Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst says she has been “very consistent” in her views on Supreme Court nominees despite supporting a vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee while working with other Republicans to block a nomination by President Barack Obama. Ernst was asked about her seemingly contradictory stands during a televised debate with Democrat Theresa Greenfield that touched on topics ranging from the Supreme Court and Trump’s tax returns to health care and racial justice. Ernst says this nomination is different than in 2016 because Republicans control both the Senate and presidency. Greenfield argued the GOP-majority Senate shouldn’t act on Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett fewer than 40 days before the presidential election.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge is refusing to block a Republican-backed Iowa law that makes it harder for county officials to process absentee ballot applications and more likely that incomplete requests won’t be fulfilled. In an opinion released Monday, Judge Lars Anderson rejects arguments by a Latino civil rights organization and a Democratic Party group that the law is an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote. The ruling is another victory for Republicans who want to limit absentee voting, which begins next week in Iowa. Republicans have already invalidated tens of thousands of absentee ballot applications in three counties.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is reporting more than 600 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and two additional deaths. The state Department of Public Health on Monday reported 611 confirmed cases in the 24 hours since Sunday morning, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 86,840. The two additional deaths brought the number of confirmed coronavirus deaths to 1,317 people. On Friday, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a new emergency proclamation that extends bar closures in Johnson and Story counties for at least another week. Those counties are home to the University of Iowa and Iowa State University and have seen a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases.
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo police say two people died of their injuries and another 10 were hurt when at least two people began shooting at each other inside a private club. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported that police said Monday that the second person to die at a hospital this weekend was a woman from outside Waterloo. A 22-year-old Waterloo man also died at a hospital after being shot. No arrests have yet been made. Police said the shooting occurred about 3:15 a.m. Saturday. Authorities estimated that about 100 people were at the club when gunfire erupted inside following a confrontation.
Hamman says the current drought conditions throughout the county in combination with unharvested crops present an increased risk for the potential of rapid fire spread. Controlled fires can quickly become uncontrollable and pose an immediate risk to the life and safety of our residents. Montgomery County is currently listed in Severe drought conditions (D2) in the northern part of the county and in Moderate Drought conditions(D1)throughout the rest.
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