Hannah Stuelke thankful for what she’s learned from Iowa women’s basketball’s upperclassmen.

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Government Notes: Cedar Rapids looks to honor Hannah Stuelke, Hawkeye women

Cedar Rapids Washington’s Hannah Stuelke holds onto the ball under pressure in a game at Cedar Rapids Kennedy on Dec. 20, 2019. The Cedar Rapids City Council aims to honor Stuelke, now a star forward with the Iowa Hawkeyes. (The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said at last week’s council meeting the city plans to recognize the accomplishments of “our local favorite daughter Hannah Stuelke,” a Cedar Rapids Washington High School alum, and her Iowa Hawkeye teammates after their second-consecutive NCAA championship appearance.

“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. Residents may view the report at cityofmarion.org/government/water/documents-reports.

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.

Residents in the Cedar Rapids Community School District should have received the survey in their mailbox or email last month to gather insights from staff, families and community members.

The survey is “crucial” to helping district officials understand the needs of the community, Superintendent Tawana Grover said in a newsletter earlier this month.

The survey is being administered by School Perceptions, an independent research firm. Survey results will be presented to the Cedar Rapids school board May 13 to help guide facility planning.

The confidential survey asks residents if they voted for the November bond issue, which failed to gain approval. If they voted no, why? And what college and career readiness classes and programs are most important to you?

The survey also will ask residents if they would support renewing the district’s Physical Plant & Equipment Levy expected to be on the ballot this September.

The Physical Plant & Equipment Levy, or PPEL, is an existing capital projects fund used for repairs, construction and remodeling of buildings and major equipment purchases, including technology. It must be renewed by voters every 10 years.

Cedar Rapids residents are invited to tour Garfield Elementary School, 1201 Maplewood Dr. NE, from 10 a.m. to noon May 4. The school will close at the end of this school year, with students attending the new Trailside school, 2630 B Ave. NE, in the fall. (The Gazette)

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.