Week in Iowa, Sept. 11, 2023: Recap of news from across the state

Donald Trump to ramp up Iowa campaign: Former President Donald Trump will ramp up his campaign efforts in Iowa as he plans to visit the state a handful of times in the next two months, his campaign announced. The schedule includes visits to Maquoketa and Dubuque in September and other stops throughout October.

The visits will be a significant increase from the seven he's held in the state so far, but they're still well behind the dozens of events that some other candidates have held in Iowa. Despite his relatively light campaign schedule, Trump is the leader in Iowa polling by large margins. He led Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his closest opponent, by 37 points in a recent poll by Civiqs of Iowa Republican voters.

  Buy Photo

Algona officer killed: A police officer in Algona was shot and killed Thursday trying to arrest a man who had previously been charged with harassment. The man was later captured in Minnesota and charged with first-degree murder in the shooting.

Republicans weigh caucus rules: Iowa Republicans have the option to require early registration for their January caucuses next year after a new state law allowed parties to set their own eligibility criteria for the caucuses. But Republican leaders said that would be a "big hurdle" because candidates have been expecting same-day registration to be an option as they've campaigned.

Iowa Republicans back Biden inquiry: Members of Iowa's congressional delegation, all Republicans, said they support the opening of an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over investigations into the business dealings of his son and other family members. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the measure, without a full House vote, on Tuesday.

Iowa House members said there are "serious allegations" into the president's conduct that need further investigation. Past investigations, mostly focusing on Hunter Biden, have not turned up any wrongdoing by Joe Biden or evidence he profited off his son's foreign business activities. Still, Iowa's representatives said the inquiry will give them more tools to uncover alleged ties between the two.

Scams target schools: Two Iowa schools were targeted by scams involving fake checks and emails, resulting in the loss of $110,000 in taxpayer dollars, State Auditor Rob Sand said. Sand did not name the schools, but he encouraged Iowa schools to be on the lookout for similar check fraud, unauthorized withdrawals and missing deposits.

Iowa State Fair announces theme: The dust has hardly settled on the 2023 Iowa State Fair, but organizers are already hard at work planning the next one. The fair announced last week the 2024 State Fair theme will be "fair fever.“

They said ...

“You can turn this thing around, quicker than you can imagine. It’s just a matter of putting the country back on a path toward a balanced budget, dealing with long-term federal debt, getting the Federal Reserve focused on just protecting the dollar, and then unleashing American energy.” — former Vice President Mike Pence on inflation

“Given the current evidence that has been presented, these powers will be instrumental in further connecting the dots regarding alleged improper payments and influence peddling involving President Biden and the Biden family. It's important to note that an impeachment inquiry may or may not lead to impeachment proceedings.” — Iowa U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks on an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden

Odds and ends

2024 watch: Several Republican presidential candidates planned to gather in Des Moines on Saturday for the Faith and Freedom Coalition's fall fundraiser. The "cattle call" event is expected to feature all major candidates except Donald Trump, the current front-runner. Trump appeared at a multi-candidate event in July, but has mostly avoided them in favor of larger solo rallies in the state.

AG sues over fake treatments: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is suing two people who allegedly sold fraudulent "stem cell treatments" door to door that they said could improve patients' pain. The unapproved therapies were sold for an average of $9,000, largely targeting older Iowans, Bird's office said.

Water cooler

Shooting charge: An Iowa man was found guilty Thursday of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of two students at Starts Right Here, an alternative education program in Des Moines. Attorneys for 19-year-old Preston Walls argued the killings were in self-defense because he feared for his life.

Mike Pence visit: Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke to a small crowd gathered in an Independence coffee shop last week as part of a recent Iowa swing, promising to fight inflation and expand energy production. The former vice president also participated in a 9/11 memorial Monday in Ankeny.