AMES, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa State University football team will not be participating in a post season bowl game. In a release sent out Sunday morning, ISU says the team voted not to participate because of a lack of “healthy players to safely practice and play.” “The administrative staff and coaches respect and support the players decision,” Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. “Our student-athletes have had an incredible season and we are grateful for their leadership as we worked through this process with them today.” This comes after a coaching shake-up, with coach Matt Campbell signing with Penn State. The Cyclones have wrapped their season with an 8-4 record. Meanwhile, the Iowa football team accepted a bid to the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida, where they will take on Vanderbilt from the Southeastern Conference. The game is set to kick off at 11:00 a.m. Central time from Raymond James Stadium on December 31. The ReliaQuest Bowl was previously known as the Outback Bowl. The Hawkeyes previously played in the game in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2017 and 2019. The game will mark the first ever meeting between Iowa and Vanderbilt. The Commodores are 10-2 overall this season. The game will be telecast on ESPN.
DENVER, Iowa (KCRG) – Chris Parsons, a former substitute and track coach in the Denver Community School District, has voluntarily surrendered his educator’s license to the state. The revocation of his ability to teach in Iowa comes after an underage female student reported sexual behavior from Parsons in May. According to a search warrant, she told police Parsons went out of his way to make physical contact with her, asked to be friends on Snapchat and then sent her sexual messages. A Denver Police Department officer said in the warrant that “during this conversation, Parsons would venture toward inappropriate conversation, but then not actually say anything that would be considered criminal in nature.” A judge signed that search warrant for access to Parsons’ Snapchat account records May 22. The warrant details the student and one of the student’s friends telling police that Parsons said he wanted to touch the student and have sex with her. Copies of those two messages were not saved. The officer said Parsons maintained that he “did nothing wrong.” In a phone conversation with the officer, Parsons claimed the student wanted to see him and said he didn’t know anything about Snapchat. According to the officer, he denied sending the student two photos, then once confronted, claimed the pictures were blank pictures of nothing. The warrant also stated Parsons said it was “stupid of him to even have the conversation with her.” The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, which handles educator licenses, found probable cause to establish a violation of the code of conduct Oct. 10. The four violations listed on Parson’s licensing page include “grooming behavior towards a student” and “inappropriate relationship with a student.” Parson filed a Surrender of Practitioner License and Waiver of Formal Hearing form Oct. 24. On Nov. 14, the board accepted the voluntary license surrender. Parsons is now permanently banned from teaching with a license in Iowa. The surrender order also stated that the board will notify the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification and that other state teacher licensing boards will have access to the information. TV9 reached out to the Bremer County Attorney’s office to ask if there is currently an active investigation, as no criminal charges have been filed. The office said they could “never confirm nor deny.” The Denver Community School District told TV9 that it can confirm that Parsons no longer works for the school district.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – The new president of the Iowa Board of Regents said universities he oversees are too liberal and should have more conservative ideas during the University of Iowa’s new Center for Intellectual Freedom’s first event Friday. The panel, titled “What is wrong with universities?”, featured speakers who said universities, administrators, and teachers are too liberal. The event at the Old Capitol included regents and speakers from outside Iowa. “We’re just trying to bring some different views and see if they can bring some balance to it,” said Robert Cramer, the new regent president. Despite the emphasis on diverse intellectual perspectives, all panelists shared the same viewpoint that universities are too liberal. Cramer echoed this stance. The panel voiced opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and social justice programs on campuses. One panelist said universities are pushing away Christianity, Judaism, and capitalism. Cramer said he didn’t necessarily know what action the board of regents may take, but he plans to meet with university administrators and faculty.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A judge found Ali Younes guilty of charges including attempted murder on the University of Iowa campus in court Friday. Younes, 22, was found guilty of attempted murder, first-degree theft and first-degree robbery. He also pleaded guilty to escaping from custody. His sentencing is scheduled for February 27, 2026. On April 25, 2022, it’s alleged he strangled and robbed a woman near the Art Building West. He was arrested less than 24 hours later. During the bench trial in July, Younes’ lawyers argued he had not planned on killing the woman, and that he only meant to rob her. But prosecutors argued he strangled the woman until she stopped breathing and stood over her convinced she was dead. During his house arrest, Younes removed his ankle monitor and fled to Jordan with his parents’ help. He voluntarily returned to the U.S. in August last year.
