OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Gamblers could see new casinos in Omaha and Lincoln by this time next year now that voters have ended Nebraska’s longtime ban on the industry. Lance Morgan, the president and CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., says the corporation plans to spend $300 million to add casinos at existing horse-racing tracks in both cities. Ho-Chunk is the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Morgan says casino backers and the state’s horse-racing industry want to open casinos as soon as possible and then expand them to include restaurants, hotels and other amenities. Roughly two-thirds of voters approved three constitutional amendments Tuesday to legalize casinos at Nebraska’s six licensed horse racing tracks.

(By The Associated Press undefined) – Voters in Iowa made their pick for president while holding negative views about the country’s direction, according to an expansive AP survey of the American electorate. The race between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden concluded Tuesday as the nation remains in the throes of a global public health crisis and mired in the economic downturn it brought on. AP VoteCast found that 43% of Iowa voters said the U.S. is on the right track and 56% of voters said it is headed in the wrong direction.

Here’s a snapshot of who voted and what matters to them, based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of about 133,000 voters and nonvoters — including 2,401 voters and 299 nonvoters in Iowa — conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.
TRUMP VS BIDEN
In the race for president, Trump was neck and neck with Biden among voters under 45 but Trump led Biden among older voters. Biden appeared to lead among college-educated voters while voters without a college degree were more likely to prefer Trump over Biden. Voters in cities were more likely to prefer Biden over Trump. Voters in small towns and rural areas were more likely to back Trump over Biden. Biden and Trump were neck and neck among suburban voters.
RACE FOR SENATE
In the race for U.S. Senate, Theresa Greenfield was roughly even with Joni Ernst among voters under 45. Ernst led Greenfield among older voters. Ernst appeared to lead among voters without a college degree. College-educated voters were divided. Voters in small towns and rural areas were more likely to back Ernst. Voters in cities were more likely to favor Greenfield over Ernst. Suburban voters were divided.
FACING THE PANDEMIC
The coronavirus pandemic has spread through the U.S. for roughly eight months, killing more than 230,000 Americans. Overall, 17% of voters said the virus in the U.S. is completely or mostly under control, and 31% said it’s somewhat under control. Fifty-one percent of voters think the coronavirus is not at all under control in this country.
ON THE ISSUES
The coronavirus pandemic was top of mind for many voters in Iowa. Thirty-eight percent said it is the most important issue facing the country today. Voters also considered the economy a major issue, with 29% saying it ranked at the top. Eleven percent named health care, 5% named racism and 5% named climate change.
NATIONAL ECONOMY
Voters were closely divided in their assessments of the nation’s economy. Overall, 50% described economic conditions in the U.S. as excellent or good, and 50% called them not so good or poor.
STAYING AT HOME
Among registered voters who chose not to cast a ballot in Iowa, 21% said that was because they don’t like the candidates, 20% said their vote doesn’t matter and 18% said they are concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus. In Iowa, 75% of nonvoters were younger than 45 and 85% did not have a college degree.
—
AP created this story automatically using results from AP VoteCast, a survey of the American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for Fox News, NPR, PBS NewsHour, Univision News, USA Today Network, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press. The survey of 2,401 voters in Iowa was conducted for eight days, concluding as polls closed. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. The survey combines a random sample of registered voters drawn from the state voter file and self-identified registered voters selected from nonprobability online panels. The margin of sampling error for voters is estimated to be plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. Find more details about AP VoteCast’s methodology at https://ap.org/votecast.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Republicans in Iowa have flipped one U.S. House seat and are competing in a tight race to pick up another. Republicans were guaranteed to control at least two of Iowa’s four seats when the House reconvenes in January, up from the one they held during the current two-year session. Republican Ashley Hinson defeated first-term Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer in the district that includes Cedar Rapids and much of northeast Iowa. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks was competing to flip a second seat that came open with the retirement of Democrat Dave Loebsack. Miller-Meeks’ race against Democrat Rita Hart remained too close to call Wednesday.

(9-a.m. News) – The Atlantic Area Chamber’s Annual Scrooge Contest is underway during the month of November. Eleanor Hoover, who passed away in 2019, organized the contest beginning in 2002 just one year after the inaugural Lighted Parade. Scrooge contestants raise money and collect non-perishable food items for the Atlantic Food Pantry. The 2020 candidates include: Brian Ruge, Brown’s Shoe Fit; Tami Shellberg, Atlantic Hy-Vee; Jon Martens, Aunt B’s; and Jeff & Heather Lundquist, Atlantic News Telegraph & Atlantic Community Schools.

Contestants are responsible for collecting and submitting their points to the Chamber by November 24th at noon. The contestant with the most points will be named Scrooge and all proceeds will benefit the Atlantic Food Pantry. Winner of the Scrooge Contest serves as the Grand Marshal in the Lighted Parade on December 5th at 6 PM in Downtown Atlantic. Cash donations are worth 5 points on the dollar and one non-perishable item earns the contestants one point. Donations to a contestant can be made by delivering food or funds to their drop off locations. For more information please call the Chamber at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

This year, the Atlantic Food Pantry is asking for a specific list of food items, with a focus on monetary donations due to limited storage space. The money will help them purchase food items as needed, including meat and refrigerated items. The list of needed food items includes:

• Cream of Chicken/Mushroom Soup; Tomato/Chicken Noodle Soup
• Ramen Noodles
• Hamburger Helper
• Canned Beef Ravioli/Spaghetti O’s
• Instant Sides (Packages) – Pasta, Sauce or Potato
• Boxed Cereal
• Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• Saltine Crackers
• Canned Fruit
• Bar Soap
• Canned Tuna/Chicken
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Canned Vegetables
• Toilet Paper
• 18 oz. Creamy Peanut Butter
• Quick Oats (no milk needed)
• Pancake/Waffle Mix (no milk needed)
• Pancake/Waffle Syrup
• Boxed Noodles
• Pasta Sauce
• Chili Beans
• Diced Tomatoes
• Canned Manwich or Sloppy Joe

Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith says “Our food pantry has seen a very high increase of individuals and families in need of food assistance this year due to COVID-19. We have such a great group of candidates this year. They’re all very determined people who already do a lot for our community. I have no doubt this will be a successful outcome for the food pantry.”

Past Scrooge titles have been awarded to: Mary Ann Moorman 2007, Dana Halder 2008, Tammy Wise & Janet Huey 2009, Ritchie Anderson 2010, Janet Cappel 2011, Melanie Petty 2012, David Miller 2013, Mark McNees 2014, Ted Robinson 2015, Jon Johnson 2016, Rob Stamp 2017, Rob & Sonya Clausen 2018 and Billie Hoover, Jackie Sampson & Lori Christianson 2019. The contest will run now to November 24th.

(Radio Iowa) – While several close races captured much of the attention in the election coverage, there was a clear decision by Iowa’s voters on calling a constitutional convention. This year’s General Election ballot asked voters if there should be a convention to revise the state’s constitution. It’s a question that’s required to be submitted to Iowa voters once every decade. By a rate of more than two-to-one, the voters said “no.”

The final tallies show 407-thousand people said yes, while 971-thousand opposed the idea. A constitutional law professor at the University of Iowa says such a convention is only appropriate if voters think the system is fundamentally broken and needs significant changes. Iowa’s constitution was ratified in 1857 and has since been amended 48 times.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — The last of of those convicted in the 2017 killing of a Burlington man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. The Hawk Eye reports that 32-year-old Emmanuel Spann was sentenced Monday in Des Moines County District Court for the killing of 26-year-old Demarcus “Peanut” Chew on Sept. 10, 2017, outside his mother’s apartment in Burlington. A jury in February found Spann guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy.

Spann was one of five men charged in Chew’s death. Prosecutors say the five men followed Chew from Expose nightclub in Gulfport, Illinois, to his mother’s home in Burlington.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Department reports an Underwood man was arrested Tuesday afternoon at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Forgery. 23-year old Kaleb Jack Knight was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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WADENA, Iowa (AP) — Environmental officials in Iowa say a fertilizer spill near a creek in the northeastern corner of the state has lead to a fish kill-off. Television station KCRG reports that tons of farm fertilizer spilled Monday evening south of Wadena when a truck operated by Nutrien Ag Solutions of West Union overturned there. Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say some of the fertilizer entered a small stream that feeds into Brush Creek.

Officials located dead fish and sampled high ammonia content in the water near the spill. Cleanup continued Tuesday, and the DNR was monitoring for any effects downstream from the spill.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines have arrested a woman accused of keeping 11 exotic birds in deplorable conditions. The Des Moines Register reports that 63-year-old Deborah Barber faces charges of four counts of animal neglect. She was arrested Tuesday after police conducted a search of her home in late October and discovered the living conditions of the birds.

Animal Rescue League of Iowa spokesperson Stephanie Filer says three Moluccan cockatoos, four Goffin’s cockatoos, two Amazon parrots and two cockatiels were rescued from Barber’s home. Filer says the birds were found in “filthy enclosures” and suffered health problems, including one that had self-mutilation wounds caused by stress.