Gazette Daily News Podcast: Friday, Feb. 16, 2024

– Caitlin Clark breaks the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record

– Iowa GOP lawmakers move to limit challenge to Trump, ban ballot drop boxes

– UI’s Mayflower still for sale; will house students another year

Episode Transcript

You are listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast on Friday, February 16. This podcast gives quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Coming up, Caitlin Clark cements herself in NCAA women’s basketball history

And later, Iowa GOP lawmakers are advancing a bill that makes changes to state election laws

Plus, University of Iowa needs to use Mayflower Residence Hall for student housing despite putting it up for sale

But first, history was made last night in Iowa City when Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record. Clark surpassed the previous record of 3,527 points held by Kelsey Plum. It took Plum 139 games to score those points in her career at the University of Washington. It took Clark just 126 games to surpass that record. Clark finished the game with 49 points, which was a career-high, a program record and a Carver record. This puts Clark’s career total to 3,269 points. The Hawkeyes beat the Michigan Wolverines, 106 to 89.

For a closer look at the stats related to this historic night and Clark’s career, read the story linked in this episode description or find it the gazette dot com.

Next, Iowa GOP lawmakers advanced a bill Thursday that would make a number of changes to state election laws.

House Study Bill 697 would prevent Iowa voters from returning absentee ballots in drop boxes. It would also require absentee voters to include their driver’s license or voter ID numbers when returning their ballots. Currently, voters are only required to provide those numbers when they submit a written request for a ballot. Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, said absentee ballot drop boxes are no longer needed with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. 2020 elections were disrupted by the pandemic which led to the use of official ballot drop boxes. Rep. Adam Zabner, a Democrat from Iowa City, noted that in the 2022 general election 13,883 Iowans used those drop boxes, which are secured and monitored 24/7. Zabner said the new restrictions on absentee voting could prevent thousands of Iowans from having their ballots counted.

House Study Bill 697 would also limit challenges to federal candidates' placement on the ballot. That would make it harder to challenge Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on the 2024 general election ballot, for example. The bill would also ban ranked choice voting. Additionally, the bill would require absentee ballots to be received by the county auditor by the close of business on the day before Election Day in order to be counted. Plus, Auditors could mail absentee ballots two days earlier to adjust to the earlier deadline. This would give Iowa voters an additional day to mail back absentee ballots. Currently, ballots can be received until the end of the day on Election Day.

Democrats say the proposals would make it harder to vote, but Republicans say the bill upholds election integrity.

Next, last year, the University of Iowa announced it would be selling the 56-year-old Mayflower Residence Hall. Now, the university has to again use the eight-story residence hall due to a record level of housing applications for fall 2024. Mayflower is located more than a mile from the main campus and its amenities, like dining halls. It can house more than 1,000 students in suite-style rooms with kitchens and bathrooms. This year, Mayflower is home to 888 students. The university told The Gazette it’s still planning to sell the 326,000-square-foot property, which is listed for $45 million. UI spokesman Chris Brewer said, quote, “Because we have an immediate need for the building, any sale would be conditional upon the university occupying the building for the upcoming academic year.” end quote.

As always, you can find a link to each of the stories featured in today’s episode in this episode’s description or at the gazette dot com.

Finally, let’s take a look at today’s weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today will be partly cloudy with a high of 29 degrees. Temperatures will drop to 11 degrees tonight. Saturday will be sunny. Expect a high of 32 degrees and a low of 24 degrees. Temperatures will rise on Sunday. Anticipate a high of 43 degrees, a low of 23 degrees and sunny skies.

Thank you for listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast. Stay up to date with the latest news from Eastern Iowa at the gazette dot com. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com