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The 2024 Iowa Caucuses are in two months!

News

November 15th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The January 15th Iowa Caucuses are just two months away. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says over 10-thousand Republican volunteers will run the more than 16-hundred precinct meetings. “I think there’s the makings for a record setting Caucus here,” Kaufmann says. “A lot of this is anecdotal, of course. There’s no way for sure way to predict this kind of thing, but the energy that we’re hearing, the activity levels of the candidates that are still in the Caucus and I think there’s a general concern about where our country’s heading.”

Nearly 187-thousand Republicans participated in the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, a record. In 2024, Iowa Republican Caucus-goers will follow past practice and simply cast a straw poll ballot and those slips of paper will be counted in the room. Each campaign may have an observer watch the counting. The tallies from each precinct will be reported to the state party and Kaufmann says the results will be posted on a public website.

“It’s going to be as close to real time as we can make it and every single vote will have a paper trail and every single vote can be audited and will be audited within two days,” Kaufmann says. “In fact, in 2016 we got that job done despite a blizzard.” Republican officials at the county level decide what to use for the straw poll ballots and most will be using blank sheets of paper, but Kaufmann says a few will hand Caucus-goers a sheet with candidate names printed on it.

Republicans will be conducting some party business at their Caucuses, but people will be able to leave after casting that straw poll ballot. “And that’s o.k., just so they’re there on January 15,” Kaufmann says. You have to be a registered Republican and vote in person that night.

Iowa Democrats plan to hold in-person Caucuses on January 15th, too, but national party leaders decided South Carolina Democrats will vote first in their party’s presidential nominating process. Iowa Democrats will conduct party business at their 2024 Caucuses and the party has established a mail-in system for presidential preference cards. The results, though, won’t be announced until March.

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Ernst speaks at massive pro-Israel rally on National Mall

News

November 15th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senator Joni Ernst addressed the tens of thousands who gathered at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the March for Israel. “Israel, the United States will always have your back,” Ernts said, to cheers. Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, was part of a bipartisan group preparing to meet in the Middle East to discuss improved relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia when Hamas attacked Israelis who live near Gaza.

“What Iran-backed Hamas perpetrated on October 7th was pure evil and those monsters deserve nothing short of complete and total destruction,” Ernst said, to cheers. Ernst, who met in Israel with victims of the attack three days later, did not directly mention the timing for an aide package for Israel that has not yet made its way through congress, but she told the crowd Republicans and Democrats in the U-S Senate will stand with Israel. She also denounced antisemitism in the U-S.

House Speaker Johnson, House Minority Leader Jeffries and U.S. Senator Ernst on stage at the March for Israel rally on Nov. 14, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Senator Ernst’s office)

“We will not sit quiet,” Ernst yelled, and the crowd cheered before she finished her sentence with, “as antisemitism is being promulgated in classrooms and campuses around the country.” Rally organizers planned the event as a response to protests that have denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza.

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Incidents of lung cancer cases in Iowa higher than national average

News

November 15th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A new report from the American Lung Association shows some improvement in the number of high-risk Iowans who are being screened for lung cancer, but the rate of new lung cancer cases in Iowa is higher than the national average. Kristina Hamilton is advocacy director for the American Lung Association of Iowa  “Iowa still has one of the highest rates of radon in the country,” Hamilton says. “…Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.”

Iowa ranks 37th among the states in the number of new cancer cases annually. The five-year survival rate for Iowans with lung cancer is nearly two percent lower than the national average. Just over seven percent of Iowans who are at higher risk for lung cancer are being screened.  “Which is significantly higher than the national average of only 4.5%,” Hamilton says. In addition to smoking, having tuberculosis or being exposed to radiation or to chemicals like radon and asbestos raise the risk of developing lung cancer. Exposure to second hand smoke is another risk factor.

A low dose C-T scan produces a detailed picture of lungs and can detect the cancer is its early stages. “Early detection really does save lives,” Hamilton says, “so we want to emphasize awareness about the availability of lung cancer screening and encourage those who are qualify and are high risk to be screened.”

The American Lung Association is urging congress to pass the Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act. If a doctor recommends a lung cancer screening, the bill would prohibit Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies from requiring prior authorization for it. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer among men and women in the U-S — but is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths in the America.

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Car hits calf in Union County, driver uninjured

News

November 15th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Union County report a car struck a calf on the road Monday night, causing $2,500 damage to the vehicle, but the driver, 30-year-old Mikayla Rayne Nixt, of Creston, was not injured. The accident happened as Nixt was driving a 2009 Chevy Impala southbound on REA Road at around 11:42-p.m.

The calf was struck in the middle of the road near the Dennis Leith residence. Leith owns the calf and responded to the scene. The animal was injured, but still alive. Leith dealt with the calf and got it off the road.

Nixt was able to drive her vehicle home and called the sheriff’s office to inform them of the accident. No citations were issued.

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Iowa State’s Will McLaughlin talks Texas

Sports

November 14th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Iowa State sophomore linebacker Will McLaughlin did not try to hide his disdain for seventh ranked Texas. The Cyclones close out to home season against the Longhorns on Saturday night.

McLaughlin says there is always a chip on his shoulder when going against national programs like Texas.

Texas running back Jonathan Brooks is out for the season with a knee injury but McLaughlin says his replacement will also be talented.

McLaughlin says the ISU defense needs to limit big plays.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz previews Illinois

Sports

November 14th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Despite injuries and the jokes and anger surrounding Iowa’s offense the Hawkeyes are a win away from clinching the Big Ten West and will try to claim the division title in their home finale against Illinois.

That’s Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. A win would send the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten Championship Game for the second time in three years.

Ferentz is proud of the way his team has handled adversity in posting an 8-2 record.

Defense has carried the Hawkeyes all season but that unit has made even more strides in the last month.

Punter Tory Taylor announced he will not return for another season and will try to make it in the NFL. Taylor is not only one of the most popular players on the team Ferentz says he has also become a team leader.

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Iowa State’s Matt Campbell previews No. 7 Texas

Sports

November 14th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Iowa State may still need some help but two wins to close the regular season will keep them in the hunt for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. It begins Saturday night at home against seventh ranked Texas. Cyclone coach Matt Campbell wants his team focused on the Longhorns and not potential tie breakers.

At 6-1 the Longhorns are alone at the top of the Big 12 standings.

Campbell was asked if the Cyclone fans will be even more motivated for the final game against the Longhorns as Big 12 foes.

In his third season at the helm Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns in the hunt for the college football playoffs.

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Estrella Named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Sports

November 14th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa women’s wrestling senior Nanea Estrella has been named USA Wrestling’s athlete of the week, it was announced Tuesday by the organization.

Estrella, who is ranked third in her weight class, recorded three technical falls in the Hawkeyes first ever duals inside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. She defeated second-ranked Paige Wehrmeister of Presbyterian, 12-2, in the first dual.

The Makawao, Hawaii native went on to defeat Marissa Sanabria of Lindenwood and Aliza Leander of Sacred Heart, 10-0, in the second and third duals of the day.

The Hawkeyes went undefeated at the Trailblazer Duals, outscoring their opponents, 127-5, in three duals.

Iowa travel to Marshall, Missouri, this weekend to compete at the Missouri Valley Open on Friday and Saturday. The tournament will be streamed live on FloWrestling (subscription required).

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Hawkeyes Face Georgia in NCAA Tournament Second Round

Sports

November 14th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

THIS WEEK

University of Iowa women’s soccer travels to Clemson, South Carolina, to take on 4-seed Georgia in the NCAA Tournament Second Round on Friday at Riggs Field. Second and Third Round games are hosted at eight regional sites on Nov. 17 and Nov. 19, with #1 Clemson playing host to #5 Iowa, #4 Georgia and #8 Columbia this weekend.

WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE

·         NCAA Tournament Second Round matches stream live on ESPN+ (subscription required).

·         Links to streaming and live stats can be found at the gameday page on hawkeyesports.com.

·         Fans can follow the Iowa soccer program on Twitter (@HawkeyeSoccer) for live in-game updates.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS

·         No. 12 Georgia (College Soccer News rankings) won the SEC Tournament, defeating No. 10 Arkansas in the championship match. The Bulldogs won the SEC East division at 4-3-3 in conference play.

·         The Bulldogs defeated Liberty, 2-1, in the NCAA Tournament First Round. Midfielder Croix Bethune had a pair of assists, hitting Kiera Staude for the game-winner in the 85th minute.

·         Georgia tied Minnesota in a scoreless match on Aug. 31, its lone game against a Big Ten opponent this season; Iowa also tied Minnesota, 0-0, on Sept. 24.

·         Nicole Vernis leads the Bulldogs offensively with 17 points on five goals and a team-best seven assists.

·         Sophomore goalkeeper Jordan Brown has totaled 68 saves at a .764 percentage; the Bulldogs average 0.99 goals against and have pitched eight shutouts.

SERIES HISTORY – GEORGIA

Iowa and Georgia meet for the first time in program history. Iowa is 2-1-2 all-time against SEC opponents, including wins over South Carolina (Aug. 27, 2006) and Missouri (Aug. 21, 2016), as well as a draw last time out against Mississippi State (Sept. 5, 2021). The Hawkeyes will face an SEC opponent in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Bulldogs have, likewise, never faced a Big Ten opponent in the postseason.

Posted in Sports |

Clark Sweeps National Player of the Week Awards

Sports

November 14th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Senior guard Caitlin Clark was named the Associated Press and the United States Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Week on Tuesday. Clark was also named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the 19th time in her career on Monday.

Clark led Iowa to three wins in seven days over, FDU, No. 8 Virginia Tech, and Northern Iowa. Last week, she averaged 32.0 ppg, 9.0 apg, 8.3 rpg, and had only four turnovers.

In Sunday’s action, Clark broke Iowa’s all-time scoring record that was previously held by Megan Gustafson. The feat took 103 career games. She recorded her 12th career triple-double and first of the season against Northern Iowa. She joined Sabrina Ionescu as the only women’s basketball players to ever record a triple-double in four different seasons.

A few days earlier on a neutral court in Charlotte, N.C., as Iowa beat then No. 8 Virginia Tech, Clark collected 44 points, six assists and eight rebounds, the fifth time in her career she has had at least 40 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The second-ranked Hawkeyes are set to host Kansas State on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (CT) in Iowa City. The game will broadcast on FS1 and on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

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