A day before the start of the United States Hockey League season theWaterloo Blackhawks fired their head coach. Scott Pionk was fired by teamowner Butch Johnson who says the team needs a new direction. Pionk was 41-66in two seasons.
UNI assistant basketball coach resigns
September 24, 1999 By
With no reason given, the University of Northern Iowa announced theresignation of assistant mens basketball coach Grady Bean. Bean joined thestaff one year ago. In a press release Bean says it was a difficultdecision, but he wants to be closer to his two kids.
Students get real life history lesson
September 24, 1999 By
About eight-hundred southwest Iowa students will enter a time warp today. Students from 14 school districts are participating in “Mason/Dixon EducationDay at a park in Creston. Throughout the day, students will rotate through23 demonstrations and hear from Civil War reinactors about what life in Iowawas like during the War Between the States.Union County tourism coordinator Kathy Parmenter says 26 reinactors will beon hand. Students participate in hands-on demonstrations, including an infantry drilland dances which were popular during the period.Friday’s education day kicks off a three-day Mason/Dixon Days celebration inCreston. On Saturday, famous Civil War battles will be reinacted. There’sto be a ladied “high tea,” a dance and moonlight tours of the campsites.
Osceola riverboat is on schedule to open
September 24, 1999 By
The owner of the new riverboat casino in Osceola surprised members of thestate Racing and Gaming commission Thursday saying the casino would open onschedule. The project has faced several delays, but Owner Bill Grace says itshould open on December 15th as scheduled.The 50-million dollar project included building the boat from scratch on thebanks of West Lake. The boat is in the water and the hotel on land is alsonearing completion. Grace says bad weather or lack of materials could stillset the project back.He says the opening hinges on getting the casino inside the boat finished.Grace says the earlier delays were due to the weather and labor problems.
Governor makes historic appointment to the board of health
September 24, 1999 By
What would normally be a routine appointment by Governor Vilsack has onesegment of the medical profession buzzing. Vilsack has appointed a doctor ofchiropractic medicine to the Iowa Board of Health — the first chiropractornamed to the board in the state’s history. Iowa Chiropractic SocietySpokesman Todd Stevens says the appointment of Dr. Cheryl Hawk to the boardis an important breakthrough for chiropractic medicine.Stevens says this move recognizes that chiropractic medicine is a vital partof Iowa’s health care system.Chiropractors treat disease by manipulating the joints in the body. Stevenssays they have long fought the image of being less professional than otherdoctors.Dr. Hawk is a native of Coralville. She is an associate proffessor at thePalmer Center for Chiropractic Research in Davenport.
Drake tries to rebound from first loss
September 24, 1999 By
After suffering their first loss of the season the Drake Bulldogs return toaction Saturday when they host Quincy University. Drake coach Rob Ash sayshis team needs to bounce back.Drake won last year’s matchup 59-34 and Ash says another shootout ispossible.Ash says his team has bounced back after their loss.Chris Makris threw for better than 300-yards last week in his first gamereplacing the injured Solon Bell and Ash says it was a great start.
Rusty the wonder dog moves on
September 24, 1999 By
Rusty, the two-legged dog, has moved on. Adair County’s famous caninewas put to sleep at a Greenfield Veterinary Clinic earlier this week. Rusty’s owners, Bill and Alice Davis of rural Greenfield, nursed theAustralian blue healer through a number of accidents. Rusty lost two legs adecade ago when he jumped into a hay mower, and he was run over threedifferent times. However, Rusty continued to help Davis herd cattle untillast week, when the 13-year-old dog lost its appetite. Davis took the dogto Iowa State University vets for tests.Rather than risky, painful surgery, Davis decided to put Rusty to sleep.Davis says the local vet and vets at I-S-U helped Rusty live longer thananyone would have expected. Davis says Rusty was a member of the family.
