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Sama on Doak Walker Award Canidate List

Sports

August 6th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

AMES, Iowa – Abu Sama III has been named to the 2024 Doak Walker Award preseason candidate list, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday.

A 247Sports True Freshman All-America Team selection in 2023, Sama rushed for 614 yards and six touchdowns in his first collegiate season. His 614 yards were the third-most by a freshman in school history while his six scores tied for the third-most.

The Des Moines, Iowa native averaged 7.3 yards per carry which set a new freshman single-season school record. Sama showed he possesses big-play ability with five touchdowns of 50 yards or more last year, the most in a single season at ISU dating back to 1971.

Tickets for the 2024 football season are on sale now with a slate that features Kansas State and a Homecoming showdown with Texas Tech as well as others. Fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $299, while mini-packs, single-game tickets and parking are also on sale.

The Cyclones open the season August 31 against 2023 FCS Playoff qualifier North Dakota.

Posted in Sports |

Williams Named to Doak Walker Award Watch List

Sports

August 6th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior running back Leshon Williams has been named a preseason candidate for the 2024 Doak Walker Award, it was announced Tuesday by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.

The award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back, is named for SMU’s three-time All-American running back Doak Walker. This season marks the 34th edition of the award.

Williams (5-foot-10, 214-pounds) led the team with 170 rushes for 821 yards (4.8 yards per carry) in 2023. He had three 100-yard games during the season, including a career-high 174 yards in the road win at Wisconsin.

The Chicago native, who is an Athlon preseason All-Big Ten fourth team selection this season, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by both the league coaches and media in 2023. He was also a Phil Steele fourth-team All-Big Ten selection and Iowa’s Roy Carver Team Offensive MVP.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2024 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12, 2024.

Former Hawkeye Shonn Greene won the award in 2008, while Albert Young was a semifinalist in 2005.

Iowa opens the season on Aug. 31 against Illinois State. The sold-out game is set for an 11 a.m. (CT) kickoff.

HAWKEYES ON 2024 WATCH LISTS
* Sebastian Castro – Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY) // Jim Thorpe Award (DB)
* Jay Higgins — Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY) // Wuerffel Award (community service)
* Nick Jackson — Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY)
* Leshon Williams — Doak Walker Award (RB)
* Logan Jones – Outland Trophy (OL)
* Drew Stevens – Lou Groza Award (PK)
* Luke Elkin — Mannelly Award (LS)

Posted in Sports |

Northern Iowa basketball moves on after portal hits

Sports

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Northern Iowa basketball coach Ben Jacobson says the Panthers have moved on after getting hit hard by the transfer portal. UNI lost seven players from a team that finished strong in posting a 19-14 record. Leading scorer Nate Heise is now at Iowa State and point guard Bowen Born left for Colorado State.

The Panthers brought in four transfers to join three incoming freshmen.

Jacobson says the Panthers focused on offense during summer workouts.

Jacobson is entering his 19th season as Panther coach. He has led the program to four Missouri Valley regular season titles and four trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Posted in Sports |

Drake basketball coach Ben McCollum on rebuilding the roster

Sports

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Drake basketball coach Ben McCollum has built the Bulldog roster from scratch after a successful run at Northwest Missouri State. Former coach Darian DeVries left for West Virginia and it triggered a mass exodus. The Bulldogs have gone from a potential Missouri Valley Conference favorite to rebuilding mode.

McCollum says summer workouts were even more important after rebuilding the roster.

McCollum had four players from Northwest Missouri State follow him to Drake and he says summer workouts showed him what they had from a talent perspective.

The Bulldogs have posted six straight seasons of 20 wins ore more and have won the last two Valley tournament titles.

Posted in Sports |

Two Iowa stops for national tour promoting birth control access

News

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A giant replica of a device that prevents pregnancy has been installed in public spaces in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines this week, part of a national tour to promote legal access to birth control. Representative Liz Bennett, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, spoke during a news conference staged beside the 20 foot tall inflatable intrauterine device or IUD. She urged Iowa Democrats to learn more about the threats to contraception. “What we’ve seen here in Iowa is part of a national playbook of policies,” Bennett said. “…All across the nation, when elected officials say they believe in policies that ‘protect life all the way from the moment of conception,’ believe them.”

State Senator Zach Wahls, a Democrat from Coralville, said Republicans in the Iowa legislature would not allow debate of a measure to ensure Iowa woman have access to all forms of birth control. “We were stunned when our Republican colleagues refused to let this legislation come forward for a simple public hearing or a subcommittee for one vote,” Wahls said. “They shut down discussion on this topic completely, which is why we had to take our case out to the people.”

Replica of an IUD temporarily installed in Cedar Rapids park. (Photo by Zachary Oren Smith of Iowa Public Radio)

Key groups that backed Iowa’s new ban on abortions after fetal activity can be detected say their next goal is passage of a “personhood” law that would ban all abortions. Democrats say that would not only make contraception illegal, but would ban in vitro fertilization. IVF assisted pregnancies accounted for 2.5% of live births in the U.S. in 2022.

(Reporting by Zachary Oren Smith, Iowa Public Radio)

Posted in News |

Grassley calls Harris’ VP pick ‘very liberal’

News

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is sharing his initial impressions of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — Kamala Harris’ pick for a running mate. “Well, I don’t have any opinion of him,” Grassley said this morning, “and I realize now that I’ve learned that he served 10 years in U.S. House, but I don’t remember any interaction with him.” Walz served in the House from 2007 to 2019 and was a member of the House Ag Committee. Grassley said it’s unusual that he didn’t work with Walz on anything agriculture- or ethanol-related in all of those years, especially since they’re from neighboring states. Grassley, a Republican, said he’s done some research on Walz. “He has changed from being a moderate congressman to being a very liberal, progressive agenda governor in Minnesota,” Grassley said, “particularly since the legislature in Minnesota has switched to both houses being Democrat.”

Grassley says voters will have a very clear choice in November between the Trump-Vance and Harris-Walz tickets. “There’s a whole long list of very liberal pieces of legislation that he’s advocated and has signed,” Grassley said of Walz, “and so that turnaround from somebody that’s moderate to somebody really progressive would kind of surprise me, that he’d have that change of mind.”

Walz was born and raised in Nebraska, served 24 years in the Army National Guard, and worked as a high school social studies teacher before turning to politics. He’s been Minnesota’s governor since 2019. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart released a written statement after the Harris campaign announced Walz would be the vice presidential nominee. Hart said Walz “is a great candidate who understands Midwest principles, how hard Iowans work and the value of a dollar.”

Posted in News |

Collision in Creston Monday morning

News

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) [Updated Tue. afternoon with injuries/citations issued] – A Creston man complained of pain and possible injuries following a collision Monday morning between an SUV and a pickup truck. The accident occurred at around 10-a.m.

According to Creston Police, a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 38-year-old Jason Smith, of Des Moines, was stopped southbound on Lincoln Street at the red-light controlled intersection with Townline Street. Smith told police he waited for a period of time, but the light did not turn green. When he proceeded to turn left onto Townline, his SUV was struck by a 2016 Chevy pickup, driven by 32-year-old Zackery Carstensen, of Creston, as the pickup was heading west on Townline. Carstensen had a green light.

The vehicles collided, causing a police estimated total of $13,000 damage. Carstensen complained of pain but was not treated at the scene or transported to the hospital. Police say Smith was cited for Failure to Obey a traffic control device and Failure to provide proof of insurance.

Posted in News |

Montgomery County Supervisors approve Snyder & Assoc. as carbon pipeline inspectors

News

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, today (Tuesday) approved the designation of Snyder and Associates Engineers, to serve as inspectors during construction of the Summit Carbon Solutions carbon transport pipeline. Supervisor Donna Robinson read a statement to that effect….

The arrangement stipulates pipeline representatives and its contractors must submit related records to the County-specified inspectors.

Payment for the inspection services will be the responsibility of the pipeline company, regardless of whether or not the line is constructed.

Posted in News |

Cass Supervisors approve Valley Business Park funds to support local economic development

News

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday), approved (by a vote of 4-to 1) an amended resolution for the one-time use of $95,000 from accrued Valley Business Park fund interest, for use by CADCO’s Revolving Loan Fund, to support local economic development. The funds were originally expected to be $60,000. CADCO Executive Director Jennifer McEntaffer….

Supervisor Wendy Richter – who was opposed to the amended resolution – questioned the expenditure of most of the interest from the fund for one entity, such as CADCO.

Board Chair Steve Baier explained…

Cass County BOS 8-6-24

Richter then asked if the funds would specifically be used for Atlantic, or spread-out among the communities in Cass County. McEnfaffer responded…

In other business, the Board approved the EMS Advisory Council’s recommendation that a Public Measure on the November 5th General Election Ballot. Board Chair Steve Baier…

Supervisor Steve Green wanted to make sure Cass County residents understand that if the measure is approved by the election, the funds raised by the levy and Iowa Income Surtax, will not be used for anything other than EMS purposes.

The Board discussed remaining ARPA request priorities during their meeting, Tuesday (today). Steve Baier said there is about $70,000 left in the fund. No action was taken at this time. A resolution will be prepared for the Board’s meeting on August 20th.

They approved a bid for, and awarded a contract to Gus Construction in the amount of $646,492, for a RCB (Reinforced Concrete Box) culvert project on 620th Street, in Cass County. The project will be south of Atlantic and east of Lewis, about one-quarter of a mile south of Newport Road.

The Board received a regular report on the county’s secondary roads department maintenance and activities from Engineer Trent Wolken, a monthly report from County Community Services Director & Mental Health Advocate Debbie Schuler. A report from County Conservation Director Micah Lee was not available at this time.

Posted in News |

KAREN THOMSEN, 88, of Cumberland (Svcs. 8/9/24)

Obituaries

August 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

KAREN THOMSEN, 88, of Cumberland, died Monday, August 5, 2024, at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. Funeral services for KAREN THOMSEN will be held 10:30-a.m. Friday, August 9, 2024, at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Visitation, with the family present, is on Thursday, Aug. 8th, from 5-until 7-p.m., at Roland’s.

Burial is in the Greenwood Cemetery, west of Cumberland.

Memorials may be made to the family for later designation.

KAREN THOMSEN is survived by:

Her daughters – Patrice Thomsen, of Topeka, KS; Pamela Drummond, of Kansas City, KS.

6 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, and her daughter-in-law, Rana Thomsen, of Cumberland.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Posted in Obituaries |