Drake coach Tom Davis would like to have a healthier team as the Bulldogs look to snap a three-game losing streak Wednesday night at Bradley. Leading scorer Joshua Robinson has missed the last four games with an ankle injury and Davis said he might take part in practice today. He says he has no idea if that means Robinson will be back soon or not, as he says ankle injuries vary in how long they take to heal.Sophomore forward Quantel Murphy is also a question mark. He was injured in Sunday’s loss to Southwest Missouri State with a foot injury. Davis says that leaves him with two walk-ons in critical roles, and leaves him less depth on the bench than he’d like. Bradley will be looking to avenge a January eighth loss to the Bulldogs in Des Moines. Braves coach Jim Les says Davis has done a good job and says the players are really adapting to his system. Bradley had high hopes coming into the season but several key injuries have led to a 1-7 start in the Valley race. He says they’re battling, but haven’t been able to make enough plays down the stretch. Les says this is an unforgiving league, especially on the road. Drake is 3-5 in the Valley, 7-9 overall.
Wartburg looks to stay at the top of the Iowa Conference
The Wartburg men close out the first half of the Iowa Conference basketball race at home tonight against Dubuque and the Knights hope to keep first place Buena Vista in their sights. Wartburg is 6-2 in conference play, B-V is 8-0. Wartburg coach Dick Peth says someone is going to have to give them a battle at home or go on the road and beat them. Peth says that could happen as there’s a lot of parity this year. His team will be in search of their eighth straight win, which he says is surprising after losing four seniors. Peth matching up with Dubuque is tough as they have a lot of quickness.
Pork producers to hold cookout despite cold weather
The forecast for noon Wednesday is twelve degrees, with a wind-chill exactly zero. That’s not chilling plans for the annual pork producers cookout at Capital Square in downtown Des Moines, though. Spokeswoman Jan Hoppes says this highlight of the annual winter Pork Congress is too popular to put on ice. Pork producers from all over the state are coming, bearing their grills, and will cook three-thousand ground pork-and-bacon patties. Hoppes concedes many Iowans don’t associate this season with outdoor cooking. She admits it may not be the “ideal” grilling temperature outside, but the farmers are willing, to promote their product. Besides, the free chips will stay fresh, and the ice cream won’t melt. It’s the seventh year of this event during the January convention, and while sometimes it’s a balmy 20 or 30 degrees, Hoppes admits in some winters it’s been like this. Windchills this afternoon are almost up to zero, but Hoppes says Iowa farmers are tough and think plenty of people will brave the cold Wednesday for their tasty free food. The “Winter Pork Picnic” is free, though a donation “tip jar” will collect money for the Food Bank of Iowa.
Federal funding will help airports
Federal funding approved recently is good news for several dozen Iowa’s airports. Michelle McEnany nee), director of the state Department of Transportation’s Office of Transportation, says the money goes to nearly 70 general-aviation airports and the eight that provide ticketed service to travelers. She says the so-called “Vision 100″ will go a long way toward helping Iowa communities achieve flexibility without more spending. One change is that towns will only need to put up a five-percent match for the federal money they request for airport improvements like lighting or a longer runway. The program could bring more than 106-million in federal money for Iowa airport infrastructure through 2007, and McEnany hails it as positive support from the federal government for Iowa’s air-transportation system. The federal funding package called “Vision 100″ also reauthorizes money through the year 2007 for federal aviation programs like EAS, the Essential Air Service program that’s helped the airports at Mason City and Fort Dodge keep their airline service since 9/11.
Legislators discuss ban on ATM’s at casinos
Gambling opponents are pressing legislators to ban A-T-Ms from casino property in Iowa. Representative Scott Raecker , a republican from Urbandale, worries about Iowans who over-extend themselves by getting cash advances on their credit cards when they visit a casino. Raecker says the heart of the issue is problem gamblers. Iowa Gaming Association President Wes Ehrecke says Iowa casinos have taken steps to help those who may abuse their credit cards when they gamble. Ehrecke says somebody can call a casino and get on a list so their credit card cannot be used at that casino. In addition, all but four of Iowa’s casinos have moved their credit card or cash machines off the gaming floor, into another part of the casino. But Lana Ross, legislative advocate for the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church, says that’s not enough as gambling addicts won’t self-impose a ban on their credit card use. Ross says there are a lot of gamblers who do not have the will-power to limit their use of credit cards at the casinos. The Iowa House and Senate have twice voted to prohibit all access to credit at casinos, but in both 1998 and ’99 the proposals failed to become law. Now, a House subcommittee is considering the issue once again.
Big crowd expected for Ames meeting on mall zoning
Large crowds in Ames are generally expected at athletic events — but tonight they’re making game-day type preparations for the city council meeting. City spokesperson Clare Bills says all the attention is focused on the council vote tonight on a proposed change to their zoning map for an area east of the city that could be the site of a new mall. She says if the zoning change is approved, the Wolford Group has proposed a regional mall in the area. She says the zoning change would let the company ask the city to annex the area so they can move ahead with the other actions needed to build the mall. The new mall has split Ames between those who think it’s a step into the future, and those who think it’s not needed and will hurt current businesses in the college town. Bills says they’re preparing for several hundred people to show up.She says they’ll beam the meeting into the city’s auditorium, which is being used as an overflow area. Bills says all speakers will be limited to three minutes to state their case. The mayor has also issued some other rules. She says he’s not allowing an signage inside city hall or the council chambers.And says there’ll be no cheering or clapping, or booing, as she says they want people to act in a civil manner. Emotions have run high in the debate, and Bills says they’ve taken steps to be sure things don’t get out of hand. She says they’re not sure what to expect, but she says “we’ve seen a lot of angry language and so forth, and we do plan to have police officers there, both in uniform and in plain clothes.” The meeting gets underway tonight at six o’clock in the council chambers.
Deli owner says Dean campaign hasn’t paid bill
A man who operates a West Des Moines deli’s waiting for the Howard Dean campaign to pay up on a nearly one-thousand dollar bill. Scott Hamilton, owner of the Brown Bag Deli, delivered 200 brown bag specials to Dean’s Des Moines headquarters on January 16th. Hamilton says he “provided them with lunch, in good faith, and just expect to be paid.” Hamilton had done some business before with the Dean folks, but had an inkling he had to insist on getting cash when he delivered that last order. The campaign headquarters was chaos when he arrived, no one appeared able to find a checkbook or credit card, and he couldn’t stay around because he had another delivery. Hamilton has repeatedly tried to get someone from the Dean campaign to pay the $963.01 bill, without success. So he went to a Des Moines TV reporter with his story, and now the new has spread to one of the most popular sites on the Internet, the Drudge Report. His phone’s been ringing off the hook this morning. Hamilton says he’s talked with news people and radio stations all over” Hamilton says one radio station offered to pay the bill, but he doesn’t “feel comfortable with that. It should be taken care of by the Dean campaign,” according to the small business owner.
