The U-N-I football team takes on Minnesota State in its home opener this weekend. The Panthers opened with a 23-0 loss at Iowa State and managed only 99-yards of total offense. Panther coach Mark Farley says his team never got in a rhythm on Saturday and he credits Iowa State for having a better defense than most people thought they did. He says the Panthers need to focus on getting better on moving the football. He says he felt good about the way the defense responded, saying they did a decent job and there’s something to build on. He says they’re focusing on doing the things they need to do, not on Minnesota State. U-N-I will be heavily favored against their division two foe but Farley says it does not matter who their opponent is. Farley says he’s after perfection no matter who they play, that’s perfection on offense, defense and special teams. If they don’t get it, Farley says they have to go back and fix it. Minnesota State is 1-1 on the season.
Fifteen Iowa State Students disciplined over VEISHEA riot
Fifteen Iowa State University students who were involved in a springtime riot in the Campustown area of Ames have been disciplined by the university. Pete Englin, I-S-U’s Dean of Students, says the actions those 15 students took the night of April 18th were unacceptable and inappropriate. Englin says “if you watched any of the video of the event, common sense would tell you this was not a place to be.” He says “most students chose to leave the scene and went home, but there were large numbers that either stayed or participated” in the riot, and the Dean says “that’s unfortunate.” In general, the 15 disciplined students were found to have destroyed property or threatened the safety of others with their actions that April night during the university’s annual VEISHEA celebration.Englin says university officials believe “students may have been confused” about what punishment might be handed out for participating in a riot, and that’s why the disciplinary actions were made public to make it clear “the consequences can be significant” if students are caught rioting. Four of the students were expelled or suspended from Iowa State. The other 11 were either given deferred suspensions or placed on probation. Englin says police reports were collected, and students who were charged with criminal behavior were immediately put on a list for review. He says since VEISHEA comes toward the end of the spring semester, the cases of other students found to be involved in the rioting were reviewed when the fall semester began. Any student who’s on probation or a deferred suspension can stay on at Iowa State if they stay out of trouble. Others who were expelled can apply to be reinstated, but officials will review each case. University officials say they cannot reveal the names of the students because of federal privacy laws.
Former Cornell professor named Iowa Poet Laureate
Iowa has a new Poet Laureate, 75-year-old Robert Dana was born in Boston, served in the South Pacific in the Navy in World War Two, returned home and wanted a change of scenery. He bought a one-way bus ticket to attend Drake University in Des Moines. It was there he got hooked on poetry and has lived in Iowa ever since, retiring to Coralville after teaching for 40 years at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. Dana says poetry isn’t well taught well in schools because most English teachers don’t understand it, “so they either don’t teach it at all or they teach it rather badly.” He says he’d like to help teachers to better understand poetry and help them to get their students to see poetry has “real relevance to their lives.” He says students can learn a lot about the contemporary world by studying the classic poetry of Frost, Shakespeare, Homer or Chaucer. In his two-year term as Iowa’s Poet Laureate, Dana will deliver poems at official events at the invitation of the governor and he’ll develop a signature project to advance the public’s appreciation for poetry. He has published thirteen books of poetry, beginning in 1957 and ending most recently in 2004 with his latest book “The Morning of The Red Admirals.” By the way, red admirals aren’t Russian naval leaders — they’re butterflies.
Pheasant population falls, weather blamed
Iowa’s most popular hunting season is going to be a little tougher this fall after one of the best years in a decade. Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist, Todd Bogenschutz says their survey finds a 34 percent drop in the pheasant population. Bogenschutz says poor weather is the culprit. He says the past winter was a little more toward normal, so the birds didn’t have the bonus of a warm winter. Then he says more importantly, we got rain right at the peak of the birds hatch. He says the state had rainfall in May that was about four inches above normal — and parts of the state had rain that was one foot above normal. Bogenschutz says hunters took over one million birds last year, and it was starting to look like a repeat performance until the skies let loose. He says we were looking good up until mid-May, and he says it could have been a “phenomenal” year, and then the rains started to come. Bogenschutz says this year will likely be similar to 2002 when the pheasant population was recovering from a disastrous year in 2001.He says things weren’t super, but hunters were generally happy in 2002. He says they had to work a little bit to find the birds and he says that’s what he expects this year. Bogenschutz says the best way to describe this pheasant season would be “spotty.” He says there’ll be spots that didn’t get the heavy rains where there’ll be a lot of birds, and then other spots that got heavy rain where you can’t find a thing. He predicts hunters will take 800 to 900-thousand birds. The pheasant season opens October 30th.
Internet appointment system now used by Citizenship and Immigration Services
A new service beginning today makes it easier for people dealing with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office for Nebraska and Iowa. Jerry Heinauer is director of that office, and he explains 40-percent of the people who have to come in for meetings travel from more than 100 miles away. The “InfoPass” system could spare them long lines to meet with counselors or turn in paperwork. He explains it’s an Internet-based appointment system that’ll let clients in Iowa and Nebraska schedule appointments to come in to the Omaha office, the 33 district offices and 34 sub-offices. Shelley Schrader of Catholic Charities Legal Immigration Assistance Services in Omaha says the Info-Pass program will help her clients, who often have trouble getting time off work to visit the immigration office. Schrader says using the computer can make it easier to make appointments, but also to change one. Heinauer says in places where Info-Pass is working, the long lines are gone at government immigration offices. Heinauer says the agency and the customer can regulate how many people are seen and how many appointments are made in a day, but also can help potential customers avoid trips — as in cases when they just need a form and can get that from the Internet site. The office is part of the agency formerly known as the I-N-S and handles applications from people hoping to become legal citizens of the U.S.
ISU looks to beat the odds against Iowa
Iowa State coach Dan McCarney says the Cyclones don’t mind the role of underdog as they get ready for Saturday’s 52nd meeting with Iowa. The Hawkeyes are a nearly four touchdown favorite to win their second straight game in the series.Cyclone coach Dan McCarney says despite what the oddsmakers say, they think they have a chance to go over and have a great ballgame. McCarney says they probably look like a four-touchdown underdog on paper, but he says games aren’t played on paper. He says both teams will be ready to play. He says he doesn’t buy the idea that the Cyclones put more emphasis on the game. McCarney says his team sees the game as a big challenge, and says his team will show up, fight and compete.Hawkeye coach Kirk Ferentz does not believe the Hawks should be a heavy favorite. He says ISU has a 5-1 record in the game in the last six years and he says they controlled the football a lot last year, even though they lost the game.Ferentz says the Cyclone defense looked good in their win over UNI. He says the return of Tyson Smith was important for the Cyclones, and they have a lot of guys with experience.Marcus Schnoor is out with a knee injury and Jermelle Lewis returns from suspension and will work with Albert Young at running back. Ferentz says both will play, although he says they aren’t naming a starter yet.
Company to pay large settlement over tire fire
A Floyd County company and its owner will pay over 100-thousand dollars to settle a federal complaint over a large tire fire. The U.S. Attorney says Pooley and Rottler Farms Incorporated, Rottler Farms Incorporated, and Gary Rottler will pay over 119-thousand dollars for removing chemicals created by the tire fire. The company allegedly started a fire in April of 2000 to burn some brush, and high winds spread the fire to a pile of 57-thousand discarded tires. The burning tires released about 114-thousand gallons of pyrolytic oil– posing an environmental threat.
