Iowa

February 11: Local writers address Iowa’s path to sustainability

Published

8 months ago

February 4, 2024

February 11: Local writers address Iowa’s path to sustainability

Linda Schreiber is a member of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County.

Water pollution, flooding and drought, soil erosion, and extreme weather events are grabbing increasing attention across Iowa. What’s going on – and what can we do about it?

These and other Iowa environmental problems – and their solutions – will be the focus of Project GREEN and the Iowa City Public Library’s Second Sunday Garden Forum 2024, on Sunday, February 11, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The forum, which is free and open to the public, will also stream live on Iowa City Public Library’s YouTube channel.

The forum’s discussions will be based on the book Tending Iowa’s Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future (University of Iowa Press, 2022), which includes chapters by 28 Iowa premier scientists and environmental activists. Book editor Connie Mutel will lead a panel with five authors who contributed chapters on soil, water, climate and biodiversity problems. Ample time will be allowed for audience participation and questions.

Cindy Parsons, co-president of Project GREEN, said she is pleased Connie will return to present her newest book with colleagues and fellow writers. “Connie is Iowa’s Aldo Leopold. She combines her passion and knowledge of the environment with excellent writing and editing skills to remind all of us of our moral responsibility to care for Iowa’s land.”

Tending Iowa’s Land synthesizes the details of today’s interacting environmental dilemmas. This hopeful and action-oriented book proposes that Iowans can foster the state’s native resilience by nurturing elements of tallgrass prairies – the complex plant communities that dominated our state into the early 1800s. Tending Iowa’s Land received the 2023 Midwest Book Award for Nonfiction – Nature.

Mutel is the author or editor of fourteen books. Seven of these focus on Iowa’s natural environment. Her books, as well as other writings and educational efforts across the state, have established her as a devoted advocate for nature in Iowa. Before retiring, she was a Senior Science Writer at IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering in the UI College of Engineering.

Ecologist Pauline Drobney guided the initial restoration of Iowa’s 8,654-acre Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge on former farmland. Until her retirement, she directed midwestern prairie and savanna research for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She will describe the prairie’s amazing abilities to create a self-sustaining landscape, and the benefits and techniques of re-introducing diverse native plantings throughout our agricultural landscape. Pauline wrote the chapter on the tallgrass prairie.

Iowa State Geologist Keith Schilling serves as Director of the Iowa Geological Survey at the UI. His broad and prolific research on soil- and water-related issues is reflected in his chapters on soil erosion and water pollution (with Chris Jones). Schilling will discuss soil erosion and regenerative agriculture techniques that address this problem as well as problems with soil degradation, water pollution, carbon emissions, and biodiversity loss.

Jerald Schnoor, UI Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, former department chair, and the winner of numerous awards, has for decades focused his teaching and research on water quality and environmental health. His publications and students have advanced climate change efforts and water sustainability around the world. With his passion and creativity, Schnoor was the perfect author for the final book chapter “Regenerating Our Future: A Call to Action,” which he will discuss.

Award-winning organic dairy farmer Francis Thicke considers greenhouse gas emissions with every farming decision he makes, from how and what he feeds his cows to where he sells milk products. Thicke earned his doctorate in soil science and previously worked as a USDA Soil Science Program Leader for the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. Both his academic and farming experiences fed into his chapter on using agriculture to help control climate change, which he will talk about.

As the UI IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering Director, Professor Larry Weber has created multiple Iowa initiatives to examine flooding, water pollution and landscape sustainability. Through his efforts with the Iowa Flood Center and Iowa Watershed Approach (IWA), Weber has developed a broad understanding of our state’s complex water issues and their solutions, which form a basis for his chapter and description of “Water-Centered Land Management.”

Project GREEN (Grow to Reach Environmental Excellence Now) was launched in 1968. The nonprofit supports efforts to educate citizens about the importance of conservation practices and preserving the natural environment. The organization celebrated 55 years of service to the community in 2023.

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Iowa

Fatal crash on I-35 in Iowa

Published

4 hours ago

October 13, 2024

Press Room

NORTHWOOD, Iowa (KTTC) – One person is dead after a single-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon in Worth County.

According to Iowa State Patrol, around 1:45 p.m., a vehicle was traveling southbound on Interstate 35 in Worth County near the 208-exit ramp. The driver lost control of the vehicle, went into the median, through the cable barrier and struck the bridge pillar.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Iowa

Updating Iowa State rankings in college football polls ahead of UCF matchup

Published

12 hours ago

October 13, 2024

Press Room

Updating Iowa State rankings in college football polls ahead of UCF matchup

The latest college football polls have been released, and Iowa State keeps moving up.

Iowa State improved to 6-0 after beating West Virginia 28-16 on Saturday in Morgantown.

The Cyclones are now set for a matchup at home vs. UCF on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Iowa State rankings update

Where did Iowa State land?

On Sunday, Iowa State checked in at No. 12 in USATODAY US LBM coaches poll. Previously, the Cyclones were No. 13.

Iowa State climbed up to No. 9 in the newest AP Top 25 college football poll. Last week, the Cyclones were No. 11.

US LBM Coaches Poll

Here is a look at the new US LBM college football coaches poll top 25.

Texas
Oregon
Penn State
Georgia
Ohio State
Miami (Fla.)
Alabama
LSU
Clemson
Tennessee
Notre Dame
Iowa State
BYU
Texas A&M
Ole Miss
Missouri
Kansas State
Indiana
Boise State
Pittsburgh
Illinois
Michigan
SMU
Army West Point
Nebraska

Schools Dropped Out

No. 16 Oklahoma; No. 17 Utah

Others Receiving Votes

Oklahoma 81; Arizona State 49; Navy 37; Utah 31; Vanderbilt 26; Syracuse 13; UNLV 12; Iowa 12; Texas Tech 9; Liberty 9; Washington State 8; Memphis 4; Louisville 4; James Madison 3; Tulane 2

AP Poll

Here is a look at the new Associated Press college football poll top 25

Texas
Oregon
Penn State
Ohio State
Georgia
Miami (Fla.)
Alabama
LSU
Iowa State
Clemson
Tennessee
Notre Dame
BYU
Texas A&M
Boise State
Indiana
Kansas State
Ole Miss
Missouri
PIttsburgh
SMU
Illinois
Army West Point
Michigan
Navy

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:

Vanderbilt 68, Nebraska 62, Arizona St. 39, Oklahoma 36, Washington St. 32, Iowa 29, Texas Tech 18, Syracuse 13, Arkansas 13, Utah 7, Louisville 6, Southern Cal 5, Liberty 2, UNLV 1.

Reach Eugene Rapay at erapay@gannett.com and follow him on X/Twitter @erapay5.

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Iowa

Becht, Hansen lead No. 11 Iowa State over West Virginia 28-16 for first 6-0 start since 1938

Published

19 hours ago

October 13, 2024

Press Room

Becht, Hansen lead No. 11 Iowa State over West Virginia 28-16 for first 6-0 start since 1938

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht believes the Cyclones have yet to hit their peak during their best start in 86 years.

Carson Hansen rushed for three scores, Becht threw a touchdown pass and No. 11 Iowa State beat West Virginia 28-16 on Saturday night.

The Cyclones (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) opened the season with six wins for the first time since 1938.

“I feel like we haven’t even played our best game yet as a whole — special teams, defense, and offense,” Becht said. The goal is “finding ways to get better each and every single week, and our mindset is just 0-0 and trying to win that next game.”

Iowa State forged a first-place tie in the league with BYU and idle Texas Tech.

The Cyclones broke open a close game by scoring two touchdowns after intercepting West Virginia’s Garrett Greene in the second half.

Becht found Eli Green on passes of 12 and 34 yards on consecutive plays to set up the Cyclones at the West Virginia 17. A third-down holding call on West Virginia cornerback Ayden Garnes gave Iowa State first-and-goal at the 3, and Hansen scored on the next play for a 21-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Jontez Williams made his third interception of the season on West Virginia’s next drive, and Iowa State took over at the Mountaineers’ 34. Hansen ran for 20 yards on the ensuing drive, capped by his 2-yard scoring run for a 28-10 lead with 4:42 left.

Hansen, a sophomore who also scored on an 11-yard run in the second quarter, finished with 96 rushing yards, one shy of the career high he set last week against Baylor. He ran for a total of 67 yards during an injury-filled freshman season.

“For him to consistently play the way he has the last couple of weeks, it’s awesome to watch,” Becht said.

West Virginia (3-3, 2-1) was held to 148 rushing yards against the league’s top defense after amassing 389 yards on the ground a week ago at Oklahoma State. The Mountaineers were hurt by several high snaps that threw off their timing and runs parallel to the line of scrimmage that lost yardage.

“In the second half, when it was winning time, we didn’t win,” said West Virginia coach Neal Brown. “We struggled to get into a rhythm.”

Becht completed 18 of 26 passes for 265 yards, including a 60-yard scoring toss to Jaylin Noel in blown coverage in the second quarter.

Becht’s father, Anthony, was honored on the field after the first quarter for his induction into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He played tight end for the Mountaineers from 1996-99 and 11 seasons in the NFL.

“You couldn’t ask for a greater night for his family,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said.

Rocco Becht said he wished he could have been there with his dad, “but I had bigger things going on trying to win this game.”

Jahiem White had an 8-yard scoring run and a 10-yard TD catch for West Virginia. Greene finished 18 of 32 for 206 yards.

Iowa State: The Cyclones answered the challenge on both sides of the ball in winning their seventh straight road game. Becht played smart and efficient, and the nation’s sixth-best scoring defense was stout again.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers many too many mistakes at key times and now have lost eight consecutive games to ranked opponents.

Iowa State might have a tough time moving up when the AP poll comes out on Sunday. The Cyclones were tied at No. 11 with Notre Dame, which beat Stanford 49-7.

Iowa State: Hosts UCF on Saturday night.

West Virginia: Hosts No. 18 Kansas State on Saturday night.

___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

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