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Iowa’s white oaks are dying. New test kits could show why.

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Iowa’s white oaks are dying. New test kits could show why.


Iowa Department of Natural Resources forest health technician Mark Runkel (right) and GIS specialist John Mullen (left) look for trees last Monday exhibiting signs of the oak wilt fungus at Hickory Grove Park in Story County’s Colo. Foresters are using a new test kit that allows them to test for oak wilt in the field. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

COLO — More than a decade into a mysterious epidemic killing off white oak trees, Iowa foresters hope a new test kit will help them quickly screen trees in the field for half the cost of laboratory tests.

Inspired by COVID-19 rapid tests, a Minnesota startup developed a kit that amplifies the DNA of a fungus spreading among oaks weakened by drought. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources hopes to use information gathered from these kits to isolate infected trees and protect others.

“A lot of people are concerned about this white oak decline,” said Tivon Feeley, Forest Health Program leader for the Iowa DNR. Foresters want to know whether they should replant white oaks or choose other species. “Right now, I can’t tell them. (But) this test gives us a lot of tools we can start using.”

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Background

Around 2010, foresters across the Midwest started noticing centuries-old white oak trees dying off in just one season and didn’t know why. Oak wilt, a fungal disease spread by insects or through the root systems of infected trees, was a possible culprit, but most foresters hadn’t seen it be so fast or so deadly.

A fungal mat, likely the result of an oak wilt infection, is seen on a tree last Monday at Hickory Grove Park in Colo in Story County. The fungus Bretiella fagacearum causes oak wilt. Fungal mats develop and help to spread the fungal spores through the air and via beetles that feed on the trees. Additionally, the infection can spread through the interconnected root systems of nearby trees. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

A fungal mat, likely the result of an oak wilt infection, is seen on a tree last Monday at Hickory Grove Park in Colo in Story County. The fungus Bretiella fagacearum causes oak wilt. Fungal mats develop and help to spread the fungal spores through the air and via beetles that feed on the trees. Additionally, the infection can spread through the interconnected root systems of nearby trees. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

“With this oak decline, we have two to three dead trees almost every other acre,” Amana Society Forester Tim Krauss said in October 2022. “We have to harvest the dead trees because we only have a year until they are no good. We can make our budget by just cutting dead trees. The downside is, they are not coming back.”

When 200-year-old and 300-year-old giants are felled, increased sunlight on the forest floor causes an explosion of invasive species and less-desirable trees, including hackberry and elm, Krauss said.

Climate change has played a role in the rapid decline of white oaks, with drought making the trees more vulnerable to disease or pests.

The U.S. Forest Service and the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers planned a pilot project with a new test kit to quickly determine if a tree has oak wilt, but efforts to develop the kits at the University of Toronto fell through in 2023.

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What’s happened since

Abdennour Abbas, a professor of nanotechnology at the University of Minnesota, stepped up in 2023 with PureBioX, a St. Paul, Minn., startup that develops rapid tests for use in health care, pharmaceutical, food and agricultural industries.

“The regular test is a cell culture and it takes a very long time,” said Anil Meher, a PureBioX analytical chemist who last week visited Iowa for a trial of the oak wilt test kits at Hickory Grove Park near Colo, in Story County.

Chemist Anil Meher tests samples last Monday from trees exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo in Story County. Foresters are using a new test kit that allows them to test for oak wilt in the field rather than sending samples to a lab. Mehar and his employer, Minnesota-based PureBioX, have developed a test kit for oak wilt that allows foresters to test for the fungal infection on location. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Chemist Anil Meher tests samples last Monday from trees exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo in Story County. Foresters are using a new test kit that allows them to test for oak wilt in the field rather than sending samples to a lab. Mehar and his employer, Minnesota-based PureBioX, have developed a test kit for oak wilt that allows foresters to test for the fungal infection on location. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

When plant diagnostic laboratories test trees for oak wilt, the results can take two weeks to two months and cost $70 to $300, the Iowa DNR’s Feeley said. PureBioX’s test kits take one hour and cost about $30 each.

“It’s quite simple so you can do it in the field setting,” Meher said.

Mark Runkel, an Iowa DNR forest health technician, and John Mullen, a GIS analyst for the department, walked out into a stand of trees at Hickory Grove to look for white oaks with signs of oak wilt. The outer leaves may turn brown, while the veins stay green. And when a branch of an infected tree is removed, the cut ends smell like fermented fruit.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources forest health technician Mark Runkel takes a core sample last Monday from a tree exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Department of Natural Resources forest health technician Mark Runkel takes a core sample last Monday from a tree exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

From each tree, they gathered a cluster of leaves, a branch and a 3-inch trunk core. If the tests of leaves are effective in determining infection, future tests won’t require branches or trunk cores.

Mullen marked the locations of the trees in a tablet and gave each a unique ID. Mapping the infected trees is an early step to determine how oak wilt might be spreading.

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Iowa Department of Natural Resources GIS specialist John Mullen marks the location last Monday of a sample from an oak tree at Hickory Grove Park in Colo. Mullen develops GIS layers to help track the locations from which samples are collected as well as the spread of the oak wilt fungus. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Department of Natural Resources GIS specialist John Mullen marks the location last Monday of a sample from an oak tree at Hickory Grove Park in Colo. Mullen develops GIS layers to help track the locations from which samples are collected as well as the spread of the oak wilt fungus. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Meher and Feeley put each sample into a tube with chemicals that break down the tree matter. Meher extracted the DNA and put it into a tiny vial, which is heated on a portable pad to amplify the DNA. If the Bretiella fagacearum fungus, which causes oak wilt, is present, the liquid will turn yellow. If the fungus is not present, the liquid turns pink.

If foresters find isolated trees with oak wilt, they could spray herbicide on those trees in hopes of halting the transmission through underground root systems, Feeley said.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources forest health technician Mark Runkel holds a core sample last Monday from a tree exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo. Samples of infected trees often smell strongly of cantaloupe or fermented fruit. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Department of Natural Resources forest health technician Mark Runkel holds a core sample last Monday from a tree exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo. Samples of infected trees often smell strongly of cantaloupe or fermented fruit. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

The team plans to test trees in the Amana Society’s 7,000-acre timber, in Marshall County, in the Loess Hills in Western Iowa and in the Des Moines area. They also are putting out insect traps in forests with oak wilt to see what kinds of bugs might be carrying the fungus. Results of these studies will go into the 2024 Forest Health report.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources forest health technician Mark Runkel (right) looks last Monday for trees exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo in Story County. Foresters are using a new test kit that allows them to test for the fungus in the field rather than sending samples to a lab. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Department of Natural Resources forest health technician Mark Runkel (right) looks last Monday for trees exhibiting signs of oak wilt at Hickory Grove Park in Colo in Story County. Foresters are using a new test kit that allows them to test for the fungus in the field rather than sending samples to a lab. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Comments: (319) 339-3157; erin.jordan@thegazette.com





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Two killed in Dubuque after bar fight escalates into police shooting

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Two killed in Dubuque after bar fight escalates into police shooting


Two people are dead after a Dubuque bar fight escalated, with one man shooting another and then being killed by police.

An officer with the Dubuque Police Department was outside the Odd Fellows bar just before 1 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 4, when he witnessed a physical altercation, according to a news release from the Dubuque Police Department.

As the officer exited the patrol vehicle, an adult man allegedly used a handgun to shoot one of the people involved in the fight. The officer fired at the offender, who then ran into the bar.

The victim who was shot first was provided medical treatment by officers at the scene and then transported to MercyOne Hospital in Dubuque.

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The offender was treated by police officers inside the bar and then transported to UnityPoint Finley Hospital.

Both were later pronounced dead.

The names of those involved are not being released at this time pending notification of family members.

The incident is being investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. The officer involved was not injured and has been placed on critical incident leave in accordance with the department’s policies.

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Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @nick_el_hajj.



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Iowa High School Girls Basketball: Top Junior Players

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Iowa High School Girls Basketball: Top Junior Players


With the season coming out of the holiday break, now is the perfect time to take a look at the top Iowa high school girls basketball players by grade.

These are just some of the top players in Iowa and not a complete list of all of them. Statistics are based on those uploaded to the Bound website by January 4, 2026.

Here are the top junior girls basketball players in Iowa high school basketball:

A high-level producer, Maggie McChesney heads into 2026 averaging 23.6 points, nine rebounds, 2.7 steals, 2.6 assists and over two blocks per game.

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The next standout from North Union, Ainsley Ulrich is posting nearly 23 points with six rebounds, and over three steals a night.

Flirting with averaging a double-double is Izzy Gilbertson, as the junior stands at 21.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, four blocks, 3.6 steals and three assists.

Along with posting 20 points and grabbing six rebounds, Cora Sauer also adds four steals and three assists.

Melina Snoozy, Iowa, girls basketball

Bishop Heelan’s Melina Snoozy during the IGHSAU state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Des Moines. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A big sophomore season has carried right over for Melina Snoozy, as she leads the Crusaders with 20 points, eight rebounds and 3.5 steals a night, along with averaging a block per game.

Up north is Riley Meyer, a 20-point scorer per game who adds six rebounds and two steals.

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Sitting right under 20 points a night is Addy Wolfswinkel, as she is also averaging five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

A standout on both ends, Maryn Franken posts nearly 20 points and over eight rebounds per game with three steals and 1.4 blocks.

Following in the footsteps of Audi Crooks, Graclyn Eastman has been nearly unstoppable for the Golden Bears, scoring 19 points per game with nine rebounds, 3.5 steals, 2.6 blocks and two assists.

Another Maroon standout named Muller, Katie is scoring over 18 points per game with six rebounds, 3.5 assists and over a block and steal.

One of the top players in the North Central Conference, Hayden McLaughlin has taken over as the No. 1 option for the Bulldogs, scoring 17 points per game with nearly six rebounds and two steals.

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The Hawks rely on KeaOnna Worley to do a lot, and she delivers nightly, scoring 16.5 points with nearly five assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Campbell Schulz, North Polk, Iowa, girls basketball

North Polk’s Campbell Schulz dribbles the ball during the Iowa high school girls state basketball quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Des Moines. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

The balanced Comets are led by Campbell Schulz, as the junior posts 14 points, 4.6 rebounds, four assists, three steals and nearly three blocks.

Forming a powerful 1-2 punch with Addy Wolfswinkel is Deidra Doeden, who averages 18 points and 13.5 rebounds per game.

Down low for North Mahaska is Natallya Linder, a nightly double-double at 15.7 points and 13 rebounds to go along with 2.6 steals, 2.3 assists and a block.

The last name has long been a staple for Pella Christian, and Rachel is carrying it on now, averaging 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block per game.

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The forward is a threat all over the court for the Falcons, posting 18 points, 11.6 rebounds, two steals, two assists and a block.

Triple-doubles are in the future for Aniya Hardee, as she is averaging nine points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists and nearly five steals per game.



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Penn State earns commitment from Iowa State leading wide receiver via transfer

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Penn State earns commitment from Iowa State leading wide receiver via transfer


Penn State landed Iowa State’s pair of quarterbacks earlier Sunday, including starter Rocco Becht, in a splash move. Now, the Cyclones’ leading receiver is coming with them.

Wide receiver Brett Eskildsen committed to Penn State via the transfer portal, becoming the seventh Cyclone to join the Nittany Lions this weekend. He announced the move on social media.

Eskildsen recorded 30 receptions, 526 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore in 2025. He also appeared in all 13 games as a freshman but made just two catches for 17 yards.

The 6-1, 200-pound wideout is from Frisco, Texas, and is a three-star in the 247Sports transfer rankings (No. 118 overall, No. 30 WR). He was a three-star out of high school as well, where he had more than 1,5000 career receiving yards.

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Becht’s top man from 2026 is now in place. He’ll also be able to throw to standout Penn State freshman Koby Howard and quick youngster Tyseer Denmark, who have confirmed their returns thus far.

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