DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Barack Obama has asked Iowa voters to help him finish what they started in the state four years ago. Obama spoke to more than 20,000 people last night at his last political rally as a candidate. Obama’s 2008 caucus victory in Iowa jumpstarted his road to the White House.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Redistricting and well-funded challengers has forced each member of the state’s House delegation to work hard for another two-year term in Washington. All of Iowa’s four congressional races are seen as competitive in today’s general election. Voters will be tasked with deciding which party will control the Legislature and whether to retain an Iowa Supreme Court justice who supported gay marriage.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Three groups hoping to develop a land-based casino in the Sioux City area have submitted bids to state gambling regulators. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission had a deadline yesterday for applications for Woodbury County’s gambling license. State regulators decided to replace the riverboat casino with a land-based casino and put the license up for bid. The commission will award it in April.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad wants a further review of state salaries to address gender pay equity and competitiveness concerns. A new salary database shows Iowa employed nearly 33,000 women last year with a median salary of almost $46,000. That’s 91 percent of the median salary of $50,000 for the 27,000 men in state government jobs. Branstad begins talks with state employee unions next month on new contracts slated to take effect in July 2013.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — At least one Iowa congressman’s career will end Tuesday in an election that has forced each member of the state’s House delegation to work hard for another two-year term in Washington. Thanks to redistricting and well-funded challengers, no incumbent can cruise to re-election. And in the 3rd Congressional District, either nine-term Republican Rep. Tom Latham or eight-term Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell will be out of a job. All of Iowa’s four congressional races are seen as competitive. Voters will also be tasked with deciding which party will control the Legislature and whether to retain an Iowa Supreme Court justice who supported gay marriage. Latham chose to move into the Des Moines-focused 3rd district after Iowa lost a congressional seat due to once-a-decade redrawing of boundaries to reflect population changes.

A soldier from Shenandoah has been killed while serving in Afghanistan. Family members were informed today (Monday) that 19-year-old Brandon Buttry was killed in action. Brandon’s uncle Steve, a resident of Herdon, Virginia, says U-S Army officials informed Brandon’s parents, Don and Pam Buttry, at their home in Shenandoah Monday morning. “He was manning a watch tower in Afghanistan and there were other casualties, but we don’t have any other details,” Buttry said. “We knew Brandon was in Afghanistan, but he was not allowed to say where. So we don’t even know yet where this happened.”

Steve says Brandon had enlisted in the Army in January after his 19th birthday, and was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for boot camp. Brandon was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, before deploying to Afghanistan in August. Steve says Brandon had informed his family last Wednesday that he had earned his combat infantry badge.  “Everybody who has loved ones serving in the military, this is your worst fear input, what you’re thinking about even before they get shipped out. But none of that prepares you for the shock that he was killed in action,” he says. Steve Buttry described his nephew as “a really fun kid.”

“He had a bit of an ornery streak,” according to Buttry. He says the family was almost all Minnesota Vikings fans, but Brandon went contrary to that and was a Philadelphia Eagles fan. “He went against the grain there and always had a twinkle in his eye, and maybe a mischievous look on his face. It’s a fun-loving family, and Brandon was the part of the fun of being with them.” Steve says Brandon seemed enthusiastic about his military service, and never indicated to him any concerns about the danger of being stationed in the Middle East.

“He seemed pretty confident in our interactions on Facebook, and I didn’t sense fear from him. I’m sure that’s always in the back of your mind, but if you are going to serve in the military, you have to overcome that,” Buttry explained. Military officials have not indicated when Brandon Buttry’s body will return to the U-S. In addition to his parents, Brandon is survived by eight sisters and five brothers, most still living at their rural home south of Shenandoah.

(Mike Peterson/Radio Iowa – Shenandoah)