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Iowa’s Garza heads list of notable seniors in 2020-21 season

Sports

November 18th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer) – Iowa forward Luka Garza could have heard his name called in Wednesday night’s NBA draft. Instead, he opted for the uncertainty of playing a final college basketball season amid a pandemic.

FILE – In this March 3, 2020, file photo, Iowa center Luka Garza shoots a free throw during an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue in Iowa City, Iowa. Seniors Garza of Iowa and Baylor’s Jared Butler headline The Associated Press 2020-21 preseason All-America team, announced Wednesday, Nov. 11. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

Garza heads the list of notable seniors gearing up for the 2020-21 campaign. He was the Big Ten player of the year last season and finished runner-up to Dayton’s Obi Toppin in Associated Press player of the year voting. The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 23.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

 

Iowa early News Headlines: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020

News

November 18th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:10 a.m. CST

(UPDATED) WOODWARD, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a child has died after being hit by a vehicle in a central Iowa school parking lot. The accident happened around 3:45 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of Woodward-Granger High School in Dallas County. The Iowa State Patrol says 7-year-old Charlie Brewer, of Bouton walked into the path of the vehicle driven by 47-year-old Robert Nevitt, of Perry, and was run over. Medics and Dallas County Sheriff’s deputies responded and found the child dead at the scene.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — As Iowa’s coronavirus outbreak worsens, state officials are collecting information on individual hospitals’ capacity, staffing and resources — but they won’t share it with the public. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that the state gathers and maintains such information on a service called the Iowa Health Alert Network. But the Iowa Department of Public Health won’t allow local health departments to release that information to the public. Only statewide information on hospital capacity and resources is currently shared on the state’s COVID-19 public data portal. The Iowa Department of Public Health did not immediately answer questions Tuesday about why the data on individual hospitals in not publicly shared.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is urging residents to follow her new partial mask mandate, while claiming “there’s science on both sides” about whether face coverings reduce the spread of coronavirus. After months of opposition, Reynolds signed an order Monday that requires people to wear masks in indoor public places under some circumstances. She said that she changed course because the state has seen an exponential increase in the number of people hospitalized with the virus this month. She warned that without action, hospitals will be overwhelmed and people will be at risk of not being able to get medical care of any kind.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The longest-serving Republican senator and third in the line of presidential succession, Iowa’s Chuck Grassley, says he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 87-year-old Grassley had said Tuesday morning that he was quarantining after being exposed to the virus and was waiting for the results of a test. On Tuesday evening, he tweeted that he had tested positive. Grassley says he looks forward to resuming his normal schedule soon. He hasn’t said how he was exposed, but was in the Senate and voting Monday. By missing votes Tuesday, Grassley broke a 27-year streak of not missing a single Senate vote.

No. 17 Iowa State’s tight ends living up to preseason hype

Sports

November 18th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(By ERIC OLSON AP College Football Writer) – Iowa State’s Charlie Kolar, Chase Allen and Dylan Soehner entered the season as perhaps the most celebrated group of tight ends in the country, and they still are. Those three along with reserve Easton Dean have combined for 45 catches. Only Boston College’s tight ends, with 52, have more.

Iowa State tight end Chase Allen, left, celebrates his touchdown against Baylor with tight end Dylan Soehner during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 38-31. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)

Kolar is the 17th-ranked Cyclones’ second-leading receiver with 23 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Allen has 13 catches for 173 yards and two scores. Soehner is the highest-rated tight end in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus. Coach Matt Campbell says each tight end is playing his best football this season.

 

Sen. Grassley, 87, says he tested positive for coronavirus

News

November 17th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON (AP) — The longest-serving Republican senator and third in the line of presidential succession, Iowa’s Chuck Grassley, says he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 87-year-old Grassley had said Tuesday morning that he was quarantining after being exposed to the virus and was waiting for the results of a test. On Tuesday evening, he tweeted that he had tested positive.

In this Oct. 12, 2020 file photo, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, listens during a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP)

Grassley says he looks forward to resuming his normal schedule soon. He hasn’t said how he was exposed, but was in the Senate and voting Monday. By missing votes Tuesday, Grassley broke a 27-year streak of not missing a single Senate vote.

 

Iowa State adjusts fan attendance for November events

Sports

November 17th, 2020 by admin

Iowa State Athletic Director Jamie Pollard sent a letter to fans in regards to attendance for November Athletic events. Attendance is going to be limited to families and guests of student-athletes and staff for those events in Ames. Here is the letter from Pollard:

“After thorough discussion and consultation with university and community leaders, we have decided to limit attendance at Saturday’s football game against Kansas State to families and guests of student-athletes and staff. The marching band and spirit squad will also attend the game.

We have also decided to limit attendance at men’s and women’s basketball games through the end of November to families and guests of student-athletes and staff.

The safety of all individuals remains our priority and with increased COVID positivity and hospitalization rates throughout the state, we feel this is the appropriate action.

The fan base has been incredibly compliant with mitigation measures this fall, and there are no known cases of COVID resulting from fans attending our games. However, we feel it is in the best interest of our state, community and university, for the Iowa State Athletics Department to be a leader in limiting social gatherings during these times.

The ticket office will communicate the options for football ticket refunds after completion of the season. Fans with tickets to the men’s and/or women’s basketball games in November will receive refunds for those game tickets

We will continue to monitor COVID cases locally and adapt our plans for attendance at December athletics events in the next several weeks.

Thank you for your understanding.”

4 arrested in Harlan over the past 2 weeks

News

November 17th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Harlan Police Department reports four arrests over the past couple of weeks. Two arrests took place Nov. 14th: 26-year-old Sonny Duran Gulesian, of Miami, FL, was arrested following a traffic stop. Gulesian was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated, prohibited acts penalties, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and turning from improper lane;

And, 66-year old Robert Joseph Bogler, of Harlan was arrested following a traffic stop. Bogler was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated, tampering with an interlock device, open container, violations of a restricted license, and failure to maintain control.

On Nov. 9th, 36-year old Rebecca Ann Boruff, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for service. Boruff was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with public intoxication.

On Nov. 6th, 36-year old Rebecca Ann Boruff, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for service. Boruff was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with assault.

Construction worker hit by a semi on I-29 in Mills County

News

November 17th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

A construction worker who attempted to cross the single lane of travel on I-29 in Mills County, Tuesday (today), was struck by a semi. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at around 12:34-p.m. on I-29 northbound at mile marker 32. The worker, 70-year old Wayne Hansen, of Schaller, was hit by a 2014 Peterbilt semi driven by 60-year old William McBee, of Dunlap, TN.

The accident happened as Hansen was walking westbound. He was transported to the UNMC in Omaha by Glenwood Rescue. A report on his condition was not released.

UPS is hiring 1,000 seasonal workers in Iowa

News

November 17th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who are looking for seasonal work and a little exercise might consider going brown for the season of red and green. U-P-S plans to hire about one-thousand workers in Iowa for the holidays, including some 150 positions in Des Moines and another 300 in Omaha-Council Bluffs. Steve Jones, talent acquisition director for U-P-S, says they’re hiring for three types of positions, both full- and part-time.

UPS photo

“We have package handlers or warehouse workers that handle the packages within our warehouses,” Jones says. “We have driver helpers, so if you’ve ever wanted to ride on one of our brown trucks, you can go help our drivers deliver packages into neighborhoods and businesses. And we have personal vehicle drivers. That’s where you drive your own car in a UPS brown uniform and deliver packages to our customers.” The pay starts at $14.50 an hour and if you like the job, there’s the opportunity to stay on once the holiday season is over.

“Thirty-seven percent of our seasonal workers last year came back as permanent employees,” Jones says. “Right now, about 123,000 of our current UPSers started as seasonal employees. That’s nearly one-third of our U.S. workforce.” The delivery giant’s peak season is already beginning and will run through mid-January, as returns are a big part of the business after Christmas. With the COVID-19 pandemic still underway, Jones stresses that the company follows all local, state and federal guidelines.

“We provide PPE to all of our employees,” Jones says. “We have upped the cleaning of all of our facilities and now we also have contactless delivery. We don’t have our customers sign our diad anymore, the computer our drivers carry, and the package is set down instead of handed to them.” Positions are available in many communities across Iowa at UPSjobs.com.

Iowa governor sees ‘science on both sides’ on use of masks

News

November 17th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is urging residents to follow her new partial mask mandate, while claiming “there’s science on both sides” about whether face coverings reduce the spread of coronavirus. After months of opposition, Reynolds signed an order Monday that requires people to wear masks in indoor public places under some circumstances.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds gives a primetime televised address announcing new efforts to combat COVID-19 in the state, on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, at Iowa PBS, in Johnston, Iowa. (Kelsey Kremer/The Des Moines Register via AP)

She said that she changed course because the state has seen an exponential increase in the number of people hospitalized with the virus this month. She warned that without action, hospitals will be overwhelmed and people will be at risk of not being able to get medical care of any kind.

 

Iowa hides info on individual hospitals during outbreak

News

November 17th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — As Iowa’s coronavirus outbreak worsens, state officials are collecting information on individual hospitals’ capacity, staffing and resources — but they won’t share it with the public. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that the state gathers and maintains such information on a service called the Iowa Health Alert Network.

But the Iowa Department of Public Health won’t allow local health departments to release that information to the public. Only statewide information on hospital capacity and resources is currently shared on the state’s COVID-19 public data portal. The Iowa Department of Public Health did not immediately answer questions Tuesday about why the data on individual hospitals in not publicly shared.