August 28, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Oct. 1 still target date for courthouse
Posted in County Government, Courts, Flood, tagged Courthouse, Garth Fagerbakke, Linn County on August 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
It’s a little more than a month until Linn County officials hope to restore some court operations to the courthouse on May’s Island. The building, built in 1919, was damaged in June flooding.
Linn County IT Director Phil Lowder told the supervisors this morning that he expects phones, Internet and other IT stuff to be ready [...]
Don’t laugh. It could be interesting.
Posted in County Government, Flood, tagged Linn County, online community, Twitter on August 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’m going to try, when it’s possible, to cover Board of Supervisors meetings live using Twitter and this blog.
I know, I know, who wants live updates from a supervisors meeting. I have two responses to this:
1. The supervisors are making decisions that affect our lives.
2. I’ll try to make it interesting.
If you want to follow [...]
Pelosi coming to Iowa
Posted in Flood, tagged Congress, Dave Loebsack, Nancy Pelosi on August 24, 2008 | 1 Comment »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Iowa on Sept. 8 to tour flood damaged areas of the state, Congressman Dave Loebsack’s office announced Saturday.
“She personally assured me that when Congress reconvenes in September we will take up and pass a second disaster assistance package,” Loebsack said in a statement. “However, before we [...]
No merger, no parasites
Posted in County Government, tagged Cedar Rapids, Curt Zingula, Linn County, merger on August 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Blogger’s Note: This is most of an e-mail Zingula sent out in response to the Gazette’s Sunday editorial floating the idea of merging city and county government. If you want to contribute to this blog, please send me an e-mail at adam.belz@gazcomm.com
By Curt Zingula
Whether you are talking about Indianapolis/Marion County, Nashville/Davidson County, Louisville/Jefferson County or Jacksonville/Duval [...]
Mahaney: Oh the memories!
Posted in County Government, Flood, tagged Emergency Management Agency, Linn County, Rich Mahaney on August 20, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Right here, you can see the straight news story on Rich Mahaney’s immanent departure from the Linn County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
“Personal reasons” don’t count as a reason for anything, so if anyone wants to chime in here, feel free. Anyone have any idea why he’s leaving?
Now, his exit is slightly mysterious, but it’s probably not [...]
Property taxes due but delayed
Posted in County Government, Flood, tagged Linn County, Mike Stevenson, property taxes on August 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
CEDAR RAPIDS — Property tax bills will arrive a little late this year because Linn County’s mainframe was damaged by floodwaters, Treasurer Mike Stevenson said.
But make no mistake, the bills are coming some time in September and they’re due to be paid within 30 days of their arrival in your mailbox. Even for flood victims.
These [...]
C.R. natives throw Chicago flood fundraiser
Posted in Flood, tagged Cedar Rapids, Chicago, Flood on August 18, 2008 | 1 Comment »
CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids native is organizing a fundraiser in Chicago to benefit flood victims in Cedar Rapids.
Randi Mutnick, 28, her husband Dave and other Cedar Rapids natives living in Chicago are hosting a party — entry fee $50 — at the DeLux Bar & Grill, 669 N Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, Aug. 21 [...]
County managers won’t get overtime
Posted in Flood, tagged Linn County, Managers on August 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
It looks like Linn County will not follow the city’s lead in paying overtime to salaried employees who worked extra hours during the flood and its aftermath.
“I don’t believe there’s any interest in us doing that,” Linn County Supervisor Linda Langston said. “While we’re grateful, we’re also financially challenged. I think part of the reality [...]
