(Radio Iowa) — Ten Democratic presidential candidates courted left-leaning caucus-goers in Cedar Rapids yesterday (Sunday). Each candidate got about 10 minutes to speak to about a thousand people at Progress Iowa’s fifth annual “Corn Feed.” South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg got the only standing ovation at the outdoor event. “It’s not about how left or how right we go, o.k.? If we embrace a left-wing agenda, the president’s going to say we’re socialists and we’re for open borders. If we adopt a conservative agenda, the president’s going to say we’re socialists and we’re for open borders,” Buttigieg said and the crowd laughed. “So we might as well just stand up for what we believe in and take it from there.”

Buttigieg was the next-to-last speaker and many in the crowd left after he finished with this. “I can’t wait to be with you every step of the way. I’ll see you on the trail and I can’t wait to celebrate with you a new era beginning in the White House,” Buttigieg said, to cheers.

Leading contenders like Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders did not attend the event. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had been on the speaking schedule, but flew back to New York after a major power outage in the city. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, another candidate on the speaker’s list, didn’t make it due to a flight delay.

(with Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Kate Payne)

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says the two justices she’s appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court are moving the court in a conservative direction. “Elections matter and fortunately the tide is turning in Iowa’s Supreme Court,” Reynolds says. “In just two short years, we’ve moved the needle from left to right.”

Reynolds spoke late Friday afternoon at an event organized by The Family Leader, a Christian conservative organization. Reynolds took over as governor in late May of 2017 when Terry Branstad resigned and two months later Reynolds appointed Justice Susan Christiansen (from Harlan) to the Iowa Supreme Court. This past February, Reynolds appointed Christopher McDonald to the state’s highest court. This spring, Reynolds secured changes in the state commission that nominates judges. The Family Leader lobbied legislators to make those moves.
“We need judges who will decide cases based upon the text of the statue and the constitution and not their personal policy preferences,” Reynolds said, to applause.

Democrats argue Republicans have made court appointments more political. The G-O-P-approved changes give the governor power to name a majority of the state Judicial Nominating Commission members who submit a slate of candidates for openings on the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission got a look at some of the technology that will be used for sports gambling during their meeting last week. Iowa Racing and Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says the goelocation technology will ensure that online betting comes from within the state. “The way the federal laws work with regard to georegulation — is the individuals who are conducting the bets — they have to be located within the boundaries within the state in which the sports wagering is authorized,” Ohorilko explained.

The 19 state-licensed casinos can create their own betting apps, or team with a company that will provide them. Ohorilko says the apps include the ability to know the user’s location. “Geolocation is a very fascinating technology, it works very, very well. Customers when they are using their apps, those apps can work anywhere, but the wagering element will not work unless the geolocation provider can identify that the person is located within the state of Iowa,” Ohorilko says.  He says even if you are in neighboring states — you can’t complete a bet. “If someone is just across the river, those attempts to wager are being denied,” Ohorilko says.

Ohorilko says the geolocation technology can accurately know whether you are in or out of the state. “Those boundaries will be drawn for the state of Iowa — and it does not matter if it is a river boundary or a land boundary — they will be precise,” according to Ohorilko. “And if someone is attempting a wager outside of the state — that attempt will be denied.”

The Racing and Gaming Commission held a hearing on the rules for sports gambling at their meeting last week and a special meeting is set for July 30th, where it is expected they will adopt the rules.

HUDSON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two people were killed when the vehicle they were in crashed off a Black Hawk County road. The crash occurred a little before 9:30 a.m. Sunday just southwest of Hudson. Deputies sent to the scene found the vehicle in a field and noted that it appeared to have rolled several times. The two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names haven’t been released. The crash is being investigated.

(Radio Iowa) — After being closed twice by spring floods, the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is open again, hopefully for good. The 83-hundred acre refuge in southwest Iowa was forced to put up barricades in March when the Missouri River washed in. Repairs were made and it reopened several weeks later, only to be flooded a second time. Senior Park Ranger Peter Rea says one key area is still closed. “We haven’t been able to draw down the water enough to get our boat ramps back open,” Rea says. “It’s either bank fishing or hand-launching boats only at this time. As conditions improve, we’re going to try to get those accesses reopened as soon as we can for the public.”

Rea says the park staff has been scrambling to restore the infrastructure that was damaged by so many weeks of being underwater. “Since March until now, it’s been a battle to stay open with us being closed for a good majority of that time,” Rea says. “As the water is receding, there’s a lot of work to be done, a lot of trails to rebuild, roads to work on.”  The visitor’s center is open again but the south entrance to the refuge remains closed. The East Gravel Road is closed to vehicles but is open to foot traffic. DeSoto is one of the few parks in the area that’s been able to reopen after this spring’s record flooding.  “There’s definitely a lot to do but mainly we’re just excited to get at least some access back open to the public so that people can come and enjoy the place as well,” he says.

Several other parks in the region remain closed, either due to flooding or needed repairs due to flooding, including Tom Hanafan Park and Big Lake Park in Council Bluffs.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two people on warrants, early this (Monday) morning. Just before 1-a.m., 50-year old Rene Telesforo Valdivia, of Red Oak, was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for Burglary in the 3rd degree and Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $6,000 bond.

And, 24-year old Kylen Mary Gates, of Papillion, Nebraska, was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. Her bond was set at $300.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 22-year old Keldon Dean Stiner, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 10:45-p.m., Sunday. Stiner was taken into custody for Driving While Suspended, No SR-22 Insurance on file, and on a Page County warrant for Violation of Probation. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

UNDATED (AP) — Joe Biden is making clear to voters that he is defending the national health care law known as “Obamacare.” The Democratic presidential candidate says he’s opposing anyone who wants to scrap the health care law. Instead, Biden says Obamacare should be the foundation for changes, including a government insurance plan known as the public option to existing exchanges that sell private insurance. Biden is set to discuss health care on Monday at a forum in Iowa.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Floyd County fair will move forward this week despite damage to several buildings from a tornado that passed through the area earlier this year. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the fair is ready to begin as planned on Wednesday, and only a few modifications are needed because of the storm damage. A tornado destroyed five buildings on the fairgrounds in May and damaged several others.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 12-year-old boy died after being thrown from an off-road vehicle he was riding in that rolled over. The Des Moines Register reports that the Jackson County Sheriff’s office is investigating the Saturday afternoon crash in a rural area outside Bellevue, Iowa, that happened during a gathering of off-road vehicles.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Emergency response planners will gather in Omaha next month to work on improving the way they plan for disasters. The Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring the conference from Aug. 8-10 for the region that includes Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 12-year-old boy died after being thrown from an off-road vehicle he was riding in that rolled over. The Des Moines Register reports that the Jackson County Sheriff’s office is investigating the Saturday afternoon crash in a rural area outside Bellevue, Iowa, that happened during a gathering of off-road vehicles.

Authorities say the boy from Clinton, Iowa, was riding in a Chevrolet Suburban driven by a 15-year-old when the crash happened. The 12-year-old was ejected from the vehicle and pinned underneath it. Three other occupants of the vehicle were not hurt.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Emergency response planners will gather in Omaha next month to work on improving the way they plan for disasters.

The Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring the conference from Aug. 8-10 for the region that includes Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

The conference will feature a tabletop exercise for participants to work through the emergency response process.

More details about the conference are available online .