CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Sixty different Iowa families were left looking for child care after a Cedar Rapids facility announced it was closing due to COVID-19 and staffing issues. Kids Inc.’s Cedar Rapids location, which serves 100 children, told parents about the closure on Wednesday, saying the facility would be closing on Friday.

ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – Prairie Meadows in Altoona announced today it is resuming its mask mandate. The casino and race track facility said effective Aug. 1 at 8 a.m., all guests and employees must wear a face mask or covering while on the property.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds wants states to regulate abortion rights. Reynolds and 11 other Republican governors signed onto a legal brief file Thursday. The file urges the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn previous abortion rulings, including Roe. v. Wade, and instead allow states to enact legislation.

IOWA (IRN) – An air quality alert is in effect until 4 p.m. today because of smoke from wildfires across Canada and the West Coast. Most of the smoke has remained higher in the atmosphere, but now the smoke is coming down to the surface.

AMES, IA (IRN) – The presidents of the Southeastern Conference voted unanimously to approve the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas to join the conference on Thursday. Oklahoma and Texas notified the Big 12 Conference earlier this week that they would be leaving by 2025. Officials say the teams leaving will hurt the Big 12 conference in many ways, especially financially. Iowa State University is a member of the Big 12.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Luka Garza, the reigning Naismith Men’s Player of the Year, was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as pick #52 in the second round of the NBA Draft on Thursday. Garza became the second Iowa player drafted after Joe Wieskamp was selected in the second round by the San Antonio Spurs. Garza became the first Iowa men’s player to win the Naismith trophy last season after leading the nation in points.