DES MOINES (IRN) – Travel is up across the nation and locally ahead of Thanksgiving. WHO-13 reports the Des Moines International Airport is reporting an increase of 13% in those flying during the busiest travel holiday of the year over the 2022 report. According to AAA, the two busiest travel days of the year with airplanes is the Tuesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving.

IOWA (IRN) – An influential evangelical leader has officially endorsed a candidate ahead of the Iowa GOP Caucus in January. Bob Vander Plaats announced his backing of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Tuesday, joining Governor Kim Reynolds in backing the nominee for president. Vander Plaats has endorsed the eventual winner of the Iowa caucus every cycle since 2008, according to KCCI-TV, although anyone other than former President Donald Trump faces tough odds on January 15th, according to a Des Moines Register poll that shows Trump with a substantial lead over the field of candidates.

CEDAR FALLS (IRN) – Northern Iowa athletics director David Harris is leaving his posted after nearly seven years of leading the Panthers. The current AD accepted a position at Tulane, and will begin in January. Harris was named Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics in 2021, according to the Des Moines Register.