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Gaudreau brothers to be honored by family, friends and their grieving hockey teammates at funeral

Posted on by Sam Parsons

MEDIA, Pa. (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman are among the mourners scheduled to attend the funeral service for John and Matthew Gaudreau, the siblings who died when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey.

The memorial for the Gaudreau brothers was set for midday Monday at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania. John, an All-Star for the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets known as “Johnny Hockey,” and Matthew, who played collegiate hockey alongside his brother at Boston College, died on the eve of their sister’s wedding.

Countless members of the hockey community from Columbus to South Jersey to Boston College, where the Gaudreaus played, are expected to join family and friends for the funeral. John was 31, Matthew 29.

The brothers have been mourned across the sports world, including Columbus, Ohio, where Gaudreau signed a free-agent deal in 2022 with the small-market Blue Jackets over more lucrative free-agent offers from other teams, including New Jersey. Fans and Blue Jackets players gathered last week for an emotional candlelight vigil and a similar gathering was held in Calgary.

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said the entire team would be at the funeral. Bettman and former BC coach Jerry York were also expected to be among the many in attendance.

“The way they carried themselves around campus and the enjoyment that they had each and every day around the guys, they were really fun to be around,” Boston College associate coach Mike Ayres said. “They were both very, very talented hockey players but they were great people to be around and made everything around them fun.”

A GoFundMe for Matthew’s widow, Madeline, to support her and their baby due in December, has surpassed $600,000, with donations from nearly 9,000 people pouring in, many from NHL players and their families.

“He didn’t make the millions that Johnny did and doesn’t have the pension from the Players’ Association,” said Michael Myers of the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, for whom Matthew played two seasons. “It’s important that the hockey community recognizes that and embraces that to help Matthew’s family.”

The Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road in Oldmans Township about 8 p.m. on Aug. 29 when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, according to New Jersey State Police. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and faces two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. He has been jailed pending a Sept. 13 hearing.

The brothers have been celebrated on various social media platforms since their deaths. Katie Gaudreau, the little sister who was to be married the day after the brothers were killed, has posted pictures of her family in happier times on social media.

Over the weekend, it was an Instgram video captioned “Birds for the Gauderau boys,” over a clip of John Gaudreau opening his winter coat to flash an Eagles jersey as he went through security ahead of an NHL game. She also posted a tribute to a family slideshow called “That day” where she wrote how she would “do anything to tell my big brothers I love them one more time.”

Devin Joyce, the expected groom and a collegiate hockey player, wrote of his promise “to take the absolute best care of your little sister.”

He added: “I know I never said it but I loved you guys so much. I’m so lucky to have called you two my brothers for as long as I did.”

Superintendents tout four-day school weeks

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The superintendents of two Iowa school districts operating on a four-day school week say the change has helped the districts find and keep staff. James Craig is the superintendent of Cardinal Community in Eldon, which is in its third year of having classes Tuesday through Friday.

We have professional development on some of the Mondays and some of the Mondays everybody is off,” he says, “so teachers have that time that they can use for preparation or family things or medical appointments, whatever they need to take care of for themselves.” Dan Maeder is superintendent of Moulton-Udell Schools, which meet on Mondays through Thursdays. Maeder, who was not at the district when the switch was made four years ago, says Moulton-Udell was struggling to get and retain staff.

“It was difficult to hire and retain staff at such a small school out in the middle of the country, basically,” Maeder says, “and so that was one of the motivating factors.” In Colorado, two-thirds of school districts operate four days a week and about a quarter of Missouri’s school districts have changed to a four-day-a-week calendar. There are just 17 public school districts in Iowa that hold classes four days a week. Maeder says it may take a while to catch in Iowa, where there’s a five-day-work-week culture.

“One of the biggest concerns going into it is child care. Folks are used to having a place for the children to go all five days…What we’ve found at Moulton-Udell is that’s not really been a challenge,” Maeder says. “…Parents, I think, end up really, really enjoying it because you get more family time…which I think our world today is something critical, that we don’t have enough of.” And, in terms of student achievement, Craig says at Cardinal Community, test scores have been going up since the change for a four-day week.

“We are continuing to see growth and we still operate summer school programs and some of those students that struggle during the year and get that extra support are continuing to show growth,” Craig said. “We have not seen any negative impact.” The superintendents made their comments during taping of Iowa Press on Iowa PBS.

Iowa Department of Education releases new spring student assessment results

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Education released new spring 2024 assessment results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) for students in grades 3-11. State-level results from the spring 2024 ISASP show student achievement reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels across most grade levels in both English language arts and mathematics.

Significant proficiency gaps remain among students with disabilities and students who are English language learners in both English language arts and mathematics. In English language arts, the overall results show modest long-term progress with some grades showing significant gains. In mathematics, the overall long-term results remain steady and do not show meaningful progress in most grade levels.

“We celebrate the successes of our learners, and we continue to work in partnership with families and educators to provide all students what they need to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Informed by our student achievement data, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening early literacy and narrowing and closing achievement gaps experienced by students with disabilities and students who are English language learners.”

The data shows significant proficiency gaps between overall student results and specific student groups. Students with disabilities and students who are English learners experienced much lower proficiency rates than their classmates, with average differences across grade levels of 45 and 53 percentage points in English language arts, respectively. The average proficiency gaps in mathematics for students with disabilities and students who are English learners are 41 and 45 percentage points, respectively.

Long-term results in English language arts, proficiency increased across grades 4-8, with significant gains between 7 and 8 percentage points in grades 6-8 since 2019. The results show modest proficiency decreases in grade 3, informing Iowa’s focus on evidence-based early literacy instruction, as well as in grades 9-11 since 2019. When compared to last year, English language arts proficiency rates improved or remained steady across all grade levels with the exception of grade 3.

Long-term results in mathematics, proficiency increased across grades 3, 5-6, and 8, with a significant gain of 5 percentage points in grades 3 since 2019. The results show modest proficiency decreases in grade 4 and 10, with a significant decrease of 7 percentage points in grade 9, informing Iowa’s focus on Algebra I in grade 9 in its new mathematics academic standards. Mathematics proficiency rates show relatively little to no growth across most grades when compared to last year, with some grade levels up a percentage point and other grades down a percentage point.

The ISASP is administered each spring and is the general summative accountability assessment in Iowa that meets the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The assessment reflects what’s being taught in Iowa classrooms and how students are progressing toward grade-level expectations outlined in Iowa’s academic standards. The ISASP helps teachers understand where students are succeeding and where they may need more help. Iowa’s state summative assessment participation rate was 99 percent in 2023-24 and 2022-23 and 98 percent in 2021-22 and 2020-21, ensuring that the results yielded a true picture of student performance.

As part of statewide efforts to improve student proficiency, and for the first time in over a decade, the Iowa State Board of Education adopted new academic standards for mathematics in April and new academic standards in English language arts in June.  The standards, which outline what students must learn in order to be prepared for success as they progress each year and after high school, were revised to ensure they are rigorous, content-rich and align with best practices. In over two dozen sessions this summer, the Department provided professional learning to support the implementation of the standards in the 2024-25 school year to nearly 2,000 mathematics educators and over 1,300 English language arts educators.

The standards were reviewed and revised by a team consisting of elementary and secondary educators, administrators and area education agency partners, representatives from institutions of higher education, community members including parents and industry, and content experts from the Iowa Department of Education. State law requires an ongoing review of Iowa’s academic standards, including public comment, to ensure content is current and aligns with best practices.

The spring 2023-24 ISASP state-level results, which include graphs and charts, can be found on the Iowa Department of Education website.

Street Usage of Golf Carts Coming Soon in Ottumwa

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OTTUMWA — With the recent revision to the Code of Ordinances, qualified and REGISTERED golf carts will soon be able to travel on many streets within the City of Ottumwa. City staff is finalizing the process for registering golf carts that meet the standards in the ordinance and will be bringing a recommended fee to the City Council for approval. Once the fee has been established, the application process finalized, and the registration stickers delivered, residents will be able to visit the Office of the City Clerk, located in City Hall, to complete the application process. Golf cart usage will be under Article XVI of Chapter 23 in the City Code.

Red Lobster says it will soon exit bankruptcy protection after judge approves seafood chain’s sale

Posted on by Sam Parsons

NEW YORK (AP) — After months of dozens of restaurant closings and headlines about “endless shrimp” woes, Red Lobster says it will soon exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

A U.S. bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved the casual seafood chain’s reorganization plan, which includes a lender group led by asset manager Fortress acquiring the business. The green light arrives under just four months after Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy protection as it pursued a sale, following years of mounting losses and dwindling customers while it struggled to keep up with competitors.

At the time of filing in May, Red Lobster’s leadership shared plans to “simplify the business” through a reduction of locations. The chain, which lost $76 million in 2023, shuttered dozens of its North American restaurants over recent months — both leading up to and during the bankruptcy process. That includes more than 50 locations whose equipment was put up for auction just days before the Chapter 11 petition, followed by additional closures throughout the bankruptcy process.

Red Lobster said Thursday that it expects to operate about 544 locations across the U.S. and Canada upon emerging from bankruptcy. That’s down from 578 disclosed as of May’s bankruptcy filing.

Under terms of the acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of September, the chain will continue to operate as an independent company.

Once the deal is finalized, Red Lobster will also get a new CEO — Damola Adamolekun, former chief executive of P.F. Chang’s.

Adamolekun was appointed to head RL Investor Holdings, the newly formed entity acquiring Red Lobster, by Fortress last week. In a statement Thursday, Adamolekun said that Red Lobster “has a tremendous future” and thanked Jonathan Tibus, who will leave the company and step down as CEO, for his leadership during the bankruptcy process.

Red Lobster’s purchaser is also providing additional funding to help the Orlando, Florida-based chain get back on its feet post-emergence. Adamolekun said the company’s long-term investment plan includes a commitment of more than $60 million in new funding.

Known for its affordable seafood and cheddary biscuits, Red Lobster has seen multiple ownership changes over the course of its 56-year history. The brand was founded back in 1968 by Bill Darden, who sold Red Lobster to General Mills in 1970. General Mills later went on to form Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Garden and other chains. Darden Restaurants was spun off from General Mills in 1995.

Darden Restaurants later sold Red Lobster to a private equity firm in 2014. Thai Union Group, one of the world’s largest seafood suppliers, first invested in Red Lobster in 2016 and upped its stake in 2020 — but announced its intention to exit its minority investment earlier this year.

When announcing plans to divest in January, CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said the COVID-19 pandemic, industry headwinds and rising operating costs from Red Lobster had resulted in “prolonged negative financial contributions to Thai Union and its shareholders.” It reported a $19 million loss from Red Lobster for the first nine months of 2023.

While not the sole reason, among sources of loss were — yes — those endless shrimp. Last year, Red Lobster significantly expanded the iconic all-you-can-eat special. But customer demand overwhelmed what the chain could afford. Thai Union leadership later noted that the deal’s $20 price tag wasn’t making enough money.

Last year’s shrimp debacle wasn’t the first time Red Lobster saw consequences of “endless” promises. In 2003, the company reportedly lost millions of dollars on an all-you-can-eat “Endless Crab” promotion when crab prices rose.

Water Summary Update: Decreased rainfall in August sees return of dry conditions

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — Consistent above-normal rainfall during the summer months slowed in August, leading to a return of dry conditions, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

August’s preliminary statewide precipitation was 3.20 inches, or 0.93 inches below normal. At the end of August, Iowa’s Drought Plan showed overall drought conditions have remained mostly stable for the state. However, the decrease in precipitation has led to a return of dry conditions.

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) shows nearly 40 percent of the state carrying abnormally dry designations, with areas of western and northeast Iowa seeing the biggest change. This trend could turn worse if the dryness of August extends into the fall months.

Temperatures for the month were near normal, with the summer months of June, July and August averaging 72.0 degrees statewide. The preliminary precipitation totals for that same period were 13.75 inches, or 0.19 inches above normal.

Despite the dry conditions, the state has received more than 38 inches of rain in the past 12 months, which is a foot more than what the state saw between September 2022 and August 2023.

“The Iowa Drought Plan rates statewide drought conditions as normal, although the month of August was drier than usual. As we move into September we would expect to get less than an inch of rain per week, with average rainfall continuing to drop through the rest of the year.  It is important that we continue to see normal precipitation through the fall and into the winter months,” said Tim Hall, the DNR’s Hydrology Resources Coordinator. “We are to the point now where rainfall will begin to build up next year’s soil moisture and groundwater, so a wetter than normal fall would be great to see. If conditions remain dry, we could have issues going into 2025.”

For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, visit

 www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.

Former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo to Speak at Central College

Posted on by Sam Parsons

PELLA — Joy Harjo, former U.S. Poet Laureate, will read from her works and participate in an interview with Harry Smith, distinguished Central College Class of 1973 alumnus and former NBC Today Show and CBS reporter, at Central’s Writers Reading. The public is invited to the Writers Reading at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, Douwstra Auditorium on Central’s campus.

Harjo was the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate and only the second poet to be appointed a third term in this role. A member of the Mvskoke Nation, Harjo was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and left home to attend high school at the innovative Institute of American Indian Arts, a Bureau of Indian Affairs school at the time. She began writing poetry as a member of the University of New Mexico’s Native student organization, the Kiva Club, in response to Native empowerment movements. Harjo later earned her MFA at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has taught English, creative writing and American Indian studies at several universities. She also performs music and poetry nationally and internationally.

Harjo’s accolades include the 2024 Frost Medal from the Poetry Society of America. She is the author of 10 books of poetry including three award-winning children’s books. She currently lives on the Muscogee Nation Reservation in Oklahoma, and she serves as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence of Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Center.

Smith played a key role in bringing the world-renowned poet to Pella as part of his executive-in-residence commitment. Reconnecting with his Central roots, Smith is sharing his expertise but also enriching the campus with a unique cultural experience. He will introduce Harjo, and after her reading, Smith will welcome questions from the audience. Harjo will sign books after the program.

Warrant Requested for Altoona, PA Man After Threats to Oskaloosa Juvenile

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — Authorities have requested a warrant for the arrest of a man from Altoona, Pennsylvania, after he made threats against a juvenile member of the Oskaloosa community.

On Wednesday, officers from the Oskaloosa Police Department were notified about an online threat of bodily harm to a juvenile in our community. Officers worked with Oskaloosa Community School District staff and the Mahaska County Attorney’s Office to follow up on the threat and determine its credibility.
The initial investigation led the Oskaloosa PD to a person of interest in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Investigators worked with law enforcement staff at the Altoona (PA) Police Department, who were able to verify the identity of the person who made the alleged threats.
A warrant has been requested for the suspect, 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐜𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 (19) from Altoona, PA, on charges of Harassment (1st degree) and Threat of Arson, a class D felony.

Teen arraigned on attempted murder in shooting of San Francisco 49ers rookie says he is very sorry

Posted on by Sam Parsons

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 17-year-old high school senior charged with attempted murder in the daytime weekend shooting of San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall was arraigned in juvenile court Wednesday and said through his attorney that he was sorry for what happened.

The slight teen wore a green sweatshirt and green pants, looked straight ahead at the judge during the proceeding and did not turn around to acknowledge his parents, who were in the room.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins charged the teen on Tuesday with attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic weapon and attempted second-degree robbery. On Wednesday, her office added several gun-related charges.

Her office has not decided whether try the juvenile as an adult, saying they need time to investigate further and, if appropriate, petition the court to transfer the case to adult court. California law prevents prosecutors from charging a minor as an adult without judicial approval.

The teen’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap, told reporters after the hearing that he is very sorry about what happened.

“He’s genuinely very sorry that this did happen, as is his family, and I can say on their behalf, as well as on my own behalf, our thoughts go out to the Pearsall family and Mr. Pearsall himself. So there is genuine, genuine remorse in that regard,” Dunlap said. “He is a young boy.”

A probation officer recommended the teen stay in custody and be transferred to his home county of San Joaquin, where he has another matter pending. But Superior Court Judge Roger C. Chan said the teen will stay in San Francisco custody.

Family members of both the teen and Pearsall were in the room Wednesday, Chan said.

The daylight shooting Saturday of a professional athlete in an upscale shopping district downtown put the national spotlight again on a city that struggled with brazen shoplifting, empty storefronts and assaults on Asian American seniors. Mayor London Breed, a Democrat, is in a tight reelection contest in November.

Pearsall, 23, was walking alone to his car shortly after 3:30 p.m. Saturday after shopping at luxury stores in Union Square when the suspect allegedly saw the NFL player was wearing a Rolex watch. A struggle ensued, and gunfire from the suspect’s firearm struck both Pearsall and the teenager, who was shot in the arm, police said.

The 49ers rookie was shot through the chest at close range, officials said. His mother, Erin Pearsall, posted on social media that the bullet went through the right side of her son’s chest and out his back without striking any vital organs.

Pearsall was released Sunday from the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

He was back at the team facility on Monday, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said Tuesday. The Niners placed Pearsall on the non-football injury list, giving him time to recover from the shooting and a shoulder injury that had limited him all summer, Lynch said.

The teen lives in Tracy, a city about 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of San Francisco.

He was arrested about a block away from where he allegedly confronted Pearsall.

University of Iowa employee accused of pocketing nearly $1 million

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

State Auditor Rob Sand says a recently dismissed University of Iowa employee “pocketed nearly a million dollars” by using public equipment and public employees for his own business. Brian Busch was the manager of the Department of Physics and Astronomy Machine Shop.

“He would have employees handle the work on university-owned machines while on the university’s clock,” Sand said during a news conference in his statehouse office, “but $943,000 worth of payments…ended up in his own bank accounts.”

The Machine Shop fixed equipment and made parts for experiments, but Sand told reporters the Physics Department also used the expensive tools and equipment in the Machine Shop to fulfill orders from other departments on campus. “What it fundamentally came down to is at the end of the day Mr. Busch had public employees and public equipment doing work for him, instead of doing work for the university,” Sand said.

Busch was placed on administrative leave in 2021, but was not fired until last Wednesday when the auditor’s office presented its report to University of Iowa officials. Sand said keeping Busch on the university’s payroll for three years wouldn’t have been his choice due to warning signs. In 2019, the university had Busch repay over $3500 for work done on campus for his own company.

“They did not do an internal review of conflict of interest policies or heighten review of Busch’s future transactions at the Machine Shop,” Sand said. “Busch had not noted the company, D3T, on the conflict of interest forms that he had been required to fill out with the university.”

Sand’s office has been working with a federal agency that’s been investigating the allegations, as well as the Iowa City Police. Under state law, Sand said there are a few months left to sue Busch or file criminal charges in state court and a couple of years before the federal statute of limitations expires.

“The whistleblowers in this case provided much of the information needed to investigate it, including text messages with Brian Busch that are detailed in our report and photographs,” Sand said. “The report is about 300 pages. This is a big one.”

According to the audit, Busch was having university staff do work for a company called Xometry, but directed Xometry’s payments into his personal bank account and an account linked to his business. The University of Iowa has issued a written statement, saying it is attempting to recoup the wages paid to Busch and two other employees while they were on paid leave. The statement begins by saying the University of Iowa “is committed to managing its resources responsibly.” University officials say they requested a state audit and immediately took other steps when they first learned of the allegations against Busch.

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