Iowa News

CLINTON-MIDWEST        Clinton to campaign across Midwest in final week        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Former President Bill Clinton is headed for the Midwest this week to campaign for Democratic President Barack Obama in a swing that will take him to Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.        The Clinton campaign events will partially fill a void for Obama, who has taken himself off the road temporarily to deal with superstorm Sandy.        Clinton’s itinerary will also take him to Colorado, Ohio, Virginia and New Hampshire.        Minnesota has been getting increasing attention as both Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney launch late TV commercials. But Obama is still favored to collect the 10 electoral college votes. Clinton is scheduled to hold two rallies in Minnesota Tuesday – at the University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis, followed by a rally at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Kirby Student Center.

MICHELLE OBAMA-IOWA        Michelle Obama says progress is at stake        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Michelle Obama says the next four years are on the line in the next eight days and the race for the White House could come down to a few key battleground states, including Iowa.        The first lady returned to Iowa on Monday with stops in Iowa City and Sioux City.        At a rally in Iowa City, she said all the progress is at stake. She touted her husband’s accomplishments, including health care reform, ending the war in Iraq, taking out Osama bin Laden and making sure veterans get the benefits they earn.        She says President Barak Obama is committed to helping others and that’s why he wants another four years. She says he’s making “real and meaningful change,” but he is “nowhere near satisfied, there are too many still hurting.”

ANKENY CASINO        Ankeny OKs contract with casino company        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        ANKENY, Iowa (AP) – The Ankeny City Council has approved a contract with a gambling company that’s hoping to acquire a license for a casino near a new interchange on Interstate 35.        The Des Moines Register says the council on Monday approved a 5-year contract with Wild Rose Entertainment of West Des Moines. The company operates casinos in Clinton and Emmetsburg.  The contract says Ankeny will not provide tax incentives or other financial support.        Wild Rose is calling for a $150 million project that would create about 600 jobs and provide Ankeny with $500,000 to $800,000 in new revenue.        Iowa has 21 casinos in an industry that employs about 10,000 people with gross gambling revenues of more than $1.4 billion.

POLL WATCHERS-IOWA        UN poll watchers meet with Polk County auditor        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A United Nations group wants to observe voting on Nov. 6 in Iowa.        Members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe met Monday with Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald. They also plan to visit other counties before deciding where they want to observe.        Fitzgerald says officials aren’t obligated to let them watch, but he doesn’t see a problem with it.        In Texas, Attorney General Greg Abbott threatened to prosecute members who approach the polls. A UN official calmed matters by saying monitors don’t need to be inside polling places to observe.        In Iowa, Republican and Democratic party representatives also will watch voters.        Chad Olsen, the chief of staff for Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz, says parties want to ensure nothing goes wrong in the battleground state.

SUPERSTORM SANDY-UTILITY AID        Wis.-based utility sends workers to East Coast        MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Madison-based power company has dispatched more than 100 workers to the East Coast in response to a mutual aid call from utilities preparing for Hurricane Sandy’s aftermath.        About 110 Alliant Energy workers from Iowa and Wisconsin departed Sunday. They planned to stage in Scranton, Penn., on Monday evening, out of the worst of the storm, and then proceed to Lake Katrine, N.Y., to help Central Hudson Gas and Electric customers. The crews have packed for a two-week stay.        The storm was expected to make landfall in New Jersey or Delaware on Monday evening. East Coast utilities have requested several thousand line mechanics and tree clearance crews from across the country.

MISSING COUSINS-IOWA        Friends of missing Iowa cousins keep vigil        (Information in the following story is from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com)        EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) – Friends and supporters of two Iowa girls who’ve been missing since July plan to distribute fliers on Halloween to maintain public awareness.        The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier says residents are invited to print copies of the missing girls’ photos and the tip line number and hand them out to trick-or-treaters in Evansdale. Parents and other adults accompanying children may distribute the fliers door-to-door.        Lyric Cook and her cousin, Elizabeth Collins, disappeared on July 13. Their bikes were found near Meyers Lake in Evansdale. Lyric has turned 11 and Elizabeth has turned 9 since they went missing.        The FBI believes the girls were abducted.

SCULPTURE DAMAGED        Sculpture damaged in downtown Mason City        (Information in the following story is from: Globe Gazette, http://www.globegazette.com/)        MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials say vandals have damaged one of Mason City’s new sculptures in the downtown area.        The Globe Gazette says the sculpture, “Jumping Through Hoops,” was one of seven sculptures put up in September.        A Chamber of Commerce worker noticed the damage Sunday morning. Officials say it appears someone leaned on it and broke it or snapped it off at the elbows. What remained of the piece was removed and taken to the chamber’s office until it can be determined if it can be repaired.        The sculpture, by Jacque Frazee of Milbank, S.D., is valued at nearly $7,300.        Eventually 25 sculptures will be on display for a year and then will be replaced by another 25.

HOUSE EXPLOSION        No injuries in house explosion in Des Moines        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Fire officials say no one was injured when a lit cigarette and an oxygen tank caused an explosion that blew out windows and caused a fire at a house in Des Moines.        The Des Moines Register says the blast happened Monday morning.        Fire Inspector Brian O’Keefe says the homeowner sleeps with oxygen and left the tank on when she got up. She lit a cigarette, and the oxygen in the room caught fire and burned back toward the tank, causing an explosion.        The woman, her grandson and a family dog escaped before the explosion.        Damage to the home is estimated between $50,000 and $70,000.

BLIND TRUMPET PLAYER        Blind trumpet player from Solon marches on        (Information in the following story is from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/)        SOLON, Iowa (AP) – A trumpet player from Solon in eastern Iowa is marching with the high school band, thanks to some help from his bandmates.        The Gazette in Cedar Rapids says 14-year-old freshman Jalen Howsare (HOWS’-uhr) has been blind since he was toddler. His eyes were removed because of tumors, an illness called bilateral retinoblastoma. He has prosthetic eyes and is cancer free.        Howsare marched with the band for the first time during competitions in September.        During performances, his bandmates figure out where he’s supposed to go and guide him during each song. Whoever is closest puts a hand on his shoulder and leads him to the next spot.        Band director Desmond Cervantez says Howsare is “fearless,” and having him in the band builds upon its mission of giving back.

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