Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:38 a.m. CST

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Within days of abandoning a plan to hire a private company to establish a statewide call center to help residents arrange coronavirus vaccine appointments Iowa officials now say they have decided not to contract with Microsoft Corp. to develop a centralized online system. The surprise move was announced by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday just 10 days after she said Microsoft was chosen and would have system set up in a few weeks. Reynolds says the state is working on alternatives for a call center and online registration. As of Wednesday Iowa was in 27th place among states with about 11% of its residents having received one or more vaccine dose

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s Republican-dominated Legislature is advancing a bill that would drastically rewrite state election law in a way that critics say would favor the party. The bill discussed in a Senate subcommittee hearing Wednesday would cut the mail and in-person early voting period from 29 to 18 days, after Republicans whittled it down from 40 days just four years ago. It would bar counties from mailing absentee ballot applications to voters, tightly regulate how absentee ballots can be returned and potentially cut many early voting locations. The Iowa State Association of County Auditors is warning the bill would take away local decision-making, threaten severe penalties against election workers who make mistakes and increase staffing needs.

EAGLE GROVE, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified a man killed and a suspect who was arrested in a stabbing at a northern Iowa pork processing plant. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said in a news release Wednesday that 50-year-old Wayne Smith, of Fort Dodge, was the man stabbed to death, and 26-year-old Lukouxs Brown, also of Fort Dodge, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the case. Officials say both men were employees at Prestage Foods near Eagle Grove, where the stabbing occurred early Tuesday morning. Authorities say Smith was found dead in a plant locker room. Officials say Smith and Brown knew each other, but did not have details about their relationship.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police in Davenport say a man has been arrested on suspicion of killing his mother. The Quad-City Times reports that police were called to the PR Masonry Apartments in Davenport late Tuesday afternoon to check on the welfare of a person. Arriving officers found the body of 77-year-old Dianna Rupp inside one of the units. Police have not said how she died. Police on the scene arrested Rupp’s son, 53-year-old Andrew Rupp. He was initially charged with interference of official acts and drug possession. Police say he was later charged with first-degree murder.