Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A mother and son from Iowa have been arrested on charges accusing them of committing crimes while participating in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol. The FBI says Deborah Sandoval of Des Moines and her son Salvador Sandoval Jr. of Ankeny were arrested Friday on federal warrants charging them with several offenses. Criminal complaints and affidavits detailing the allegations against the two are sealed and unavailable for public review. Both are charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — More than 20 years after it was installed, the University of Northern Iowa plans to replace the UNI-Dome’s fabric roof. The Courier reports that the estimated $7 million to $8 million project was advanced by the Iowa Board of Regents’ property and facilities committee earlier this week. Regents are expected to approve the plan at a meeting Wednesday. Michael Hager with UNI told the committee that the project would replace only the fabric center portion of the roof. The rest of the roof is a plastic polymer that was installed in 2010 and is under warranty until 2040. The fabric portion, which was last replaced in 1999, was found to be deteriorating in 2019.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police say a suspect has been injured but is expected to recover following a shootout with a Davenport police officer. The Quad-City Times reports the incident began Thursday morning with a report of an armed robbery. Police developed a suspect in that crime, and just before 6 p.m., a Davenport officer reported that he had spotted a car being driven by the suspect in the earlier robbery. Several police cars converged on the suspect’s car, and police say the suspect rammed one of the police cars before becoming stuck in a snowbank. Police said that’s when the suspect and an officer exchanged gunfire, although police have not said who fired first in the shootout. Police identified the injured suspect as 30-year-old Clarence Washington of Davenport.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man who police say intentionally ran over and killed a local college instructor has been convicted of second-degree murder in the case. The Des Moines Register reports that a jury found 50-year-old Jason Sassman guilty on Tuesday. Sassman had been charged with first-degree murder in the April 5 death of 38-year-old Lauren Rice. Police have said Sassman was using meth when he intentionally ran over Rice as she walked her dog, which also died. Rice was an instructor at Des Moines Area Community. Police say Sassman told investigators he ran down Rice because he believed she was a criminal about to kill someone.

(Breda, IA Feb 19, 2021) – Western Iowa Networks (WIN) has recently announced additional fiber optics construction projects in Mills County for 2021 & 2022. Customers began signing up for fiber optic services within the previously announced Glenwood CARES area for a few months now. The project was made possible by funds that were made available under the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program and the US Department of Treasury’s CARES Act, the goal of which is to bring reliable broadband to those areas deemed as unserved or underserved.

Company officials say a public/private partnership between WIN and Mills County is now making it possible to construct around 40 miles of fiber optics just to the north and east of Glenwood. The construction of this network will include Mineola and Silver City (and will follow the route outlined on the map shown).

This includes nearly 500 addresses in areas along 250th Street between Highway 34 and Mineola, Gaston Avenue between 245th Street & 248th Street, Barrus Road between Mineola & 287th Street and 287th Street between Gaston Avenue & Barrus Road. This will also include an area just to the east of Glenwood including addresses along parts of 245th Street, Ingrum Avenue, 250th Street, Kidd Road as well as all of Inglewood Lane.

Construction of the network is slated to begin in the summer of 2021 with installs in late 2021 into early 2022. WIN was also a recipient of a grant through the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program through the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) which will make it possible to construct a fiber optic network in an area within the Loess Hills outlined in the orange area on the map below.

WIN says that means fiber optic services will be available to nearly 350 additional homes and businesses. Construction of this network is slated to begin in late 2021/early 2022 with service installs beginning before the end of 2022. According to CEO Jeff Roiland, “WIN would like to bring reliable broadband service to as many people as we possibly can, especially in areas where they have little to no options. Since the COVID pandemic hit, there are more people than ever before trying to rely on slow internet speeds to earn a paycheck or a degree. Many are also relying on that same internet connection for entertainment such as streaming or gaming. We hear about the struggles folks are having with this every day.”

Roiland adds, “We will continue to aggressively seek out different avenues of funding that will make it possible to bring more fiber broadband to as many rural areas as we can.” Residents in the (outlined) areas can sign up for fiber optic services online at www.westianet.com or by calling 888-508-2946.

A discount and free installation is currently available for those who sign up now. For those not within an outlined area, they can fill out the Fiber Interest form on WIN’s website so that they can have it on file for future fiber construction projects.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The FBI’s Omaha Field Office has announced a central Iowa woman and her son faces charges in connection with the Jan. 6th incident at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D-C. Officials said Friday (Today) that Deborah Sandoval, of Des Moines, and Salvador Sandoval Jr., of Ankeny, were arrested on federal warrants.

Deborah Sandoval has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, knowingly impeding or disrupting the orderly conduct of the government, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Salvador Sandoval Jr. has been charged with obstructing, impending or interfering with law enforcement, knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Both have made their initial appearances in federal court.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House and Senate have approved a bill to make it a crime to use fake urine for workplace drug and alcohol tests. Representative Brian Lohse, a Republican from Bondurant, says it’s become a pervasive problem.

Under the bill, an Iowan found to have used fake urine for a drug test would be guilty of a simple misdemeanor on the first offense — and a judge could require substance abuse screening and treatment, at the offender’s expense. Synthetic urine is being sold under brand names like U-Pass, Clean Stream and Quick Fix. Democrats in the legislature argued it would be better to outlaw the sale of these products. Senator Liz Mathis, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says it’s being sold online and at truck stops.

Federal data indicates more than half of American businesses randomly test employees or require prospective employees to undergo drug screening. Businesses typically test for amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opiates and P-C-P. The Iowa Motor Truck Association, the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and groups representing general contractors lobbied for the bill.

(Radio Iowa) — Changes members of Congress made to the Paycheck Protection Program could mean bigger payments to Iowa farmers who’ve seen their operations hurt by the pandemic. Iowa Farmers Union president Aaron Lehman says those tweaks to the program were much-needed.

Lehman says, “Our folks out in the field have really struggled just to tighten their belts and make ends meet and the pandemic caused all sorts of trouble, up and down the line, for farmers and for people involved in all aspects of our food system.” Under recent P-P-P provisions, Lehman says that money won’t be taxed as income and won’t affect any deductions farmers may take.

Lehman says federal aid is critical for agriculture, especially since farmers and ranchers have a long road to economic recovery following the pandemic.

Farmers and small businesses can apply for P-P-P loans through their traditional lenders such as banks and farm credit institutions.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — More than 20 years after it was installed, the University of Northern Iowa plans to replace the UNI-Dome’s fabric roof. The Courier reports that the estimated $7 million to $8 million project was advanced by the Iowa Board of Regents’ property and facilities committee earlier this week. Regents are expected to approve the plan at a meeting Wednesday.

Michael Hager with UNI told the committee that the project would replace only the fabric center portion of the roof. The rest of the roof is a plastic polymer that was installed in 2010 and is under warranty until 2040. The fabric portion, which was last replaced in 1999, was found to be deteriorating in 2019.

Cass County Master Gardener, Todd Turner, was honored by the Iowa Master Gardener Program as an Outstanding Master Gardener for the 2020 Year.  Todd was one of 15 honorees statewide this year.  The award is given to Master Gardeners who have invested more than 400 hours of volunteer time in a year.

Todd Turner and his wife pose in their garden in summer of 2020 (Photo submitted)

The Cass County Master Gardener group has members in many surrounding counties and Todd spent the majority of his volunteer hours working on food donation gardening and local food distribution events. He helped expand the LiveWell Montgomery County Giving Garden, and facilitated donations to 4 food pantries in Red Oak and 1 food pantry in Elliott. In addition to his home garden which is 7500 sq. ft., and the Giving Garden, he also helps with a produce garden at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital.  Excess produce from Todd’s garden was also donated to the Grow Another Row project and other pantries in Cass County. These donations amounted to 2500 lbs. of fresh produce in 2020. In addition to growing many varieties of vegetables, Todd also enjoys growing unusual varieties, often bringing them to meetings to quiz the members on what he has brought.

Todd is not the only Cass County Master Gardener to be honored by the state program in recent years. In 2016 LaVon Eblen was also recognized as an Outstanding Master Gardener for investing over 400 volunteer hours in the Master Gardener program for the year. In 2019 LaVon was also recognized for over 1000 total hours volunteered as a Master Gardener in Cass County with the Lifetime Service Award.

LaVon Eblen is awarded the Lifetime Master Gardener Award by Extension Director Kate Olson

In total, during the 2020 growing year, Cass County Master Gardeners volunteered over 1,000 hours of service. The Master Gardener Program, offered statewide by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, trains volunteers to develop their knowledge and skills in horticulture. These volunteers then give back to their communities through gardening service and education. The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service.  Local Master Gardeners provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities, including demonstration gardens, horticultural education, community grants and scholarship programs, and resources for problem solving in the garden.  Education courses are available throughout Iowa on a regular basis. Applications for the Fall 2021 Program will open on March 1. For more information on the program, contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson, at 712-243-1132 or keolson@iastate.edu.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police say a suspect has been injured but is expected to recover following a shootout with a Davenport police officer. The Quad-City Times reports the incident began Thursday morning with a report of an armed robbery. Police developed a suspect in that crime, and just before 6 p.m., a Davenport officer reported that he had spotted a car being driven by the suspect in the earlier robbery. Several police cars converged on the suspect’s car, and police say the suspect rammed one of the police cars before becoming stuck in a snowbank.

Police said that’s when the suspect and an officer exchanged gunfire, although police have not said who fired first in the shootout. Police identified the injured suspect as 30-year-old Clarence Washington of Davenport.

Cass County Public Health officials, Friday, reports CCHS continues to make progress administering the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents. At this time, Phase 1A and Tier 1 of Phase 1B are still the only eligible populations.

The Iowa Department of Public Health announced this week that they expect a delay in next week’s shipments due to adverse weather conditions across the country. At this time, Cass County Public Health does not expect these delays to have an impact on their currently scheduled appointments; should that change, they will immediately notify the patients impacted.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (today, 10-a.m. Friday), reports there are 558 new positive cases in COVID-19 test results returned from the labs over the past 24-hours, for a pandemic total of 331,622 positive cases.  There were also 15 additional deaths, for a pandemic total to-date of 5,336. Statewide, 4,803 COVID deaths are attributed to Underlying causes. COVID was a contributing factor to 533 deaths. Deaths at Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities account for 2,139 of the total number of deaths.

Long-Term Care facility outbreaks declined to 27 Thursday to 24 on Friday. Officials say 675 LTC patients have tested positive for the virus, and 444 have recovered.

The State data show hospitalizations have gone from 252 Thursday to 241 today (Friday). COVID patients in an ICU increased from 59 to 60. The State says 43 people with COVID symptoms were admitted to hospitals over the previous 24-hours, and 26 patients were on a ventilator. In RMCC Region 4 (Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa), 14 are hospitalized with COVID symptoms, five people are in an ICU, two people were admitted over the past 24-hours, and two people are on a ventilator.

Iowa’s statewide positivity rate continues to decline, from 7.2% Thursday to 7.1% Friday, and the 7-day average is down to 5.1%, as compared to 5.4% Thursday.

A total of 307,596 Iowans have recovered from the virus.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,241 cases; {+2}; 48 deaths
• Adair, 787; {+5}; 26
• Adams, 317 {+0}; 3
• Audubon, 465 {+1}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,074 {+1}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,651; {+1}; 68
• Madison County, 1,379; {+1}; 17
• Mills County, 1,461; {+1}; 20
• Montgomery, 958; {+4}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 9,663; {+14}; 140
• Shelby County, 1,136; {+2}; 32
• Union County,  1,177; {+3}; 31