Iowa News

IOWA CAPITOL FOCUS        Gov. Branstad tries to increase doctors in Iowa        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Governor Terry Branstad’s proposal to attract more physicians to Iowa’s less populated areas by forgiving medical school debt is welcome news to longtime Keokuk surgeon Doctor Phil Caropreso.        Caropreso says loan forgiveness might help students who want to practice in smaller communities like Keokuk, in southeast Iowa, but graduate with crushing debt.        Branstad’s plan, announced in January, would also increase the number of medical residencies in Iowa and try to reduce frivolous medical suits.        A medical association report ranked Iowa 40th in the ratio of physicians to state residents, behind neighboring states Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska.        Lawmakers would need to approve the plan.

TAX CREDIT CONCERNS        Companies owe Iowa $7.5M in incentives        (Information in the following story is from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/)        CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Companies that received incentives from Iowa in the past decade, but failed to deliver the jobs and investment they promised owe the state $7.5 million.        The Gazette reports the amount owed is about 11 percent of the total incentives paid. But some of the companies that owe Iowa money folded, so there’s little recourse for the state.        Iowa handed out $67.6 million between 2003 and June 30th mostly in the form of low-interest or forgivable loans.        State economic development spokeswoman Tina Hoffman says incentives help Iowa attract businesses.        Starting a business is risky, and half of all small businesses fail in their first five years.        Curt Nelson with the Entrepreneurial Development Center in Cedar Rapids says he expects to lose three out every 10 start-ups that get incentives.

1ST DISTRICT-RATHJE        Republican businessman runs for Iowa US House seat        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A businessman from Cedar Rapids is the first Republican to declare he’s running for the northeastern Iowa congressional seat that will be vacated by U.S. Representative Bruce Braley.        The Des Moines Register reports Steve Rathje said Friday he will run for the 1st Congressional District seat. He is the founder and president of International Procurement Services Inc. in Hiawatha.        Rathje says he nearly ran against  Braley last year. Rathje says his campaign will focus on cutting spending and reducing the outsourcing of jobs.        Braley’s seat will be open because he opted to run for Tom Harkin’s U.S. Senate seat after four terms in the House.        Democratic state Representative Pat Murphy from Dubuque has also said he will run for Braley’s seat.        The 1st District includes 20 northeast Iowa counties.

FATAL IOWA SHOOTING        Police say Iowa man shot girlfriend, himself        COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Police say an Iowa man fatally shot his girlfriend before taking his own life this weekend.        Council Bluffs Police Sergeant Chad Meyers said 38-year-old Stephony Metzger died Saturday morning in the bedroom of her mobile home.        Police say that after 42-year-old Terry Francis shot his girlfriend, he shot himself.        Francis and Metzger had dated for several years, but neighbor Jennifer Iwersen says Metzger had recently been trying to end the relationship.        Metzger had three children between the ages of 12 and 18.        The shooting was discovered after Metzger’s 18-year-old daughter called police around 10:15 Saturday morning.

CHASE CRASH DEATH-IOWA        Family says dad who died in police chase desperate        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Family members say the 33-year-old man who died in an Iowa police chase while his son rode along was a veteran who abducted his son last fall out of concern for his safety.        Family members of Jeremiah Johnson told The Des Moines Register he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.        Jeremiah Johnson’s 5-year-old son, Johnnathen, suffered serious injuries when his dad’s vehicle slammed into a parked police cruiser at roughly 130 miles per hour on Friday. The boy’s grandfather, Duayne Johnson, says Johnnathen is expected to recover from his physical injuries.        The boy was reported missing in November several months after his mother was awarded custody.        Jeremiah Johnson’s family members say he took his son because he believed the boy’s mother was dating an ex-convict.

MINNESOTA-IOWA        Iowa rolls past Minnesota 72-51        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Devyn Marble and Aaron White each had 15 points as Iowa shrugged off an early 16-point deficit and rolled past Minnesota 72-51 on Sunday for its third straight win.        Freshman Mike Gesell added 11 for the Hawkeyes (17-9, 6-7 Big Ten), who’ve rattled off three consecutive Big Ten victories for the first time in six years.        Iowa outscored Minnesota 37-10 in a 20-minute stretch spanning the halves, pulling ahead 42-31 with 15:14 left. Eric May’s three pointer with 8:50 left made it 53-37 Iowa, and a game that started off as a Minnesota rout became a Hawkeyes blowout in Iowa City.        Austin Hollins had 14 points for the Gophers (18-8, 6-7), who’ve lost three of four and are now tied with Iowa in the league standings.

T25-IOWA-PURDUE        Iowa women rout No. 18 Purdue 72-52        WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) – Samantha Logic scored 26 points Sunday to lead Iowa to a 72-52 win over Number 18 Purdue.        Logic made 10 of 13 shots and contributed nine assists, while Theairra Taylor had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the visitors in West Lafayette, Indiana.        The Hawkeyes (17-10, 6-7 Big Ten) ended a five-game losing streak and won for the first time in West Lafayette since 1998; Purdue had won the last 12 meetings at home.        Morgan Johnson scored 12 points and Melissa Dixon scored 10 for Iowa. The Hawkeyes swept Purdue – winning the earlier meeting 62-46 in Iowa City – and are 7-1 against ranked teams, losing only to Number 8 Penn State 81-69 on Thursday.        Sam Ostarello led Purdue with 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Boilermakers (19-6, 8-4) lost for the second time at home in 11 games.

T25-WEST VIRGINIA-IOWA ST        West Virginia women down No. 24 Iowa State 68-66        AMES, Iowa (AP) – Freshman Bria Holmes scored 13 of her 18 bench points in the second half and West Virginia closed with a 6-0 run to snap Number 24 Iowa State’s four-game winning streak 68-66 Sunday.        The Mountaineers (15-10, 7-7 Big 12 Conference) trailed 66-62 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining. Ayana Dunning hit a layup, and Averee Fields followed with a free throw at 0:48 and then a go-ahead layup with 12 seconds left. Brooke Hampton added a free throw with 3 seconds remaining.        During the 6-0 run, Iowa State (18-6, 9-5) failed to take a shot, committing six turnovers in the final 1:52 in Ames.        Hallie Christofferson tied the career high she set last Thursday against Number 22 Oklahoma with 27 points for Iowa State and became the 25th Cyclone to reach 1,000 points for her career.

 

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