DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has announced the endorsement of one of Iowa’s last two uncommitted Democratic elected officials, state Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald. “She’s the one I think can address the biggest problems we have, and that is the hollowing out of the middle class,” Fitzgerald said in an interview with The Associated Press. “She’s clear, you understand her message, and I want her fighting for me and all of us.”

Fitzgerald was an early supporter of then-Sen. Barack Obama, who went on to win the presidency. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller also supported Obama but is endorsing Montana Gov. Steve Bullock for 2020. Iowa’s last remaining uncommitted statewide elected Democrat is Auditor Rob Sand. Asked what stood out about Warren in a field of Democrats often aligned on key issues, Fitzgerald declared that Warren “is a Democrat, she is a capitalist, and she wants to make our system work.” He said he’d do whatever the Warren campaign needed to help her win the caucuses.

Warren’s organization is seen as one of the strongest in Iowa, but compared with the other top-tier contenders in the field Warren has been relatively slow to roll out endorsements in the state. After a trickle of endorsement announcements, her first major haul of supporters in Iowa came out just last week, after her strong performance in the primary debate in Houston.
Fitzgerald marks Warren’s 25th Iowa endorsement and her sixth endorsement from an Iowa elected official.

Today’s (Wednesday’s) announcement came as the candidates prepared to return to Iowa for this weekend’s Polk County Democratic Party Steak Fry, a fundraising event that also will serve as a test of organizing strength for the candidates heading into the final stretch of the caucus campaign.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:33 a.m. CDT

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified three southeastern Iowa law enforcement officers involved in a shootout that killed a suspect. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said Tuesday in a news release that Burlington Officers Tyler Henning and Nathan Crooks and Des Moines County Sgt. Kevin Glendening all fired their weapons on Sept. 11 in a confrontation with 20-year-old Caleb Daniel Peterson, of Burlington.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A homeless man shot by police during a confrontation at a Des Moines homeless encampment has been released from the hospital. KCCI reports that 26-year-old Bryan Tyler Norris was booked into the Polk County Jail on Tuesday, charged with two counts of assault on an officer with a deadly weapon, theft and a weapons count. Police say Norris was shot Friday when he threatened an officer with a machete-style knife.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines’ main library downtown has been evacuated and closed after a man walked into its atrium and set himself on fire. Police say witnesses reported the 36-year-old man doused himself with a flammable liquid just before 2 p.m. Tuesday and lit himself on fire. Library staff used a fire extinguisher to douse the flames, and the man was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious burns.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government has finalized rules for most U.S. pork processing plants that remove limits on the speed of production lines and place more animal inspection and food safety tasks with company employees. The pork industry says the first significant pork processing rule changes in 50 years are way overdue while advocacy groups for workers, animals, consumers and the environment say it will endanger workers, increase suffering for pigs and threaten the food supply.

(Radio Iowa) — An Estherville woman remains in custody on multiple charges after an incident that occurred on September 9th, in Estherville. Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens says the sheriff’s office was executing a writ of removal at an Estherville residence when the defendant in the matter produced a high powered rifle from a vehicle and threatened to kill herself. After about 30 minutes of negotiations at the scene, 44-year-old Jenny Queener of Estherville was taken into custody.

Upon further investigation at the scene, Queener was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine, digital scale, baggies and numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia. As a result, Queener was charged with possession of meth with intent to deliver, a class C felony carrying weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After an appearance before the magistrate, Queener remains in the Emmet County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting 3:15-p.m. Friday, in their Board Room at the Courthouse. The purpose of the meeting is to consider applications for position of Cass County Engineer.

Applicants will be interviewed at 3:30-p.m., followed by discussion about the candidates, and an offering of the position to one of the candidates. The position was advertised in trade publications and elsewhere, on Sept. 4th, following the resignation last month of Charles Bechtold, who was hired by the County in April, 2016, and began as County Engineer in July, 2016.

The position requires an Iowa licensed professional engineer. Salary will be in the range of $90,000 to $110,000 depending on qualifications and experience. A full benefits package is included.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines’ main library downtown has been evacuated and closed after a man walked into its atrium and set himself on fire. Police say witnesses reported the 36-year-old man doused himself with a flammable liquid just before 2 p.m. Tuesday and lit himself on fire. Library staff used a fire extinguisher to douse the flames, and the man was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious burns.

The man’s name has not been released. No other injuries were reported. Police closed Locust Street in front of the library as officers investigate.

AMES, Iowa – Sept. 17, 2019 – Due to rising water levels from western Iowa rivers, the Iowa Department of Transportation is anticipating that Interstate 29 will close due to water over the roadway near the Honey Creek area (milepost 66 north of Council Bluffs) sometime later in the day Wednesday, Sept. 18. We don’t expect the flooding to significantly impact travelers on I-29 Wednesday morning, but we are closely monitoring the situation and may have to close I-29 before the afternoon commute.

With the changing river levels, this dynamic situation could change significantly in a short period of time. Travelers should pay close attention to www.511ia.org for updates and plan their afternoon and evening trips.

If I-29 does close traffic heading north will be detoured using eastbound I-80 to the northern segment of westbound I-680 and back to I-29 at Loveland. Southbound traffic will head eastbound on the northern section of I-680 and take I-80 westbound to reconnect with I-29 in Council Bluffs.

Relying on phone or in-vehicle navigation systems may not be reliable since closure changes happen rapidly and navigation systems can route traffic through areas not designed for larger vehicles or heavy traffic.