Iowa

Clean-up uncovers uncertainty for northwest Iowa flood victims

Published

2 years ago

June 27, 2024

Clean-up uncovers uncertainty for northwest Iowa flood victims

Mud and memories line the streets of a neighborhood in Rock Valley, a place that Cheri and Steve Gacke have called home for 30 years. They sit in chairs near the front door, exhausted and stunned.

“Yeah — so, it’s all gone — no insurance,” Steve said.

Sheila Brummer

Iowa Public Radio

The front yard of Cheri and Steve Gacke’s home in Rock Valley is filled with property destroyed by flood waters. The couple recently remodeled the home by adding new siding and a four-car garage. They say all four of their vehicles inside were destroyed.

In their yard, and in their neighbor’s, are piles of debris: mattresses, soaked sofas, clothing, appliances, photos and more.

This is a rural area of the state, so farmers joined the clean-up with their tractors, payloaders and other equipment to help with the heavy lifting.

They were a welcome sight to Rob Jansen. His mother lives across the street.

A street is lined with trucks and muddy wagons. — Volunteer Todd Martin, a farmer from rural Inwood, helps homeowners clear muddy piles of debris from their homes. “I have a lot of family and friends from Rock Valley — and our church organized a bunch of people to come because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.

“Getting rid of everything that came out of the main floor so far, then we got the whole basement,” Jansen said. “I don’t wish this on anyone, but it’s nice to see all the volunteers and all the hard work — lots is getting done.”

Escape from rising waters

Almost everything inside the Gacke home was destroyed after a surge from the Rock River shot over a protective berm and rushed through their lives in the middle of the night.

“I heard a beep — beep — beep — there was a big truck trying to back because he couldn’t get down the street because it was flooded, and that woke me up,” Cheri said.

“Within five minutes, it was coming in,” Steve said. “It was coming into the walls of the basement, and we decided we had better get out.”

“It was coming into the walls of the basement, and we decided we had better get out.”

Steve Gacke, Rock Valley resident
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“We looked out and knew we had to walk through the water,” Cheri added. “And, so we walked a good block-and-a-half, and then we could get up on the grass. And then we walked over to the swimming pool, and people picked us up and brought us to Faith Church.”

They escaped with just the clothes on their backs and another dry set in their hands. Others needed to be rescued by boat and National Guard helicopter.

As they discussed the aftermath of the flood, the sound of generators, pumps and heavy equipment sometimes overpowered their conversation. The Gackes talked about being married for almost 40 years and how, after another flood, they decided to stay.

A walking trail sign is in the forefront. There's a big hose with water gushing out. In the background is a lot of water. — Water still covered the top of a berm and walking trail in Rock Valley two days after a catastrophic flood on June 22, 2024. City officials originally thought it gave way, but later said it held up and that the water level was just too high. The Rock River crested five feet higher than a record set in 2014.

“But they built these dikes and everything,” Steve said. “So, we felt that we were safe enough to redo our basement and added onto our garage — and it’s now worse than it was ten years ago.”

Steve’s voice broke, and he became emotional when he talked about what was in the garage.

“This is the first car I ever bought — a ‘74 Satellite,” he said.

He regretted leaving it behind when the water started to rise. They focused on moving a few items out of the basement instead. He looked at a photo of what the car used to be — white and pristine.

“Now, it’s just black,” he added.

Man with dirty hands is holding a cell phone that shows a photo of a car with white seats caked with mud. — Steve Gacke shares a photo of his ’74 Plymouth Satellite. He bought it brand-new from Harry Miller Garage in Hudson, South Dakota for $3,500. “But it’s worth a lot more today — but not anymore, because it’s just junk.”

Exploring the damage

Gov. Kim Reynolds privately toured the town of 4,000 by ATV and said 500 homes experienced some level of damage — from backed-up sewers to the unsalvageable.

Two ATV sit side-by-side. One says Ranger the other Sioux County Sheriff. — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds prepares to tour a flood-ravaged neighborhood in Rock Valley. She praised all the emergency managers and first responders for their heroic efforts, and the citizens and volunteers who stepped up during a natural disaster.

“This is unprecedented, historic flooding. Where we’re breaking all records, sadly, with what we’ve experienced over the last couple of days,” Reynolds said.

She also visited Hawarden, Cherokee, Rock Rapids and Spencer — locations where rain-swollen rivers couldn’t handle 15 or more inches of water in just a few days.

The governor requested and received a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for some of the most impacted areas. This allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess the damage and aid homeowners, renters and businesses.

The Gackes could use that assistance.

“We worked full-time for years and years, and saved our money,” Cheri said. “And when we have money, we would fix up the house. We thought we could finally retire.”

Picture of 20 people in a conference room. Five are sitting at a conference table. The others are standing. — Gov. Kim Reynolds meets with Rock Valley Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo — along with Congressman Randy Feenstra and other state and local officials on June 24, 2024. Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg is a native of Hawarden, another community impacted by flooding. Some of his relatives saw up to 10 feet of water in their homes.

Flood forced a detour

Now the Gackes are talking about starting over, at almost the age of 70, far from here. Rock Valley experienced another flood four years ago, in addition to one a decade earlier. And now, this new crisis. Three episodes in a decade.

“… we’re leaving town — we’re going to go to Oklahoma.”

Steve Gacke, Rock Valley resident

“We’re leaving, we’re leaving town,” Steve Gacke said. “We’re going to go to Oklahoma.”

They plan on staying with their daughter and her family there.

A woman is smiling and has one hand on her hip. She is wearing a black tank top and dark blue-marbled shorts. — Jen Ahrendt stands in what used to be her bedroom at her parents’ house in Rock Valley. Closed roads meant she couldn’t travel from her home in South Dakota until two days after the flood. “Very helpless feeling — that I couldn’t be there for them,” she said.

Another daughter, Jen Arendt, appreciated the volunteers as they packed up dishes, cups and platters inside cabinets in the kitchen. Because of closed roads, she had to wait two days to come help.

“I saw pictures online when I couldn’t get here, and it was devastating,” Arendt said. “But being here is heartbreaking. Everyone lost everything, everything they worked for is in a pile in the front yard, and it’s pretty hard.”

Jen also had a plan, and it involved her dad’s car. That car is the one he took her mom on dates in, and their honeymoon. It’s the one he drove Jen and her sister home from the hospital in after their births.

“Everyone’s rallying around, and we’re going to keep it for him,” she said. “We’re going to restore it.”

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Iowa

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

Published

46 minutes 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

13 hours 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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