DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When Barack Obama marched into the 2007 Iowa steak fry flanked by 1,000 supporters, skeptical Iowans were put on notice that he could win the caucus. A dozen years later, a new generation of Democratic White House hopefuls is looking to pull off a repeat performance to turbocharge their campaigns.

Today’s (Saturday’s) steak fry is part parade, part organizing show of force — and quintessentially Iowa. It began as a fundraiser for Tom Harkin’s first congressional bid, where the 53 attendees could buy a steak and a foil-wrapped baked potato for $2. Harkin is out of politics now, but the steak fry lives on as a fundraiser for the Polk County Democratic Party. This year, 11,000 people are expected to join in addition to 19 presidential candidates. Attendees can listen to bands, munch on 10,500 steaks or get food from food trucks, a vegan grill or a craft beer tent.

There are even camping grounds, where supporters of former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke spent Friday night.
The festival vibe has some Iowa activists calling the steak fry the “Coachella of the Caucuses,” referring to the weekend-long music festival in California. Polk County Democratic Party Chairman Sean Bagniewski said the event purposely has a “modern twist.” “That’s the future of the party — it’s gonna be more women in positions of leadership, it’s gonna be more people of color, and it’s going to be more young people,” he said.

But what hasn’t changed is the significance of the event for the presidential candidates. The steak fry comes as a number of candidates are reconfiguring their Iowa approach. California Sen. Kamala Harris this week announced she would focus more heavily on Iowa in hopes of finishing in the top three. Meanwhile flagging campaigns like that of O’Rourke and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar are campaigning beyond Iowa in an effort to broaden their national appeal.

Bagniewski said that, like 2007, Democrats are looking for someone who can show they’ve got the organizational strength to win. “Everyone wants to beat Donald Trump,” he said. “Everyone has a top 5, but when you actually see that your candidate of choice has 1,000 people supporting them at the Steak Fry, it gives you more liberty to make that decision.”

Over four decades, the event has seen plenty of rock-star moments. In 2014, the final year Harkin hosted the event, Hillary Clinton returned to Iowa for the first time since Obama beat her in the 2008 caucuses. She was welcomed by a jubilant crowd chanting “Hillary, Hillary,” as speculation about a second presidential campaign swirled. With a cheeky smile, she stretched her arms out to the audience of thousands, saying “Well, hello Iowa. I’m back!”

This year, a number of the candidates will kick off the festivities by hosting celebrations for their supporters beforehand, featuring everything from live bands to carnival-style games. Many are planning an Obama-esque march into the event — amping up the pressure on their teams to turn up big numbers to the event, as any flagging campaigns will be painfully obvious. Campaigns are bussing and flying supporters in from out of state to boost their numbers, and the Polk County Democratic Party says they’ve sold tickets to attendees from 48 states. Former Vice President Joe Biden is widely believed to have sold the most tickets to the event, with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg not far behind him.

Biden will host what his team is calling “Bidenfest” beforehand, featuring a bouncy castle, an ice cream truck and bands, and he’ll be marching in with a fire truck and a marching band from a Waterloo-area Baptist church. California Sen. Kamala Harris will march into the event with striking McDonald’s workers demanding a $15 an hour wage, as well as the Isiserettes, a local Des Moines drumline that appeared regularly at Obama events, including the 2007 steak fry and later his inauguration.

But Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren are skipping the march into the event. Warren has come under growing criticism from some of her rivals and her staff has said she’s looking at the steak fry as more of an opportunity to connect with potential new supporters, rather than organize those she has already won.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana State University students will have an opportunity to see presidential campaigning up close in Iowa before the first-in-the-nation caucuses. The LSU Manship School of Mass Communication is holding its “Iowa of the Tiger” program from Dec. 29 through Jan. 7.

Students who participate in the program will spend 10 days attending dozens of presidential campaign events across Iowa before that state’s caucuses on Feb. 3. The program carries a $1,000 fee. Students also must pay for their own transportation to Des Moines and most of their own meals.

It’s the fourth time LSU has offered the program to students. More than 70 students have participated since the launch in 2008.

The Iowa State Patrol reports a South Dakota man died following a crash on I-29 Northbound in Harrison County on Friday night. The crash occurred at 10:00pm near mile marker 85. The area is head to head traffic on the northbound side due to construction on the southbound side.

A 2002 Toyota Camry driven by 30-year-old Scott Munce of Sioux Falls, SD was southbound and drifted on to the shoulder and struck the end of a guardrail. This caused the Camry to enter the northbound lane facing east/west. A 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by 46-year-old Neil Nielsen of Columbia. MO was traveling northbound and struck the camry on the passenger side. Both vehicles came to rest facing the same direction as when the collision occurred.

Munce was killed in the crash. Nielsen was not listed as injured but three passengers in his vehicle were. 40-year-old Sheryl Reams and 5-year-olds Rylie and Ryker Nielsen all of Columbia, MO were injured. No details on their condition were released but all were wearing their seatbelts during the crash.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of two men following a disturbance outside the Pub in Corning. Deputies were dispatched to the report of a fight at 1:57am Saturday. After investigation David Yazell of Carbon and James Castillo of Stanton were arrested for Public Intoxication. No further details were reported.

AMES, Iowa – Sept. 20, 2019 – Area flooding has caused the Iowa Department of Transportation to close Interstate 680 from the Missouri River to the I-29 interchange near Crescent around 10 p.m. this evening.

Interstate 29 in the area was closed early this morning and is expected to remain closed over the weekend.

Relying on phone or in-vehicle navigation systems may not be reliable as closure changes happen rapidly and navigation systems can route traffic through areas not designed for heavy or some types of traffic.

The best source of information on state and U.S. highways and interstate roadway closures during uncertain weather events is www.511ia.org. You can stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device. (Note: for information on county or local roads, please check the county 511 system at https://www.iowacountyroads.org/connections#county-511-map) or contact your local county engineer’s office.

To receive email or text alerts about traffic incidents, road closures, traffic delays, and other restrictions that affect this highway route or other routes you travel, the Iowa DOT offers the “Your 511” option on 511ia.org. It’s easy to subscribe to Your 511 and sign up to receive the email/text alerts. Visit https://iowadot.gov/511/511-full-feature-website-help/how-to-videos for simple, step-by-step instructions.

ANAMOSA – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a staff member was assaulted by an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary in Anamosa at approximately 11:30-a.m. today (Friday).

The staff member, a correctional officer, was working at his post when an inmate jumped across the officer’s desk and kicked him in the face. The inmate then landed several closed-fist strikes on the officer, who then used defensive tactics to subdue the inmate until additional staff could respond moments later and restrain the aggressive inmate.

The staff member was escorted to the local hospital, was found to have suffered a broken nose, and has since been released. The inmate was seen by medical staff and found to have no major injuries from the incident.

Authorities say the incident remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Two DNR Conservation Officers were placed on paid administrative leave, following an incident that took place Thursday, Sept., 19, involving their response to a dispute between two women at the corner of 2nd and Court avenues in downtown Des Moines.

Alex Murphy, DNR Director of Communications, said in a News Release today (Friday), “Two Iowa DNR conservation officers have been placed on administrative leave following an incident that occurred last night at the Court Ave District. There are many questions left to be answered and we are working with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to conduct a full, fair, and thorough investigation into the matter.”

A native of Atlantic was interviewed for about 75-minutes Friday afternoon by the Cass County Board of Supervisors. 31-year old Nicole Marie Stinn was interviewed for the position of Cass County Engineer. She was the only person to apply for the job, following the resignation last month of current County Engineer Charles Bechtold. The County began advertising for the position on Sept. 4th.

Nicole Stinn (Left) speaks with the Cass County Board of Supervisors during her interview for the County Engineer’s job. (Ric Hanson/Photo)

Stinn has nine-years of experience in the field of Engineering. She currently serves as the Engineer for northern Iowa’s Hamilton County. Prior to that, she was employed by the Tama County Engineer’s Office. Nicole Stinn gradated from the Atlantic High School in 2006, when her last name was Vogl. Her parents are Dennis and Kathy Vogl. Nicole graduated from Iowa State University in 2010, with a degree in Civil Engineering. She currently lives in Webster City with her husband John Stinn, and their young son.

During the more than hour-long interview, she was asked about the obstacles she’s overcome, how she deals with different personalities, fiscal responsibility and problem solving, to name a few. She was also asked what her references would say about her. When it came time for Stinn to ask questions, one of the things she mentioned was the daycare situation in the County.

The Board did not offer her the position following the interview, because both parties needed time to consider what was discussed. Stinn would also need to provide Hamilton County with 30-day’s notice.

It’s not clear when the Board will make it’s decision, in-part because they may still get additional applications. Supervisor Steve Green said there is a shortage of qualified/licensed Engineers in Iowa, and many Counties are looking for someone to fulfill that role.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday) said a Villisca woman was arrested last week on numerous charges. Deputies stopped an SUV driven by 31-year old Kardeye Renay Mitchell on Sept. 13th, about four-miles north of Clarinda, on Highway 71.

During the traffic stop Michell identified herself as Tatanisha James. She was found to be under the influence of Alcohol, and was arrested for OWI. As she was being booked into the Page County Jail, authorities learned her real name, and that Mitchell had 2 previous convictions for OWI and a Missouri warrant for Driving while intoxicated, two-counts of Driving while license revoked or suspended, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident.

The bond on the Missouri warrant was $20,000. Mitchell confessed to using false identification information in order to avoid the Missouri warrant.  She was being being held in the Page County Jail on Page County Charges of OWI 3rd/or subsequent offense, & Providing false identification information. Bond on the Page County charges is $5,000, for a total bond of $25,000.

Two men from Villisca were arrested today (Friday) on motor vehicle theft charges. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports that at around 3:27-p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 18th), they took a report of a motor vehicle that was stolen from the City of Villisca.

Following an investigation, Deputies arrested in rural Villisca, 40-year old Jamie Ryan Straw and 20-year old Cordell Ryan Straw, on warrants for Theft in the 2nd Degree (Motor-vehicle related). Both men were being held in the Montgomery County Jail, on $5,000 bond, each.