CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (KCRG) – On Tuesday, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) confirmed that Director of Athletics David Harris has accepted a position at Tulane University in New Orleans, leaving his old position at UNI now open. Harris is expected to start his new position in New Orleans in January 2024. UNI President Mark Nook says that he intends to appoint an interim Athletic Director as soon as possible before searching for a full-time replacement. “We sincerely appreciate the contributions that David and his team made during his time at UNI,” Nook said. “We wish David, Felicia, and their family the very best at Tulane. We anticipate this position at UNI will attract significant interest from athletics administrators from across the country,” he added. “The Panthers boast one of the most accomplished, talented, and experienced head coaching rosters of any NCAA Division I program in the Midwest. I’m extremely confident that we will be able to identify and hire a new Athletic Director who can build on our rich history and winning tradition. We will have no further comment on our search process until we name our interim Athletic Director.”
MARION, Iowa (KCRG) – A Marion police officer was able to extinguish a kitchen fire that injured a woman at a mobile home on Monday night. Firefighters said they were called to the 1900 block of Jackson Drive just after 11 p.m. for a report of a stove fire. A mother and her two children had evacuated safely by the time firefighters arrived. A Marion police officer was able to quickly extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher. The mother sustained burns to her extremities and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Firefighters determined the cause of the fire to be heated grease on a stove top.
TIFFIN, Iowa (KCRG) – A longtime high school softball coach is pleading guilty to charges, including at least one count of sexual abuse. James White entered his plea Tuesday morning in Johnson County Court. White was arrested in July 2022, accused of having sex with a student more than 15 years ago, when she was just 15 years old. White coached at Clear Creek Amana High School from 1995 to 2012. He coached at Solon from 2013 to 2017. White is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2024.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – Just a few months after offering flights from Dubuque to Las Vegas, Avelo has announced it is discontinuing the service. Avelo began offering flights on Sept. 13, 2023, but after only a few months, has cited low demand and other factors in its decision to discontinue the service. “The Dubuque Regional Airport remains committed to providing air service to customers in the Dubuque region,” said Airport Manager Todd Dalsing. “While we are disappointed in today’s decision, we look forward to continuing to work with Avelo Airlines to offer low-cost flights to leisure destinations, including our existing flights to Orlando. It is our hope that we can collaborate with air carriers to find additional destinations to help expand our offerings at DBQ.” The final Avelo flight to Vegas is scheduled to depart on January 6, 2024. Avelo says it is notifying any customers with later scheduled flights about refunds or vouchers.
