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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — According to an Associated Press investigation, Iowa’s attorney general hasn’t convicted a police officer for improperly using force since at least 2004, which was the earliest date for which records are available. Attorney General Tom Miller’s office only pursued charges against two officers out of 35 force cases it reviewed, and both of them were ultimately acquitted. Police officers often aren’t charged when someone ends up dead. Laws often shield officers and give them the benefit of the doubt for a dangerous and unpredictable job, and juries can be reluctant to convict. But prosecutors who have a history of declining to charge police are now facing scrutiny of their records following a summer of mass protests calling for accountability.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has found that an Iowa state-run care center for people with intellectual disabilities likely violated the constitutional rights of residents by subjecting them to human experiments, some of which were deemed dangerous. A report released Tuesday identified broad failures at the Glenwood Resource Center, including poor treatment of residents and failure of the Iowa Department of Human Services to respond. The DOJ began investigating in November 2019 after reports of a high rate of deaths. The DOJ outlined detailed steps for improvement. Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa DHS say they have cooperated with the investigation and will work with DOJ to resolve the problems

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another 15 people in Iowa died of the coronavirus and there were nearly 2,000 confirmed infections. The state Department of Public Health reported Wednesday the 15 deaths raised the total death toll to 3,668. There were 1,999 confirmed cases reported in the last 24 hours Wednesday, bringing the total to 271,019. In the past 14 days, Iowa has had 707.8 new confirmed cases per 100,000 people, ranking the state 41st nationally.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City woman is facing a felony charge accusing her of neglect that led to an elderly woman’s death. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that 54-year-old Tara M. Edwards was arrested Wednesday morning and faces one count of intentional dependent adult abuse causing serious injury. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office says it began an investigation in February into the death of a 72-year-old woman who suffered from several conditions that prevented her from caring for herself. Edwards was reportedly the woman’s primary caregiver. Authorities say Edwards failed to fill the woman’s prescriptions, failed to take her to medical appointments and failed to provide necessary nutritional supplements.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Creston man, 26-year-old Kevin Anthony Harden, was arrested at around 1:30-a.m. Wednesday (12/23) at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. Harden was taken into custody on the authority of a Union County warrant charging him with Failure To Appear. Harden was later released on $300 bond.

ADEL, Iowa (AP) — An investigation continues into the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man in a rural area near Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports that police on Wednesday identified the victim as Jakob Mash of Perry. He was fatally shot early Tuesday near the town of Adel. His body was found at an intersection. Mash was pronounced dead at the scene.

No arrests have been made, but Dallas County Chief Deputy Adam Infante said in a news released that there is not believed to be any danger to the public.

(Radio Iowa) – Despite pleas from state officials to stay home for the holidays, airports in Iowa and across the country are filling up as Christmas Day nears. Kyle Potter, executive editor of the ThriftyTraveler-dot-com, says while Iowa doesn’t have any restrictions for people traveling into or out of our state, if you’re planning to fly to another part of the country, it’s best to do your research before you leave.

The federal COVID relief bill that’s on President Trump’s desk includes 15 billion-dollars for the airline industry. Potter says that money is tailored toward bringing 30-thousand workers back to their jobs through March.

(Radio Iowa) – As we move through the tenth month of dealing with COVID-19, an increasing number of Iowans are seeking mental health services. Dr. C-J Davis, a behavioral health specialist, says the demand for these services has climbed by as much as 30-percent this year.

He doesn’t expect the need to change anytime soon, either.

He says depression and anxiety are the most common pandemic-related symptoms.

FORT MADISON, Iowa – The Iowa DCI reports on Tuesday, December 22nd, members of the Lee County Jail, while performing jail cell checks, discovered an unresponsive female inmate. The inmate, identified as 50-year-old Stacy Lynn Heston, was the lone occupant of the cell. Jail staff performed CPR and administered an AED in efforts to revive Heston.

Ms. Heston was transported to a local hospital where she was later pronounced dead. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was summoned to the scene and is currently investigating the incident with the assistance from the detectives of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

The cause of death is pending an autopsy to be performed at a later date. No foul play is suspected at this time. Ms. Heston had turned herself into the jail earlier in the day, Tuesday, to begin a jail sentence of 59 days.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City woman is facing a felony charge accusing her of neglect that led to an elderly woman’s death. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that 54-year-old Tara M. Edwards was arrested Wednesday morning and faces one count of intentional dependent adult abuse causing serious injury. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office says it began an investigation in February into the death of a 72-year-old woman who suffered from several conditions that prevented her from caring for herself.

Edwards was reportedly the woman’s primary caregiver. Authorities say Edwards failed to fill the woman’s prescriptions, failed to take her to medical appointments and failed to provide necessary nutritional supplements.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — According to an Associated Press investigation, Iowa’s Attorney General hasn’t convicted a police officer for improperly using force since at least 2004, which was the earliest date for which records are available. Attorney General Tom Miller’s office only pursued charges against two officers out of 35 force cases it reviewed, and both of them were ultimately acquitted. Police officers often aren’t charged when someone ends up dead.

Laws often shield officers and give them the benefit of the doubt for a dangerous and unpredictable job, and juries can be reluctant to convict. But prosecutors who have a history of declining to charge police are now facing scrutiny of their records following a summer of mass protests calling for accountability.

(Radio Iowa) – The jackpots for the Powerball and Mega Millions lottery drawings both exceed 300 million — and Iowa Lottery spokesperson Mary Neubauer says that’s a rarity “Neither one of these jackpots are anywhere near a record because in the last couple of years the jackpots in both of these games have been well over a billion dollars,” Neubauer says. “…But it’s just interesting to see that they’re both above $300 million at the same time and that has only happened once or twice in the history of these games, which go back decades.”

The jackpot for tonight’s (Wednesday’s) Powerball drawing is an estimated 321 million. “Mega Millions is just a little bit ahead in terms of the jackpot amount right now because its latest drawing was just last night and nobody won the big prize,” Neubauer says, “so the Mega Millions jackpot now stands at an estimated $352 million annuity for its next drawing on Friday.”

After sluggish sales earlier in the pandemic, these two jackpots have been growing since late September. Neubauer says “It’s a race to see which one will be won first. It’s another strange twist in this really strange year.” The largest lottery payout ever was for Powerball drawing in January of 2016. Three tickets matched the winning numbers and split the more than one-and-a-half BILLION dollar jackpot.