wo people were found fatally shot Thursday evening in a church parking lot in Ames, Iowa, police said.The suspected shooter was also dead in the lot at the Cornerstone Church.
Both victims were female, and the shooter was a man, the Des Moines Register reported, citing police and church officials.
The shooting came the same night President Joe Biden addressed the nation on the need for stricter gun laws. Gun massacres have left the country shaken and prompted new discussions about how to prevent them. The most recent incident was just a day earlier, when a man bought an AR-15 style rifle and attacked an Oklahoma hospital, killing four people and then himself
Election officials say Iowans who still have an absentee ballot should hand deliver it to their county elections office instead of putting it in the mail. That’s because absentee ballots now have to be received by county auditors by the time polls close to get counted.
Clayton County Auditor Jennifer Garms is president of the Iowa State Association of County Auditors.
“My recommendation would be is to hand deliver that to the auditor’s office. Although the mail system is trustworthy, we’re getting close to the time where it has to be into our office which is the close of polls on election day, so that’s Tuesday at 8 p.m.”
Garms says Iowans who have an absentee ballot can also surrender it at their polling place on election day next Tuesday and vote in person instead.
County election offices are open this Saturday for early in-person voting in addition to their regular hours. Polling places are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for those who wish to vote on Primary Election Day.
Republican governor hopeful Jim Pillen has scored the endorsement of the Nebraska Cattlemen, a top advocacy group for the state’s ranchers. Pillen, a veterinarian and the owner of a hog farm operation, is running to replace current Gov. Pete Ricketts, a fellow Republican who leaves office in January because of term limits.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is threatening to sue the Biden administration over a Department of Agriculture school meal program that defines discrimination as based on sexual orientation and gender identity. But the USDA says it is working to get voluntary compliance before referring violations to the Department of Justice. The Republican governor earlier this year pushed the state to join more than a dozen others to ban transgender athletes from girls’ school sports leagues. At the time, some opponents to the proposal argued that South Dakota’s law could imperil federal funding for the state’s public schools. Noem on Thursday claimed that the USDA was poised to withhold funds for school meal programs and threatened to sue if it does.
If you’re looking for an idea on what to have for lunch today, you should head downtown for Food Truck Fridays.
“You can browse tasty lunch choices from anywhere on the culinary spectrum that you like.”
That is volunteer coordinator Sam Burrish, who says the event helps bring people together.
“Food culture and entrepreneurship are important to a thriving community. We enjoy having the event at Pearl Street Park.”
Food trucks will be ready to serve a wide variety of cuisine at 7th and Pearl from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. every Friday through August.
“After seven years, we have a booming food truck scene that astonishes people. Most think that is something only big cities have.”
A list of weekly vendors can be found on the Food Truck Fridays Facebook Page.
