Featured Stories
– Linn County is accepting naloxone distribution machines
– Cedar Rapids restaurant ordered to repay nearly $30,000 in tips and penalties
– Go green for St. Patrick’s Day events around Cedar Rapids
Episode transcription
Free naloxone is coming to Linn County soon.
And a Cedar Rapids restaurant has since paid back nearly $30,000 in back wages and damages for improper tip pooling.
Additionally, St. Patrick's Day celebrations are being held around Cedar Rapids. Stay tuned for this weekend's activities.
Welcome to the Friday, March 15th edition of the Gazette Daily News Podcast. This podcast provides a quick look at the latest headlines from The Gazette newsroom. I'm Bailey Cichon.
First, Linn County Public Health is working to provide the public with seven vending machines stocked with free naloxone and other harm prevention supplies. Naloxone can reverse an overdose and is harmless when given to people who have not experienced an overdose. The machine will also stock wound care kits, condom packs, hygiene kits, alcohol swabs, tampons and sharps containers. Other states are using vending machines to distribute naloxone, said Linn County Public Health Clinical Services Branch Director Heather Meador. “It's really about lowering barriers and making it easier for clients and their families and friends to get the resources they need.” End Quote. Funding for the machines and naloxone comes from $150,000 allocated to the county as part of a national settlement with opioid drug manufacturers. Other supplies provided will be funded through other resources. The Linn County Substance Abuse Steering Committee will manage the upkeep of the machine. The group is comprised of representatives from government and nonprofit organizations working to minimize the effects of drug use in the county. The location of the vending machines is still being finalized, but Meador said the machines will be installed indoors and outdoors. From 2018 to 2022, the number of drug-related deaths in Linn County increased from 19 to 36.
Next, Lou's Deli in Newborg was ordered to pay nearly $30,000 in wages and damages by the U.S. Department of Labor after the restaurant's management was found to have improperly pooled tips over the years. Ta. The department's investigation found that Lu's Deli, located at 1010 Third St. SE, improperly distributed tips to management for at least two years, from September 2021 to September 2023. The investigation began in September after an employee discovered documents identifying the restaurant's ownership. Laurie Konecny participated in the tip pool herself. The charges were confirmed by investigation. As a result, the cafe paid more than $14,000 in unpaid wages and $14,000 in damages to 19 employees. Additionally, it paid a $1,325 fine to the Department of Labor. The ministry said all unpaid wages, damages and fines have been paid.
The charges arose after now-former employee Carla Angelotti and a co-worker discovered a stack of the owner's pay stubs on a shelf in a supply closet. Angelotti said the pay stub included a section for tips the owner received even during the holiday pay period. It is illegal for employers, including managers and supervisors, to keep any portion of tips for any purpose. Employers cannot require employees to pass on a portion of their tips to the employer or management, even if the employee is receiving minimum wage. Read the full story at Gazette.com or click the link in this episode's description.
Cedar Rapids has several St. Patrick's Day traditions, including the annual Sapada Paso Parade. It begins Sunday at 1 p.m. The route begins at Sixth St. SE, turns onto Second Avenue, joins Second St., returns on Third Avenue, and ends at Greene Square. Plus, St. Patrick's Day is one of the few times you can go to Tycoon Bar in downtown Cedar Rapids. The large windows are the perfect place to watch the Sapada Paso parade. However, if you are looking for other options, here are some of the events listed on The Gazette. Visit thegazette.com or hooplanow.com.
On Saturdays, you can enjoy an Irish music jam at Lion Bridge Brewing Company in Cedar Rapids' Czech Village. Enjoy traditional bangers, mash and World Beer Cup winner Old 17 Irish Stout while listening to live music.
A bar crawl will be held in downtown Cedar Rapids for audiences 21 and older, and costumes are welcome. From 4pm until just before midnight on Saturday, you can check in at Pub 217 and go bar hopping downtown, enjoying a mid-party at Rock Bar and an after-party at Hazzard County. Tickets are $20 per person for groups of four or more. Single tickets are $25 today and $30 tomorrow.
There's also NiBeSaPaDaPaSo, Night Before SaPaDaPaSo, or, all told, Night Before St. Patrick's Day Parade Society. The event is a pre-parade celebration featuring Irish stories and traditional Irish music. Catch performances at Mirror Box Theater in Cedar Rapids on Saturdays at 7pm and 9pm.
On Sunday, after the parade, the Champagne Academy of Irish Dance will offer free Irish dance performances and mini-lessons at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. It begins at 3:15 p.m. that day.
There are more fun St. Paddy's Day events happening across eastern Iowa. See the full list of events in this episode's description or at Gazette.com.
So let's take a look at the weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It will be sunny today. The expected high temperature is 58 degrees and the low temperature is 38 degrees. It will be windy Saturday. The expected high temperature is 57 degrees and the low temperature is 28 degrees. The weather in Cedar Rapids should be good for the parade. It will be sunny. The high temperature that night is expected to be 40 degrees and the low 18 degrees.
Thank you for listening to the Gazette Daily News Podcast. Get the latest news from Eastern Iowa at Gazette.com. I'm Bailey Cichon.
Comment: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com
