Iowa

Iowa kids wanted to sell ice cream once on RAGBRAI. Their grandpa urged them to do the week

Published

2 years ago

July 21, 2024

Iowa kids wanted to sell ice cream once on RAGBRAI. Their grandpa urged them to do the week

EMERSON — For Brian Clarke, waterslides are a must-do on RAGBRAI.

“You should always do the slip and slides whenever you see one,” said the 35-year-old Iowa City cyclist who is riding in his sixth RAGBRAI this year. Clarke, who stood akimbo feet away from the inflatable palm tree waterslide, was drenched, trying to catch his breath from running at top speed and flinging his body on the slide where he was met by the rush of swashing water.

Like many others participating in the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, Clarke spoke about community as the reason why he comes back year after year.

“RAGBRAI is just too fun,” said Clarke, flashing a cheeky smile as he watched his friends from a distance take their turn on the waterslide posted on a patchy green lawn near the entrance to Emerson, the last pass-through town on Day 1. “It’s such a great Iowa experience, and you meet great people from all walks of life and from all over the country. It’s a great way to bring everybody together.”

Further down, 76-year-old Gene Hassman was under a tent with his family serving cyclists with another way to cool down from the summer heat. “Our Grandkids Ice Cream Stand” set up shop for the second year in a row for RAGBRAI 2024.

It all started when Gene Hassman’s grandkids wanted to set up a lemonade stand for the cyclists on last year’s historic 50th anniversary ride. But he had a bigger idea in mind.

“Last year, the grandkids asked me what I thought about them selling lemonade as the RAGBRAI went through Ankeny … and I said, ‘Well, how about if we do all of RAGBRAI across the whole state?’ and we did it all the way across state,” Hassman said.

More: Good deeds on RAGBRAI might result in being ‘ducked’ by Colorado rider

It’s now the second year the family has come together to serve up root beer floats, ice cream sundaes and brownie sundaes. On Wednesday, they will start selling a variety of pies including apple, cherry, triple berry and, an Iowa favorite, strawberry rhubarb.

The grandparents, based in Cedar Rapids, and the rest of the family, based in Ankeny, are scooping up and serving ice cream all across the route.

Tuesday: Atlantic

Wednesday: Lacona

Thursday: Chillicothe

Friday: Wayland

Saturday: Kingston

It takes weeks of preparation to get ready for the statewide ice cream scooping.

“It’s a little bit stressful getting ready, making sure you got everything,” he said. “But once we’re out here and going, it just seems to go smoothly… We’re all enjoying it.”

“It’s very rewarding,” his daughter Kristin Prenderghast interjected. “It’s teaching the kids good entrepreneurial skills, how to give quality products, how to give good service, how to get repeat customers… And it’s fun for them!”

The grandkids, Cole, 15, and 12-year-old twins Chase and Emma, are excited to serve the cyclists.

“It’s a really fun, new experience,” Cole Prenderghast said. “It’s fun meeting so many new people and have so many great interactions with everybody.”

Just steps away from ice cream sundaes was a different frozen treat: pickle-‘sicles’.

Jessa Bears, 38, of Farragut, and Michelle Bacher, 26, of Sydney, were selling $2 popsicles made with pickle juice and a pickle to raise funds for Local Iowa Food Empowerment 5b, a nonprofit in southwestern Iowa that, with funds through the federal Local Food Purchasing Assistance program, purchases produce from local farmers to give to Iowans in need.

Bears told the Des Moines Register that the funding her nonprofit relies on expires next year, and their appearance in Emerson was an effort to help sustain their program.

“It’s been very popular in the area,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of producers in Iowa, and unfortunately, we have a lot of people in need.”

As Bears and Bacher wrapped up the interview with the Register, a passerby handed them $20 and told Bears to give away 10 free treats to anyone who wanted one.

Bears did.

Bears, who rocked a cardboard cut-out tank promoting the popsicles, stood in the middle of the crowded street, drawing attention to the treats, which she yelled out was “courtesy” of a kind donor.

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.

F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her atftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter@writefelissa.

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Iowa

Iowa State basketball names veteran Tim Buckley as new assistant coach

Published

11 hours ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Iowa State basketball names veteran Tim Buckley as new assistant coach

Iowa State men’s basketball has filled the first assistant coaching vacancy on its staff.

The Cyclones announced on Monday, April 6, that head coach T.J. Otzelberger has named Tim Buckley as a new assistant coach. He will begin his duties with Iowa State immediately.

Buckley most recently served as an assistant for two seasons at Cincinnati, but he comes to Ames with more than three decades of coaching experience. He was also previously part of Otzelberger’s staff for both years of his tenure at UNLV from 2019-21.

“A renowned coach in player development, I’m excited to have Tim join our staff at Iowa State,” Otzelberger said in a statement. “Tim brings a wealth of knowledge, both as a head coach and assistant coach. He has recruited and developed some of the top talents in the NBA. I’m thrilled that our student-athletes will get the opportunity to work with Tim.”

The 62-year-old Buckley has garnered a reputation for his player development and recruiting. Before arriving in Ames, he got Division I head coaching experience at Ball State (2000-06), and he’s also been an esteemed assistant coach at Wisconsin (1993-94), Ball State (1994-99), Marquette (1999-00, 2007-08), Iowa (2006-07), Indiana (2008-17), UNLV (2019-22), South Carolina (2022-24) and Cincinnati (2024-26).

Before joining Otzelberger’s staff at UNLV, he was also a scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2017-19.

Buckley has worked with 12 NBA Draft picks, nine of whom were drafted in the first round. Of those nine first-round picks, six of them were lottery picks. Some of the top talent Buckley has recruited and developed include Dwyane Wade, Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh. He also helped coach All-American Yogi Ferrell at Indiana.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be reunited with T.J. Otzelberger,” Buckley said in a statement. “What he has done over the last five years is amazing. Iowa State is a nationally recognized program and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Buckley played at Waubonsee Community College from 1982-84, before finishing his playing career at Division II Bemidji State from 1984-86. After that, he went right into coaching at his alma mater for two seasons, before moving over to Division III Rockford, where he spent one year as an assistant. He was promoted to Rockford’s head coach, a job he held from 1989-93, before breaking through to the Division I ranks.

Iowa State finished this past season at 29-8. The Cyclones reached the Sweet 16 for the third time in five years under Otzelberger. The Cyclones still have one assistant coaching vacancy to fill, after J.R. Blount (San Diego) and Kyle Green (Northern Iowa) departed for head coaching opportunities.

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.

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Iowa

UPDATE: Amber Alert canceled for missing 12-year-old

Published

23 hours ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

UPDATE: Amber Alert canceled for missing 12-year-old

WATERLOO (KCRG) – The Amber Alert for 12-year-old Deyton Annabelle Cranston has been canceled.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said Cranston was located and the Waterloo Police Department is investigating.

PREVIOUS STORY:

Iowa (KCRG) – An amber alert has been issued for a missing 12-year-old out of Waterloo.

12-year-old Deyton Annabelle Cranston was last seen wearing a white tank top and a blue skirt and wearing clear glasses.

An Amber Alert has been issued for Deyton Annabelle Cranston who has been reported missing from Waterloo(State of Iowa Amber Alert)

She’s described as 5′4′, 135 and has blonde hair and brown eyes.

Officials say to look out for a red Toyota Camry with all tinted windows, a black spoiler, and no license plate on the front.

Anyone with information should contact authorites.

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Iowa

Vote: Who Should be Iowa’s High School Athlete of the Week? (4/5/2026)

Published

1 day ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

Vote: Who Should be Iowa’s High School Athlete of the Week? (4/5/2026)

Here are the candidates for High School on SI’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for March 30-April 4. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.

Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:

Greyson Hartman, Washington boys track and field

The junior recorded the second-best United States throw in the shot put with a toss of 67-3.5. It is the second-best throw in Iowa history, breaking the Class 3A mark set by NFL standout Tristan Wirfs.

Shea Rapp, Ridge View girls track and field

Rapp won the high jump and the 200 at the Audubon Early Bird while also running on the winning distance medley relay and runner-up 4×400 relay.

Rylee Hemmingsen, Treynor girls track and field

Hemmingsen showed off her skills by winning the 100 hurdles, running on the winning shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays, and placing second in the high jump at the Audubon Early Bird.

Cash Varner, Alburnett boys track and field

Varner was cash at the Benton Early Bird, placing first in both the 100 dash and long jump.

Aiden Gosselink, Grinnell girls track and field

Gosselink hit the Blue Standard to qualify for the Drake Relays in the long jump while also winning the 100 at the Benton Early Bird.

Rylan Peters, Waverly-Shell Rock boys track and field

Peters set a new school-record in the long jump at 23-8 while also hitting the Blue Standard and qualifying for Drake Relays.

Jase Price, Des Moines Christian boys soccer

Price had quite the varsity debut, as the freshman recorded a haul by scoring four goals in a win over Boone.

Aiden Kellar, Treynor boys soccer

Kellar tallied a hat trick with three goals in a 5-1 win for the Cardinals over Harlan.

Kaden Theisen, Western Dubuque boys soccer

Theisen was peppered with 20 shots in a match vs. Beckman Catholic, saving 19 of them to help the Bobcats to a 2-1 win.

Lucas Sidles, Independence boys track and field

Sidles swept the throwing events at the West Delaware Early Bird, winning the shot put and discus.

Adam Kacmarynski, Pella Christian boys track and field

Kacmarynski won the 100 and ran on the winning sprint medley and 4×100 relays at the Chariton Invitational.

Mark Fraise, Davis County boys track and field

Fraise finished first in the 400 hurdles, was on the first place shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays, and also ran on the second place distance medley relay.

Gage Hoppenworth, Johnston boys track and field

Hoppenworth had a three-gold night at the Dowling Catholic meet, winning the 110 and 400 hurdles while running the third leg on the winning shuttle hurdle relay.

Alayna Goldsberry, Southeast Polk girls track and field

The junior won the 100 and 200 at her home invitational while running the anchor on the second place 4×400 relay.

Natalie Sitzmann, Waukee girls track and field

Sitzmann, a senior, won the 200 and ran on the first place shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays at her home invitational.

Isabel Spradling, Des Moines Roosevelt girls track and field

Spradling picked up a first in the 1,500 and was on the gold-medal 4×400 and 4×800 relays at the Waukee Invitational.

Alayna Williams, Carlisle girls soccer

Williams, a senior, recorded five goals in a season-opening win over Knoxville, 10-1.

Carly Torneten, Harlan Community girls soccer

Torneten not only scored four goals, but she recorded four assists vs. Carroll.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting

High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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