Latest news with #Iowa
USA Today
3 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
CBS shares Iowa basketball, Big Ten odds to win national championship
Can Iowa basketball win a national championship this season? That question might seem far-fetched, and I'm sure some of you reading this just burst out laughing. Iowa hasn't made it past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament this century, their roster is almost brand new, and they play in a difficult conference. The signs don't point toward the Hawkeyes making a big run in March. But could it happen? CBS Sports certainly isn't ruling it out. They released their odds for every team to win this year's college basketball national championshp, and the Hawkeyes have better odds than many might expect. With an experienced coach in Ben McCollum, great transfers in Bennett Stirtz and Alvaro Folgueiras, and a decent supporting cast, Iowa might have the pieces it needs to make a March Madness run. What are Iowa basketball's odds to win the NCAA Tournament? CBS gives the Hawkeyes +6000 odds to win this year's national championship, good for 27th in the entire country. Iowa is tied with Indiana and Wisconsin for the sixth-best odds in the Big Ten to win the national championship, which is great respect for the program McCollum is building. Here's a look at the other teams in the conference with higher odds than the Hawkeyes: The Big Ten seems like it'll be one of the toughest and deepest conferences in the nation, which means Iowa will get lots of tests throughout the season to prepare them for the postseason. If they get there, the Hawkeyes will be battle-tested and ready for whatever is thrown their way. While it's still too early to tell how good Iowa will be, it's a good sign that national media outlets like CBS are giving the Hawkeyes some of the best odds in the conference to win a national championship. If Iowa plays anywhere close to the potential CBS thinks they have, things are shaping up to be a fun season inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa football duo named to Outland Trophy watch list
In the entire history of Iowa football, only four offensive linemen have had the distinction of winning the Outland Trophy. Calvin Jones (1955), Alex Karras (1957), Robert Gallery (2003), and Brandon Scherff (2014) are the only Hawkeyes in program history to be awarded the Outland Trophy, given to the best offensive lineman in the country. For a program with such a rich history of developing great linemen, that's not a huge number. But that number could change this season. On Tuesday, the Outland Trophy released its initial watch list for 2025, consisting of 50 of the nation's best offensive linemen. It's the 80th anniversary of the award, and this year's field is stacked. It features a pair of Hawkeyes, giving Iowa a better chance to bring the Outland Trophy back to Iowa City. Which Hawkeyes were named to the Outland Trophy watch list? Gennings Dunker and Logan Jones were the two Hawks named to the preseason watch list. And both of them for good reason. They're both preseason first-team All-Big Ten selections from Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. Last year, Jones was a first-team All-Big Ten selection, while Dunker was named to the second team. Both of these guys are senior leaders on an offensive line trying to put together one of its best seasons in recent memory. Jones and Dunker are two of 11 nominees from the Big Ten conference for the Outland Trophy. Iowa joins Penn State and Ohio State with two nominees each, while Oregon leads the pack with three players on the watch list. The Big Ten is one of the best conferences in the country, all the way down to its offensive linemen. It's a great accomplishment for Jones and Dunker, but their work is just beginning. To win the Outland Trophy, they'll have to be anchors on the Hawkeye offensive line this season. They'll need to protect new quarterback Mark Gronowski, create holes for Kamari Moulton, and establish the line of scrimmage in every game. If they can do that, there's a chance one of them could join those legendary names and join Iowa football history as an Outland Trophy winner. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former West Des Moines teacher charged with sexual assault, kidnapping of 13-year-old
A former West Des Moines Community School District teacher has been arrested and charged for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old in his home. Danny Allen Hoyt, 57, of Indianola, is facing several sex abuse charges after police say he picked up the teenager from Knoxville on July 19 and allegedly made the victim wear a blindfold when they entered the Indianola area and drove to his home in rural Warren County, court documents said. Hoyt allegedly sexually assaulted and restrained the victim to a bed inside his house, court documents said. Hoyt also allegedly forced the the teenager to drink a THC-infused beverage. Hoyt then placed a blindfold on the 13-year-old and dropped them back off in Knoxville, according to a criminal complaint. Authorities found a large quantity of THC products in Hoyt's residence, which included THC vapes, gummies and beverages during a search warrant, according to court documents. Officials from West Des Moines schools told the Register they are aware of Hoyt's charges and said he had been on administrative leave since April 1. Hoyt did not teach students for the remainder of the school year and retired at the end of the spring semester. 'While we cannot comment on the details of an ongoing legal matter or personnel issues, we understand the seriousness of the situation and will fully cooperate with law enforcement as needed,' officials said in a statement. Hoyt is currently being held in the Warren County Jail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Aug. 4. José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@ or follow him on X @mendiola_news. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Former West Des Moines teacher charged with kidnapping, sexual assault
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Merle Hay Mall's basement is frozen in 2000. Explore the mall's abandoned Garden Court.
This is the first in an occasional series taking readers inside unique places in Iowa that aren't readily accessible to the public. Stepping down into the Merle Hall Mall basement, one is greeted by the ghosts of former stores and eerie stares from dolls dressed in Christmas apparel. The 30,000-square-foot space, once the home of a McDonald's, Cost Cutters and more, is now abandoned under the feet of mall-goers. Despite being closed to the public since 2000, Des Moines residents often speculate about what's gone on down there since it was sealed off. Upon entering the space, you run into what used to be the old Disc Jockey. CD shelves have been replaced and now hold the mall's old drinking fountains, sinks and other plumbing parts. Moving into the common area where the escalators were located, empty flower beds and benches are lit by black antique street lights. A faint outline of the former McDonald's sign is still visible on the wooden panel entrance, and the old-school, brown nonslip tiling has a light layer of dust tinting the floor. Before the closure, shoppers visited the basement for the Armed Forces Recruiting Center or to make a quick 10 bucks by completing a survey for a research company. What was the original use of the Merle Hay Mall basement? What was known as the "Garden Court" could do much more than serve as a place to get a burger or a haircut. The original use for the basement was effectively a bomb shelter. The mall took advantage of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, which offered matching grants to states for constructing air raid shelters. "Commercial property owners had a pretty significant incentive to build, what they would say would be, a Civil Defense-rated building," said Elizabeth Holland, the CEO of Merle Hay Investors, which owns the mall. Merle Hay Plaza opened in 1959, and it was developed by Holland's grandfather, Joseph Abbell, making her the third-generation to lead the mall in Des Moines. The mall captured the expansion of the suburbs to the north and west of Des Moines. Back then, Interstate 235 wasn't there to cut traffic through the metro. Instead, Douglas Avenue served as one of the main routes from Des Moines to the growing suburbs. The mall straddles the border of Des Moines and Urbandale, effectively serving as the epicenter for the sprawling metro. "Nowadays, they name the road after the shopping center," Holland said. "Back then, Merle Hay Road was already Merle Hay Road, and they named Merle Hay Plaza because it was on the road." When the tax credits expired, Abbell decided to take advantage of the space for commercial use. So he converted it into a bowling alley in 1972 and additional spaces for stores in the early 80s. "When those tax credits expired, rather than having bunk beds and canned foods in the basement, my grandfather developed Merle Hay Lanes," Holland said. "And so we were in the bowling alley business." Is the Merle Hay Mall basement haunted? When Holland decided to work for her grandfather 28 years ago, there were already rumblings of the basement being haunted. "I don't know the genesis of why people thought it was haunted other than 28 years ago, people already thought that," Holland said. Security officers make frequent trips down to the basement. Some of them move the Christmas dolls around to make it seem as if they are alive. Holland never experienced any paranormal activity in the basement, but as an avid horror film fan, she can't help but enjoy the speculation. "It had so many different uses that I think it was probably an urban legend that grew up around having lots of people down there," Holland said of the rumors. Why did Merle Hay Mall's basement close? After a renovation of the mall's interior, many tenants requested to move to the upstairs or out of the mall. So, investors decided it would be best to close the entrance to the Garden Court area, which was located near the mall's children's area. A separate entrance still allows access to the bowling alley. What's next for Merle Hay Mall basement? The mall is in conversation with a possible destination entertainment business that would take over the basement. One contender would develop a speakeasy-type nightclub to pair with the existing bowling alley. The basement's redevelopment project would be part of the mall's larger arena project. In April, Merle Hay Mall announced the arena would be home to Drake University's hockey team when it opens. Other tenants joining in the project at the time included the Iowa Demon Hawks professional indoor soccer team and the Central Iowa Figure Skaters. The Des Moines Buccaneers no longer plan to be part of the project. Conversations about reopening the basement are ongoing, but it is too soon to say what business or who they are with, Holland told the Register. "I don't want to say who it is with," Holland said. "It's a very strong local operator of entertainment venues, but we have had some good conversations." Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@ or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The Merle Hay Mall basement is abandoned. See inside the Garden Court. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Possible derecho tears through the Midwest with hurricane-force wind gusts
A rare and violent thunderstorm complex is roaring across the upper Midwest overnight from Monday into Tuesday. The storms have unleashed gusts upwards of 90 mph, downing hundreds of trees and causing significant damage to homes and businesses, according to the National Weather Service. This dangerous line of storms is showing some signs of developing into a derecho – a long-lasting line of storms known for producing powerful, damaging wind gusts consistently across a few hundred of miles. Derechos are rare, typically occurring in the US once or twice per year, usually during the summer in the Midwest and Mississippi–Ohio Valley corridor. There's a Level 4 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms across parts of South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa through Tuesday morning, according to the Storm Prediction Center. This heightened risk level is primarily due to the potential for wind gusts more commonly found in a Category 1 hurricane, though in shorter bursts. Category 1 hurricanes have sustained winds of at least 74 mph and stronger gusts. This same thunderstorm complex generated several tornadoes and large hail in parts of rural South Dakota and Iowa Monday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Multiple wind gusts exceeding 80 mph have been reported, including peak gusts of 99 mph near Sioux Center, Iowa, and 92 mph near Orange City and Spencer, Iowa. In addition to countless trees down, the weather service reports several large vehicles turned over by the high winds. The primary threat remains damaging straight line winds, though more tornadoes are possible as this line of dangerous storms continues overnight. Parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa surrounding the Level 4 area are under a level 3 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms that could also bring damaging wind gusts, hail and even a tornado. The line of storms is expected to gradually lose its strength overnight before it reaches the Great Lakes. Monday's storms will be just the latest to hit the northern Plains. Over the weekend, a cluster of severe storms and tornadoes moved through the region, resulting in numerous wind and hail reports across eastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. Three tornadoes were reported in rural areas on Sunday night. Golf ball-sized hail, downed trees and flash flooding were reported across the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in Minnesota. Saturated soils from weekend rain are also fueling a flash flooding risk Tuesday morning in the northern Plains, particularly across low-lying and urban zones. The Weather Prediction Center has identified a Level 2 of 4 risk of flooding rain across the region. The severe storm threat lessens to a Level 2 of 5 risk Tuesday as stormy weather shifts south and east into the central Plains and Great Lakes. Those storms will bring yet another chance for flooding, this time in the central Plains.
