(Radio Iowa) – Schools, churches, American Legion Posts — even a bank and an insurance agency are among the places where precinct meetings will be held for tonight’s (Monday’s) Iowa Caucuses. Republicans in more than two dozen Iowa counties, however, have made plans to have all precincts in the county meet at one location. Twenty-eight counties will have just one, so-called “super site” for Caucus Night.

Wapello County Republicans will be gathering at Ottumwa High School. Wapello County G-O-P chair Trudy Caviness says  “We have done this because when I started doing Caucuses, which is about 25 years ago, we only had about 700 people that attended,” Caviness says. “in 2016, we had about 1800 people.” Caviness says it could be difficult for some rural residents to make it to Ottumwa, but she says given the number of phone calls she’s fielding, the wind chill may not dampen turnout. “I’ve heard from a lot of people who have never Caucused before and they’re excited about it,” Caviness says. “They want to know the procedures and what happens and so I think we’re going to have pretty robust turnout.”

Denny Werkmeister is O’Brien County G-O-P chairman and Republicans in his county will be meeting at the Harley-Melvin-Sanborn High School. “It makes reporting (results) easier if we’re all at one location. We also get a better handle, I think, on the number of people who are attending,” he says. “Just logistics wise, it’s a benefit.” What is his guess on turnout? “That’s a good question,” Werkmeister said, with a laugh. “I think with the presidential race and some of the issues that are going on, I think the turn-out will be good.”

Plans for these “super sites” were made long ago — well before anyone knew what tonight’s (Monday’s) weather was going to be like. Most of the 28 counties that opted to have one meeting place for all precincts in the county reserved space at a school or community college, but Adams County Republicans will be meeting at the Opera House in Corning.

Here’s the list of counties where all precincts will meet in one location in the county: Adams, Adair, Calhoun, Clay, Crawford, Davis, Delaware, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Franklin, Humboldt, Ida, Lucas, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Ringgold, Sac, Shelby, Wapello, Wayne, Webster, Worth, Wright.)

Cass County (IA) Democrats will caucus tonight at 7-p.m. with check-in at 6:30. The location is 102 Chestnut Street. Registered Democrats and those who will be 18 by Nov. 5, 2024 can participate in the caucus.

(Radio Iowa) – The first event of the 2024 presidential campaign is nearly here. The Iowa Caucuses begin tonight (Monday) at seven and the candidates spent the closing hours of the campaign dealing with blizzard conditions and bitter cold as they made their final pitches.

After cancelling in-person events on Saturday, former President Donald Trump hosted a rally in Indianola Sunday and brought some guests on stage, including Doug Burgum, the North Dakota governor who dropped out of the race this fall. “I’m here to do something that none of the other presidential primary candidates have done and that’s to endorse Donald J. Trump for president of the United States of America,” Burgum said, to cheers. Burgum praised Trump’s record as president and closed with a message to Iowa Caucus goers.

“You have an opportunity to send a message to the nation,” Burgum said, “and send a message to the world.” Trump cautioned his supporters not to be complacent. “So brave the weather and go out and save America,” Trump said, “because that’s what you’re doing.” Trump, though, noted the Caucuses will be indoors. “You’ve got to get out. You can’t sit home. If you’re sick as a dog…even if you vote and then pass away, it’s worth it,” and the crowd laughed and clapped.

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley campaigned in Ames and Adel, but cancelled an in-person event in Dubuque, then held a telephone town hall with people who had registered to attend. “Iowa sets the tone for where the country goes when it comes to these elections,” Haley said. “There are no foregone conclusions, but we really have an opportunity to really get our country back.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke with Radio Iowa just before a Sunday night campaign rally in Ankeny. “This weekend’s been off the chart. We’re having people show up in this sub-freezing temperature,” DeSantis said. “I’ve got people knocking on doors in the snow.” The Des Moines Register “Iowa Poll” released this weekend showed Trump with a 28 point lead over Nikki Haley, who was in second place. DeSantis slipped to third in the Register’s Iowa Poll, with 16 percent, but among the top three candidates, a greater share of DeSantis supporters said they definitely plan to attend a Caucus tonight.

Laura Dolehide is a DeSantis supporter who saw the candidate in person on Sunday in Dubuque. “I don’t pay attention to polls,” she said. “I think Iowa takes these caucuses very seriously and I think the weather is not going to hold people back.” The Iowa Poll found Haley with 20 percent support among likely Iowa Caucus-goers. Linda Ratka (RAT-kuh) of Dyersville, who intends to Caucus for Haley, is encouraged.  “She’s moving up, all the time,” Ratka says.

Registration for the Caucuses starts at 6 p.m., then the Caucuses will begin at seven.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa is in the presidential campaign spotlight today.  Here’s how the Iowa Caucuses work:

You have to be an Iowa resident and a registered Republican voter to participate in the Iowa G-O-P’s Caucuses. With proper I-D – like a driver’s license – you can complete that voter registration at the door. The Caucuses will start at 7 p.m. There will be brief speeches on behalf of each candidate, sometimes from a campaign’s volunteer leader in the precinct, then caucus-goers will cast a paper ballot. An observer from each campaign may watch the counting.

The results are announced in the room, then reported to the county chair, who is responsible for submitting the tallies to Iowa G-O-P headquarters. People may leave after they cast a straw poll ballot, but after the voting’s over Republicans will conduct party business – elect delegates for the county convention, discuss the party platform and sign nominating petitions so local candidates can qualify for the June Primary ballot.

Iowa Democrats are holding in-person Caucuses tonight at 7 p.m as well to conduct party business. If you- don’t know where your Caucus site may be, each party has that information on its website.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s First District Congresswoman, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, was in a vehicle that was rear-ended by a semi this weekend. It happened Saturday as Miller-Meeks was headed to introduce Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley at an event. According to a statement from Miller-Meeks’ staff, the congresswoman did not require medical attention and left the scene in a private vehicle.

Miller-Meeks posted a video on social media afterwards that did not directly mention the wreck, but Miller-Meeks said: “when life gives you lemons, make turkey pot pie” – then she added “please be safe on the roads.” She had a pot pie on the table in front of her.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department says no injuries were reported after a snowplow and SUV collided Friday afternoon, in Creston. The accident happened at around 2:30-p.m., near the intersection of S. Sumner Street and Highway 34.

Authorities say a 2020 International truck snowplow owned by the Iowa Department of Transportation and driven by 51-year-old Branden Conley, of Creston, was traveling south on S. Sumner Street, proceeding across Highway 34, and had a green traffic light.

A 2012 Toyota Venza SUV driven by 49-year-old Holly Oliphant, of Lenox, was following the snow plow. While approaching the intersection, Oliphant told police she thought the plow was making a left turn. She attempted to go around the snow plow on the right, unaware that both vehicles were converging on the same lane of travel.

The SUV struck the edge of the snow plow, causing minor damage to the left side quarter panel of the SUV. The damage was estimated at $1,500. The snowplow was undamaged. There were no citations issued.