With one week to go, its a race to the finish line in iowa. Hillary clinton still leads in most national polls, but here, its neck and neck. Channel 13s jannay towne has more on the countdown to the caucuses. Hillary clinton says iowans are helping pave her road to the white house. Clinton 18 44 42 i can certainly tell you that i will be a better president. A more informed and more understanding president 50 the former secretary of state told the crowd at the Jewish Federation of greater des moines that a strong israel is key to defeating isis and radical jihadism. Clinton 18 45 25 i am the only on either side with the experience and judgment to keep us safe at home and around the world 34 while talking up her record. Nats 18 52 10 lets see if i can get some water here. You do talk a lot in this campaign coughing 20 but clinton kept going. Addressing everything from lowering Health Care Costs to fighting for working families and women. Clinton 19 29 52 i think one of the best things we can do for womens rights is elect the first women president. Cindy 19 41 54 i feel like shes for us. The issues, shes right on, she listening. 03 to know. George is my most active faithful, Young Volunteer 04 george 19 46 28 its super am 11 year old george reynal raynal is doing his part to get iowans old enough to vote to caucus for clinton. George 19 47 19 hillary is the only candidate with the foreign experience that our president in this modern day 19 00 29 if you will stand up for me at the caucus next monday, i promise to stand up for you every single day as president. Jannay from the Jewish Federation, clinton is holding get out the caucus events in knoxville and oskaloosa before heading back to the metro for a town hall meeting at drake. In waukee, jt channel 13 news clintons main opponent thinks the momentum is on his side. Senator Bernie Sanders is rallying young voters. Trying pull off what president obama did in 2008. Political director dave price followed every Public College and university in this county should be tuition he knows his audience he thinks they agree with him that big money in politics and business now could cost them a good i say bernie. You say Bernie Sanders. Sanders. Rylee mcdermott thinks no disrespect to clinton but her friends prefer sanders and has this for those who question whether political newbies care enough to caucus. All three Democratic Candidates will be in des moines tonight. They are taking part in cnns Town Hall Forum at drake university. It begins at eight oclock. The candidates will be questioned by moderator chris cuomo individually to avoid violating the dncs debate rules. Texas senator ted cruz did a little standup on the campaign trail today. It was so cold. A democrat with his hands in his own pockets maquoketa. He is trying to overcome last weeks criticism from governor branstad. Branstad says voters shouldnt caucus for cruz because he doesnt support the Renewable Fuels. Governor branstad wants the taxpayerfunded subsidies for Renewable Fuels to continue. And says iowas economy depends on it. 16 5617 23. The Renewable Fuels standard, the rfs, is critically important to our state. Since the epa reduced it, the price of corn has plummeted to below the cost of production. That has not only hurt farm imcome, but its caused layoffs by john deere and kinze manufacturing, and others. Its critically important that people know the impact on those typse of decisions. 17 23 senator joni ernst says she isnt endorsing a candidate. But she is welcoming several of them to town. Give a great very warm. To ernst appeared with florida morning. Rubio endorsed her prior to the primary election during ernsts campaign for senate. Rubio offered up another endorsement today. Hes a big fan of ikea. I think Bernie Sanders is a good candidate for president of sweden and he should run. I was saying norway but i got a little heat from the norwegians have nothing against sweden either. I like sweden. Ikea is swedish. I think i confirmed this yesterday. I like ikea so. With the Iowa Caucuses still a week away. The cyclones have this monday all to themselves. And tonight theyre at home. As the underdog against number four kansas. Well take you there live as iowa state looks to keep its big 12 championship hopes alive. And a Des Moines School employee is accused of abusing a student. Hear her explanation of what investigators say theyre the world a president has to grapple with, sometimes you cant even imagine. Thats the job. And shes prepared for it like no other. A tireless secretary of state, standing up against the abuse of women and girls. Negotiating a ceasefire in gaza, leading the diplomacythat keeps us out of war. The presidency is the toughest job in the world. And shes the one leader who has what it takes to get every part of the job done. Old des moines woman. Police were called to check on 71year old Norma Jean Mcneeley early yesterday morning. And that launched this years first homicide investigation. Police tell the Des Moines Register she died a quote, violent death inside her home on pioneer road. Investigators say they are following leads. And processing forensic evidence in order to identify a suspect. Police say they will release police are also investigating the death of a des moines architect and real estate developer. 62 year old kirk blunck died sunday. And police say they are still trying to determine if it was an accident. Or a criminal act. An autopsy will take place tomorrow. Tonight were hearing how two School Employees justified the actions that cost them their jobs. Bus attendant ruby taylor. And bus driver terri brown were fired following this incident. In the video. You can see taylor yelling at a student for hitting a classmate. Taylor then sits next to the student. Pushing his head into a window. The district fired taylor for abuse. And the bus driver for failing to intervene. Channel 13s Stephanie Moore joins us. Steph. Both employees were questioned about their actions. Yes both ruby taylor and terri brown were questioned in a hearing after they filed for unemployement benefits. An Administrative Law judge heard the case and specifically asking taylor why she behaved the way she did. 3605do you think thats an bus. No. Why did you do it then . I was just trying to have him cornered i did not mean to press him, his face wasnt really pressed against the window. 3627 taylor argued she was cornering the student to protect him as well as other students. But the judge disagreed and determined the employees were in violation of Des Moines Public Schools rules and policies. The hearing also revealed all bus employees are required to watch videos and attend regular training to handle these types of situations. The judges ruling also determined physical abuse did occur. Des moines Public SchoolOfficials Say police are only notified if there is serious abuse and in this incident it was not the case. In a statement. It says. School districts are required by iowa law to conduct investigations if there are concerns of wrong doing by employees. That was done in this case, and it was determined that a but that the employees should be dismissed for clear violations of our rules of conduct. Both taylor and brown were fired from dmps in december and the judge ultimately denied their unemployment benefits. Light snow will move through central iowa this evening. The winds will get stronger from the northwest at 2025 mph. Temperatures will hold in the low 30s. A Winter Weather advisory remains in effect through midnight for North Central iowa. The metro will see about a half inch of snow with a few locations seeing 1 to 2. Tuesday will be cloudy and windy. Blowing snow may remain a problem in the morning. Highs will only be in the upper 20s. High pressure builds in for the end of the week with a return of southwesterly winds. This will help warm temperatures to the he was rated a by the nra. Not for his promises, but for defending the second amendment. Hes a man of deep faith, who fought time and again for the right to life. He laid out a plan to destroy isis months before paris. Hell strengthen our border and use conservative principles to put washingtons broken fiscal house back in order. Jeb bush. Hes the conservative you can trust, to fight for our beliefs. Right to rise usa is responsible congress doesnt regulate wall street. Wall street regulates congress. Its a rigged economy that sends most new wealth to the top 1 . And its held in place by a corrupt political system where wall street banksand billionaires buy elections. My campaign is funded by over two and a half million small contributions. People who know you cant level the Playing Field by taking more money from wall street. Im Bernie Sanders,and i approve this message. You know the basic bargain of america is if you work hard, and you do your part, you should be able to get ahead and stay ahead. But so many families dont feellike their hard work pays off. Thats not the way america is supposed to operate. I want to go to bat for them every single day. Get incomes rising. Get equal pay for women. Cut the cost of health care and child care so people can actually get ahead. Hillary clinton, she has what it takes to get things done. A week ago, cyclone fans celebrated their first win over a 1 team in nearly sixty years. What can iowa state do for an encore . Beat kansas. The jayhawks are ranked 4, and they remain the big 12s Gold Standard with a mindboggling 11 straight conference titles. We bring in john sears live from hilton coliseum. John, you were in that lively atmosphere a week ago. Tonight . Tonight . Tonight at ten, well see if higher. Ap poll, the highest ranking by a team from our state since iowa in 1987. Losing at iowa state. Kansas 4. That would be maryland. The 8 terps host the hawks thursday night. Thats a big game. Hawkeye quarterback cj beathard had surgery last week to repair a sports hernia. Hawkeye report. Com first reported the surgery. Beathard should be back in time for spring practice. Beathard showed great scrambling ability when not hobbled by the groin injury this season. The for most of the season, and still won all big ten honors. Coming up next on the news at nine. He was rated a by the nra. Not for his promises, but for defending the second amendment. Hes a man of deep faith, who fought time and again for the right to life. He laid out a plan to destroy isis months before paris. Hell strengthen our border and use conservative principles to put washingtons broken fiscal house back in order. Jeb bush. Hes the conservative you can trust, to fight for our beliefs. Right to rise usa is responsible for the content of this message. Let us be lovers, well marry our fortunes together [ cheering ] ive got some real estate here in my bag counting the carson the new jersey turnpike theyve all come to look for america [ cheers and applause ] all come to look for america all come to look for america all come to look for america the person who lives here. Has to solve problems as big as the world. And as small as your kitchen table. Thats the job. Everyday. And now, the first lady who helped get healthcare for eight million kids. The senator who helped a city rise again. The secretary of state who stood up for america, and stared down hostile leaders around the world. Is the one candidate for president who has everything it takes to do every part of the job. Shell never let anyone privatize Social Security and medicare. Or shut down planned parenthood. Shell take on the gun lobby. Finally get equal pay for women. And stop the republicans from ripping all our progress away. So on february first, stand up for hillary. Because if you want a president who knows how to keep america safe. And build a stronger economy. Hillarys the choice. Im listening to you,