Washington (AP) — The U.S. Senate voted 92-7 Tuesday to confirm Tom Vilsack as Agriculture secretary. The former Iowa governor spent eight years leading the same department for former President Barack Obama. In his testimony, Vilsack, 70, heavily endorsed boosting climate-friendly agricultural industries such as the creation of biofuels, saying “Agriculture is one of our first and best ways to get some wins in this climate area.” He faced minimal opposition throughout the confirmation process.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The FBI have identified an Iowa woman and her adult son as participants in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol after a tip from a longtime family acquaintance. An FBI agent says in a court document that videos posted to social media and surveillance video at the Capitol also confirmed that Deborah Sandoval and Salvador Sandoval Jr. were part of the mob.

The affidavit describes surveillance video showing 23-year-old Salvador Sandoval pushing two officers with the Metropolitan Police Department and trying to grab the shield of a third. The mother and son were arrested on Friday in Des Moines and have been released from custody pending further proceedings.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Agricultural groups and anti-hunger organizations are pushing the Biden administration to continue a program launched by President Donald Trump that spent $6 billion to prevent farmers from plowing under food and instead provide it to millions of Americans left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began the Farmers to Families Food Box program in April 2020 after many people were shocked to see farmers destroy crops even as food banks were being overwhelmed by demand from people suddenly out of work.

A USDA Farmers to Families Food Box is seen at a Des Moines Area Religious Council mobile food pantry stop at the downtown bus station, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. Agricultural groups and anti-hunger organizations are pushing the Biden administration to continue the Farmers to Families Food Box program launched by President Donald Trump that spent $6 billion to prevent farmers from plowing under food and instead provide it to millions of Americans left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

If the USDA extends the program, it will be a rare example of the new administration retaining rather than dismantling a Trump initiative.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified a man was shot to death last week after breaking into a rural home near Ottumwa. The Ottumwa Courier reports that 28-year-old Aaron Thompson, of Brookfield, Wisconsin, was shot by a homeowner after he broke into the home Thursday night and fought with the homeowner. Thompson was flown by helicopter to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, where he died.

The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office says Thompson appeared to have been suffering from a mental health crisis at the time he broke into the home. Officials called the incident tragic and said no criminal charges would be filed against the homeowner.

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoege reports on Wednesday March 3rd, the Cass County Local Food Policy Council is hosting a mobile food pantry through the Food Bank for the Heartland at the Cass County Community Center from 4:00 – 6:00 PM, or as supplies last. Hoege notes they have handed out double the amount of food at these mobile pantries in the past, given the increased needs related to COVID-19.

Anyone in need is welcome to visit the mobile pantry, and no documentation is needed. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Due to high rates of COVID-19, everyone visiting or volunteering for the pantry is asked to wear a mask.

Details for Food Bank for the Heartland Mobile Food Pantry:
When: Wednesday, March 3 (4:00-6:00 PM, or until supplies run out).
Where: Cass County Community Center (805 West 10th St. Atlantic IA 50022). Traffic will be directed by
volunteers.
What: A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a oneday
distribution. The mobile pantry is available free of charge. Visitors are asked stay in their vehicles
with the trunk open and wear a mask when talking with volunteers.
Who: Anyone in need is welcome. No documentation needed.
For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local
Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors say a man charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and other counts in a 2019 Des Moines shooting that killed one man and injured another has taken a plea deal. Television station WHO-TV reported Tuesday that Michael Lyke Jr. has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, willful injury and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in the June 2019 killing of 41-year-old Earl Caldwell. Another man, 39-year-old Des Moines resident Littleton William Clark, was injured.

Lyke had been scheduled to go to trial in April on the more serious charges and would have received a mandatory life sentence if convicted. He now faces up to 30 years in prison when he’s sentenced on March 10.

Public hearings will be held Wednesday morning in Greenfield, as part of the Adair County Board of Supervisor’s regular, electronic* meeting that begins at 9-a.m.  The hearings (which are scheduled to begin at 9:20 and 9:30-a.m.), are with regard to a FY21 Budget Amendment, and the FY22 Maximum Property Tax Dollars, respectively. Both will be followed by action on Resolutions approving each matter, and the setting of a date for a Public Hearing on the FY22 Adair County Budget.

In other business:

• County Engineer Nick Kauffman will present an award contract for the Board Chair to sign, with regard to Farm-to-Market granular surfacing.
• County Recorder Janelle Schneider will discuss and/or present a County Land Record Information System 28-E agreement
• And, Eddie Bajric, with Access Systems, will talk about a Cloud-based Phone System.

The Adair County Supervisors will also receive a COVID-19 update, discuss the latest information, along with acting on any claims to come before them.

*The meeting can be heard/joined by calling (605)-313-6157, and using access code 526272#   Please be sure to mute your phone if you are not part of the discussion during times of public comment.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath, Tuesday, at 10-a.m., reported 690 new, positive COVID-19 test results were returned from the labs, for a pandemic total of 360,278. There were 26 additional deaths reported, for a total of 5,400. The coronavirus dashboard shows one additional death in Adams County, where the pandemic total is now four.

Health officials say Underlying Causes (diseases or injury that initiated the events resulting in death), amount to 4,849. The IDPH says 551 deaths listed COVID as a contributing factor. A pre-existing condition accounted for 4,973 deaths, while Long-Term Care (LTC) facility deaths accounted for 2,146 of the total number of deaths.

Long-Term Care facility COVID-Outbreaks are down slightly from Monday, at 20. Positive cases at LTC’s account for 520 of the total number of positive results, while 352 patients/staff at those facilities have recovered from COVID.

Hospitalizations are up. The IDPH said as of Tuesday, there were 227 persons hospitalized with COVID, compared to 222 on Monday. COVID patients in an ICU increase from 54 Monday to 58 Tuesday. There were 30 COVID patients admitted to hospitals across the State in Tuesday’s report, compared to 22 during the previous 24-hour report.  Patients on a ventilator remain at 25. Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 13 people still hospitalized; six COVID patients are in an ICU, two people were admitted, and one person remains on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate as of Tuesday was steady at 4.3%, while the 7-day average was up slightly, to 4.2%.

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, 1,315 cases; {+3}; 48 deaths
• Adair, 911; {+3}; 26
• Adams, 326 {+0}; 4
• Audubon, 483 {+1}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,157 {+2}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,785; {+3}; 69
• Madison County, 1,520; {+4}; 17
• Mills County, 1,615; {+2}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,036; {+0}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,666; {+16}; 140
• Shelby County, 1,192; {+0}; 33
• Union County,  1,256; {+2}; 31

(Radio Iowa) – The Armstrong City Council has voted to place its police chief and city clerk on unpaid administrative leave after the two were among five current and former city officials arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into misconduct. Mayor Pro-Tem Ronald Trenary says the council made the decision because the investigation could go on for some time and the town’s budget could not handle paying the salaries of people who are no longer working for the city. The council is trying to meet the March 15th deadline for drafting the city’s budget for the next fiscal year. “We have an accountant here in town that’s helping us with the budget because that’s the biggest thing for us right now is getting the budget set,” he says.

Trenary says the city council has asked the Iowa League of Cities for help in finding people to serve as police chief and city clerk for the community, which has a population of about 900. Armstrong’s mayor and two former city employees have also been arrested and charged as a result of an investigation into allegations of theft and misuse of city property that date back to 2013.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A group of 24 scientists, economists, researchers and other past winners of the World Food Prize sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to focus on alleviating global hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The World Food Prize Foundation released the letter Tuesday that asks the president to take immediate action to directly address global hunger and food insecurity by playing a leadership role in the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit and expanding the USAID Feed the Future initiatives.

The letter says: “American leadership on getting food systems right will inspire and embolden others to join forces to end hunger, counter climate change, generate jobs, and promote responsible stewardship of the environment.”