AUSTIN, TEXAS (KCRG) – The Democratic National Committee officially voted and approved the order of the 2028 presidential nominating calendar Saturday, leaving Iowa out of the early voting window. The new schedule has South Carolina’s primary first on Jan. 22, followed by Nevada on Feb. 1. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia would round out the early states, voting throughout February. The Iowa delegation voted ‘No’ on the resolution Saturday. At the meeting Saturday, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said in part, “Unfortunately, this calendar fundamentally misses the mark. It is a product of broken promises and excludes huge swaths of the country and the voters Democrats need to win the kind of majorities it takes to restore Democratic principles and reject this misguided and corrupt Trump administration.”
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Belle Werner of Tama County was crowned the 2026 Iowa State Fair Queen Saturday. Werner was chosen out of 103 contestants who advanced from local county competitions. Queen Belle, who will reign for the next year, receives a $3,000 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair.
BURLINGTON, Iowa (KCRG) – 122 people were evacuated from the Comfort Suites in Burlington after the hotel partially collapsed Saturday. The Burlington Fire Department was called to 1780 Stonegate Center Drive around 5:00 Saturday morning after the hotel’s fire alarm was activated. Upon arrival, firefighters found the east portion of the building’s two-story section had collapsed over the ballroom area. Authorities said the collapse was isolated to that section of the building and did not impact the three-story hotel portion. Everyone got out safely and no injuries were reported. The fire department said the entire building will remain unoccupiable until all fire alarms, fire sprinkler suppression, electrical and other required building systems have been restored. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The owner of O’s Grill on Center Point Road Northeast is looking for a stranger who stopped to put out a fire set outside his restaurant, saying the person could have kept driving. Otmane Benjilany said he and his team arrived at the restaurant around 8:30 a.m. and noticed the decorative flowers out front were gone. He reviewed security footage and found video of a woman throwing the fake flowers in front of the building, pulling something from a bag, and setting them on fire. She then grabbed another set of flowers and added them to the flames before walking away. About 45 minutes later, as the flames continued to grow, a car stopped and someone got out and dumped water on the fire. That person remained at the scene until Cedar Rapids Police arrived. Benjilany said he does not know the person who put out the fire but wants to thank them in person. Benjilany said he plans to move the decorations inside the front door going forward. The Cedar Rapids Police Department said it is aware of the situation.
