Week in Iowa: Recap of news from across the state

One less in the race: After flirting with a possible run, Democratic Rep. Chris Hall of Sioux City said he won't seek the Democratic nomination for governor this year. Hall said he opted against challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds because he had concerns about being able to commit the necessary financial resources and because he didn't believe he had high enough name recognition throughout the state of Iowa.

No cameras in the classroom: Iowa House Republicans killed a bill that would have required schools to place cameras in every classroom to livestream instruction. The move came minutes before the bill was scheduled for a legislative hearing.

Goodbye rangers: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is evicting park rangers from government-owned houses in 23 state parks because it doesn’t want to pay up to $1 million on repairs. Critics say if park rangers no longer live in the parks they patrol, park users — more than 16 million people in 2020 — will have to wait longer for help if there’s a boat crash, medical emergency, power outage or a crime.

Odds and ends

No room for lobbyists: A proposal to make room for “regular people” at the Iowa Capitol is getting a cool response from some of the lobbyists who would be displaced. House File 2276 would restrict lobbyists from engaging in lobbying activity in the second floor rotunda between the House and Senate chambers. They would be permitted to be in the lobbyists’ lounges adjacent to each chamber as well as the House and Senate lounge when meeting with legislators.

Naming rights: With its second gift in two years, Omaha Standard Palfinger has purchased the naming rights to Iowa Western Community College’s welding lab. The company provided a $36,000 gift to support the naming rights to the state-of-the-art welding lab in Kinney Hall on the Council Bluffs campus, according to a news release from the college.

Help wanted: Bettendorf could be hiring as many as six new staff firefighters in the next fiscal year. Population growth in northern Bettendorf has fueled an increase in calls for service to the Bettendorf Fire Department. And for more than a decade, emergencies near the Surrey Heights Fire Station in Bettendorf have driven resident calls for added staffing.

They said …

“There’s a sense of community (in Iowa). Whenever I go back, people are so friendly. They’ll wave at me and I’ll think, ‘Oh, wow. I’m not in New York anymore.’”

— Drew Minard, the only Iowan in Broadway’s “Music Man” revival.

Water cooler

Iowa spotlight: Broadway gave Iowa a try Thursday, when “The Music Man” opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York. Starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, the revival was supposed to open in 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19. Written by Mason City’s Meredith Willson, the Tony-winning musical is one of the most anticipated shows of the year.

Garza gets number retired: Two-time national player of the year Luka Garza will formally have his jersey number retired, along with three other Iowa basketball greats, at a Hawkeye home game later this month. Iowa announced Wednesday that it will honor Garza, Charles “Chuck’’ Darling, Roy Marble and Murray Wier before and during the Hawkeyes’ game against Michigan State on Feb. 22.

Into the hall of fame: The Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame announced four new inductees this past week: Tom Hogan, Col. Thomas L. Huff, G. Wyatt Schultz and Chad Zaputil. The announcement comes after a two-year pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 51st annual Awards Banquet and Induction Ceremony will be held April 11 in Cresco.