Homeless shelter use down this winter

A year ago, the Men’s Emergency Drop-In Shelter on the Capitol Square was bursting at the seams with the homeless and displaced, harboring a record high of 152 men one night in January. Record high intakes were matched by record lows in temperature during the first week of February, when… Read more »

IOWA CAUCUSES: Media circus descends on Iowa

It was easy to get lost in the crowd at almost any campaign event in Iowa this week, and that was just among the press. Over 2,500 media personnel received credentials at the Polk County Convention Complex in downtown Des Moines, where incoming caucus results were broadcast over a huge… Read more »

IOWA CAUCUSES: Democratic caucus intimidates some

Watching an Iowa Democratic party caucus in person Thursday night offered a revealing look at the often confrontational process. At Callanan Middle School in Des Moines, supporters of the top three candidates — Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton — tried to win over supporters of those who failed… Read more »

IOWA CAUCUS: Two Des Moines precincts choose candidates

It quickly became clear Thursday night Barack Obama would win the Iowa caucuses with 38 percent of the delegates. The results were apparent even sooner at the 68th and 69th precinct caucuses at Callanan Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa, where we watched as caucus goers took charge of their… Read more »

IOWA CAUCUS: On the scene

Two UW political science buffs and I are in Des Moines, Iowa, observing the media circus surrounding tonight's Iowa caucuses. Come 7 p.m., we plan to see firsthand what is truly a unique American political tradition — the Democratic caucus. While the Republican caucus is basically a straw poll version… Read more »