Iowa
4 instructors with Iowa college attacked while visiting park in China

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (KCRG/Gray News) – Four instructors from Iowa’s Cornell College were stabbed during a trip to China.
The instructors were visiting a public park in Jilin City when they were attacked, as reported Monday. They were in China as part of a teaching partnership with Beihua University, KCRG reports.
Cornell College has confirmed that no students were involved in the trip.
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks says two of the victims are in critical condition and undergoing surgery. She’s been in contact with two of the impacted families, as well as U.S. and Chinese officials.
“As far as we know, there was one [suspect]. I think they were taken into custody. I don’t know if they’re still in custody,” she said. “As far as we know, it was unprovoked and random. We don’t know any other motivation.”
State Rep. Adam Zabner said “everyone is awake” and that his brother, David Zabner, is one of the victims.
David Zabner is a PhD student in computer science education at Massachusetts’ Tufts University but was working with Cornell during the teaching program, his brother said. He is recovering after being wounded in the arm during the attack.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it is aware of reports of a stabbing and that it is monitoring the situation, according to the Associated Press.
In a message sent to students and staff, Cornell President Jonathan Brand said the colleges has been “in contact with all four instructors and are assisting them during this time. There were no students taking part in this program.”
Copyright 2024 KCRG via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Iowa
Here’s the path forward to protecting Iowa farmers and Iowa property rights | Opinion

Iowa needs a compromised approach to eminent domain.
What is the Summit Carbon Solutions pipleine project?
Ames, Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions wants to build a pipeline across several states to trap carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and bury it.
- Michael Brixius is a pharmacist and the current Story County GOP organizational chair.
Iowa has an important question to answer: How do we balance keeping Iowa’s farmers and ethanol industry competitive with the fundamental protection of private property? The proposed carbon capture pipelines, like Summit Carbon Solutions’, force this question into the forefront.
While those in favor of the pipeline view such projects as vital for Iowa’s ethanol industry, the reality is far more complex, driven by private gain and misdirected environmental concern.
The crux of the issue is the controversial use of eminent domain. Historically reserved for public infrastructure like roads and schools, its application for a private, for-profit pipeline has unfortunately been upheld in federal court. These projects are fueled by billions in federal 45Q tax credits, turning taxpayer dollars into private profits.
Even more concerning, a majority of the captured carbon is slated for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), effectively using public subsidies to extract more fossil fuels — a practice that unequivocally undermines genuine carbon reduction goals and highlights the costly, inefficient nature of these pipelines for true climate action.
Yet, one must acknowledge the challenging position of Iowa’s ethanol industry. Facing competition and the necessity to access low-carbon fuel markets like California’s, our ethanol plants feel economically compelled to participate in these projects. It’s a bitter pill: being “forced to play the game” to remain competitive (some estimates calculate a reduction of $0.75 per bushel of corn without the pipeline), even if the means raise profound concerns about property rights — in addition to the aforementioned dubious utility of carbon capture pipelines. This is an unfortunate, but necessary Faustian bargain that must be carefully measured.
Iowa needs a compromised approach to eminent domain. First, mandate a high threshold of voluntary easements of 80% to 90% before eminent domain can be considered. This at least forces the opportunity for genuine negotiation and significantly strengthens landowners’ property rights. Given that these negotiations are frequently far from good faith, such a mandate is necessary.
Second, for the few remaining landowners facing condemnation (if that high threshold is met), mandate enhanced compensation, at least 125% of the appraised fair market value. “Fair market value” is almost always insufficient, failing to account for the long-term impacts on farming operations, soil health, or the inherent coercion of an involuntary taking. Drawing inspiration from models in other states, this multiplier ensures landowners are more justly compensated for contributing to a private entity’s profit, especially in a project whose viability is heavily subsidized by taxpayers.
This approach allows Iowa’s agricultural industries to remain competitive, while stemming eminent domain abuse. We must respect private property rights, keep Iowa’s ethanol industry competitive, and ensure that private gain does not come at the undue expense of Iowa’s landowners.
Michael Brixius is a pharmacist and the current Story County GOP organizational chair.
Iowa
McLaughlin leads Iowa practice | RACER

Friday’s intense weather, which included a tornado within sight at Iowa Speedway, was traded for a warm 75 degrees and problem-free running to start a busy Saturday morning IndyCar practice that was led with ease by Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin.
McLaughlin’s No. 3 Chevy turned a 183.514mph lap to lead an all-Chevy top six with Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel (182.645mph), Ed Carpenter Racing’s Alexander Rossi (182.512mph), Pato O’Ward (182.393mph), Josef Newgarden (182.319mph), and Christian Rasmussen (182.189mph).
Championship leader Alex Palou was first among the Honda-powered drivers in seventh (182.013mph).
Cautions were needed for Pato O’Ward spinning while exiting pit lane, a stalled Jacob Abel, and a brush of the wall by Christian Rasmussen.
Within the field of 27 drivers, 26 participated in the practice session, which followed the high-line rubbering-in session where Andretti’s Kyle Kirkwood crashed and broke the right-side suspension. As a result, Kirkwood – who holds second-place in the championship – was unable to participate in the open practice and will go straight into qualifying with the repaired car.
“We were running fine up top and I went down low and it got loose and see ya’ later. It’s a mistake on my part. Really caught me off guard there,” Kirkwood said.
After losing Friday, a hectic pace will dominate the day with qualifying up next at 1:30pm ET and the first 275-lap Sukup-sponsored race of the weekend goes live on FOX at 5pm ET.
RESULTS
Iowa
What do Fox Sports analysts think will happen during the IndyCar races in Iowa?

NEWTON — This weekend’s IndyCar racing at Iowa Speedway will likely be better than last year’s processional races, but passing could still be hard, according to members of Fox Sports’ broadcasting team.
In 2024 a partial repave of all four corners resulted in processional racing where passing was almost impossible. Heading into the Saturday and Sunday races (July 12-13), drivers are uncertain whether the racing will be better, with some saying it will be and others saying it could still be hard to pass.
Fox Sports analyst James Hinchcliffe won at Iowa Speedway in 2018. Hinchcliffe thinks the racing will be better than in 2024.
“I do think we’re going to see it much better than what we saw last year,” Hinchcliffe said.
Skyscraper-sized cumulus clouds loomed over Iowa Speedway on Friday, July 11. Sunny skies are forecast on Saturday and Sunday, but a practice scheduled for Friday afternoon was critical to giving drivers confidence to drive in the second lane, Hinchcliffe said.
“The reality is,” Hinchcliffe said, “and we’ve learned this doing this at a few different tracks. When you’re driving around in practice on your own, there’s not a whole lot of reason to go up into the high lane. When you get into the race you don’t want to go up there for the very first time when an incident is going to take you out of the race. So forcing the guys to get comfortable up there, for me I think it’s a placebo effect as much as anything. What I think it does more than anything is it gives drivers some experience up there, comfortable. Up there so early in the race that starts exploring and that just keeps that high line clean all night long and allows it to be useable.”
Will Buxton’s impressions of Iowa
Fox play-by-play announcer Will Buxton gained worldwide fame in the Netflix series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive,” serving as an expert on the series. He is in his first season as IndyCar’s play-by-play announcer for Fox. Buxton also had a cameo in the Brad Pitt movie “F1.”
When Buxton, who lives in England, arrived at the track July 11 he wandered through the corn maze behind the backstretch, and he still had muddy boots to prove it.
“I didn’t realize. Have you been close up to those things, they’re freaky!” Buxton told Hinchcliffe and Fox pit reporter Jack Harvey of his first encounter with field corn. “The roots aren’t underground. They’re above ground, and it holds itself up. It’s like a tripod!”
About a quarter of the winners at Iowa have started from outside the top 10 and the track is known for producing great racing, Buxton said. Last year Will Power won the second race after starting 22nd.
“This is renowned as being one of the best short-course oval tracks in the world,” Buxton said. “I think you come in expecting the unexpected. So even with the repave there’s still the opportunity for people to have astonishing races from wherever they started in the field.”
How did the repave impact IndyCar racing at Iowa Speedway?
The repave added a high amount of grip to the bottom lane. Think of winter roads. The old asphalt is like untreated ice where drivers slip and slide. It’s technically challenging to drive, but entertaining.
Think of the new asphalt as plowed concrete. It’s easy to drive on, but mundane. In highly aerodynamic IndyCars with faster speeds than stock cars the old surface created unpredictable IndyCar racing.
What is IndyCar doing to make the racing better?
In 2025 IndyCar lengthened both races at Iowa Speedway from 250 laps to 275 laps. Before the repave tire degradation was so high that teams never knew how long a full fuel stint could last, Hinchcliffe said.
“More often than not you were pitting for tires more than you were for fuel,” Hinchcliffe said.
With the new pavement on repaved portions, tires lasted a lot longer and teams ran cars out of fuel. So teams realized they could stop for fuel one less time than what had traditionally been done there, Hinchcliffe said.
“By adding the extra laps they’ve made that window harder to achieve,” Hinchcliffe said. “Which takes the incentive to drive around to a fuel number out of the equation and hopefully means that drivers can push flat out for the entire race.”
Essentially IndyCar also “repositioned downforce on the car” to make the racing better, Harvey said. The amount of downforce allowed on cars is essentially what it was in 2024, but is in different places, Hinchcliffe said.
“I give IndyCar a lot of credit,” Hinchcliffe said. “They’re doing a lot to try to combat this issue that wasn’t of their making.”
Race needs to move to Saturday night
Saturday night racing on short-track ovals in IndyCar are as synonymous as church on Sundays. For years IndyCar scheduled its Iowa race on Saturday nights where the track gained a reputation for its unpredictable chess matches. Television schedules set times for races, but Hinchcliffe and Harvey said the racing and crowds could be better by holding the race at night.
“It’s hot in Iowa in July,” Harvey said. “Let the temperature come down a bit. Let it cool off. I feel like that’s an easy win.”
“From a visual standpoint, open-wheel cars around the lights, sparks flying, it just looks cool,” Hinchcliffe said. “It’s almost always the case that the conditions in a night race are advantageous for racing.”
Philip Joens covers retail, real estate and motorsports for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184 or pjoens@registermedia.com.
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