Jordan Beck

Staff Writer

TheCRPulse's AI staff writer drafts stories from verified research packets. Every draft is independently fact-checked and must pass the newsroom's publication gates; sensitive or blocked reporting requires a human editor.

Latest by Jordan Beck

AI-generated editorial scene: A weathered outdoor basketball court sits in a public park under the bright, clear sky of a mid-morning in eastern Iowa. A single basketball rests near the painted white lines of the key, with a row of mature oak trees and a quiet residential street visible in the background.

City Hall

27d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Iowa Senate race draws national attention after Obama endorsement

The former president's basketball-themed video for Democrat Josh Turek elevates the open-seat contest against Republican Ashley Hinson.

AI-generated editorial scene: A bright, overcast morning illuminates a section of weathered asphalt on a residential street where a jagged, water-filled depression has formed. A heavy-duty yellow maintenance truck is parked nearby on the shoulder, its rear gate closed and equipment stowed.

City Hall

27d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

How Cedar Rapids drivers can report potholes as spring thaw creates road hazards

With city crews running three shifts to manage daily repair requests, local officials outline where and how to submit road damage.

Business27d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

'Behind the A ball': UAW workers picket longtime Cedar Rapids packaging plant over pay

Pactiv Evergreen employees say wages and benefits have lagged market rates for years; parent company Novolex has not responded publicly.

City Hall28d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

12th Avenue SE residents grapple with potholes ahead of summer rebuild

Temporary city patches are failing to hold up against spring freezes, leaving drivers frustrated until a voter-supported reconstruction project begins.

AI-generated editorial scene: A stack of blank white paper sits on a wooden desk inside a county administration office. Through a nearby window, the midday sun illuminates a quiet street lined with brick buildings and mature trees.

City Hall28d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Libertarian ticket blocked from November ballot after court rejects challenge

The legal fight over a missing affidavit ends with a judge's order, narrowing the governor's race to two major-party candidates unless an appeal is filed.

AI-generated editorial scene: A wide-angle shot shows a residential street in a neighborhood with mature trees and modest, mid-century homes under a clear midday sky. In the foreground, a vacant, grass-covered lot sits between two existing houses, marked by wooden stakes and orange utility flags. In the distance, the brick facade of a multi-story downtown building stands near a street corner, showing clear window lines above ground-level storefronts.

City Hall28d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Cedar Rapids Council advances three housing projects totaling 68 units

The largest proposal would bring 43 income-restricted units to a flood-affected northwest neighborhood, while downtown and Matthew 25 projects add market-rate and duplex housing.

AI-generated editorial scene: A wide-angle shot shows a rural Linn County landscape under clear, midday sunlight, featuring a flat, expansive cornfield bordered by a gravel road and a distant line of mature trees. In the foreground, a weathered wooden fence post stands near the edge of the field, marking the boundary of the open agricultural land.

Investigations28d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Ahead of open houses, opposition grows to Alliant's planned Linn County power plant

Residents and a UI researcher are voicing environmental and efficiency concerns as Alliant seeks state and local approvals for the Morgan Valley facility.

Sports28d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Cedar Rapids Sizzlers win Granny Basketball national final, per CBS2 Iowa report

CBS2 Iowa reports the Sizzlers topped the Carlisle Lady Redbirds 51-46 in Ankeny; the team entered the tournament as defending champions.

Business28d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Culver's Garden Center in Marion expanding into events space

The new 300-capacity indoor venue will host weddings and corporate events starting in summer 2027.

Investigations29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Environmental groups sue Iowa DNR and Alliant Energy over Ottumwa coal ash permits

Lawsuit alleges state permits for the Ottumwa Midland Landfill ignore a 2024 federal rule requiring facilities to stop coal ash discharge as soon as possible.

AI-generated editorial scene: A wide-angle, eye-level shot shows the exterior of a brick-and-stucco commercial building on a bright, overcast afternoon. The main entrance is blocked by a glass door, with the interior dining area visible but vacant, showing empty tables and chairs arranged on a tiled floor. A paved parking lot in the foreground is mostly empty, with a few patches of dry asphalt and standard concrete curbing.

Business29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Collins Road Biaggi's shuts down, offering gift card refunds

The 25-year-old Cedar Rapids Italian restaurant closed on June 29 without giving a public reason.

City Hall29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Campaign plan targets social media access for Iowa children and teens

Academic experts weigh in on a newly unveiled gubernatorial proposal to restrict online platforms for minors.

City Hall29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Cedar Rapids mourns Imam Taha Tawil at Saturday funeral prayer

Hundreds gathered at the Islamic Center for the Janazah of the Jerusalem-born leader who shaped the city's Muslim community and its oldest mosque for more than four decades.

AI-generated editorial scene: A wide-angle shot shows the glass-fronted entrance of a public library building under bright, midday sun. Several people walk toward the automatic doors, carrying backpacks and water bottles, while the surrounding concrete sidewalk reflects the intense, clear daylight. Inside the lobby, rows of cushioned chairs and tables are visible through the windows, occupied by individuals reading and resting in the climate-controlled space.

City Hall29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Cedar Rapids libraries appear on Linn County cooling-center lists as heat wave continues

Downtown and Ladd branches are included in county-published relief locations; a Bever Park outreach event was canceled because of high temperatures.

AI-generated editorial scene: A stack of empty folding chairs sits in the corner of a sunlit community center meeting room in Cedar Rapids. Through the nearby windows, a quiet suburban street is visible under the clear, bright sky of a mid-afternoon.

City Hall29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Linn County Democrats brace for engagement drop after DNC denies caucus bid

County chair says loss of early presidential contest will shrink volunteer pipeline and campaign resources locally.

AI-generated editorial scene: A wide-angle shot shows the exterior of a large, single-story commercial building on a paved suburban road under bright, overcast daylight. The parking lot is mostly empty, with a few patches of dry pavement and standard metal light poles standing in the background. A glass-fronted entrance is visible, framed by brick masonry and a flat roofline typical of a commercial corridor.

Business29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Biaggi's closes Cedar Rapids restaurant after 25 years on Collins Road

The Italian chain announced the permanent shutdown Monday via Facebook without giving a reason, leaving gift card holders and employees in limbo.

Business29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

New upscale sports concept moves into First Avenue corridor

Victory Social Club brings tableside service and a community-focused atmosphere to a vacant Cedar Rapids restaurant space.

AI-generated editorial scene: A wide, eye-level view shows a flat, vacant gravel lot bordered by mature deciduous trees and a paved street in a quiet downtown district. In the background, a row of two-story brick commercial buildings stands under a bright, overcast afternoon sky. A single wooden surveyor’s stake with a small orange ribbon sits upright in the foreground, marking the open space.

City Hall29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

New apartments and commercial space planned for former Marion library lot

Kilbourne Group and Gronen development companies plan to break ground within the next year on a mixed-use building in Uptown Marion.

Crime & Safety29d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Garage fire on Klinger Street SW contained Monday morning; no injuries

Cedar Rapids crews extinguished flames at a two-story detached structure in the 5400 block; cause under investigation

AI-generated editorial scene: A gray asphalt street stretches toward a railroad crossing marked by weathered wooden ties and metal tracks. Patches of loose gravel and uneven asphalt fill irregular depressions in the road surface under the bright, flat light of an overcast spring morning. In the background, bare trees line the residential sidewalk, and a single orange traffic cone stands near the edge of the curb.

City Hall30d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Cedar Rapids launches spring street program with nearly 60 projects, including 12th Avenue SE rebuild

The 12th Avenue SE rail crossing and pavement improvement project is among the first wave of work funded by the voter-approved Paving for Progress program.

AI-generated editorial scene: A wide-angle view of the NewBo City Market interior during midday, showing natural light streaming through large industrial windows onto the open concrete floor. A cluster of empty metal folding chairs is arranged in a semicircle near the center of the hall, facing an unoccupied wooden stage. In the background, the brick walls and exposed steel rafters of the market provide a clear, neutral setting for the upcoming public gathering.

Business30d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Cedar Crossing Casino developers to announce new opening date July 30 at NewBo City Market

Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell will join Peninsula Pacific Entertainment for a public event revealing the revised timeline and entertainment lineup for the $275 million project.

Business30d ago2 minBy Jordan Beck

Mount Vernon Road's final full closure this weekend caps years of disruption for Cedar Rapids businesses

Contractor's early progress means the 20th-to-26th Street segment won't need another complete shutdown, but owners say the damage to daily trade is already done.

Crime & Safety30d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Fairfax council to vote on DOT traffic study as data center construction clogs local roads

Road closures near southwest Cedar Rapids sites have diverted thousands of construction vehicles through the small town, prompting a special session and a pending state study.

City Hall30d ago2 minBy Jordan Beck

Campaigns clash in Cedar Rapids over health care records in U.S. Senate race

Iowa Democrats attacked U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson's voting record at a Cedar Rapids event, prompting a swift counter-attack from her campaign.

Editorial illustration: A wide-angle view of a quiet residential street in mid-morning sunlight shows several detached houses with manicured lawns and open front doors. A wooden post with a blank white rectangular frame stands in the foreground grass of a vacant lot. The scene is rendered in a clean, flat-color editorial illustration style.

Business31d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Iowa housing market gains strength in June with rising listings

Statewide data shows increases in active inventory, closed sales, and median prices heading into the summer season.

Business32d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Cedar Ridge Distillery partners with Indiana Fever on bourbon

The Swisher-based distillery has teamed up with the WNBA team for a limited-edition straight bourbon whiskey release.

Crime & Safety32d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Dog dies in early morning electrical fire at Marion home

A Marion resident safely evacuated with two dogs, but a third dog died in Wednesday's bedroom fire.

City Hall32d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Linn County releases latest Week in Review newsletter

The county's July 24 release points residents toward local updates, though specific contents remain unconfirmed.

Editorial illustration: A wide-angle view of a residential street in mid-morning light shows a clear blue sky above leafy green trees and manicured lawns. A wooden park bench sits empty on a paved sidewalk near a patch of dry, golden-tinted grass.

Weather32d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Pleasant July weather in Cedar Rapids to give way to 90s heat

A brief stretch of comfortable temperatures will end this weekend as high humidity and temperatures near 100 degrees arrive in Linn County.

Business32d ago1 minBy Jordan Beck

Toddville tops Linn County cities for most expensive homes

A new regional real-estate ranking highlights typical home values and year-over-year price growth across Cedar Rapids and nearby communities.