(Radio Iowa) – The first phase of a plan to modernize the 48-year-old UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls was completed last month and the board that governs the University of Northern Iowa has approved moving ahead with the second phase of the project.

“A project that will significantly transform the look and experience of one of the most iconic buildings in the state,” Michael Hager, University of Northern Iowa senior vice president for finance and operations, told the Iowa Board of Regents Property and Facilities Committee this week.

The UNI-Dome hosts the high school football championships and hosts UNI football games. The dome has been updated, with a new Teflon-coated fiberglass roof. “Everything is tight and dry now,” Hager said, “and we can move on to Phase II.”

Upgrades to the UNI-Dome will include wider seats. (UNI photo)

UNI officials say the $16 million dollar for the second phase of the project is focused on the fan experience. “Phase II will be one of the more visible phases, one of the more exciting phases. It will include restroom additions and for the record, we are adding two women’s restrooms for every male restroom,” Hager said. “…I have personal experience living with one of those women that will be very pleased to see more restrooms in that facility.”

The aisles in seating areas will be widened and handrails will be added. Seating capacity will drop from about 16,000 to around 12,000 for sporting events Hager said that’s due to wider aisles and the removal of some seating to expand loge boxes, plus each seat will be wider.

“All the seats are currently 18 inches in there. They will move up to at least 20 inches. Apparently over the last few decades people have gotten a little wider,” Hager said. “And then in the loge boxes, the seats will be closer to 22 or 24 inches then as well.”

The upgrades to seating will have a positive financial impact, according to Hager. “By having a lack of premium seating, we’ve missed out on a revenue stream there and then just having the outdated facilities we haven’t sold as many tickets as what we think we will sell,” Hager said. “We’re more likely to have events that are closer to capacity and that just makes for a more robust event than one that has a lot of empty seats.”

There were 25,000 people at the Fleetwood Mac concert in the UNI-Dome back in 1989, but Hager said given changes in the music industry the UNI-Dome is likely not a big enough arena to attract major acts.

(Radio Iowa) – A southeast Iowa man faces more than one-thousand charges after investigators allegedly found a large amount of child pornography in his possession.

Hunter Bresch (Wapello County Jail photo)

Court records say 22-year-old Hunter Bresch of Ottumwa submitted a tip to the FBI in November 2022 that someone sent him child sexual abuse materials over the internet.

A subsequent investigation unveiled a file share account allegedly owned by Bresch that contained 16,000 files of different children involved in sexual acts.

Bresch later told investigators he tipped off the FBI because another user did not send him the illicit materials he paid for.

He’s been charged with 1,000 counts of possession of depictions of a minor engaged in a sex act and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Bresch is currently in the Wapello County Jail where his bond has been set at $100,000 dollars.

(Atlantic, Iowa) [updated 8:30-a.m.*]- Cass County Sheriff’s deputies were asked to search for a possible suspect in an aircraft laser targeting incident that reportedly took place Thursday night. The Cass County Communications Center was notified by Minneapolis Air Traffic Control (ATC) that an aircraft traveling at an altitude of about 3,600-feet reported to the ATC, the pilot had seen a blue laser light that they thought was pointed at their aircraft. Cass County deputies were asked to search the area of 770th and Tucson Road (Southeast of Massena) for a possible suspect.

A statement provided to KJAN by the FAA said: “The pilot of a single-engine Cessna 172 reported being illuminated by a blue laser approximately 40 miles southwest of Des Moines International Airport in Iowa around 8:15 p.m. local time on Thursday, Nov. 7. No injuries were reported. Local authorities were notified. The FAA will investigate.”

Image from FAA.gov

*In a text message, Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Westering confirmed with KJAN “Deputies responded to the area. Aside from finding a residence in the area with blue lights on, nothing was found.”

The FAA says “Intentionally aiming lasers at aircraft[s] poses a safety threat to pilots and violates federal law. Many high-powered lasers can incapacitate pilots flying aircraft that may be carrying hundreds of passengers.” U.S. law enforcement agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration may seek criminal and civil prosecution against violators. People who shine lasers at aircraft face FAA fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents.