TAMA COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – Two people are seriously hurt after a head-on collision on a rural Tama County gravel road Monday afternoon. At approximately 4:12 p.m. Monday, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office received a report through an automated crash detection system on a driver’s phone in the 2400 block of M Avenue. It happened on a rural gravel road near the crest of a hill. Deputies say both drivers were travelling in the middle of the road and couldn’t see each other over the hill. Both drivers are seriously injured but expected to recover. The sheriff’s office is reminding drivers to slow down before hilltops and stay to the right on gravel roads. Officials say blind spots on hills make it impossible to see oncoming traffic.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Parents across the Cedar Rapids Community School District are voicing frustration and uncertainty as district leaders consider proposals that could close as many as seven schools in an effort to balance the budget. The district is currently weighing two separate plans — one that focuses solely on enrollment numbers, and another that also takes student poverty levels into account. Under both proposals, Wright, Cedar River Academy at Taylor, Cleveland, Nixon, and Pierce elementary schools would close, along with Truman Preschool. Only one of the plans includes the closure of Johnson STEAM Academy. Families say the possible closures have left them with more questions than answers, particularly when it comes to how the district determined which schools could be shut down and what the changes would mean for students already facing frequent transitions. Several parents told TV9 they are especially concerned about stability — noting that some students, including children enrolled in specialized programs for autism, have already been moved between buildings in recent years. Other parents worry the uncertainty could push families out of the district entirely. The district is facing an $11 million budget deficit. School closures would save at least $6 million each year, according to district leaders. A final vote on the proposed closures is expected by the end of the month.
TIFFIN, Iowa (KCRG) – Authorities have identified the victim who died after a shooting in Tiffin over the weekend. At approximately 11:45 a.m. Saturday, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a shooting at 445 Iris Court in Tiffin. Upon arrival, deputies found 57-year-old Lee Krogh of Iowa City outside of the building with a gunshot wound. Krogh was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who may have been driving on Highway 6 between the Coralville Lowe’s and Tiffin on Saturday between 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., who may have witnessed erratic driving behavior between two vehicles or have dash camera videos or security footage of such events, to contact Detective Schuerer at [email protected] or call 319-356-6020. The incident remains under investigation…