Q: When will road construction be over on Highway 20 going east? I get on and can’t take an exit until I’m almost out of Waterloo.
A: Pavement replacement from U.S. Highway 63 to Iowa Highway 21 in Waterloo is scheduled to last through fall 2021.
Q: Cedar Falls says you have to have ash trees removed by Aug. 11. If I had my tree professionally serviced and they said it was saved and not infected, can the city still force me to take it down?
A: Call the city of Cedar Falls arborist at (319) 268-5576 for information about tree removal.
Q: Kwik Star and McDonalds have signs up saying there is another national coin shortage. Why is this?
A: According to the Federal Reserve, there is currently an adequate overall amount of coins in the economy. But business and bank closures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted normal circulation patterns for U.S. coins. This slowed pace of circulation reduced available inventories in some areas of the country from which some businesses are still recovering.
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Q: How come the boundary lines keep changing for the Waterloo schools? How many on the east side go to West High and play in sports?
A: Marla Padget, Waterloo Community Schools’ executive director of student and at-risk services, said attendance boundaries have to be fluid as a city grows and existing buildings are maintained. In this last change, Lowell Elementary School had to be rebuilt. She called it a “great opportunity” to alleviate overcrowding at Kittrell Elementary School, as the city is growing in that direction. The expanded Lowell attendance area includes some of the current Kittrell area. Padget also said that there are no voluntary transfer options into West High School. The students who are athletes at West live in that attendance area.
Q: How much would it have cost to fix up Sloan Wallace to maybe use it as a soccer field or keep it as a historical piece?
A: Marty Metcalf, Waterloo Community Schools’ director of operational services, said the cost of fixing up Sloane Wallace Stadium is estimated at $500,000.
Q: Is Waterloo actively trying to fill the empty buildings in the strip mall by Freddy’s?
A: The developer, Crossing Point LLC, would be the primary entity actively trying to fill any vacancies in Crossing Point Plaza.
Q: Does Jim Parsons from “Big Bang Theory” have a degree in physics?
A: No. Parsons earned a B.A: degree in theater from the University of Houston. However, Miyam Bialik, who played neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler on the CBS sitcom, does have a doctorate in neuroscience.
Q: What will the cost of postage stamps be? I heard they are being raised soon.
A: The U.S. Postal Service is seeking to raise the price of a first-class stamp from 55 cents to 58 cents — a 5.5% increase — starting Aug. 29. The Postal Regulatory Commission, an independent federal agency that oversees the USPS, must approve the price increase before it goes into effect.
Q: How can I contact the police department to recommend an officer monitor speed on a street in Waterloo?
A: The non-emergency phone number for the Waterloo Police Department is 291-2515.
Calls are taken on a special Courier phone line at 234-3566. Questions are answered by Courier staff and staff at the Waterloo Public Library.
