Iowa

Iowa Supreme Court to decide if COVID-19 wrongful death lawsuits against Tyson can continue

Published

1 year ago

November 15, 2024

Iowa Supreme Court to decide if COVID-19 wrongful death lawsuits against Tyson can continue

The Iowa Supreme Court is set to decide if the families of four people who worked at the Tyson Foods meatpacking plant in Waterloo and died of COVID-19 in 2020 can move forward with their wrongful death lawsuits against company leaders.

The families of Sedika Buljic, Reberiano Garcia Leno, Jose Ayala and Isidro Fernandez allege they died of complications related to COVID-19 in the spring of 2020 because Tyson executives and supervisors failed to prevent the spread of the virus, lied to workers about the outbreak and ordered sick employees to continue working.

The Black Hawk County District Court dismissed their cases against Tyson last year. A lawyer for the plaintiffs asked the Iowa Supreme Court during oral arguments Thursday to reverse that lower court ruling and let the cases proceed.

Attorney David Yoshimura, representing some of the Waterloo Tyson plant supervisors named in the lawsuits, said these are “straightforward workplace injury claims” that belong in the workers’ compensation system, not in the courts.

“…Which is why the district court dismissed them. Nevertheless, the plaintiff here has engaged in some creative pleading of their own and tried to, through some gamesmanship, keep these claims in the courts,” he said.

But plaintiffs’ attorney G. Bryan Ulmer III said Tyson leaders’ actions satisfy an exception to that law.

The end result was the largest workplace outbreak of COVID-19 in the entire country

Attorney G. Bryan Ulmer III

He said Tyson executives and supervisors’ fraudulent misrepresentations and gross negligence caused the four employees to die of COVID-19. He said Tyson leaders told employees the virus wasn’t spreading at the plant and told workers with COVID symptoms to keep going to work.

“All the while, supervisors were placing bets on how many positive COVID-19 cases would result from the outbreak,” Ulmer said. “The end result was the largest workplace outbreak of COVID-19 in the entire country.”

The COVID-19 outbreak at the Tyson facility in Waterloo

The Tyson plant in Waterloo was in the spotlight in April of 2020, when local health officials and some state lawmakers were urging the company to temporarily shut down the pork plant to help stop the spread of the virus.

The workers’ families allege that by the beginning of April, Tyson supervisors knew that COVID-19 “was rampantly spreading” at the Waterloo plant. Some were part of a betting pool “to wager how many workers would test positive for COVID-19.” Tyson later fired seven managers who were involved.

The plaintiffs said that Tyson executives and supervisors “forced” sick workers to work at the Waterloo plant unless they got a formal positive COVID test result (which could take several days at that time), refused to provide proper masks and allowed employees to work without masks.

“A box of rags and frayed fabric was provided at the Waterloo facility for workers to use as ‘optional’ face coverings,” the plaintiffs alleged in a court filing.

Tyson had already closed its plant in Columbus Junction because of a COVID-19 outbreak, and, according to the lawsuits, was already taking virus precautions at its plants in China for months.

The Waterloo plant was closed on April 23, 2020, after the virus had been spreading there for weeks.

Local health officials reported in early May 2020 that more than 1,000 employees of the Tyson pork plant had tested positive for COVID-19.

The lawsuits

The families of the four Waterloo workers who died filed two separate lawsuits in the summer of 2020. They were combined for some legal proceedings.

At one point, the cases were sent to the federal court system.

Tyson argued that it was acting under the direction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent a food shortage during the pandemic and that federal courts should hear these cases instead of state courts. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the case and sent it back to the state court system.

The Iowa Supreme Court will likely decide by the end of June 2025 whether the cases can move forward.

Tyson Fresh Meats settled lawsuits earlier this year with the estates of three people who worked at its pork plant in Storm Lake and died of COVID-19.

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Iowa

Iowa football lands commitment from FCS Freshman All-American receiver

Published

5 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Iowa football lands commitment from FCS Freshman All-American receiver

IOWA CITY — Furman transfer receiver Evan James has committed to Iowa football, he announced Jan. 11.

James, who is listed at 6-feet and 175 pounds, will come to the Hawkeyes with three seasons of eligibility remaining.

James, a 3-star prospect in the 2025 high school recruiting class, had a standout true freshman season at Furman. In nine appearances, James accumulated 65 receptions for 796 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed seven times for 72 yards and one touchdown.

James was named an FCS 1st team Freshman All-American by Phil Steele.

James hauled in at least five catches in each of his nine appearances last season and went over 100 yards three times. James had a career-high 10 receptions against Campbell. He had a career-high 146 yards receiving against Chattanooga, which included a 61-yard catch.

James is the second FCS first-team Freshman All-American receiver that Iowa football has landed this transfer portal cycle.

The Hawkeyes also got a commitment from UT Rio Grande Valley receiver Tony Diaz. The addition of Diaz, who held offers from Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas, Virginia Tech and others, was a major recruiting win for the Hawkeyes. Diaz hauled in 68 receptions for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman last season.

The Hawkeyes are seeing the departure of some serious contributions from their 2025 receiver room. Three of the team’s top five leaders in receiving yards during the 2025 season are moving on: Jacob Gill, Sam Phillips and Kaden Wetjen. Not to mention Seth Anderson, who was tied for second on the team lead in receiving touchdowns last season with two.

On top of that, there’s a level of uncertainty regarding what Iowa’s quarterback play is going to look like in the post-Mark Gronowski era.

But there are some pieces to inspire some hope.

The Hawkeyes have done commendable work in the transfer portal to bolster the receiver room, getting a pair of productive players at a position of need. What makes it even sweeter is that they each have three seasons of eligibility remaining, giving them time to grow and develop in the program.

Reece Vander Zee is the most prominent name that can return to the wide receiver room in 2026. Dayton Howard and KJ Parker were rotational guys in 2025 and could take a step forward next season.

The tight end room appears loaded — with the return of Addison Ostrenga, Iowa’s 2025 leading receiver DJ Vonnahme and Thomas Meyer — but the Hawkeyes still need reinforcements on the outside to get the passing game where it needs to be.

The Hawkeyes will look to sustain momentum on the offensive side of the ball in coordinator Tim Lester’s third season with the program.

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com

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Iowa

Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time

Published

17 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time

Looking for a second road win this week, No. 14 Iowa women’s basketball heads to Indiana for today’s 4 p.m. contest inside Assembly Hall. BTN will televise the game.

The Hawkeyes (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten Conference) remained perfect in league play with a 67-58 win at Northwestern on Jan. 5, a game in which Iowa survived despite enduring heavy foul trouble.

Meanwhile, Indiana (11-6, 0-5) has reached desperation territory. The Hoosiers have dropped four straight, including two at home, during this extended skid.

Here’s how to watch today’s game.

Watch Iowa vs. Indiana on Fubo (free trial)

What channel is Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana on today?

Iowa vs. Indiana time today

Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
Start time: 4 p.m. CT
Location: Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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Iowa

Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals

CEDAR FALLS − The undefeated start to the Iowa women’s wrestling program has ended after the Hawkeyes lost a dual for the first time in program history at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 10.

A 40-5 win over William Jewell College and a 39-3 victory over Sacred Heart set up a major semifinal clash with rival North Central College on Jan. 10.

Iowa won six of 10 matches in the semifinals. Karlee Brooks beat national runner-up Yele Aycock by a 8-4 decision, 138-pounder Skye Realin defeated a former national champion by a 6-6 score on criteria in Claire Dicugno with a four-point throw at the buzzer, Reese Larramendy knocked off No. 1 ranked and former Hawkeye teammate Bella Mir in a 10-4 decision at 145 and 180-pounder Kylie Welker wrestled and won in just her second match back after a period of rest to start the season.

All of those wins helped put Iowa in front, 21-18, going into the final bout at 207 pounds.

What did the Hawkeyes in was losses by fall at 110, 124 and 207. The 207 loss, with Dasia Yearby pinning Jaycee Foeller in the first period, gave North Central a 23-21 victory despite the Cardinals dropping six of 10 matches. North Central also scored team points in nine of 10 bouts because they scored match points and did not lose by fall.

As a result, the Iowa program’s 42-0 unblemished record in duals was broken.

The final result was eerily similar to the dual between the two teams at the same tournament two years ago, where the Hawkeyes also lost six of 10 bouts, but got crucial bonus points and at least one team point in all 10 bouts to escape with a 21-20 win.

Iowa women’s wrestling coach Clarissa Chun emphasized to her team two years ago that every point mattered in the win. This time around, it worked against them as the Cardinals got the upset victory.

“Every point does matter,” Chun said. “You can’t replicate those moments in those times, in certain moments and positions. We got to be better at finishing, that’s apparent. We can get to the legs, but we got to continue to wrestle through that to the strong finish.”

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central

Chun said the emotions were raw afterwards, with wrestlers in and out of the lineup taking the loss to heart. Welker, who won her bout 8-2 against Jael Miller, took it hard since she nearly had a pin that could have flipped the final result.

“There was a lot of us that felt it was hard to take a loss, especially for me, and there was a couple other girls that took it pretty hard,” Welker said. “I have girls that look to me, so I’m like, ‘I got to pull myself together and step forward with them, alongside them so we can finish this tournament.’”

Ultimately, the Hawkeyes finished with a win in the third-place bout shortly after by defeating a solid Grand Valley State team, 26-15. The main difference, they said, was the positive energy exuded from the coaching staff to not harp on the past and look for the next best thing.

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central

While the loss brings an unfamiliar feeling to the program, it’s something they knew would come eventually. While it was their main rival today, McKendree will also present a tough challenge to the field when the NCAA Championships come in March.

Behind stars Welker and Kennedy Blades, rising wrestlers like Brooks and Realin, as well as proven veterans in Larramendy, Brianna Gonzalez and Foeller, Iowa will have a good chance to win a third-consecutive team title this season.

Even in a crushing loss, they got some key wins from those like Realin, Larramendy and Brooks that bode well for the Hawkeyes in the future. The places they faltered were spots they’ll have confidence to bounce back or won’t apply come the NCAA Championships, like Nyla Valencia’s loss by fall after controlling most of the bout at 110 pounds, and Welker and Blades giving up team points in their matches.

Regardless, the third-place finish served as a reminder to the program and fans alike that this year is going to bring Iowa’s toughest challenge yet.

“Everyone on our team knows it, this sport has depth,” Chun said. “There are great wrestlers across the entire country.”

Iowa women’s wrestling’s results at NWCA National Duals

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker’s National Duals press conference

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker discusses program’s first loss

Round of 16: Iowa 40, William Jewell College 5

103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Juliana Alejandro (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
110 – Nyla Valencia (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
117 – Alexandra Waitsman (William Jewell College) over Harlee Hiller (Iowa) Fall 1:04
124 – Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) over Miyah Palacios (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
131 – Emily Frost (Iowa) over Shelby Kemp (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
138 – Lilly Luft (Iowa) over Zainab Ibrahim (William Jewell College) Fall 2:01
145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Mckinzie Ross (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Paige Barber (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
180 – Katja Osteen (Iowa) over Jianna Chavez (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
207 – Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) over Desiree Hall (William Jewell College) TF 10-0

Quarterfinal: Iowa 39, Sacred Heart University 3

103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart) Fall 0:54
110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Tiffany Stoshak (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Tatiana Walker (Sacred Heart) TF 11-0
124 – Cali Leng (Iowa) over Lauren Nguyen (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
131 – Bella Williams (Iowa) over Bella Sowards (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Elleahna Anderson (Sacred Heart) Fall 2:21
145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Selena Sifuentes shaffer (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Love Daley (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Madeline Hodges (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
207 – Josephine Larson (Sacred Heart) over Libby Dix (Iowa) Dec 5-2

Semifinal: North Central College 23, Iowa 21

103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Brianne Graves (North Central College) TF 12-0
110 – Kaelani Shufeldt (North Central College) over Nyla Valencia (Iowa) Fall 5:38
117 – Riley Rayome (North Central College) over Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) Dec 3-3
124 – Sara Sterner (North Central College) over Cali Leng (Iowa) Fall 1:45
131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Yele Aycock (North Central College) Dec 8-4
138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Claire Dicugno (North Central College) Dec 6-6
145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Bella Mir (North Central College) Dec 10-4
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Taylor Graveman (North Central College) TF 11-1
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Jael Miller (North Central College) Dec 8-2
207 – Dasia Yearby (North Central College) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 1:38

Third-place dual: Iowa 26, Grand Valley State 15

103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Rayana Sahagun (Grand Valley State) Dec 7-0
110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Kiely Tabaldo (Grand Valley State) Dec 6-0
117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Libby Roberts (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
124 – Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) over Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) Fall 0:37
131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley State) Dec 8-3
138 – Katerina Lange (Grand Valley State) over Lilly Luft (Iowa) TF 10-0
145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Margaret Buurma (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Noelle Gaffney (Grand Valley State) Fall 3:45
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Maddison Ward (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
207 – Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 4:47

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

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