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Long-Time Advocate and Disabled-Rights Fighter Dies

Emily Woodbury
Uptown Bill's Coffee House & Neighborhood Arts Center in Iowa City

A long-time Iowa advocate and fighter for the rights of the disabled, Tom Walz, passed away this week. Walz was the director of the University of Iowa School of Social Work.

He was also friend of the late Bill Sackter, and he established Wild Bill’s coffee shop on the UI campus.  Sackter then became the proprietor of Wild Bill’s, allowing him to finally be independent, after having spent 44 years confined to the Fairibault MN State School for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic.

On this news buzz edition of River to River, Ben Kieffer talks about Walz's life and contributions to Iowa City with Iowa City real estate broker Jeff Edberg. Edberg was chair of the Board for the Extend the Dream Foundation, the organization Walz started after he retired.

"He was one of the few people I've met that truly cared about the disabled population. He worked tirelessly, hands-on, for this population," says Edberg. "He wasn't looking for fame or glory, or accolades. He was looking to help people, and help people he did."

During the hour, Kieffer also talks with Iowa Public Radio correspondent Joyce Russell and reporter Katarina Sostaric about what happened at the Iowa Statehouse this week; University of Iowa students Hannah Gulick and Josh Larson about their venture to a Norwegian "rocket school" program; Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart about his visit to Washington D.C. to talk infrastructure needs; and Trevor DeForest, who recently won a national competition for grocery bagging.

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Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River