DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds, Friday, announced appointments to Iowa’s boards and commissions. The following (western/southwest Iowa) appointees are subject to Senate confirmation:

• Alcoholic Beverages Commission:  John Pauli, Carroll
• Environmental Protection Commission:  Lisa Gochenour, Logan
• Flood Mitigation Board:  John Erixon, Council Bluffs
• Iowa Autism Council: Cheryl Mulligan, Shenandoah
• State Board of Educational Examiners:  Erin Schoening, Underwood
• Title Guaranty Division Board: Judy Hilgenberg, Guthrie Center

HIAWATHA, Iowa (AP) — The Linn County Attorney says no one will be charged in the shooting death of a Hiawatha man that also wounded three other people. Joshua Lathrop died in May at a shootout at a mobile home in Hiawatha. KCRG-TV reported Friday that County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden ruled the people who shot Lathrop were acting in self-defense. Investigators say two brothers carrying weapons went to the trailer park after hearing a woman had been attacked.

An intoxicated Lathrop confronted the brothers and hit one of them. A gun battle involving up to 25 shots ensued and Lathrop was shot.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion says the president’s call for a 15-dollar minimum wage doesn’t belong in the pandemic relief bill. She was asked if it is a poison pill. “I don’t like when these packages are filled with liberal policy wish list ideas — that’s what we saw last year with a lot of these packages,” according to Hinson. “I can tell you this, out in the district this week I heard a lot about that 15-dollar minimum wage and how it would be really — you talk about a poison pill — it would be a poison bill to many small businesses and the rural economy here.”

Hinson says the relief should be focused on the areas where it is needed to help those hit by the pandemic. “I don’t think we need to go big for the sake of going big, and we should be going targeted. And that’s my approach to COVID relief,” Hinson says. Hinson says she has seen bipartisan work going on in Washington, citing a recent committee meeting.

“The decorum was there, the bipartisan work was there, we were all asking questions respectfully. I believe that decorum still does exist, that gives me hope,” Hinson says. Hinson made her comments on a conference call with reporters.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill advancing in the Iowa Senate would eliminate the state’s inheritance tax, a move that’s being backed by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. Cora Fox, the association’s government relations director, says the inheritance tax has long been a burden for many Iowans, particularly farmers and ranchers.

Fox says her group is encouraged by the bill’s progress in the Senate.

In addition to impacting farmers and ranchers, Fox says Iowans not involved with agriculture are also adversely affected by the tax.

The bill unanimously passed a subcommittee and will advance to the full Senate Ways and Means Committee. Chairman Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, says he expects elimination of the inheritance tax to be incorporated into a larger tax policy bill that will be taken up later this session.

Atlantic, IA — Cass County Public Health is beginning to receive a limited supply of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for Tier 1 of Phase 1B, which includes people who are 65 and older, first responders, PK-12 school personnel and childcare workers. CCPH Director Beth Olsen said Friday (today), “We received 100 doses today, and very surprisingly, we received notice that we may be expecting 300 more doses next week. While that’s a very welcome surprise, and we’re prepared to use them quickly, it certainly doesn’t meet the full demand. Many Cass County residents are age 65 and older, and we have a list of more than 2,000 people who are signed up and want to receive the vaccine.”

It is anticipated vaccine allocations will be limited and continue to come in small batches through the next several months. Olsen says “We ask for everyone to be patient as we move through this process together. Please know if you have signed up already there is nothing more you need to do, and we will call and set up an appointment when we have a vaccine available.”

The initial 400 doses will be given to people eligible in either Phase 1A or Tier 1 of Phase 1B, all in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Iowa Department of Public Health. Cass County Public Health anticipates that weekly allocations will become more regular in the coming months, and encourages all residents to stay tuned to updates through local news sources and on Cass County Health System’s website and social media pages.

Until vaccine is widely available to all, it is crucial that Iowans continue to practice the mitigation measures that can slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

• Wearing a mask or face covering
• Practice social distancing with those outside your household
• Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
• Stay home if you feel sick

For information and updates related to COVID-19, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus/Vaccine and follow IDPH on Facebook (@IowaDepartmentofPublicHealth) and Twitter (@IAPublicHealth).

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors in the case of a slain University of Iowa student are calling defense attorneys’ subpoenaing of the victim’s bank records a “fishing expedition.” The Gazette reports that defense attorneys for Cristhian Bahena Rivera have subpoenaed Mollie Tibbetts’ bank records. Prosecutors with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office have filed a motion objecting. Rivera is charged with first-degree murder in Tibbetts’ July 2018 stabbing death. Officials say Rivera stalked Tibbetts while she was running in Brooklyn, Iowa, and stabbed her to death when she rejected his advances. Rivera’s trial is set to begin May 17.

(Update/Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has signed into law a requirement that Iowa’s K-through-12 schools hold all classes in-person by February 15th.

Fifteen public school districts and a private school are currently offering classes virtually or a hybrid model, with students in classrooms every other day.

Earlier this month, Reynolds called on legislators to pass a bill requiring full-time in-person instruction in Iowa schools. Republican lawmakers approved the bill yesterday (Thursday) and the governor signed it today (Friday).

Schools may continue to offer online classes to students, but it is not required. Holding classes in-person on each school day is. Democrats who voted against the bill say forcing face-to-face instruction for all students will difficult for large schools without space for social distancing. Reynolds says the state has face shields, hand sanitizer and other pandemic essentials on hand, ready to ship to school administrators who ask for supplies.

Reynolds made brief remarks in the statehouse rotunda late this (Friday) morning, then signed the bill into law in front of a small crowd of supporters.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s 15 community colleges continue to see a drop off in enrollment from its peak. Alison Jepsen of the Department of Education’s Division of Community Colleges says there were some 127-thousand people enrolled in the schools in the last academic year. “This is a decline of one-point-three percent from the previous year and this follows a national trend, as enrollment most recently peaked during the onset of the Great Recession, and has decreased an average of two-point-two percent since 2012,” Jepsen says.

She says high school kids who are taking community college classes are now a big part of the enrollment. “Joint enrollment of high school students increased two-point-four percent in academic year 19-20 — to a record high of 51-thousand-800 students,” according to Jepsen. “This demographic accounted for 40-point-eight percent of total enrollment, and 25-point-six percent of total credits.” The community colleges offer certificates and two-year degrees in a variety of fields. “The majority were in agriculture, automotive technology and repair, business, health sciences, information technology, engineering technology and manufacturing,” she says.

Jepsen says a record 69-thousand-614 students were enrolled in on-line credit courses. That is an 11 percent increase from the previous year. On-line noncredit enrollment increased 15-point-five percent to 14-thousand-123 students. You can see the full report on the Department of Education website at: https://educateiowa.gov/documents/iowa-state-board-education/2021/01/2021-01-28-condition-community-colleges

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped trespassing charges against an activist who secretly recorded Iowa’s largest pork producer using heat to kill hundreds of pigs last year as the pandemic devastated the industry. Matt Johnson, an activist with the group Direct Action Everywhere, had been scheduled to stand trial Monday in Grundy County, Iowa, on two counts of trespassing at Iowa Select Farms properties.

County prosecutors dismissed the charges Thursday at the request of Iowa Select, whose personnel had been subpoenaed to testify. A company spokeswoman says it “cannot be distracted by individuals who choose to break the law and grandstand.” Johnson is an Iowa native who now lives in Berkeley, California. He says the company is “desperate to conceal their abhorrent and criminal conduct.”