(Radio Iowa) – A spring tradition at the three state universities is falling victim to the pandemic. The University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University have each announced plans to shift their spring semester calendars to start later than originally planned. The move includes canceling spring break to try and minimize concerns about students returning to campus and spreading COVID-19. The administrators at the schools in Ames, Iowa City and Cedar Falls say they are planning to hold a mix of virtual and in-person classes in the spring.

U-N-I and I-S-U altered their fall calendars to end the fall semester the day before Thanksgiving so students would not have to go home and come back to campus again. The University of Iowa is using the regular fall calendar — but is switching to all online classes after Thanksgiving.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is helping the U.S. Forest Service fight wildfires out west. A total of 17 Iowans have been deployed in the past month, working wildfires in California, Colorado, Idaho and Montana. With the extremely damaging and deadly fires in these states this year, the D-N-R’s state wildland fire supervisor Gail Kantak says it’s important that Iowa has resources to send.

“All the firefighters are trained really well,” Kantak says. “They go out and they get experience in fire behavior that they can’t get in Iowa. Not only are they helping by supporting the national fire program, but they’re also gaining experience and knowledge and skills that they couldn’t get at home.” Kantak says they’ll bring those skills back to Iowa, which helps improve Iowa’s fire programs. Firefighters would usually mingle a lot once they arrive at their campsite, but she says that’s been a challenge because of the pandemic.

“Everybody has masks on that they may not normally have, and they have to eat in their own module groups,” she says, “so there’s a whole lot less interaction.” At least 40 people have signed up this year to fight wildfires outside of Iowa. Kantak says the D-N-R trains the individuals, who range from local firefighters to conservation board members to college students. Currently, four Iowa firefighters along with an engine and a support vehicle are helping battle flames in Idaho, while one firefighter is assisting in California.

(reporting by Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Federal regulators have handed a victory to corn farmers by refusing to allow a group of petroleum refiners in 14 states to forego requirements to blend ethanol into the gasoline they make. Members of Congress from farm states have heavily lobbied President Donald Trump to reject the waiver requests for months.

Those representing oil producing states supported the waivers which were originally designed to help small refineries but were also granted by EPA in recent years to larger refineries. The decision comes 50 days before the presidential election in which Trump needs support of farmers to help carry several Midwest states again.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement authorities say a 16-year-old died and another was injured when they were shot while trying to rob a group of people in Des Moines. Police say 16-year-old Liem Deng and another 16-year-old were armed with handguns when they tried to rob the group early Monday on the city’s north side.

An adult man in the group drew his gun and fired several times at the two teens. Police say the man had a concealed carry permit for his gun. After consulting with the Polk County Attorney’s Office, the incident was ruled self-defense and no charges will be filed.

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour will take place in a modified form for their annual event this Saturday, Sept. 19th. As with everything this year, COVID-19 has brought a new set of challenges to the Seventh Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour, but organizers and artists will be exercising proper precautions to safely continue it at a limited number of locations as a one-day event on Saturday, September 19th from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Gathering Places will be exercising additional precautions including outdoor venues, social distancing measures and extra sanitizing to ensure the health and safety of our artists and participants. Masks will be recommended at all Gathering Places, and required at some locations. Please be respectful of individual Gathering Place guidelines, and of course please stay home if you are not feeling well. Participants and attendees are encouraged to chart their own course and visit some of the great businesses and eateries along the way, while discovering phenomenal art and artists in southwest Iowa.

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour is now in its seventh year connecting southwest Iowa communities through art. The first year included nine participating communities and thirty artists. The success of the Southwest Iowa Art Tour grew to its peak last year for the sixth annual event to twelve communities, sixteen Gathering Places, and more than ninety local artists. This year, with COVID-19 concerns the event has scaled back to 7 communities, 9 Gathering Places and 50 artists.

The self-guided tour allows participants to begin and end where they would like, come and go from location to location at their leisure, and explore diverse art forms – including fiber art, sculpture, pottery, painting, metal works, jewelry, glassware and much more from over ninety artists.

The nine unique stops will be located in the following Southwest Iowa towns: Avoca (Avoca Main Street, corner of Crocker & Elm), Council Bluffs (PACE Hoff Family Center for the Arts & Culture, 1001 South 6th Street), Glenwood (Mary Sneed’s Fine Art & Custom Framing, 507 S. Locust), Harlan (Historic Courthouse Square, 7th & Durant), Macedonia (Painted Camel Gallery, 320 Main Street), Malvern (Art Church, 201 E. 4th Street; Colorado Studio, 202 E. 5th Street; Fine Arts on 5th, 104 E. 5th Street) and Red Oak (Historic Fountain Square, 4th Street & Coolbaugh).

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour is coordinated by Golden Hills RC&D of Oakland and the collaborative efforts of local participating artists. Funding for coordination of this event is provided by the local businesses and organizations that stand behind the Art Tour each year. To find out which businesses are sponsors of the Art Tour, a full listing of sponsors may be found at www.swiarttour.com, or in the 2020 Southwest Iowa Art Tour brochures. Pick one up at the Golden Hills office in Oakland or at one of the Gathering Places so you can plan out your route!

For more information be sure to check the “Southwest Iowa Art” Tour Facebook page, or visit their website  www.swiarttour.com.

Atlantic, IA — Officials with the Cass County Health System, Monday (Today), announced that Kimberly Hendricks, DO (Doctor of Osetopathic Medicine) will join the CCHS medical staff in January 2021. Dr. Hendricks is a board-certified rheumatologist with more than a decade of experience.

Dr. Kim Hendricks, DO

Dr. Hendricks graduated from Morehead State University and attended medical school at the University of Pikeville in Kentucky. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at UPMC Horizon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and her Rheumatology Fellowship at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Since 2013, Dr. Hendricks has been practicing in Ohio, and she will move to Atlantic with her husband, Mark. She says “I’m looking forward to working and becoming a part of such a friendly community.”

Rheumatologists specialize in the care of musculoskeletal disease and rheumatic diseases, which affect the joints, muscles, and bones. Dr. Hendricks will provide care to patients with a number of diseases (including gout, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, Raynaud’s Disease, osteoarthritis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis), as well as many other autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions.

CCHS recruited Dr. Hendricks in collaboration with Greater Regional Health in Creston. She will be employed by CCHS, and see patients two days a week at the Atlantic Medical Center, and two days a week at Greater Regional Health. Those interested in seeing Dr. Hendricks can call 712-243-2850 to be placed on her patient list; CCHS staff will then call those patients later this year to schedule their appointments.