Evansdale Search, Embezzeled Millions, Escaped Inmate: Top 7 July Stories on Cedar Falls Patch

It was a fairly intense month of news in the Cedar Valley, with more than one story that garnered national attention. Here are the top seven stories, in no particular order, on our site in July.

1. : The ongoing search for missing Evansdale cousins Lyric Cook-Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins has gripped the Cedar Valley, the state and the nation.

2. : Russell Wasendorf Sr., the founder and CEO of Peregrine Financial Group in Cedar Falls, has been a noted philanthropist and business leader in the Cedar Valley. That made his suicide attempt and arrest on charges of allegedly embezzling millions of dollars over a 20-year period all the more shocking.

3. : Jeremy Mask escaped from the Black Hawk County Jail, allegedly committed an armed robbery, stole several cars and led authorities on a hour-long high-speed chase across three counties.

4. : Cedar Falls sailor Taylor Morris and his girlfriend Danielle Kelly talked with Patch about life after the bomb blast that took parts of all four of his limbs but didn't take his spirit.

5. : We closed out July with the sad news that Drake Martin, who worked at the , died after a fall at Backbone State Park.

6. : In case you live under a cool, shady rock, it was really, really hot this month. So hot they were taking ice instead of cash to get into the .

7. : RAGBRAI riders from across the state, including the fantastic Cedar Valley Cyclists, shared hundreds of photos from their wheeled trip across the state.