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Hy-Vee Renews With IndyCar At Iowa In Multi-Year Extension

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Hy-Vee Renews With IndyCar At Iowa In Multi-Year Extension


The combination of midwestern supermarket chain Hy-Vee and the NTT IndyCar Series has proven to be a perfect fit.

It will remain that in the future as Hy-Vee announced an extension with IndyCar to remain a partner at Iowa Speedway with the popular Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa.

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The announcement was made Thursday, July 11 at Hy-Vee’s corporate headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa. Beginning Friday, July 12, IndyCar hits the Iowa Speedway seven-eighths mile short oval for this weekend’s Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa.

Under the new multi-year agreement, Hy-Vee – the Iowa-based and employee-owned supermarket chain – will continue as the title sponsor of Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend.

“This event has been a great fit for Hy-Vee,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s executive chairman of the board. “We look forward to continuing to support this race in Iowa by serving as the title sponsor in the years ahead. We set out to make this a world-class event and believe the momentum we have created will continue into the future as IndyCar continues to gain more fans year after year.”

Hy-Vee’s ongoing commitment to motorsports has been demonstrated through its support of the annual IndyCar event weekend held at Iowa Speedway, which is the longest-standing race held at the 7/8 of a mile oval track located in Newton, Iowa.

IndyCar first began competing at Iowa Speedway in 2007 and this weekend represents the 20th and 21st NTT IndyCar Series races at the venue.

The 2024 Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend is July 12-14, featuring the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart (Saturday at 8 pm ET on NBC and Peacock) and the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade (Sunday at 12 pm ET on NBC and Peacock).

Since 2022, Hy-Vee has served as the host and entitlement partner for the IndyCar Series doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway. Attracting capacity crowds with a combination of world-class racing at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet” and premier live music acts for an entertainment-filled fan experience, has helped transform the IndyCar weekend into one of the biggest annual events in Iowa.

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The continued collaboration marks a significant milestone in Hy-Vee’s partnership with IndyCar, which originally began in 2020 when the popular grocery chain first joined forces with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as a team sponsor in the NTT IndyCar Series.

“We are so proud to continue the partnership with Hy-Vee and build on the success of Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend well into the future,” said Bud Denker, President of Penske Corporation, which owns IndyCar. “With Hy-Vee’s vision and unwavering support, this event has continued to grow and expose new fans to IndyCar.

“We thank the entire Hy-Vee team for their partnership and continued commitment to Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend, and we can’t wait to host another incredible event this weekend at Iowa Speedway.”

Driven by the partnership with Hy-Vee, IndyCar returned to Iowa Speedway in 2022 after not competing at the venue during the 2021 season. Since its inception, Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend has become a highlight on the IndyCar calendar.

With a record-breaking estimated crowd of approximately 85,000 spectators over three days, last year’s Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend marked the highest attendance ever recorded for an IndyCar event at Iowa Speedway.

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Celebrating its third year as one of the most popular annual events in racing, this weekend’s three-day festival is on track to once again draw capacity crowds to Iowa Speedway.

Beyond its support of the IndyCar event at Iowa Speedway, the industry-leading grocery brand is also the title sponsor of two NTT IndyCar 250-mile races that will be hosted at the Milwaukee Mile August 30-September 1 – the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s Weekend.

The 2024 Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend will officially get underway on Friday, July 12, with the return of Free Family Friday. All fans will once again enjoy free gate admission to Iowa Speedway on the opening day of the three-day weekend festival.

In addition to the IndyCar doubleheader on Saturday and Sunday, along with the INDY NXT by Firestone race at Iowa Speedway (Saturday at 2 pm ET on Peacock), Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend will once again feature a stellar concert lineup rivaling even the most prestigious music festivals. Country music sensations Luke Combs and Eric Church will both perform on the Hy-Vee Stage on Saturday, with country superstar Kelsea Ballerini and award-winning artist Post Malone each hosting post-race concerts on Sunday.

All concerts are included with Saturday and Sunday Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend tickets as each artist will perform on the trackside Hy-Vee Stage, in front of the main grandstands at Iowa Speedway.

Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 570 business units across nine Midwestern states with sales of more than $13 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 5 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 3 favorite grocery stores.

The company’s more than 75,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day.



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Chicago Cubs’ Matt Shaw expected to begin rehab assignment with Iowa

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Chicago Cubs’ Matt Shaw expected to begin rehab assignment with Iowa


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When the Iowa Cubs return to Principal Park in Des Moines on June 2, the Triple-A team will likely be bringing back a familiar face.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsel told reporters in St. Louis, Mo., on May 29 that super utilityman Matt Shaw would likely join Iowa when the team opens a six-game series against Toledo that Tuesday.

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“Matts doing super well,” Counsell said during a pregame meeting with scribes. “The plan kind of remains intact that we think he’s going to be able to start a rehab assignment on Tuesday in Iowa. So, assuming everything progresses like it progresses, he’s going to have basically a full weekend of kind of normal pregame stuff. He should be good to go on Tuesday in Iowa.”

Shaw was placed on the injured list back on May 22 with mild back tightness, retroactive to May 20. He was replaced on the big-league roster by prized Cubs prospect Pedro Ramrirez, who tore apart opposing pitching during his first stint in Triple-A in 2026.

Shaw, 24, was hitting .242 (23-for-95) with six doubles, three home runs, three stolen bases and a .291 on base percentage to go along with a .400 slugging percentage in 42 games with Chicago this season. He’s bounced around the field this season and provided an important option off the bench for the Cubs.

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Shaw remains one of the organization’s top young players. The Cubs selected in the first round of the 2023 draft. Shaw rapidly rose through the minor leagues and made his big-league debut with Chicago in 2025. After some early-season struggles, Shaw was briefly demoted to Iowa in 2024 before eventually making a return to the big leagues.

While the hitting wasn’t great, the defense was exceptional. Shaw found a home at third base and played so well he became a Gold Glove finalist in 2025.

Iowa starts the series on Tuesday at 6:38 p.m.

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2025 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.

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Iowa Supreme court affirms eviction order for Short’s Burger & Shine

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Iowa Supreme court affirms eviction order for Short’s Burger & Shine


Following a years-long legal saga, the Iowa Supreme Court recently upheld a decision to evict Short’s Burger and Shine from its South Clinton Street building.

The May 22 decision, delivered by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, agreed with the Johnson County District Court’s decision to evict the downtown burger restaurant after finding that it did not notify the building’s owner — a trust operated by Midwest One Bank — of its intent to extend the lease.

The decision concludes one part of the Short’s legal saga. The now-closed restaurant is also in litigation for a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit Short’s owner, Kevin Perez filed in 2024 against Midwest One Bank, the trust of late building owner Haywood Belle, Belle’s widow, a bank employee, and the City of Iowa City

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Iowa City’s Short’s Burgers and Shine closed in 2024

Short’s closed in early 2024 after the court determined Perez hadn’t renewed the business’s lease on time.

Short’s opened at 18 S. Clinton Street in 2008 with the goal of honoring the legacy and story of former building owner H.D. Short, who shined shoes for 50 years, beginning in 1920. The original ownership group included Perez, Dan Ouverson, and former Hawkeye and NFL player Nate Kaeding, who now runs the Gold Cap Hospitality ownership group.

Eviction proceedings started when Short’s temporarily closed in April 2022 “to fix poor building conditions” without notifying Midwest One Bank, the executor of Belle’s trust.

The closure breached a part of the lease agreement that said the restaurant would default on its lease if it “failed to engage” in normal business for more than 15 consecutive business days, the court found. The renovations also violated a provision that forbade structural changes or improvements without prior written approval.

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Midwest One Bank sent notice on May 10, 2022, that Short’s would default on its lease if it did not reopen for regular business and cease renovations within 10 days, according to court documents. Shorts responded, claiming it could not reopen for business until renovations were complete because the gas could not be turned back on until repairs were finished.

Midwest One Bank “terminated” the lease and started eviction proceedings in May 2022. Shorts was allowed to continue operating and occupying the building while the case was litigated.

Midwest One Bank filed two eviction claims and delivered notice that Short’s needed to vacate the building by the end of the lease on April 30. Short’s did not vacate, and Midwest One Bank pursued a third eviction claim, accusing the owners of failing to provide notice of renewal.

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Short’s argued that because they continued renovations, disputed eviction, and secured insurance, it was evidence of their intent to renew.

The restaurant owners also argued that pending eviction proceedings prevented them from renewal. The court argued that Short’s simply did not declare intent to renew for “whatever reason.”

“Mere forgetfulness does not entitle a party to equitable relief,” the decision reads.

Liam Halawith covers Johnson County local government and public safety for the Press-Citizen. Reach him by email at lhalawith@registermedia.com. Follow him on X at @liam_halawith.   

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Fired Iowa nurse aide wins jobless benefits after numerous resident-care complaints

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Fired Iowa nurse aide wins jobless benefits after numerous resident-care complaints


WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – An Iowa nursing home worker fired after being accused of repeatedly neglecting residents’ needs is entitled to unemployment benefits, a judge has ruled.

State records indicate certified nurse aide Abigail Kromah worked for Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Care Center in West Des Moines from May 2024 through December 2025, when she was fired. She subsequently applied for unemployment benefits, which led to a recent hearing before an administrative law judge.

The hearing records indicate Kromah testified that when she was fired on Dec. 19, 2025, the employer informed her that the discharge was due to “numerous resident complaints” regarding the care she had been providing.

According to the judge’s findings in the case, Kromah had received multiple disciplinary warnings related to resident care. In August 2024, she allegedly received verbal and written warnings for failing to answer residents’ call-lights in a timely manner, failing to properly assist residents with their personal care, and for complaining about the residents in common areas of the workplace.

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Her employer testified Kromah was also given warnings for refusing work instructions from the nursing staff, and for telling a resident who needed to be toileted to go the bathroom in their briefs.

In August 2025, it was alleged that Kromah failed to check on a resident throughout the entire night. During that shift, a nurse had neglected to unclamp a feeding tube, which caused the tube to leak. When another nurse checked on the resident at 5 a.m., the resident was “drenched in feeding solution from head to toe,” according to the judge’s findings.

‘I can’t live this way… She’s horrible.’

Days later, the home alleged, a resident of the facility entered the hallway in his wheelchair at about 6 a.m., loudly complaining, “I can’t do this anymore,” and, “I can’t live this way.” The man allegedly refused to go back to his room, explaining that Kromah was there and “she’s horrible.”

The man reportedly stated had had switched on his call-light to have his urinal emptied, but Kromah never came to assist him, which meant the urinal overflowed and spilled on him. When Kromah eventually came to the room, the man allegedly said, she changed him into dry clothing but did not clean him.

The home alleged Kromah was given additional warnings in October 2025 for reportedly failing to answer residents’ call lights and failing to complete her rounds every two hours. One resident of the home had allegedly became so frustrated by the lack of response to his call-light that he contacted the police on one occasion, according to the judge’s findings.

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State inspection reports indicate Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Care Center was cited for insufficient staff in January 2026, with one resident complaining the issue with call-lights had been a longstanding problem. According to the inspectors, the man said that on one occasion, he couldn’t get help to clear his airway and was afraid he was going to die unless he managed to clear it himself, which he did.

In ruling that Kromah was entitled to jobless benefits, Administrative Law Judge Michael Lunn noted that while she had clearly been warned about deficiencies in resident care, she appeared to have been fired for a separate issue — attendance — for which she had received no such warnings.

A discharge for misconduct cannot be based on past acts such as the resident-care issues, Lunn ruled, but must instead be based on a current act. With no current act of disqualifying misconduct, Lunn stated, Kromah was entitled to collect unemployment benefits.

Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to locate Kromah to seek comment for this article.

Copyright 2026 IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH. All rights reserved.

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