New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says gambling will not be the “salvation” to any region’s economy. Christie spoke last night (Monday) at a forum in West Des Moines and a woman in the audience asked Christie for his “thoughts on…the expansion of gambling.”  “I’ve told anybody that asked me about the expansion of gambling that it’s no panacea and people really need to understand its restrictions and limitations,” Christie said. “And it’s not going to be a salvation and any politician that gets up and tells you, ‘Have gambling and we’re going to fund this forever,’ — It’s not going to happen that way.”

Last night’s forum was hosted by Republicans in Dallas County. It’s a county where voters have rejected gambling referendums twice, in 1996 and 2004. Christie says “for many years” gambling was a “growing, thriving industry” in New Jersey, but he says Atlantic City never adjusted to the “competitive marketplace” that erupted when gambling was legalized beyond the “monopoly” markets of New Jersey and Nevada.  “Now, I have no opposition to the industry itself,” Christie said. “They’ve been good corporate citizens in our state.”

However, Christie warned the country’s appetite for gambling is limited.  “I think anybody who tries to sell it to you now as a panacea is misleading you,” Christie said. State regulators recently approved a new casino license for Greene Cuonty and the new Wild Rose Casino is scheduled to open next summer in Jefferson.

Wild Rose founder Gary Kirke is among the seven major Iowa G-O-P donors who flew to New Jersey in 2011 to encourage Christie to run for president. Kirke also floated the idea of a casino in Dallas County back in 2004, but an overwhelming 61 percent of referendum voters were against the idea.

(Radio Iowa)

Reports say President Obama may ask Congress this week for authorization to use military force overseas to tackle terrorists from the Islamic State, but Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley isn’t certain yet how he’d vote on such a proposal. Grassley, a Republican, was asked if the U-S should go “all in” to wage a war against ISIS. “When you say ‘go all in,’ if that includes massive numbers of Americans on the ground, not at this point,” Grassley says. “If it means advisors, that’s an entirely different thing.”

Reports say the president’s request may come as soon as tomorrow (Wednesday) and Grassley says he’d prefer to reserve comment until after he sees the proposal.  “I haven’t made up my mind how I’m going to vote on whatever the language is,” Grassley says, “and I shouldn’t say anything until I read the language.”

Some critics say President Obama is already making moves that are outside the scope of the power reserved for the executive office and Grassley says he’s not convinced we should get further involved. “I’m kind of reluctant to vote for anything, considering how this president has done such a bad job as commander-in-chief, drawing lines in the sand and no consequences for those lines being crossed,” Grassley says.

He’s “lost confidence” in President Obama and Grassley says, “I’m not sure I want to give him more power,” but adds, ISIS is “a very big problem and a very big threat, even to the United States.”

(Radio Iowa)

Monday’s meeting of the Exira City Council was postponed to this Wednesday evening, due to a lack of a quorum. City officials say there weren’t enough members of the Council on-hand due to an illness and family obligations. When the Council convenes in their meeting room at 7:30-p.m on Wednesday, they’re scheduled to set the Fire Township meeting for Tues., Feb 17th at 7-p.m., and set the date for a Public Hearing on the Budget as March 9th.

In other business, the Exira City Council will discuss and possibly act on a building permit for 302 S. Cottage Street.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say smoke inhalation likely killed a Sioux City man who was found dead inside a burning car near a Des Moines church. Firefighters had been sent to the parking of the Abundant Life Church on East Sheridan Avenue around 10 p.m. Sunday. They discovered the body of 51-year-old Patrick Murphy II after opening the driver’s side door.

Medical examiner Gregory Schmunk says Murphy was barely burned. The autopsy didn’t reveal any evidence of trauma or signs of any crime involved in Murphy’s death. A toxicology report is expected within six weeks.