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Feenstra’s GOP opponent says federal gov’t should have been shut down to force border security

News

May 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Republican who’s challenging Congressman Randy Feenstra in next month’s G-O-P Primary says Feenstra is not conservative enough to represent the fourth district. Kevin Virgil cites Feenstra’s support for the six budget bills that passed the House in March.

“He refused to stand with the conservative Republicans in congress and force the federal government to shut down as a way to force the corrupt Biden Administration to close the border,” Virgil said. Virgil grew up on an O’Brien County farm and served in the Army. He joined the C-I-A after 9/11 and, after leaving the agency, Virgil founded a software firm that has won multi-million dollar contracts with the U-S Defense Department. In December, Virgil moved from New York to his family’s century farm near Sutherland.

“I’ve always come back to Iowa frequently with my kids just because we enjoy the farm and we’ve maintained close contact with our family and friends and neighbors,” Virgil said. “…One of the reasons I decided to run for congress is because the…biggest threat our country faces isn’t necessarily from abroad, but it’s a federal government that is completely out of control.”

Virgil made his comments at the Iowa G-O-P State Convention. Virgil supports “drastic measures” to reduce the federal government’s budget, power and authority. Virgil says Feenstra failed to support limits on a program federal intelligence agencies say is used to disrupt terrorist activities and cyber attacks.

“Last month he voted against an amendment that would have required the federal government to get a warrant to spy on you and your families,” Virgil said. “That’s a direct violation of the Fourth Amendment.”

Feenstra, who is seeking a third term in the U-S House, says he supported the national security legislation because due to Biden’s failed foreign policy our enemies no longer fear us and our allies no longer trust us. The June Primary is three weeks from today (Tuesday).

High School Boys Golf District Results

Sports

May 13th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CLASS 1A DISTRICT AT CAM 

State qualifiers: 1. Sidney 323, 2. MMCRU 329

Other scores: 3. East Mills 329,

4. CAM 330

7. Mount Ayr 340

8. Audubon 344

Area individual state qualifiers: 1. Chase Jahde, CAM (69), 2. Keith Thompson, Hamburg (72)

IOWA CLASS 1A DISTRICT AT GEHLEN CATHOLIC 

State qualifiers: 1. Boyden-Hull 305, 2. Gehlen Catholic 315

IOWA CLASS 2A DISTRICT AT PANORAMA 

State qualifiers: 1. Panorama 303, 2. Pella Christian 305, 3. Treynor 322

Area individual state qualifiers: 8. Jade Spangler, Shenandoah (77)

Monday High School Boys Soccer Scores

Sports

May 13th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Substate Scores

Class 1A

Kuemper Catholic 7, Logan-Magnolia 0
East Sac County 6, AHSTW 3
Columbus Catholic 2, Cedar Valley Christian 1
Denver 4, Garner Hayfield Ventura
Cascade 1, Clayton Ridge 0
Postville 5, Monticello 1
Beckman Catholic 10, MFL MarMac 0
Bellevue 2, Prince of Peace 1
Central Lee 3, WACO 1
Danville 3, Columbus 1
Pella Christian 2, Albia 1
West Central Valley 3, PCM 0
Des Moines Christian 8, Grand View Christian 0

Class 2A

Boden-Hull/Rock Valley 3, MOC-Floyd Valley 2
Hampton Dumont 7, South Tama 0
Clear Lake 10, Charles City 0
West Delaware 3, Vinton Shellsburg 2
Solon 6, New Hampton 1
Wahlert Catholic 4, Anamosa 0
Maquoketa 3, Independence 2
Keokuk 4, Mount Pleasant 3
Burlington Notre Dame 10, Wapello 0
Chariton 2, Fairfield 1
Greene County 11, Panorama 1
Creston 2, Red Oak 0

Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder retires

Sports

May 13th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder is retiring after 24 years as the Hawkeye’s head coach and her long-time assistant Jan Jensen is now leading the program.

Former Iowa star Caitlin Clark on WNBA opener

Sports

May 13th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Five weeks after closing her college career in the NCAA championship game former Iowa star Caitlin Clark will play her first WNBA regular season game Tuesday night when her Indiana Fever visit the Connecticut Sun. The two-time national player of the year averaged 16 and-a-half points in two exhibition games.

Clark is ready for the season to start.

Indiana will be challenged by a talented Connecticut team that finished 27-13 last season. The Fever struggled to 13 wins in 2023.

Bluder Announces Retirement; Jensen named Head Coach

Sports

May 13th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Lisa Bluder announced on Monday her retirement from coaching after 40 years as a collegiate head coach, including 24 at the University of Iowa.

Jan Jensen, who has served the last 20 years as the associate head coach under Coach Bluder, has been named the program’s sixth head coach by Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair Beth Goetz. Jensen has more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, working alongside Bluder the past 24 years at Iowa and eight at Drake University.

“It is bittersweet news for all of us who love the University of Iowa and who have incredible admiration and respect for what Coach Bluder has accomplished and for how she did it. Lisa has left an indelible mark on this program, touched countless lives, and brought joy to all who know and love the Hawkeyes. Words can’t appropriately express the gratitude I share with so many for the impact she has made on the game of women’s basketball and the University of Iowa.” said Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair Beth Goetz. “While we are saddened that she will no longer lead our young women on the court, we are thankful for what she has given to all of us and are comforted knowing she will continue to be our biggest champion and fan.”

Among her many accolades, Bluder was named the Naismith Coach of the Year (2019), was a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2001, 2008, 2010), four-time regional coach of the year (2001, 2008, 2018, 2019), and the Carol Eckman Award winner (2015) in addition to being an inductee into the Des Moines Register Hall of Fame (2016), the Quad City Times Hall of Fame (2012), the Linn-Mar Athletic Hall of Fame (2008) and the Northern Iowa Hall of Fame (2000). Bluder amassed 884 career wins, 10th most in NCAA women’s basketball history.

“I am thrilled to share with you that current Associate Head Coach Jan Jensen has agreed to become the next P. Sue Beckwith, MD, Head Women’s Basketball Coach. This program has always been about family, and the contributions to its incredible culture are shared by alums, current, student-athletes and the entire staff. One of those contributors has been in the team circle for 24 years as a tireless recruiter, skilled teacher of the game, and charismatic personality that has endeared her to the Hawkeye community. Coach Jensen has been an instrumental part of our success, assisting in all aspects of the program. After several conversations with Coach Bluder and President Wilson over the last few days, it is clear that everything that we are seeking in a head coach, we have found right here.”

Bluder was named head coach at the University of Iowa in 2000 and retires as the all-time winningest coach in Big Ten history with an overall record of 528-254 and a Big Ten record of 262-145. Under her leadership, the Hawkeyes advanced to the last two National Championship Games and made 22 postseason appearances overall (18 NCAA and 4 WNIT), including 14 of the last 16 NCAA Tournaments. Bluder led the Hawkeyes to five Big Ten Tournament titles, and two shared Big Ten regular season championships.

Under her tutelage, Hawkeye players were named the National Player of the Year three times with two others named consensus All-Americans. Three different players were named the Big Ten Player of the Year and also three different players recognized as Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Sixty-five Hawkeyes earned All-Big Ten honors. Seventeen former Hawkeyes went on to play professionally. In the classroom, her student-athletes were named Academic All-Big Ten more than 150 times, while Ally Disterhoft (2016, 2017) and Caitlin Clark (2023, 2024) were both recognized as the Academic All-American of the Year.

Bluder began her coaching career as head coach at St. Ambrose University for six seasons (1985-90) followed by a 10-year head coaching stint at Drake (1991-2000). Bluder and the Bulldogs won four Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championships (1995, 1997, 1998, 2000) and three regular season titles (1997, 1998, 2000).

“It has been the honor of my career to be a part of the Iowa Hawkeye family, and to lead a women’s basketball program filled with so many talented and remarkable young women, who have gone on to do great things in their careers and, more importantly, in their lives,” said Bluder. “There is no better person to lead this program than Jan Jensen and I am thrilled she will have the opportunity to build on the foundation established. I’m committed to help her, and her staff, in whatever capacity they need moving forward.”

Jensen, helped guide Iowa to 22 postseason appearances, including 18 NCAA Tournaments, will enter her 25th year as a Hawkeye coach in 2024-25. Jensen was instrumental in mentoring the Hawkeyes to five Big Ten Tournament titles, including three straight, and sharing two regular season conference championships. Jensen and the Hawkeyes advanced to back-to-back National Championships (2023, 2024), and made the Elite Eight three times (2019, 2023, 2024) and the Sweet 16 five times (2015, 2019, 2023, 2024).

She began her coaching career at her alma mater in 1993 as an assistant to Coach Bluder, winning four MVC Tournament and three regular season championships (1997, 1998, 2000) on the Drake coaching staff.

Jensen quickly gained attention for her recruiting prowess and development of post players. Jensen and the Hawkeye recruiting classes consistently rank among the nation’s elite. Since arriving in Iowa City, she has been integral in attracting top recruits to the University of Iowa, including McDonald’s All-Americans (Samantha Logic, Lindsay Richards, Johanna Solverson and Caitlin Clark) and developing and maintaining consensus All-Americans Samantha Logic, Megan Gustafson, Kathleen Doyle and Caitlin Clark. Gustafson (2019) and Clark (2023, 2024) were ultimately voted the Naismith Player of the Year.

Coach Jensen is a native of Kimballton, Iowa, and played her college ball under Coach Bluder at Drake University, earning a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 1991, followed by a master’s degree in higher education in 1996. As a senior, she led the nation in scoring and was the Gateway Conference Most Valuable Player, a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American, a member of the All-Gateway team, and the GTE Academic All-American Player of the Year. She currently ranks fourth on Drake’s all-time scoring list, sixth in field goal percentage and eighth in rebounds, and is one of only two Drake players to have her number retired in the Knapp Center. After college, Coach Jensen played professionally in the European Professional Basketball League for BTV-Wuppertal in Germany, winning the German Cup.

Off the court, Coach Jensen has been involved in the United Way of Johnson County and was recognized as the United Way of Johnson County Volunteer of the Year. She was also a recipient of the Corridor Business Journal Forty Under 40 Award and was named a recipient of the `Women of Influence’ Award by the Corridor Business Journal.

“I have been so blessed to have enjoyed an incredible ride with Lisa. That ride started when I was her player and continued for 33 years as I had the privilege to work alongside of her. I can’t thank Lisa enough for her mentorship, leadership, and most of all her friendship. I am so proud of all we accomplished and grateful for all the memories we created,” Jensen said. “I am now beyond elated to begin my new role and want to thank President Wilson and Beth for the opportunity to lead this program. I truly love The University of Iowa and I am profoundly honored and excited to continue building on our success. The support we have in every realm from our administration, donors, alumni and fans is unmatched and I am so proud to be a part of this special university.”

Coach Jensen and her spouse, Julie Fitzpatrick, have a son, Jack, and a daughter, Janie.

NE IA man charged with attempting to murder his father

News

May 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A man from the northeast Iowa town of Winthrop is charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting his father. Thirty-two-year-old Ashton Wayne Root is accused of shooting his father on April 27th. He was arrested on Friday, 13 days after the shooting.

According to the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Root arrived at a local hospital’s emergency room with gunshot wounds to his abdomen and arm. Investigators say the father and son had been arguing for at least two days before the shooting, which happened at a home in Winthrop.

Groups sue Black Hawk County Sheriff over jail fees

News

May 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The groups Public Justice and the A-C-L-U of Iowa are suing Black Hawk County and the Sheriff on behalf of a Waterloo woman and others who have been forced to sign agreements requiring them to pay fees before being released from jail. A-C-L-U Attorney, Rita Bettis Austen says her client didn’t know a judge could rule on her ability to pay the fees.

“These agreements called Confessions of Judgment, result in people waving important legal protections that they would have and it allows the sheriff to garnish their wages without any right to a day in court,” she says. Bettis Austen says judges in many cases will waive the fees based on a person’s ability to pay. She says Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson is spending the fees to fund a shooting range for the enjoyment of department employees and families, including rentals of ice cream and cotton candy machines, and laser tag.

Public Justice Attorney Charles Moore says about two-thirds of counties charge fees to inmates. “In Iowa, the ability to charge these pay to state fees is discretionary. Some counties choose to charge these fees and others do not because they see how unfair it is,” Moore says. The sheriff in Black Hawk County has decided to go ahead and charge these fees at amongst the highest rates in the state 70 dollars per day.” He says the Sheriff sets the level of fees and controls everything without any check on that authority.

“In this case the sheriff pockets 300-thousand dollars a year without any court ever having reviewed the petitions,” he says. Moore says some of the money collected should not pay for things that aren’t related to jail costs. “I think that the statute is clear that it’s meant to reimburse for actual expenses that are at the jail and that’s not what’s being done here,” Moore says. Both attorneys say they are not trying to get the fees system overturned, they simply want the processed to be used fairly.

Atlantic Golf misses cut for State Golf

Sports

May 13th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

On a rainy Monday the Atlantic Trojans boys golf team came up short at their District competition against ADM, Ballard, and Knoxville. ADM won outright with a total team score of 296, Knoxville grabbed 2nd and qualified for state at 306, the Trojans shot 307, and Ballard finished last at 313.

One bright side for Atlantic was the sharp putting and chipping from Hudson McClaren who earned a trip to State by shooting a 70 along with Parker Rogers from Nevada with a 69. McClaren credited his success to the positive momentum he had on the greens.

The feeling of qualifying for state was bittersweet for McClaren who wished his teammates could have also clinched a trip to state.

Head coach Kendra Henningsen was proud of the effort her team displayed with Gage Gross shooting an 82, Tristan Hayes with a 77, Roth Den Beste having an 89, Brady Wood with an 81, and Sam Brosam with a 79. While losing by one stroke hurt, she acknowledged the joy she had from McClaren’s performance on the day.

Coming up short is never an ideal way to end a season, but coach Henningsen explained how there is a lot of talent coming back for next year.

The 3A State Tournament will begin on May 20th at Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames.

FLOYD WILLIAMS, 93, of Atlantic (Svcs. 5/17/24)

Obituaries

May 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

FLOYD WILLIAMS, age 93 of Atlantic, died at his home on Monday, May 13, 2024. Funeral services for FLOYD WILLIAMS will be held 11-a.m. Friday, May 17, 2024, at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Visitation with the family present will be held from 10 am till the time of services at the funeral home.

A luncheon will follow at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home Community Room.

Burial will be at a later date in the Atlantic Cemetery in Atlantic.

The family requests memorials to the Nishna Valley Family YMCA or to the Presbyterian Church in Atlantic and can be left or mailed to the funeral home at P.O. Box 523,“ Atlantic, IA 50022

FLOYD WILLIAMS is survived by:

His sons – Tom (Dianna) Williams, of Lewis, and John Williams, of Atlantic.

His daughters – Kristy (Chuck) Auten, of Greenfield, and Katherine Williams, of Atlantic.

5 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, his sister-in-law, Ruth Clinton; other relatives and friends.