The Board of Regents has picked the University of Illinois System’s No. 2 official to be the University of Iowa’s next president, thereby picking an experienced academic leader to succeed a president came to the position with a business background. The Board late Friday appointed Barbara Wilson to succeed Bruce Harreld, who is retiring after leading the campus since 2015. Wilson was one of four finalists for the position. Since 2016, Wilson has served as the executive vice president of the University of Illinois System, which includes 90,000 students and 6,000 faculty members on three campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. Previously, she served as the interim chancellor at the flagship Urbana-Champaign campus.
Officials say discarded smoking materials started a fire on the front porch of a Cedar Rapids home Saturday. The fire department was called to a home in the 200 block of 18th Street NW around 2:45 p.m. The front porch of the home was on fire and had spread to the adjacent siding and basement window. Officials say bystanders were also attempting to put out the fire using garden hoses and fire extinguishers. Officials say the home has two occupants but said no people or pets were inside the house at the time of the fire. Authorities say the fire was unintentional.
Police say a woman causing a disturbance and wielding a knife had to be disarmed at the Marion Walgreens. It happened just after 7 o’clock Friday night. Authorities say the woman appeared to be having some type of medical or mental health condition. She was disarmed and evaluated by medical personnel. No officers, employees or citizens were injured.
One person died in a two-vehicle collision just after 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon near Decorah. Officials called to a report of an accident along Pole Line Road south of its intersection with Iawinn Road in Winneshiek County. Troopers believe that a vehicle operated by 53-year-old Andrew Nesset of New Richmond, Wisconsin, was traveling south in the northbound lane, and collided with a pickup truck that was heading north in the northbound lane. Nesset, who officials said was not wearing a seatbelt, was killed in the crash. The driver of the truck was injured and taken via ambulance to Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Investigation into the accident continues.
The Iowa Supreme Court says the University of Iowa must comply with a subpoena from the state auditor that seeks the names of investors in a multibillion-dollar utilities privatization agreement it completed last year. Justices ruled Friday that State Auditor Rob Sand did act appropriately when he subpoenaed details about the 50-year plan, granting the right to operate campus utilities to a consortium of French companies in exchange for a $1.165 billion payment. Given that it was one of the largest transactions in Iowa history, the justices said it was appropriate for Sand to seek to audit the deal before it closed to ensure the university followed bidding processes and had no conflicts of interest with investors.
Authorities have identified the victim of a shooting in Iowa City. Police say the death of 31-year-old Tommy Curry of Iowa City is being investigated as a homicide. Police found Curry suffering from gunshot wounds on Wednesday night; he was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Governor Kim Reynolds signed a new Public Health Disaster proclamation on Friday that extends critical regulatory relief to those on the frontlines of COVID19 recovery through May 30th. The proclamation continues to strongly encourage Iowans, businesses, and organizations to take reasonable public health measures consistent with guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health. The proclamation also continues to extend the waiver on transportation restrictions for overweight loads.
A man was hospitalized in critical condition after being involved in a single vehicle motorcycle accident just after 4:30 Saturday afternoon. Dubuque County Sherriff’s Officials arrived at Holy Cross Road, near Schneider Road; the man was airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals. The accident remains under investigation.
