Some students at Iowa State University are likely having more fun than other students around the state — as they all scramble to finish class projects before the end of the spring semester. That’s because the ISU students, in James Lathrop’s computer science class, are making a video game. It’s not your traditional video game. Ryan Krause is among the students working with Microsoft’s HoloLens to make interactive holograms. “There’s just always new technology to keep up with and find new ways to make it fun for the people,” Krause says.

The holograms create an “integrated reality,” allowing users to interact with the games in their actual environment. Zachary Koehn, a senior at ISU from Atkins, Iowa, is among the group of students that spent an entire academic year developing a game from concept to finished product. “In the first semester, you just end with a prototype. So, all you have is blocks…just a cube on the screen. But, now that we have all of our artist friends doing stuff — we have monster models, actual cards on the field — it looks good now. It finally feels like a game,” Koehn says.

The class initially involved just computer programmers, but eventually, graphic design students like Quinn Van Maanen helped create the game’s characters. “I get to make creatures – like dragons, griffons, werewolves, and goblins,” Van Maanen says. “They’re just really fun to make.” Van Maanen is a 2013 graduate of Rock Valley High School. She’s now hoping to make a career out of what she’s learned at ISU. “I really do want to go into game design because it’s such a mixed media, so you get to touch everything,” Van Maanen says.

The ISU students are scheduled to preview the final version of their game tonight (Wednesday) at 6 p.m.

(Radio Iowa)

ADEL, Iowa (AP) – Voters in Ankeny and in Dallas County have approved bonds for major construction projects. More than 77 percent of Dallas County voters said yes Tuesday to building a $22.9 million jail.

Voters rejected plans to build a replacement jail three times since 2013 as county officials struggle with jail overcrowding. The new facility will have 130 beds and room for expansion and be built on the east side of Adel. There also will be space for jail administration, sheriff’s office staff and inmates’ initial court appearances.

Ankeny voters Tuesday approved an $8.5 million bond measure for a library and a $2.55 million bond measure for the city’s third fire station. Officials have said the projects will not raise taxes.

The reception Governor Terry Branstad got yesterday (Tuesday) from a key U.S. senate committee seems to signal he’ll easily be confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to China. Tennessee Senator Bob Corker Tennessee Senator Bob Corker opened Branstad’s confirmation hearing by saying Branstad understands the challenges he’ll face in China.  “I wish you all the best as you embark on this exciting new venture,” Corker said. Corker later closed the hearing with this: “You’ve had an outstanding hearing,” Corker said. “I think your on-the-ground experiences with China will serve our nation well. I think your understandings of what drives the thinking within China will serve our nation well.”

Branstad emphasized his long-term “friendship” with China’s leader. President Xi’s first trip to the U.S. brought him to Iowa in 1985 and he met Branstad in the governor’s office. In addition, Branstad emphasized the six trade missions he’s led to China during his past 22 years as governor. Senator Corker thanked Branstad for giving up “a very comfortable place” in Iowa. “Apparently issues of reelection are not a problem,” Corker said. Branstad and others laughed, then Corker continued: “to go to a post that’s much more temporary and yet in many ways far more meaningful in terms of our security and the world’s security.” 

Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio also praised Branstad’s performance. “You’ve done a great job and you’ve shown today that you’ve got a grasp for what’s going on over in China and I appreciate that.” Virginia Senator Tim Kaine — the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee last year — told Branstad he was “very happy” to vote “yes” on his nomination. “I’ve got good Democratic friends in Iowa who’d give you high marks, at least as high as they’re going to give to somebody from the other side,” Branstad replied: “They keep reelecting me,” and Kaine continued: “I’m struck by that, too. I come from a state where they only give you one term (as governor)…You’ve had a pretty amazing track record.”

Kaine praised Branstad’s embrace of renewable fuels. Kaine urged Branstad to press the Chinese — and the Trump Administration — to remain committed to greenhouse gas reduction goals. Florida Senator Marco Rubio asked Branstad if he had ever challenged China’s president on a “difficult” issue, like human rights concerns. “Obviously my role as governor is different than my role is going to be as ambassador,” Branstad said.

But Branstad told senators that during a 1986 trip to “the old Soviet Union” he smuggled a book into the country and met with “a group of refuseniks” to find out what was happening in Leningrad. “I’m not bashful about meeting with dissidents or people that feel they’re being discriminated against or treated unfairly,” Branstad said. “I have a history of being willing to do that in my previous role. As ambassador, I think that’s even more important.”

You may have noticed Branstad was talking in the past tense about his days as Iowa’s governor. Much of the committee’s discussion with Branstad centered on the nuclear threat in North Korea.

(Radio Iowa)