Iowa center Jared Reiner would like to return if he is granted a redshirt. Reiner is out after surgery last week to repair a stress fracture in his right foot. Iowa coach Steve Alford says they will apply for the extra year. Reiner says it’s kind of a long shot as he hurt it after the 7th game, but still played in pain.Reiner says he began having problems back in December and it was bothering him since. He says the x-rays didn’t show anything right away and they tried different ways to tape the foot, but it got worse.Reiner says he is confident that other players can help fill the void he has left in the middle.
Rivalry among coaches continues as both change schools
January 22, 2004 By
Their rivalry dates back more than a decade and now it will be played out in the Big Ten on Sunday when Iowa hosts Michigan in women’s basketball action. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder and first-year Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett matched up several times when both were in the Missouri Valley Conference, Bluder at Drake and Burnett at Southwest Missouri State. Bluder says their relationship has been good because they both respect each other and look forward to the rivalry.Bluder says nearly every game between Drake and SMS had title implications, and she says that was a lot of fun. Burnett says that elevated her rivalry with Bluder, as it made every single game important and it usually included both teams ranked number one or two in the conference.Burnett has so much respect for Bluder that during her year out of coaching she spent some time with the Iowa staff going over some things. Iowa is 9-7 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten.
Harkin says he’ll keep up fight against overtime rules change
January 22, 2004 By
Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says he’s not punching out yet in the fight over proposed changes in overtime rules. Harkin says his measure to block the new overtime rules was ordered stripped out of the omnibus appropriations bill by the administration. Harkin, a democrat, says he won’t stop his fight to block the new rules. He says he’ll make every move possible to get the measure back before Congress.He says he’ll attempt to add his amendment to every feasible legislative vehicle that comes along during the coming weeks and months. Harkin has been a vocal critic of the president’s state of the union address, and was asked if there is anything about the address he liked. After pausing, Harkin says the president wants to get rid of steroids in athletics, and Harkin said he was in favor of that and laughed. Harkin admits that it’s hard for the party that’s not in power to embrace the president’s state of the union address in an election year. Plus, he says the address is not the most important thing the president will propose.He says the real “tale of the tape” is going to be in the budget. Harkin says he’s sure there’ll be some things in the budget that he agrees with, and a lot of things he disagrees with. Harkin says the budget really tells the state of the union and where the administration is headed. The budget is due out next month.
Carroll man to do time for taking car
January 22, 2004 By
A Carroll man will do jail time for an apparent joyride in someone else’s car. 40-year old Joseph Oswald was sentenced to five years in prison for second-degree theft and five years for failing to appear. Oswald reportedly drove to a Sioux City Casino with another person, offered to their car, and then drove off. Police say the car had 10-thousand miles put on it and three thousand dollars in damage by the time they found it.
Report gives ideas for child care
January 22, 2004 By
A national report reviewing child care and early education efforts points to avenues Iowa leaders could take to find better ways to coordinate state and local policies to serve children with disabilities. Donna Elbrecht is president of Easter Seals Iowa.Elbrecht says when money gets tight and many programs are in danger of losing funding that serve various populations, better coordination will help everyone involved. She offers praise and suggestions to two state agencies in particular. Both the Department of Human Services and Education Department have done a “great job” dealing with their budget stresses but Elbrecht says “We would like to see legislators both here in Iowa as well as in Washington D-C keep in mind the children with disabilities as well as just child care quality overall make sense for economic development overall.”Elbrecht points to two programs in particular — the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) block grant. She says “Federal funding for IDEA and the CCDF don’t meet the needs of kids in Iowa and other states. We’re encouraging state officials, even in this difficult budget year, to increase funding in order to make sure children with disabilities are not left behind.”
Report says fat people putting a pull on state budget
January 22, 2004 By
A national report says It’s more than a fashion faux pas to be overweight — it’s a financial disaster that costs you money. State health department spokesman Kevin Teale says a report in a national journal this week outlines the expense of being an “extra-large.” The journal “Obesity Research” calculates the extra cost to Iowa from those that are overweight is costing 783-Million dollars a year. He says they used a formula based on several issues.They looked at the health problems most often linked to obesity including heart problems and cancer, and calculated that in Iowa it costs 783 Million dollars a year to deal with the medical effects of obesity. There are regional differences, with some parts of the country lighter on the average, and the Midwestern shape often described as plumper than average. Of the 783 Million, Teale says about half that is paid through government health programs like Medicaid and Medicare, which means the cost of overweight is laid on the back of taxpayers. Teale says the report makes a good opportunity to highlight the “Lighten up Iowa” program, a statewide competition for folks who join teams to see how much weight they can lose in a group fitness agreement.He says we’ve learned it increases your chance of success to have a support group. To learn about the statewide program and how to form a team, see their website www.lightenupiowa-dot-org
Don’t forget education tax credits
January 22, 2004 By
The executive director of the Iowa College Student Aid Commission says some Iowans my be missing out on important tax benefits that can help them pay for their kid’s college. Gary Nichols says some families don’t take advantage of credits because they assume they don’t qualify. He says they often hear from people who are concerned their sons and daughters don’t qualify for need-based scholarships and grants that’re based income. Nichols says there are federal credits designed for middle-income families. He says there are things such as the Hope and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits available. He says they were specifically enacted by Congress for families that can’t take advantage of Pell Grants and other programs. Nichols says past records show Iowans can gain a lot by using the credits.He says a couple of years ago, almost 100-thousand Iowan families benefited from credits worth 72-million dollars. Nichols says you should research all the potential credits. He says they often refer families to their site www.IowaCollegeAid.org, or he says you can go directly to the irs.gov website to check on credits. Nichols says the Iowa website also has other information about college assistance. Nichols says it’s important that you check out the credits yourself, or ask your tax preparer to research college credits for you.
