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☆ Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa's longest-serving US senator in state history, faces off against Democrat Mike Franken
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Explore more race results below. Sen. Chuck Grassley is running against Democrat Mike Franken in Iowa's Senate race. Iowa Senate candidatesGrassley, who is seeking an 8th term that would keep him in office well into his 90s, is one of the chamber's feistiest octogenarians. The money raceAccording to OpenSecrets, Grassley has raised more than $9.8 million, spent more than $8.6 million, and has $2.16 million cash on hand, as of October 19. His opponent, Franken, has raised more than $9.2 million, spent $8.6 million, and has $608,000 million cash on hand, as of October 19.

☆ When do the polls close for the 2022 U.S. midterm elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

2022 U.S. midterm elections When the polls close and races to watchEarliest poll closing time by state (EST) 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 10:00 Past 11:00Map showing poll closing times for each state in the United StatesOn Tuesday, November 8, 34 out of 100 U.S. States close polls in staggered times across the nation and results will begin to trickle in shortly after. 7:00 p.m. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Vermont and VirginiaMap showing 7:00 p.m. EST poll closing times for the United StatesPolls will close in six more states. And in Kansas’s third district, Democrat U.S. House Representative Sharice Davids faces a difficult race after Republicans redrew her suburban Kansas City district. She will face Amanda Adkins, a former chair of the state Republican Party.

☆ Fact Check-Official U.S. election vote counts legally take weeks to certify
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

While media organizations often “call” elections on election night or soon after, experts on election processes told Reuters elections are frequently never confirmed on election night and the process of verifying ballots can take weeks. Confusion online may stem from the fact that media organizations “call” an election for a certain candidate on election night or shortly after. As explained by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), “Many voters believe that the election results they see on television on election night are the final results. Similarly, during the 2020 general election, which resulted in a Biden win against Trump, Mississippi did not certify election results until Dec. 3 (here). Different states have specific rules on when mail-in ballots can start being counted, ranging from before election day, on election day before polls close and after polls close on election day (here).

☆ Iowa teen who killed rapist escapes from probation center, authorities say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa authorities say an 18-year-old sex trafficking victim who pleaded guilty to killing a man she said raped her escaped from a women’s center where she was serving her probation sentence. Prosecutors had called the probation sentence she was given in September merciful for a teen who endured horrible abuse, although some questioned the $150,000 restitution she was ordered to pay. Polk County Judge David Porter told Lewis that her probation sentence “was the second chance you asked for. You don’t get a third,” the Des Moines Register reported. Lewis was 15 when she stabbed Brooks more than 30 times in a Des Moines apartment.

☆ Student-loan companies are 'ready to apply' debt cancellation to borrowers' balances, Biden's Education Secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Miguel Cardona said student-loan companies are "ready to apply" debt relief. But they cannot actually cancel any student debt right now because the plan continues to be stalled. That's due to a ruling from the 8th Circuit in response to a GOP-led lawsuit seeking to halt the relief. "Unfortunately, our ability to process loan forgiveness has been paused," Cardona wrote. "We believe strongly that the lawsuits are entirely meritless, and that the debt relief plan is lawful and necessary," he added.

☆ Powerball used to have a jackpot limit. Then it exploded
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —The Powerball lottery jackpot is expected to hit $1.9 billion for Monday’s drawing, making it the largest lotto prize ever. But in 1987 when Lotto America, the precursor to Powerball, was introduced, organizers prohibited jackpots of more than $80 million. ”This is a whole new ballgame” Lotto America spokesman Jack Ratigan said at the time. These changes have pushed Powerball jackpots way up. Lotteries are regressive, meaning lower-income groups spend more of their budgets on lottery games than higher-income groups.

☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

☆ Marjorie Taylor Greene gets rally to boo Paul Pelosi, says he should have had a gun and shot his attacker
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke at a rally in Iowa on Thursday ahead of the mid-term elections. She told the crowd that Paul Pelosi "should have been a gun owner and shot his attacker." But the only crime victim you hear about from Democrats in the media is Paul Pelosi," Greene said, drawing boos from the crowd. "Paul Pelosi was brutally attacked by a drugged-out illegal alien that should have been deported," she said, adding that he "should have been a gun owner and shot his attacker." Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 3, 2022Pelosi, 82, was attacked last week by a man who broke into the couple's San Francisco home and hit him in the head with a hammer.

Voting in the midterm elections ends on Nov. 8, but there is still plenty of time to cast your ballot. Here's a guide to the most important things you should know as Election Day approaches. Early voting for the the 2022 midterm elections on November 8 has already begun. Start and end times for early voting vary by state, but can extend all the way up to Election Day. You can also drop off your ballot at some in-person polling locations during early voting and on Election Day.

☆ For voters submitting absentee ballots, your state may require it to be verified. Here are the ways your ballot is checked for authenticity.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Kayla Gallagher | Annie Fu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

To ensure authenticity, some states require ballot verification for votes to count. In order to better prevent the risk of election fraud, some states have implemented ballot verification rules to ensure the authenticity of a voter's ballot. Currently, 27 states require absentee ballots to be verified using a few different methods: signature match, voter signature only, notary or witness signatures, photo ID, or the last four digits of a person's Social Security number. Three states — Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma — require the envelope containing the absentee ballot to be notarized, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. There are 24 states that require voters to be notified when there is a signature missing or a signature discrepancy on their ballot.

☆ 26 million borrowers have applied for student loan forgiveness. But GOP challenges put plan at risk
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

SKLA | iStock | Getty ImagesClose to 26 million Americans have applied for student loan forgiveness, and the Biden administration has already approved 16 million of the requests, the White House said Thursday. Yet its entire loan cancellation plan could be in jeopardy due to the legal challenges brought by Republicans, it warned. "If Republican officials get their way, tens of millions of Americans' monthly costs will rise dramatically when student loan payments resume next year," according to a statement by the administration. Most recently, a legal challenge from six GOP-led states temporarily stopped the administration from starting to forgive borrowers' debt. Tribe agreed, and said the other challengers also were on shaky legal standing.

☆ Iowa teens killed Spanish teacher over bad grade, prosecutors say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

DES MOINES, Iowa — Two Iowa teenagers killed their high school Spanish teacher last year because of frustration over a bad grade, prosecutors said Tuesday in court documents that for the first time reveal a possible motive. Investigators allege that one of the teens met with Graber at Fairfield High School on the afternoon of Nov. 2, 2021, to discuss their poor grade in her class. Graber later drove her van to a park where she was known to take daily walks after school, authorities say. “The poor grade is believed to be the motive behind the murder of Graber," court documents filed by Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding and Assistant Iowa Attorney General Scott Brown said. Iowa Supreme Court rulings require juveniles convicted of even the most serious crimes to be given a chance for parole.

☆ If you haven't registered to vote, here are the states where you can register in-person on Election Day
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Kayla Gallagher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

While voter registration has closed in many states, some offer same-day, in-person voter registration. In 17 states and DC, voters can register and cast their ballot at the same time. While the deadline to register to vote online or by mail has passed in most states, 17 states and the District of Columbia offer same-day and in-person voter registration. For states that offer same-day registration, you must provide proof of residency, along with a valid photo or non-photo ID. Some states, like Maine, do not offer online voter registration.

☆ Powerball jackpot grows to $700M after months without a big winner
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: 1 min

DES MOINES, Iowa — The eighth-largest lottery jackpot will be up for grabs when numbers are drawn for an estimated $700 million Powerball grand prize. No one has matched all six numbers and won Powerball’s top prize since Aug. 3, allowing Wednesday night’s jackpot to slowly grow for a nearly three months. The $700 million jackpot is for those who take an annuity option, paid out annually over 29 years. The biggest lottery jackpot was a $1.586 billion Powerball prize that three ticket holders won in 2016. Powerball is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

☆ Even one of the biggest apartment landlords in the US is having trouble hiking rents as much as it did in the first half of the year
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The slowdown is affecting Equity Residential's over 79,000 units and clouding building valuations. Earnings reports show that average rents across Equity Residential's 79,594-unit portfolio rose by an average of just 1.7% last quarter, down from the 2.8% and 3.1% upticks in the second and first quarters, respectively. Meanwhile, the data shows that rents in many Texas and Florida cities, as well as a couple of key New England cities, keep rising. Meanwhile, in Boston, a scarcity of housing supply helped drive rents up 5.9% — making it the second most-expensive city to be a renter nationally. The deceleration in rent growth nationally is welcome news for renters who have had to cough up increasingly large chunks of their paychecks each month to their landlords.

Crop Watch corn fields were harvested last week: Nebraska and eastern Iowa. The eastern Iowa corn finished at 4.25, down a quarter-point from earlier predictions and a half-point below last year. The Nebraska corn is irrigated this year, but the producer would score his dryland corn yield around 1.5. That would be slightly above the 2020 result, which is consistent with the Crop Watch corn scores in 2022 versus 2020. REST OF HARVESTFour more Crop Watch corn fields remain.

A farmer spreads nitrogen fertilizer in his wheat field in Blecourt, France, May 27, 2021. Russia, under financial sanctions, is a major producer of fertilizer and natural gas, key in making nitrogen products to boost yields of corn and other crops. Since Russia's February invasion of Ukraine, Europe started weaning itself off Russian natural gas and a pipeline transporting ammonia from Russia to a Ukraine port shut down. European countries typically buy most of their imported urea, a form of nitrogen fertilizer, from North Africa, but are now purchasing it further afield, Wallace said. EU nitrogen prices eased in mid-October as some European plants resumed production due to softening natural gas prices, he said.

☆ Biden's student loan forgiveness plan is on hold. Here are key issues borrowers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Porquenostudios | Istock | Getty ImagesFor those with student debt, the last few months may have given you whiplash. Here's what borrowers need to know about the development, and what it could mean for your student debt. They filed an appeal, and asked the court to stay the president's plan, which was supposed to start unfolding as early as this week, while their request is considered. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the states' emergency petition, leaving the Biden administration unable to start forgiving any student debt for now. The U.S. Department of Education had said borrowers who hold these FFEL, or Federal Family Education Loans, can take this step to qualify for its relief.

☆ How to Apply for Student Loan Forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +15 min

The official student loan forgiveness application is available on the Federal Student Aid website. What you can do now to prepare for student loan repayment and reliefFirst and foremost, you can fill out the application for up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness on the Federal Student Aid website. “January will almost certainly be a chaotic time for the [student loan] servicers,” says Michael Lux, attorney and founder of The Student Loan Sherpa. You might also check out alternative options for student loan forgiveness, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Loan Forgiveness. If your state charges a tax rate of 5%, for example, expect to pay about $500 in taxes on $10,000 in loan forgiveness or $1,000 on $20,000 in loan forgiveness.

A federal appeals court on Friday halted implementation of President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program, dealing a blow to the administration just days after it began accepting applications from borrowers to have as much as $20,000 in loans canceled. In its one-page ruling, the court prohibited any student loan debt to be discharged under the program until the court rules on the appeal. The court said that the Biden administration had until Monday to respond. In announcing the program, Biden said the cost of education has increased and that “an entire generation is now saddled with unsustainable debt.”The program began officially accepting applications this week. As of the end of June, 43 million borrowers held $1.6 trillion in federal student loans, it said.

☆ Court temporarily blocks Biden's student loan forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks about the student loan forgiveness program from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, October 17, 2022. A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked President Joe Biden's plan to cancel billions of dollars in college student loans, one day after a judge dismissed a Republican-led lawsuit by six states challenging the debt-forgiveness program. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the states' emergency petition to freeze the loan forgiveness plan until the court rules on their request for a longer-term injunction while Thursday's decision against the states is being appealed. Their case is one of a number that conservative state attorneys general and legal groups have filed seeking to halt the debt forgiveness plan announced in August by Biden, a Democrat. The Congressional Budget Office in September calculated that the debt forgiveness would cost the government about $400 billion.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks about the student loan forgiveness program from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, U.S., October 17, 2022. U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey in St. Louis said that while the six Republican-led states had raised "important and significant challenges to the debt relief plan," they lacked the necessary legal standing to be able to pursue the case. Autrey ruled an hour after Barrett denied without explanation an emergency request to put the debt relief plan on hold in the challenge brought by the Brown County Taxpayers Association. The plaintiffs in the case are represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, a conservative legal group. Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently refused the group's request to block the debt relief program pending an appeal.

☆ Biden's student-loan forgiveness could be delayed as lawsuits mount. Here's where 6 major cases stand.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Biden's student-loan forgiveness is facing at least six lawsuits from conservative groups. The administration faces at least six major lawsuits seeking to halt Biden's debt relief plan. For now, borrowers can still continue applying for debt relief on the studentaid.gov website that will close in December 2023. On September 27, the Pacific Legal Foundation — a conservative nonprofit legal organization — helmed the first major lawsuit against Biden's debt relief. On October 19, WILL asked the Supreme Court to halt Biden's debt relief will waiting for a decision on its appeal.

Crop Watch producers have been evaluating yield potential for their corn and soy fields on a weekly basis since early July. CORNThe third and fourth harvested Crop Watch corn fields, Indiana and southeastern Illinois, were both completed on Sunday, and the results diverged. Indiana was among the driest Crop Watch locations this summer, but soil moisture was high at the start of the season, delaying planting. Crop Watch corn fields could be completed this coming week in Nebraska, eastern Iowa and North Dakota. Photos of the Crop Watch fields can be tracked on my Twitter feed using handle @kannbwx.

☆ Digital LeBron vs. analog Mantle: Sports collectibles remain hot despite NFT boom
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Jake Traylor | Jake Traylor Is An Associate Producer For Msnbc. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

But amid a crypto winter, the future trajectory of the sports memorabilia market, tangible or NFT, is being disputed. Meanwhile, the success of NBA Top Shot, arguably the most successful sports NFT market, soared and eventually crashed. Millennials are driving the NFT market, according to a Morning Consult survey that found 42% of all NFT collectors are 26 to 40 years old. Some sports market experts argue that regardless of an NFT bounce back, tangibles and NFTs in the sports memorabilia market don’t compete with each other. “I don’t think that [NFTs] are going to eat into the physical memorabilia market,” said Pete Giorgio, leader of Deloitte Consulting’s global and U.S. sports practice, who tracks and forecasts the sports memorabilia market.

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