polls, bututthe only poll hat counts is what they take on caucus night. governor branstad comes down hard on texas senator ted cruz. governor branstad says e doesn't think iowans should presidency. kwwl's jessica hartman has more on branstad's statement. i spoke wilh kwwl's polltical governoo branstads comments and according t thim - - its not surprising that branstad doesn't support ted cruz, but fuels conference near des moines today - - branstad said cruz would be quote very damaging - to iowa. cruz

federal rules which require a minimum amount of ethanol to be mixed into u.s. gas. in a recent visit to strawberry point - cruru was asked abouou his stance on ethanol by a local farmer - he answered by saying all energy supplies should be put on an even playing field. cruz favors a 5-year phase out of the r- f-s. branstad asked iowans to reject cruz on caucus night. i think that ted cruz is ahead people of iowa. he is the biggest opponent of renewable fuels and he actually introoced a bill in 2013 to immediately eliminate the renewable fuel standard. he is heavily financed by big oil. according to dr. larimer - - this is uncharacteristic of branstad, whom, in the past, has not been so outspoken about his opinions on presidential candidates.

closerlook at what this means from our political analyst chris larimer. we've got you covered live from the newsroom . . . jessica kwwl news. senator ted cruz responds to branstad's comments -- suggesting governor branstad is "part of the washington cartel." it is no surptise the establihment is in full panic rtel was goingngo panic more and more... a reporter asked cruz what he thought of iowa's corn farmers, those who benefit from ethanol and the renewablfuel standard -- cruz said he thinks corn farmers are wonderffl people who are frustrated with career politicians. doctor ben carson is canceling his events today and tomorrow - after camapaign workers are injured in a crash in western iowa. a van carrying three campaign voluntnters and a staffer slid on

flipped on it's side and was hit by another car in atlantic iowa earlier today. three were taken to a local hospital, and another was taken to the trauma center at an omaha hospital. donald trump makes is getting a "major" endorsement on the iowa state campus today... sarah palin is endorsing donald trump -- here's a live look at the event in ames where the announcement will soon be made official. palin served as governor of alaska before eing selecteds a vice presidential nominee in 2008. one thing the pair has in common is their reality t-v background... stars of sarah palin's alaska and the apprentice. on the democratic side today, hillary clinton gets endorsed by the nation's largest l- g-b-t organization... the human right's campaign

clinton on their website today saying quote "her fight is our right." clinton is expected to accept the endorsement at an event in iowa next week. $& people in a small crawford county community are trying to cope after two sisters die in a house fire. it happened late last night in the kwwl's shiiley descorbeth went to wauzeka -- and is back now live in the t-h media newsroom shirley...how is the community dealing with this tragic loss? many people are devastated -- from neighbors, to the girls classmates -- even those who responded to the fire. officials on scene trying to find clues to what happened. the crawford county sheriffs office says two sisters, 12-year old lena bartels and 15-year old trinity bartles -- died in this house on main street late monday night. neighbors say someone driving by...noticed smoke coming out of the home. they tried getting inside...but the smoke and fire was too much. "the house behind me is fully saving."

alone. their parents were out at work. and now -- the community is trying to make sense of this. coming up at six -- we'll hear how the girls classmates are dealing with this tragedy. we've got you covered live...from the t-h media newsroom in dubuque...shirley descorbeth... ...kwwl news. the wisconsin dci is involved in the investigation to try to find the cause. the crawford county sheriff says there is nothing suspicious about the fire. a bomb threat this morning at ioww city west hhgh school caused a huge disruption. thousands of students were evacuated and school was cancelled for the rest of the day. it all started when iowa city police told the school about kwwl's kristin rogers was on scene this morning and she's been working to learn more information today, she joins us

city newsroom. police have not confirmed exactly how this credible threat was made. the school did tell us their doors are back open tonight for students to grab their things. but as you mentioned classes were cancelled because of this today. multiple police andk9's can be seen going in and out of the sccool. outside the school was quiet and that's because all of the students were bussed to thehawkeye tennis and recation center. lines of parents waited to pick up their kids, students tell us it all started for them with an annoucement over the intercom. (cg: rachel meyer/ student) "everyone listen up, listen up, listen up, he said it had been a threat to our s`hool, we didi't know what kknd of threat, t just a threat and everybody was to get their coats and meet in the gym." from there students tell us they were told more specifically

was a bomb threat. iowa city wasn't the only school dealing with this today, bomb threats were made at schools all across the country from new jersey to massachusets. we spoke with a number of students from iowa city wt today as well as the school superintendent. i'll have that in the story i'm working on for you tonight at 6. iowa city, kristin rogers...kwwl news. we're tlld after school programs will be going ootonight as planned and school is expected to be in session again tomorrow. also impacted by the bomb threat... a special election in johnson county. west high school was a polling place for iowa city precint seven -- voters in that precient were told to go to the athletic hall of fame on prairie meadow drive.. that will e their polling place until polls close tonight. two weeks from today waterloo voters will decide whether to

tonight there's a town hall about the plan. it will be at the waterloo center for the arts starting at if you cant make it tonight, there will be two more town halls this week. coming up... class-action lawsuits filed today for injury and damages caused by tainted flint michigan. and... what the supreme court plans to do about one of president obama's executive orders. that's coming up in just a few minutes. hehee's a live loooo at the storm track 7 live doppler radar. chief meteorologist mark schnackenberg has your full forecast next. "you're watching kwwl. we've

she's always stood strong... ...to get the job done. hillary clinton. she stooup to china... ...and spoke out on women's rights... ...went toe to toe with russia on human rights. the drug and insurance companies spent millions against her... ...but hillary didn't quit until eight million children got health care. i've never been called a quitter and i won't quit on you. she's got what it takes to do the toughest job in the world.

"now your storm track 7 foecast on kwwl." from the kwwl stormtrack here is additional forecast information from the kwwl light snow to the state this afternoon and overnight. most of the snow will stay south of our viewing area, but we could still see a trace to 2" with is system. heaviest will be up to

to 2" between interstate 80 and highway 30, 0.5" to 1 between highways 30 and 20 and a trace to 1" along and north of highway 20. temperatures will be warming, though.. we will be in the low to mid teens today with low to mid 20s wednesday and even smack dab in t t middle 20s on thursday. another system may bring a few snow showers thursday night, but we mainly stay dry through the weekend. low pressure will track to our south and bring a chance of

afternoon and overnight. most of the snow will stay south of our viewing area, but we could still see a trace to 2" with this system. heaviest will be up to 2" south of interstate 80 with 1" to 2" between interstate 80 and highway 30, 0.5" to 1 between highways 30 and 20 and a trace to 1" along and north of highway 20. temperatures will be warming, though.. we will be in the low to mimi teens today w wth low to mid 20s wednesday and even smack dab in the middle 20s on thursday. another system may

thursday night, but we mainly stay dry through the weekend. coming up... the nation's highest court will weigh in on one of president obama's executive orders. then - after two big names in hollywood boycott for a lack of you're watching kwwl. we've got you coered in waverly, sumner, janesville,and all of eastern iowa --------- --------- ---------

won national praise for tough leadership handling nine hurricanes? which governor made his state number one in job creation? which governor led the fight to stop obamare expansion in his state? and which governor laid out a tough plan to destroy isis months before the paris attacks? jeb bush. right to rise usa is responsible for the content of this message. the mayor of flint michigan will meet withpresident obma's administratio to discuss his ciciy's water crisis. several class action lawsuits filed by citizens of flint today related to personal injury and physical damaged caused by the water with lead. the presiient signed n emergency declaration this in federal funds. "the city of flint and the citizens of flint are going through a very difficult time and the e .s. governmeet is cal officials who are responsible for responding to this incident."

expected to address the water issue in his conditton of the issue in his condition of the state e peech tonight. the supreme court say it will weigh in on president obama's executive order halting the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants. the policy known aa dapa has been controversial from day one - and 25 states have already blocked the order in lower courts. the showdown in the high court is expected to beea big issue in the 2016 presidential campaign. things are starting to get back to normal for the u-s prisoners released from iranian captivity in a prisoner swap. however, one prisoner - bob levinson is still missing in iran -- his family says they've been waiting for a statement from m, but iranians say they don't know where he is - and are prepared to search for him.

why the cedar falls city council taylor morris. here's video from the city council meeting. morris and his wife asked the city to rezone land, so they could build a "smart-house" to accomodate morris. but theeouncil says ere are some major concerns over the land...it is considered "agricultural"- the area is far removed from city services and other developments. 4 to 2 monday night. we are told it was a tough decision for council members on both council they are great kids. i am so have to do it for the next guy that came down the road." give up on cedar falls and that we along with him can find either a different location or still see if that one somehow can work but it's pretty obvious to me and i get it, that right now we have to go by the rules." it's important to know we reached

it's important to know we reached out to the morrises who did not want any more media coverage on this. we wanted to cover it because so many viewers reached out to usus to askk"why." the city says they have been cooperative and understanding throughout the process. still to come on the k-w-w-l news at ive... are changes coming to the academy after two big names in hollywood decide to boycot the --------- ---------

still more t tan a month until the butterburger is made of just three cuts of fresh midwest beef. nothing more, nothing less. so we got the sirlrln, the chuck and the plate. no fillers; that's it. all prized cuts,

this is where those three wonderful cuts of beef come together. you can just tell that blend is working in there. and we sear them, and that seals in the juices of the burger. it doesn't get any better than that. and that's the culver'r' butterburger.

over a lack diversity lloms. two major industry figures plan to boycott the award show - but to join. nats when hollywood's biggest names gather to celebrate next month's academy awards....actress jada pinkett smith.... and director spike lee will be boycotting instead....protesting an all-white field of acting nominees for the second year in a row. (sot wilson morales / editor, blackfilm.com :14-22) we're not askii for five slott in each position, but at least 1 or 2 of them to say, we know it's a tough race, we know there's only 5 slots, but at least 1 did well of blackfilm.com, says it'll take voices in addition to smith and lee to prompt change. (sot wilson morales /

member of the academy who is peers that speaks out, it may have a bigger impaat. actor george clooney published today... "we're moving in the wrong direction" in regard to acknowledging the work not only of african americans but also of hispanics in hollywood. on monday, academy president cheryl boone isaacs remarks made at the thursday. (sot cheryl boone isaacs / a.m.p.a.s president making sure that we all do the with oscars host chris rock presiding over what he's already called "the whitebet awards".... attention on the issue will be even more focused. (sot wilson morales / editor, blackfilm.com 1:15-1:23) "we live in a business where one minute you're talking about it, and 2 to 3 days later, anything cananhappen to turn the tide." to make sure dreams of gold are color blind.

prompted calls last year for an oscars boycott, but those came from lower profile individuals. it's hard to tell if the boycott laat yeaa had any impacac on ratings. here's a live look at the cedar rapids skycam. storm track seven meteoroligst mark schnackenberg has a final look at your weather next. we'll be right back --------- --------- ---------

passwords aftftr hearing this... a security application's company released thier list of the most stoeln passwords. 1-2-3-4-5-6 tops the list once again... the word "password" is number two... other popular stolen passwords include "football", "baseball" new to the list this year- star wars, solo, princess. if any of ese ring a bell, change 'em - or risk identity theft. storm track seven chief

a final look at your forecast. thanks for watching the kwwl news at five. "nbc" nightly news" is next. we want remind you, we're "always on" with news and here's the truth -- some have proposed to cut social security for the elderly and disabled vets. i disagree. in fact, not only should we not cut benefits -- we should expand them. my plan for social security increases s nefits and cost of living adjustments

it will ensure that all seniors