Iowa City Daycare Closing Indefinitely After Inspections Find Health, Safety Violations: Iowa City Daily Links, July 3

Independence Eve ya'll!

On to the Links!

Creative World Child Development Center daycare in Iowa City is closing after a recent inspection turned up many similar problems to ones found in a 2012 inspection. (Iowa City Press-Citizen)

Gregg Hennigan of the Gazette reports that one of the opponents of the Chauncey building who is suing the city on that issue has decided to run for the city council as the race is taking shape.

Iowa City's population of retirees continues to grow, reports the Daily Iowan.

Previews of the Iowa City Jazz Festival and the Firecracker 500 by the Daily Iowan.

An University of Iowa wrestling recruit was charged with assault over the weekend. (Hawk Central)

Jim Musser's shows not to miss, and events to catch this weekend from the Press-Citizen.

The teardown process of Hancher and the former UI music building is going as scheduled as Hancher's most recent season without a home begins.

Orlan Love of the Gazette writes that flood predictions for the Wapsipinicon River this past week were highly inaccurate.

Daily Links Excerpt of the Day

The daycare, 2717 Northgate Drive, has been operating under one-year provisional licenses since July 1, 2011, when an Iowa Department of Human Services inspection turned up more than 30 health and safety violations. A subsequent inspection in June 2012 turned up nearly 40 health and safety violations, resulting in a second provisional license issued July 1, 2012.

The 2013 inspection report is not yet available, but Chad Dahm, Iowa DHS’s bureau chief for child care, said the fact that the facility is voluntarily relinquishing its license indicates it did not solve lingering issues. The department allows facilities to operate under up to two consecutive one-year provisional licenses; after that, a facility’s license is either revoked or voluntarily relinquished, he said. Most centers choose to voluntarily give up their licenses, Dahm said.

Kristin Martz, the center’s assistant director, said the closure is a “huge, life-changing moment” for the daycare, which she said has operated for more than three decades.

“It’s been a good run for this daycare,” Martz said. “Thirty years is a long time.”