Hannah Stuelke Is Grateful For What She Learned From The Upperclassmen Of The Lowa Women’s Basketball Team.

Full interview below!

Hannah Stuelke of Cedar Rapids Washington displayed impressive ball-handling skills while facing tough opposition during a match at Cedar Rapids Kennedy on December 20, 2019. The Cedar Rapids City Council intends to pay tribute to Stuelke, who has since become a standout forward for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell announced during the recent council session that the city is preparing to celebrate the achievements of “our beloved local athlete, Hannah Stuelke,” an alumna of Cedar Rapids Washington High School, as well as her teammates from the Iowa Hawkeyes following their consecutive appearances in the NCAA championship.
“Every time they announced ‘Hannah Stuelke from Cedar Rapids,’ I think we all stood up a little bit taller,” O’Donnell said.

She thanked Stuelke for her dedication and discipline and commended the team on a “phenomenal, historic performance” this past season.

O’Donnell also acknowledged Hawkeye head basketball coach Lisa Bluder, who hails from next-door Marion and is a graduate of Linn-Mar High School.

“What a proud moment that is for our metro area to watch these women make history,” O’Donnell said.
Marion event on service, companion animals

The Marion Civil Rights Commission will host an event — about service and companion animals — to celebrate Fair Housing Month

The event will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 24 in the Community Room at the Marion Public Library, 1101 Sixth Ave.

The event will include a proclamation by Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly; Sheri Ross speaking on the training of service animals; and Eric Skogman speaking on the laws surrounding service animals and companion animals.

Information booths include ones from the Marion Civil Rights Commission, Marion Cares, Waypoint, Marion Economic Development Corp., Habitat for Humanity and Deafinitely Dogs. Additional vendors will be added as space allows.

Marion water quality report
The Marion Water Department is providing its customers with the 2023 annual water quality report.

The report explains where the city’s water comes from, what it contains and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies.
A separate report is available on that website for Glenbrook Cove residents.

Marion closes Hanna pedestrian bridge

The pedestrian bridge in Hanna Park in Marion will be closed indefinitely because a structural failure.

The Marion Parks and Recreation Department determined the bridge — off South Sixth Street — is unsafe and will need to be replaced, which could take two or more years, according to City Manager Ryan Waller’s weekly memo to the community.

Residents are asked to access the park via South Eighth Street and Hillview Drive.

Cedar Rapids school survey due next Monday

The deadline is Monday, April 22, to complete a survey from the Cedar Rapids Community School District to gather input from district residents on school facilities.
Last month, residents within the Cedar Rapids Community School District should have received a survey either in their mailbox or via email. This survey was distributed to gather insights from staff, families, and community members.

Superintendent Tawana Grover emphasized the importance of the survey in understanding the community’s needs, referring to it as “crucial” in a newsletter earlier this month.

Administered by School Perceptions, an independent research firm, the survey results will be presented to the Cedar Rapids school board on May 13 to aid in facility planning.

The confidential survey seeks residents’ feedback on various topics, including their stance on the failed November bond issue, reasons for voting against it, and priorities regarding college and career readiness programs.

Furthermore, residents will be asked if they would support the renewal of the district’s Physical Plant & Equipment Levy, slated for the upcoming September ballot. This levy, known as PPEL, is crucial for funding capital projects such as building repairs, construction, and technology purchases and must be renewed every 10 years by voter approval.

Additionally, Cedar Rapids residents are encouraged to tour Garfield Elementary School on May 4th, located at 1201 Maplewood Dr. NE. The school is set to close at the end of the current school year, with students relocating to the new Trailside school at 2630 B Ave. NE in the fall.
Cedar Rapids residents are invited to tour Garfield Elementary School, 1201 Maplewood Dr. NE, next month before it closes at the end of this academic year.

The open house is planned for Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Garfield students this fall will be attending the new Trailside school, under construction at 2630 B Ave. NE. It will replace the Garfield and Arthur elementary schools and the school attendance zones combined.

the Garfield and Arthur buildings will be repurposed, although there is not yet a plan for the future of the buildings.

The construction of Trailside is part of a 2018 facilities master plan, which calls for building 10 elementary schools and renovating three over the next 15 to 20 years in the Cedar Rapids district. The process includes the closure and repurposing of eight schools.

As part of this plan, the Cedar Rapids district built and opened West Willow Elementary School in August 2021, which replaced Coolidge Elementary. Maple Grove Elementary opened in August 2022 to replace Jackson Elementary.

Each new elementary school will serve between 500 to 600 students. Right now, elementary schools vary in student population, from 200 to 500 students.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Marissa Payne and Grace King contribute.