DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Republican Party of Iowa has set the dates for the 2014 caucuses and conventions. The precinct caucuses will be Jan. 25, the county conventions March 8, the district conventions April 26 and the state convention June 14. The party meetings come as Iowa Republicans are struggling to map out the state GOP’s future.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved legislation that would require children enrolled in the state’s voluntary preschool program to attend regularly. The Senate passed the bill 32 to 17 yesterday. It earlier passed the House and now moves to Gov. Terry Branstad. The measure would allow school districts to require that children enrolled in preschool attend regularly.

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) — The murder trial of an eastern Iowa man accused of shooting his grandparents in the head has been reset for later this year. Isaiah Sweet’s trial is now set for Oct. 16. He is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Richard and Janet Sweet in May 2012. Their bodies were found on Mother’s Day in their Manchester home.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials are monitoring the weather’s impact on pheasant numbers in the state. The Department of Natural Resources says spring nesting season is a critical time for pheasants. Their counts in the state could decrease if temperatures in April and May are below normal and rainfall is above normal. The opposite weather would lead to an increase.