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Schedule set for Inaugural Rady Children’s Invitational

Sports

August 17th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

SAN DIEGO – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team will face Oklahoma in the opening game of the inaugural Rady Children’s Invitational on Nov. 23, it was announced Thursday by Sports San Diego.

The Hawkeyes and Sooners will face off at 2 p.m. (CT) followed by a 4:30 p.m. game between Seton Hall and USC.  Iowa will face the Pirates or Trojans at 5 p.m. on Nov. 24.

The early season Thanksgiving holiday tournament will be played at LionTree Arena on the campus of UC San Diego in La Jolla, California.  All four games will be televised on FOX or FS1.

“Sports events have been a pillar of the tourism industry in San Diego,” said Dennis DuBard, 2023 President of Sports San Diego. “Together with Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, FOX Sports, UC San Diego Athletics, and Global Sports & Events – we endeavor to produce the best and most special early season college basketball tournament in the country. San Diego is the perfect place to do this, and we cannot wait to tipoff the inaugural event.”

Iowa leads the all-time series over Oklahoma, 3-2.  The two teams last met in the 1987 NCAA Tournament – a 93-91 Hawkeye victory.  Iowa is 1-1 all-time against Seton Hall and 5-2 against future Big Ten foe USC.

Ticket prices range from $35 to $125 per two-game session.  For tickets, fans can visit www.RadyChildrensInvitational.com. $5 for each ticket sold will be donated to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.

Iowa’s complete schedule will be released once available.

2023 Rady Children’s Invitational Schedule

Nov. 23

2 p.m. — Oklahoma v. Iowa (FS1)

4:30 p.m. — Seton Hall vs. USC (FS1)

Nov. 24

2:30 p.m. — Oklahoma vs. Seton Hall/USC (FOX)

5:00 p.m. — Iowa vs. Seton Hall/USC (FOX)

Unemployment holds steady, workforce participation back to prepandemic level

News

August 17th, 2023 by admin

The state unemployment rate held steady at two-point-seven percent for the third straight month in July. Iowa Workforce Development spokesperson Jess Dougherty says the number of people entering the workforce continues to increase.

He says the workforce participation has steadily worked its way back since the pandemic.

Some economists say they see concern among businesses about ongoing inflation and the state of the national economy. Dougherty says that is an issue in Iowa as well.

The service industries saw some losses in July.

The demand for employees continues to be strong, so when something like the recent closing of a trucking company happens, those 180 workers can often be absorbed into other companies.

Total non-farm employment has gained 14-thousand-400 jobs since last year. Education and health care gained the bulk of those jobs.

Nodaway Valley football coach faces multiple child sex abuse charges

News, Sports

August 17th, 2023 by admin

A southwest Iowa man is facing dozens of child sex abuse charges for allegedly abusing a child for the past decade.

Forty-two-year-old Ryan Kissell had been employed as a coach by Creston schools, but was hired in May to teach and coach in the Nodaway Valley School District in Greenfield. Court records indicate the alleged abuse was not connected to school activities in Creston and did not happen on school property. The Creston News Advertiser was first to report that Kissell was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) and, according to a Creston Police report, the alleged abuse of a child has been going on since 2013. Kissell has been charged with one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, 24 counts of lascivious acts with a child and 21 counts of second degree child sex abuse.

According to statement from the Nodaway Valley School District, Kissell has been placed on administrative leave. He had been hired to be a special education teacher at the high school in Greenfield and as head football coach for the Nodaway Valley/Orient-Macksburg football team. School is scheduled to start next Wednesday in the district.

14 Cyclones Named WGCA Scholastic All-Americans

Sports

August 17th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

AMES, Iowa – For the second straight season, Iowa State had 14 gymnasts named Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WGCA) Scholastic All-Americans.

Iowa State’s 14 WCGA Scholastic All-Americans are tied for the most student-athletes receiving the award in program history. It is the fourth-straight season that the Cyclones have tallied double-digit selections.

Ana Palacios earned WCGA honors for a school-record fifth time, while Laura Cooke, Maya Ford, Madelyn Langkamp and Jade Vella-Wright each earned the recognition for the fourth time. Loganne Basuel claimed her third Scholastic All-American honor and Josie Bergstrom, Hannah Loyim and Rachel Wilke all picked up their second time on the list. Kelsey Boychuk, Madison Matassa, Kaia Parker, Sydney Saturino and Lauren Thomas all were tabbed with the award for the first time.

Both Langkamp and Palacios recorded 4.0 GPAs over the 2022-23 school year.

Iowa State’s 14 recipients were tied for a Big 12-best, as both West Virginia and Oklahoma also had 14 student-athletes recognized. Affiliate program Denver saw 12 members earn the honor.

Student-athletes must maintain a 3.50 or higher GPA during the academic year or cumulatively during their collegiate career to qualify for Scholastic All-America honors.

3 Hawkeyes Named WCGA Scholastic All-Americans

Sports

August 17th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Three University of Iowa women’s gymnasts were named Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-America Award recipients, it was announced Tuesday by the WCGA.

Iowa’s honorees include freshmen Gianna Masella and Kaia Vanney and junior Allison Zuhlke.

WCGA Scholastic All-Americans have a 3.5 overall grade point average or a 3.5 grade point average for 2022-23 academic year.

Vanney, a health studies major, was one of 223 student-athletes in the nation who received a 4.00 GPA. Masella is carrying a 3.83 GPA while majoring in dentistry and Zuhlke has a 3.70 cumulative GPA in enterprise leadership.

Norton and King lead Iowa State running backs

Sports

August 17th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Sophomores Cartevious Norton and Eli King are the most experienced running backs in a group that is missing senior Jirehl Brock at Iowa State. Norton appeared in eight games last season but was hampered by a hamstring injury he suffered in the season opener.

Norton says with experience he has learned to be patient.

Though still early in his career Norton has become one of the leaders of the running back group.

King also appeared in eight games last year and feels he has improved during the offseason.

King says he has become a better student of the game.

Injuries plagued the running backs last year and King says they are trying to do a better job of taking care of their bodies.

The Cyclones open at home on September second against UNI.

Past failures motivate Iowa offense

Sports

August 17th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Iowa’s offense is motivated to stop being a liability this season. The Hawkeyes were 8-5 last season but it could have been much better had they averaged more than a measly 17.7 points per game. An influx of transfers are being counted on to make the offense more productive, including former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara.

That is senior receiver Nico Ragaini who says the offense has something to prove.

Ragaini says McNamara has been a great addition.

Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz had a 25 points per game incentive added to his contract, but the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz is focused on winning.

The added pressure of being the head coach’s son has always been there.

He says McNamara has shown the ability to extend plays in practice.

The Hawkeyes open the season at home on September second against Utah State.

*Big Ten Preview* Michigan State Spartans

Sports

August 17th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Today, we continue our preview of the upcoming Big Ten football season with a 14-team preview over 14 weekdays. Tanner Hoops previews the 2023 Michigan State Spartans:

Tomorrow, we will preview Penn State.

Heartbeat Today 8-17-2023

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

August 17th, 2023 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Emily Wittrock and Myah Honeck about a fund raiser to help the family of Anita Firefighter Coulton Honeck.  The Auction and Benefit Dinner will be held on Saturday, August 26 beginning at 4:00 pm at the Anita Fire Station.

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Lawmakers suggest new rules for Iowa Veterans Fund grants

News

August 17th, 2023 by admin

A group of lawmakers is recommending that new guidelines be developed for grants from the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. The grants are for things like car or home repairs or medical expenses. Republican Senator Mike Klemish of Spillville says there could be different metrics than just income and asset tests, so the grants can address true emergencies.

Republican Representative Megan Jones of Sioux Rapids says the bright line tests of a veteran’s income and assets are causing problems.

The Iowa Veterans Commission ran out of money when it raised income and asset tests for the grants and the governor used pandemic relief funds to address the deficit. Fund managers are recommending grants again be limited to veterans with an income at not more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level who have no more than 15-thousand dollars in assets that could be quickly converted into cash. Todd Jacobus (juh-KOH-bus) is commandant of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs.

Jacobus says veterans are keenly aware of the grants are limited to low income veterans and removing these restrictions would likely prompt a flood of applications.

Senator Nate Boulton, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the Education Savings Accounts Republicans established to cover parents’ private school expenses will soon have no income or asset limits and this program for veterans should abandon its plan to limit who qualifies.

According to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 185-thousand veterans living in Iowa and six percent of them are at or below the federal poverty line.