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Expanded death and disability benefits for first responders in 49 Iowa cities

News

May 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Death and disability benefits for first responders in dozens of Iowa cities will change July 1st. Under current law, firefighters, police and E-M-Ts in those cities are eligible for disability as well as death benefits if they’re diagnosed with one of 14 types of cancer that could be connected to their work. The governor has approved legislation that lets those first responders be eligible for disability benefits for ANY type of cancer as well as heart or lung diseases. Their spouses or children will be eligible for benefits if any of those illnesses leads to death.

Representative Eric Gjerde of Cedar Rapids is a volunteer Linn County deputy. “This is a great piece of legislation for the folks that serve on the front lines of our communities, our municipal police officers, our fire fighters and our first responders,” Gjerde says. “It’s something that has been worked on for a very long time.”

The law also requires local governments to cover the costs of mental health evaluations as part of the annual physicals for police officers and firefighters. First responders diagnosed with a mental illness connected to their service also could qualify for disability benefits.

Here’s the list of cities involved in the Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System of Iowa AND an asterisk means only POLICE get pensions through the system in that city: Ames, Ankeny, Bettendorf, Boone, Burlington, Camanche, Carroll*, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Centerville, Charles City, Clinton, Clive*, Council Bluffs, Creston, Davenport, Decorah, Des Moines, DeWitt*, Dubuque, Estherville*, Evansdale*, Fairfield, Fort Dodge, Fort Madison, Grinnell, Indianola*, Iowa City, Keokuk, Knoxville*, LeMars*, Maquoketa*, Marion, Marshalltown, Mason City, Muscatine, Newton, Oelwein, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Pella*, Sioux City, Spencer, Storm Lake, Urbandale, Waterloo, Waverly*, Webster City, West Des Moines.

Posted in News |

Feds to sue to block Iowa’s immigration law

News

May 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The federal government intends to file a lawsuit tomorrow (Tuesday) to block enforcement of an Iowa law that makes illegal re-entry into the U.S. a state crime. The new law, signed by Governor Reynolds in April, also lets Iowa judges issue deportation orders for people arrested in Iowa who entered the country illegally. Delegates at the Iowa G-O-P’s state convention cheered the governor this weekend when she mentioned the law.

“Now the Biden Administration and the Department of Justice are threatening to sue me and the State of Iowa for, get this, for punishing people who are breaking the law. You can’t make it up,” Reynolds said. “I will never back down and I will never apologize for keeping Iowa and Iowans safe and for standing for the Constitution.” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird told state convention delegates the situation at the U-S/Mexico border out of control and she’ll defend the new state law in court.

Over 1000 delegates gathered in Clive for the Iowa GOP’s State Convention on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (RI photo)

“I’ve got something to tell the Biden Administration in response. Go pound sand, right?” Bird said, to cheers. “Maybe instead of suing people who enforce our laws they should try to secure the border for a day or two, right? That’s where the energy needs to be. They need to keep our country safe.”

In a letter to state officials, the U-S Justice Department said the Iowa law conflicts with federal immigration law and interferes with the functions of the federal government. A federal lawsuit is blocking a similar law in Texas from going into effect. In 2012, the U-S Supreme Court ruled the federal government, not states, had authority to set immigration policy. Since then, four new justices have been appointed to the court.

Posted in News |

High School Boys and Girls Soccer results from Saturday May 4th

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

Boys

Waukee 1, Treynor 0

Treynor 2, Bondurant-Farrar 1

WDM Valley 7, Abraham Lincoln 1

Bishop Heelan Catholic, 10 Ballard 0

Bishop Heelan Catholic, 6 Carroll 1

 

Girls 

Treynor 1 Van Meter 0 — 2 OT/PKs

Southeast Polk 4, Abraham Lincoln 0

Dowling Catholic 3, Abraham Lincoln 0

Thomas Jefferson 4, Sioux Center 0

Posted in Sports |

High School Boys Golf results from Saturday May 4th

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

LARRY CLARK KUEMPER CATHOLIC INVITATIONAL (@ Carroll)

1.Kuemper Catholic (298)

1. Maverick Schwabe (70)

4. Braxton Vonnahme (74)

5. Carter Putney (76)

7. Kayden Schon (78)

8. Jack Lenz (79)

 

2.Atlantic (321)

6. Hudson McLaren (78)

15. Sam Brosam (80)

 

9.Harlan (347)

9. Jonas Reynolds (79)

 

11. Denison-Schleswig (353) 

13. Easton Emery (80)

 

Hamburg, (NTS) 

3. Keith Thompson (73)

Posted in Sports |

Iowa State’s Darien Porter on replacing T.J. Tampa

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

Darien Porter hopes to help fill the hole left by All-American cornerback T.J. Tampa at Iowa State. The native of Bettendorf began his career as a receiver and was moved to defensive back prior to the 2022 season.

Porter says Tampa won’t be easy to replace.

Porter says the defense is using a 36-26 loss to Memphis in the Liberty Bowl as motivation.

The Cyclones open next season at home on August 31st against North Dakota

Posted in Sports |

Hawkeyes Walk Off Wildcats to Sweep Series

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Northwestern, 6-5, in 13 innings on Sunday afternoon at Duane Banks Field.
“It was a big game for this team,” said head coach Rick Heller. “To have this kind of weekend and get a sweep. Get a win on senior day and wins in front of a big crowd all three days. To do it without the guys we were missing, it says a lot about the makeup and character of the guys on this team.”
It was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Hawkeyes and Wildcats tied at 5-5 at the end of regulation. Redshirt freshman Kellen Strohmeyer played the role of hero after entering on defense in the top half of the frame. Michael Seegers hit a double and Strohemeyer brought him home to end the game with a single to left center in just his 17th at bat of the season.
“You have to stay focused,” said Strohmeyer. “You never know when stuff like that happens. Always trusting the work that we do during the week in batting practice. I think that was my first at bat in conference play so far. Just prepare for situations like that because even if they don’t come a lot, you have to take advantage of them.”
The Iowa bullpen stepped up and held the Wildcats to just two hits in the final seven innings. Chas Wheatley threw the final inning to earn the win.
Marcus Morgan got the start for Iowa, throwing 4 1/3 innings and allowing one run on three hits; he struck out eight Wildcat batters. Four other Hawkeye arms bridged Morgan and Wheatley. Ben DeTaeye threw 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits.
Ganon Archer, Jack Young and Aaron Savary combined to throw six innings, allowing two hits while striking out six.
Andy Nelson and Raider Tello each had two RBIs. Nelson was 3-for-5 and scored two runs, and Tello was 2-for-4. Michael Seegers collected two hits and Connor Hennings scored two runs.
Iowa outhit Northwestern 14-10 but left 16 runners stranded to Northwestern’s 15.
The Hawkeyes return to action with a three-game series at Illinois on May 10-12.

Posted in Sports |

Cyclones Celebrate Nine Players on Senior Day

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (20-30, 6-18 Big 12) wrapped up the regular season on Sunday, falling to UCF (30-22, 12-15 Big 12) at the Cyclones Sports Complex by a score of 4-0 on Senior Day.

The Cyclones celebrated nine seniors on the after, with eight of the nine appearing in game. Karlie Charles, Kali Gose, Sophie Maras, Camille Marin, Milaysia Ochoa, Alesia Ranches and Carli Spelhaug all started on senior day while both Abby Gunter and Kelly Treves saw action over the weekend.

Iowa State was held to just two hits on the day, with both coming from the top of the order. Ochoa and Angelina Allen both notched singles while Maras drew a pair of walks and Ashley Minor reached via HBP.

Continuing her solid pitching from Friday, Charles (5-8) got her second start in the circle of the series on Sunday. She was lights out for the first five innings before a pair of big swings from UCF turned the tide of the game. Charles came off the field with one out to go in the seventh to a standing ovation before Lauren Schurman finished the frame.

UCF’s three and four hitters, Shannon Doherty and Sona Halajian, each had a pair of hits on the day. Doherty had a two-run homer in the sixth to break the stalemate. Jada Cody had the other big swing for the Knights, as the third baseman launched a homer for the second straight game in the top of the seventh.

Sarah Willis (9-9) bounced back from her poor Friday outing by tossing a complete game and allowing just the two hits. Willis struck out six Cyclones in the process.

How it Happened

The two teams combined for three hits in the first frame, but things called down after that. Both pitchers, Charles and Willis, really settled in, as the second, third and fourth innings went three up, three down on each side.

The Knights notched their third hit of the game in the fifth but ended up stranding the runner as the game turned to the sixth.

 

UCF broke the stalemate in the sixth, taking a two-run lead. With a runner on first, Doherty cranked a homer to dead center to give the Knights a lead. UCF plated two more in the seventh via Jada Cody two-run homer to extend its lead, eventually going on to win, 4-0.

On Deck

The Cyclones now turn their attention to the postseason, as the Big 12 Softball Championship begins this week in Oklahoma City. Iowa State will face off with Texas Tech for the first time this season in the opening round of the tournament after the previous series was canceled due to weather. ISU and TTU will meet on Wednesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be livestreamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa Defeats Illinois in Season Finale

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Iowa softball team took the series finale against Illinois, 6-5, in eight innings on Sunday afternoon at Eichelberger Field.

Sophomore Jalen Adams got the start for the Hawkeyes today allowing only one hit in two innings of work. Seniors Grace Banes and Brylee Klosterman went a combined 5-for-6 at the plate with two RBIs in the game.

The Illini got on the board first with an RBI single up the middle to score one in the bottom of the third. Iowa got on the board in the fifth as Banes and sophomore Tory Bennett each had RBI doubles to bring in three runs to give the Hawkeyes the lead, 3-1. The Illini quickly took back the lead, 4-3, in the home half of the innings on two RBI doubles of their own to plate three. Illinois tacked on another run in the sixth on a pass ball to extend their lead to two.

Banes started the seventh with a double to the wall and came around to score on an RBI single from Bennett to get the Hawkeyes within one. Freshman Devin Bowman singled to right field and Bennett came home after an Illini error to tie the game at five.

Freshman Andrea Jaskowiak (2-0) worked around a one out single in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings. Sophomore Echo Mattiello led off the eighth with Iowa’s fifth double of the game. Illinois had another throwing error on a sacrifice bunt from Skylinn Pogue to allow Mattiello to come around to score to give Iowa the lead, 6-5. Jaskowiak retired the Illini hitters in the final frame to secure the victory for Iowa.

The Hawkeyes finished the game with six runs on 11 hits and one error.

Posted in Sports |

Hawkeyes Take Series Against Northwestern

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Northwestern, 9-1, on Saturday night at Duane Banks Field.
“I was really happy,” said head coach Rick Heller. “There were so many quality at bats today where there was no reward. To finally have it break through shows you that the mentality was right. That it was next pitch, we can’t control what happened in the past. We didn’t let it fester and cause frustration, the guys just kept at it.”
The Hawkeyes were led on the mound by Brody Brecht who spun his third consecutive gem. The Ankeny, Iowa, native threw eight innings and struck out 12 while allowing just two hits and one run.
“Controlling what I can control,” said Brecht. “Taking it one pitch at a time, executing one pitch. Whether it’s a double, a home run or a strikeout I am going to approach that next pitch the same way.”
Brant Hogue pitched the final inning of the game and allowed a solo home run but forced a flyout and struck out two.
After falling behind 1-0 the Hawkeyes put up three runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth to take a 4-1 lead. A five-run eighth inning put the game away as Iowa poured on the insurance runs.
Raider Tello had a 3-for-4 day with two runs and two RBIs. Andy Nelson was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and Gable Mitchell was 2-for-4. Reese Moore added three RBIs including a two-run home run.
“It was a really good game overall,” said Heller. “All the way around, a good team win. The dugout was great. Everything was the way you would want it after a game like the one we had last night. There was no let down.”
The Hawkeyes will have a chance to sweep the series against the Wildcats in game three tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. (CT) at Duane Banks Field.

Posted in Sports |

UCF Evens Series, Downs ISU in Six

Sports

May 5th, 2024 by admin

AMES, Iowa – After a run-rule win in five innings in the series-opener, Iowa State (20-29, 6-17 Big 12) got a taste of its own medicine in game two, as UCF (29-22, 11-15 Big 12) responded on Saturday, evening the series at one apiece at it run-ruled the Cyclones, 12-3, in six innings of action.

The UCF bats that produced just two hits on Friday came alive on Saturday, as the Knights produced 13 hits – eight of which went for extra bases. Four Knights had multiple hits on the game while three had multiple RBI.

For the Cyclones, Alesia Ranches was the only player to earn more than one hit, as the fifth-year senior blasted a home run in her second straight game. Tiana Poole, Milaysia Ochoa and Ashley Minor also procured hits on the day.

After a dominant outing at Drake where she picked up her third save of the season, Jaiden Ralston (4-8) was unable to subdue the UCF bats as she gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits. Aziza Rodriguez also saw time in the circle, matching Ralston’s six runs given up and picking up a pair of punchouts.

Shannon Doherty had a game-high three hits for the Knights as well as a game-high three RBI. Third baseman Jada Cody also had a monster game for UCF as she had two RBI on two hits with a walk. She also flashed the leather on multiple occasions at the hot corner, preventing Cyclone hits.

Kaitlyn Felton (11-5) picked up the win for the Knights, tossing five innings and allowing three runs on five hits. Felton notched three strikeouts before being replaced by Katelyn Cochran who hurled the final stanza, recording two punchouts.

How it Happened

The first inning was scoreless on each side – and was the only scoreless frame of the afternoon.

UCF got the scoring started in the second inning. Chloe Evans laced a leadoff double to the wall and would eventually steal third, putting the Knights in a good spot with no outs. A Jasmine Williams sac fly would bring her in and make it 1-0 early.

UCF tacked on two more in the third. Another RBI from Williams, this time a double, scored one and then a Cyclone error allowed another to cross.

The Knights then proceeded to plate three runs in the next four innings, running their team total to 12 by the end of the game.

ISU’s first run would come in the fourth via Minor who blasted a leadoff, first-pitch solo shot to put ISU on the board.

Then, in the fifth inning, losing 9-1 and down to their final strike, Alesia Ranches belted a two-run homer to trim the Knight lead to six and avoid a five-inning run rule.

UCF would ultimately secure the run rule victory with their fourth-straight three run inning in the sixth, as the Knights tied the series up at one apiece heading into Sunday.

On Deck

Iowa State will conclude the regular season tomorrow, May 5, when it hosts the UCF Knights at the Cyclone Sports Complex for the third and final game of the regular season finale series. Sunday’s game is also Senior Day. Tomorrow’s action begins at noon and will be livestreamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Posted in Sports |