Iowa is the first state to vote for its Democratic and Republican presidential nominees by simple chance. It’s only been first since 1972, when Iowa officials planning the state convention had to reschedule the event on an earlier date because there were no hotel rooms available in Des Moines on the weekend in June they had selected.

Moving the state convention up meant moving the district conventions, county conventions, and caucus up as well, and thus the caucus ended up in January, ahead of New Hampshire’s primary. Very little time was spent campaigning in Iowa in 1972, but in 1976, Jimmy Carter invested time there and built momentum that helped him eventually win the White House.

Iowa has been guarding its privileged position ever since, and candidates compete fiercely for that momentum Carter tapped. If a state tries to move up its caucus or primary, Iowa moves its up even further. Iowa’s first vote is often criticized because it is a rural state that is very white: it doesn’t reflect the demographics or lifestyle of the country as a whole.

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In possibly the most exciting Iowa Democratic caucus in U.S. history, Hillary Clinton took Iowa with 49.9% of the vote to Bernie Sanders’ 49.6%. Iowa Democratic Party chairman Andy McGuire called it “the closest in Iowa Democratic history.”

Even more incredible, six Iowa precincts were decided by coin flip Monday night, February 1, 2016. Who knew that Iowa law stipulates that should a precinct have an odd number of delegates voters are trying to win for their candidate, and the votes are a virtual tie, the final delegate must be decided via coin toss.

In an amazing stroke of luck, Hillary Clinton won all six coin tosses. One has a 1.6% chance to win 6 coin tosses in a row.

One of the coin tosses was rife with controversy. The Des Moines Register reports:

A total of 484 eligible caucus attendees were initially recorded at the site. But when each candidate’s preference group was counted, Clinton had 240 supporters, Sanders had 179 and Martin O’Malley had five (causing him to be declared non-viable).

Those figures add up to just 424 participants, leaving 60 apparently missing. When those numbers were plugged into the formula that determines delegate allocations, Clinton received four delegates and Sanders received three — leaving one delegate unassigned.

Unable to account for that numerical discrepancy and the orphan delegate it produced, the Sanders campaign challenged the results and precinct leaders called a Democratic Party hot line set up to advise on such situations.

Party officials recommended they settle the dispute with a coin toss.

Clinton declared victory Monday night with 95% of the votes tallied and a 0.2% lead. “Thank you all so much,” she said to a cheering crowd. “What a night. What a great campaign this has been.” She promised, “I am a progressive who gets things done for the people.”

Sanders’ reply? “The political revolution is just starting. Tonight we accomplished what the corporate media and political establishment once believed was impossible. Don’t underestimate us.” Indeed, Sanders was polling in single digits in Iowa not too long ago.

The race moves on to New Hampshire, which hosts its primary on February 9. Sanders holds a colossal lead over Clinton, 61% to 30%.

Republican candidate Ted Cruz came out on top in Iowa with 27.9% of the vote. His closest rival, Donald Trump, got 24.3%, followed by Marco Rubio with 23.1%. The latest New Hampshire polls for Republicans? “Trump with 30 percent, followed by Cruz, 12 percent; Rubio, 11 percent,” according to the Washington Post.

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600 Kansas Citians grew ill in mid-January 2016 when the New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park, Kansas was hit by norovirus.

Norovirus is commonly called “food poisoning” or “stomach flu,” its symptoms being stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. It is often spread quickly due to improper hand washing, contaminating people, food, drinks, and surfaces.

The event garnered national media attention, from The Guardian and ABC News, for example.

On Friday, January 29, 2016 a disinfecting and decontamination company cleaned New Theatre for a massive $40,000. Stomach flu outbreaks can of course potentially cost businesses customers on top of the cleaning costs, though the New Theatre vice president for sales and marketing claims New Theatre continues to see “full houses.”

On Monday, KCTV 5 reported a Buffalo Wild Wings at 105th Street and Metcalf Avenue saw 10 sick patrons and staffers. Samples are under examination to determine if this is also norovirus; the Kansas Department of Agriculture recently cited the restaurant with 18 food safety violations. The restaurant is temporarily closed for cleaning.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Kansas Hospital, says there is a possibility the two outbreaks linked.

“Certainly there’s always a possibility that there could be a link, especially since they are so close in proximity. That would be reasonable,” Hawkinson said.

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With New Hampshire residents poised to flock to the voting booths this Tuesday, February 9, 2016, polls show Bernie Sanders should win by a landslide.

After the near-tie in the Iowa caucus (Clinton won 49.9% to Sanders’ 49.6%), a February 3 poll by NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist showed Sanders crushing Clinton 58% to 38% among likely Democratic voters in New Hampshire.

A February 4 poll from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell/7 News showed Sanders with an even more massive lead, 63% to Clinton’s 30%.

Clinton has lost much support since last spring, when she dominated New Hampshire polls. A writer for Mother Jones suggests this draws into question the idea Sanders is only winning because the state neighbors his home state of Vermont, as does the fact that New Hampshire tends to vote for more “establishment” candidates, not progressive outsiders. In other words, his support grows due to his ideas, not home field advantage.

Sanders’ insurgent campaign made similar gains before the closest result in Iowa history (coin tosses were involved), and has now eroded Clinton’s national lead as well. Formerly up by 31 points nationally, Clinton now leads Sanders by just 2 points (44%-42%), according to a Quinnipiac poll released Friday. A margin of error makes it neck and neck.

New Hampshire’s primary on Tuesday comes after last night’s tense, heated Democratic presidential debate, during which Clinton lambasted Sanders for his “artful smear” campaign insinuating “anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought” and that politicians who take “donations from Wall Street,” like Barack Obama and herself, are not “progressive.”

Clinton found it “quite amusing” that Sanders would call her part of the “establishment,” because “a woman running to be the first woman president” could not be part of the establishment.

Sanders countered:

What being part of the establishment is…is in the last quarter, having a super-PAC that raised $15 million from Wall Street, that throughout one’s life raised a whole lot of money from the drug companies and other special interests. To my mind, if we do not get a handle on money in politics and the degree to which big money controls the political process in this country, nobody is going to bring about the changes that is needed in this country for the middle class and working families.

This exchange is common in the race thus far, and will likely be repeated. Sanders refuses donations from corporations and the wealthy, instead building a grassroots campaign on small donations from individuals and unions. Clinton’s top donors are big banks and corporations, and despite her challenge to critics like Sanders to “just name one” instance where money influenced her vote, her quid pro quo relationship with corporate power is so well-documented other senators talk about it openly.

Even so, Sanders raised $20 million in January, to Clinton’s $15 million.

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Perhaps the news will break in The Kansas City Star some day that the Kansas City council, or a secret independent body, dispatched moles to the nation’s top magazines, newspapers, and websites.

Their mission was clear: find work in staff and editorial positions and begin a propaganda campaign. The glorification of Kansas City would lead to a mass migration of people and businesses, an economic and cultural renaissance, fame and fortune!

Hmmm, or maybe more Kansas Citians are simply finding national media jobs–completely devoid of conspiracy. Or perhaps the explanation for all this talk of Kansas City is even better. Perhaps this city, the geographic heart of America, really is that awesome.

Either way, let’s consider either how awesome Kansas City is or how well natives are peddling Kansas City propaganda. Up to you which one.

(Full list of KC honors here.)

HUFFINGTON POST

• Named Kansas City the #1 “coolest” city in the U.S. to “visit right now.” We’re an “it” city with “hip” neighborhoods. (2014)
• Put KC at #10 of the top cities for creatives. Called it “a creative hub to rival those in the northeast and on the West Coast,” cited 70 art galleries in the Crossroads Art District alone, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. But we ranked below Des Moines and @&#$ing Kalamazoo. Thanks, moles. (2015)
• Ranked KC #4 among the “most cultured cities.” That’s better. We don’t mind losing to New York. (2015)
• Other honors over the past few years include #4 for best cities for newlyweds, #7 for college grads, and more. (2012)

FORBES

• Forbes put Kansas City on its list of “Best Places for Business and Careers.” And who would know better than they? (2012)
• Named us one of the 10 best cities to buy a home. (2012)
• Called downtown one of America’s best. Forbes doesn’t seem to like specific rankings these days. (2011)
• Things used to be different. #9 in “Top 10 Best Cities to Get Ahead,” #8 for commuters, #6 for couples, #16 for the outdoors, #7 for pet-friendly cities, #7 for volunteering. (2007-2009)

TRAVEL+LEISURE

• Named KC #2 among “America’s Best Beer Cities.” Thank you, Boulevard. (2015)
• Honestly, the agents at Travel + Leisure need to chill out or they’re gonna get made. Between March 3 and April 24 of 2015, they included Kansas City in “America’s Most Charming Cities,” “America’s Best Cities for Sweet Tooths,” “American’s Best Music Scenes,” “America’s Best Cities for Foodies,” and “20 Quirkiest Cities in America.” Wow.
• Kansas City was America’s #3 favorite city. This one was by popular vote. We were voted #1 for good drivers, Christmas lights, affordability, flea markets, and BBQ. Hahaha, “good drivers.” They’ve been undercover too long. (2014)
• #7 for coffee. #9 for picnics. (2014, 2015)

BUZZFEED

• Some of what you find on Buzzfeed relating to Kansas City are “community member” posts–some random people made them, not the Buzzfeed staff. Still, the popular website is starting to take notice of the Paris of the Plains. Kansas City was included in their “29 Cities All Twentysomethings Should Pick Up and Move To” (admittedly, also determined by popular vote). Though KC was listed #1 (admittedly, they did use the phrase “in no particular order”). Still, we know why it was on top. Wink. (2015)
• I won’t name names, but it’s clear who the mole at Buzzfeed is. He wrote “An Open Letter to Kansas City” during the Royals’ World Series run. (2014)
• He also wrote “28 Signs You Grew Up in Kansas City.” Buzzfeed labeled it a “Top Post,” as it got over 367,000 views. (2013)
• His name is Dan Oshinsky.

EXTRA AWESOMENESS

• USA Today published Yelp’s ranking of the Nelson-Atkins as the #1 museum in the United States of America–it was the highest rated and most praised by visitors. #5 was the National World War I Museum. (2015)
• #2 for “Up-and-Coming Downtowns” by Fortune. (2014)
• #6 for friendliest cities by Men’s Health. (2014)
• #8 among best burger cities by USA Today. (2012)
• #5 among “Underrated Gay-Friendly Cities” by About.com. (2009)
• #3 for best NFL stadiums by Fox Sports. (2006)
• #2 for best NFL fan loyalty by American City Business Journal. Go Chiefs! (2006)

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