Week in Iowa, Dec. 3, 2023: Recap of news from across the state

CNN to host presidential debate in Iowa: Iowa will be the site of the next Republican presidential debate, hosted by CNN. The debate will take place at Drake University in Des Moines and have a higher eligibility threshold than previous debates. Candidates will need to get 10 percent in three approved polls either nationally or in Iowa.

Based on current polling, the debate may feature only Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, both of whom are battling for a distant second place to former President Donald Trump. Trump will qualify for the debate but he is not expected to attend.

Democrats choose candidates for caucus cards: When Iowa Democrats make their pick for president using the party's new mail-in caucus system, they will have two options in addition to President Joe Biden. Party officials approved a plan to include Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips, two long-shot challengers to the incumbent president, on the caucus cards.

Iowa AG targets New York Times: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird led a letter to four news outlets warning them about allegations that freelance journalists who supplied photos of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel may have had ties to the terrorist group. The New York Times called the claims "inflammatory allegations based on false assumptions and debunked social media posts."

Ron DeSantis completes Iowa tour: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has bet big on drumming up support in the Iowa caucuses with aggressive campaigning and high-profile endorsements, finished his 99-county tour last weekend with a rally in Newton. The candidate trails behind former President Donald Trump in recent polls of the state's Republican caucusgoers.

At the rally, DeSantis' supporters said the process of visiting all 99 counties will build goodwill with Republican voters and help DeSantis understand what matters to them. DeSantis also promised at the rally to move the U.S. Department of Agriculture to Iowa as president.

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UNLV shooting suspect was UNI instructor: The man suspected of fatally shooting three people on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus this past week formerly was an instructor at the University of Northern Iowa, the Associated Press reported. Anthony Polito was a visiting instructor from 2000 to 2001 in the College of Business Administration.

Republicans plan for caucuses: Iowa Republicans are hard at work planning for the presidential precinct caucuses Jan. 15, which will kick off the party's presidential nominating calendar. Local parties need to find locations for their dozens of precincts, recruit hundreds of volunteers and inform voters about where and how to caucus.

They said ...

"I would like to see Donald Trump come to that debate. I think he has a lot to say on his keyboard, but he should get on stage and stand up there for two hours and take the questions that everybody else does." -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on the upcoming presidential debate in Iowa

“I’m planning to caucus for President Joe Biden. President Biden has done more in his first two years than some presidents have done in two terms and I believe he will win our 2024 Iowa caucuses.” -- Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart on the upcoming caucuses.

Odds and ends

Emergency contraceptives: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird still has not indicated when she will lift a pause on her office paying for emergency contraception for rape victims. The office paused the service as part of an audit of the victim services division, and Bird has not indicated when the audit will conclude.

Fatal fire: A 71-year-old woman was killed in a fire Tuesday at an apartment building in Cedar Rapids. Three other people were taken to a hospital with smoke inhalation and other injuries. Firefighters and police had to use ladders to remove people from the building through windows due to the smoke buildup inside.

Water cooler

Iowa State VP: After a less than a year, Iowa State University's senior vice president for operations and finance has resigned, receiving a $124,000 separation payment. The details of Shawn Norman's separation agreement are vague, but he agreed not to sue ISU and the university admitted no wrongdoing.

Davenport alderman: A Scott County judge overruled the Davenport City Council's decision to remove Alderman Derek Cornette from his seat, arguing the council did not provide a written explanation. Cornette was removed on a 7-3 vote in September after complaints of what the court called crass and erratic behavior.