(Radio Iowa) – The three Republicans from Iowa who serve in the U.S. House voted against the pandemic relief House Democrats approved this weekend. Fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull is blasting Democrats for removing his amendment which would have added derecho relief for Iowans to the bill. His proposal cleared the House Ag Committee with the support of Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne and the Republicans on the committee.

“There was one bipartisan amendment in this entire process — one — and that’s mine,” Feenstra says, “that allowed some funding to be spent toward helping areas of rural America that were devastated by natural disasters.” Majority Democrats stripped Feenstra’s proposal from the bill before a final vote was taken.  “Iowa deserves better from Democrats,” Feenstra says. “Rural America deserves better from Democrats.”

Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, recorded a video after she voted “no” on the one-point-nine TRILLION dollar package. “This bill is really a disservice to the hardworking taxpayers and children in Iowa’s first district,” Hinson said. “…We need to get more targeted relief. We don’t need more Washington pork spending.” Second district Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa issued a written statement, saying it was unacceptable that less than one-half of one percent of the bill will fund local and state public health workers to speed up vaccinations.

Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, voted for the bill. Axne says it’s a comprehensive relief package that will help Iowans in need. The bill provides a new round of direct payments to most Americans and extends enhanced unemployment benefits. It’s projected to provide 947 million to Iowa cities and counties, money Axne says is needed to protect local services and close budget deficits from last year. The State of Iowa stands to get one-point-three BILLION.

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and 21 other governors co-signed a statement objecting to the way money is distributed to the states. The allocation is based on the number of unemployed in each state rather than on each state’s total population.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa health officials reported 348 coronavirus cases and one new death linked to COVID-19 on Sunday, but hospitalizations remained at a low level statewide. As of Sunday morning, the state was reporting 336,311 cases of the virus and 5,471 deaths since the pandemic began. The number of people hospitalized with the virus across the state crept up Sunday to 196 from Saturday’s 181, but that total remains well below the November peak of more than 1,500 patients. Iowa officials said 169,617 people have now received both required doses of a coronavirus vaccine in the state.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating a shooting in Des Moines that fatally wounded a 52-year-old man. The Des Moines Police Department and Des Moines Fire Department responded to the report of a shooting at about 11:20 p.m. Friday and arrived to find the man with a gunshot injury. Police said in a news release that despite lifesaving efforts at the scene and the hospital, he died at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday. This is the city’s first homicide of the year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified 20-year-old Lily Macke of Grimes, Iowa, as the woman who died in a fatal collision between a car and a semi. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday that Macke was driving a 2006 Nissan southbound on Highway 141 on Friday morning when her vehicle crossed the median and was struck by a northbound semi. She was pronounced dead a the scene. The driver of the semi was uninjured. The investigation into the accident continues.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 21-year-old Illinois man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and leaving her body at an arboretum in Iowa has pleaded not guilty. Richard Forsythe, of Galena, Illinois, recently entered a written plea in Iowa District Court in Dubuque County. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Jennifer Lopez, of East Dubuque, Illinois. Her body was found Feb. 1 at the Dubuque Arboretum. Police say she was stabbed 15 times. Forsythe’s next court hearing is set for April 12.

The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday, said a rural Mount Ayr resident has reported that someone had entered his machine shed sometime on Feb. 24th or 25th, and took:

• A DeWalt 18-volt drill, charger and 2 batteries
• A Milwaukee 18-volt drill, charger and 2 batteries
• A Milwaukee 12-volt Sawzall and charger
• A ¾ drive socket set,
• Slide hammer set, and
• .22 Savage rifle.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact the RCSO at 641-464-3921.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath, Sunday, at 10-a.m., reported an additional 379 positive COVID-19 test results returned from the labs since Saturday, for a pandemic total of 363,469. There was also one additional death reported, for a total of 5,471. Long Term Care facility deaths account for 2,168 of the State’s total number of deaths.

Long-Term Care facility COVID-Outbreaks are up a bit, to 19. Hospitalizations increased from 181 Saturday, to 196 Sunday. COVID patients in an ICU increased also, from 43 Saturday to 50 on Sunday. There were 39 patients admitted to hospitals over the 24-hour reporting period, compared to 36 on Saturday, and 19 patients on a ventilator.

Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: nine people remain hospitalized; five COVID patients are in an ICU, there were no new admissions for patients with COVID, and one person remained on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day and seven-day positivity rate remains 4.1%, while the seven-date rate 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, 1,333 cases; {+5}; 51 deaths
• Adair, 920; {+2}; 28
• Adams, 326 {+0}; 4
• Audubon, 486 {+1}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,163 {+0}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,792; {+0}; 69
• Madison County, 1,542; {+4}; 18
• Mills County, 1,629; {+4}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,039; {+0}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,761; {+10}; 143
• Shelby County, 1,205; {+2}; 33
• Union County,  1,263; {+1}; 31

A complaint just before noon, Saturday, about a person trespassing on property in Montgomery County, resulted in an arrest. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 28-year old Justin L. Marsden was located on the property at Gingko Avenue. They say he was arguing with the property owners. Marsden had previously been served with notice not to enter the property, and had not left when directed to do so.

He was taken into custody without incident and charged with Criminal Trespass/1st Offense. Bond was set at $300.

Police in Red Oak report a Pottawattamie County man was arrested Saturday evening on a sexual assault charge.  Authorities say 20-year-old Isaiah Michael Rinabarger, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for sexual assault without injury. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:50 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating a shooting in Des Moines that fatally wounded a 52-year-old man. The Des Moines Police Department and Des Moines Fire Department responded to the report of a shooting at about 11:20 p.m. Friday and arrived to find the man with a gunshot injury. Police said in a news release that despite lifesaving efforts at the scene and the hospital, he died at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday. This is the city’s first homicide of the year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified 20-year-old Lily Macke of Grimes, Iowa, as the woman who died in a fatal collision between a car and a semi. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday that Macke was driving a 2006 Nissan southbound on Highway 141 on Friday morning when her vehicle crossed the median and was struck by a northbound semi. She was pronounced dead a the scene. The driver of the semi was uninjured. The investigation into the accident continues.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 21-year-old Illinois man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and leaving her body at an arboretum in Iowa has pleaded not guilty. Richard Forsythe, of Galena, Illinois, recently entered a written plea in Iowa District Court in Dubuque County. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Jennifer Lopez, of East Dubuque, Illinois. Her body was found Feb. 1 at the Dubuque Arboretum. Police say she was stabbed 15 times. Forsythe’s next court hearing is set for April 12.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police are searching for suspects after discovering a 14-year-old boy shot to death in a Davenport yard this week. The Quad-City Times reports that someone found the body of Jamon Winfrey on the ground Thursday afternoon and called police. Investigators believe the shooting happened a day earlier, when police were called to the area for a report of shots fired. Police believe that three vehicles were chasing after one another Wednesday afternoon, with shots fired from at least one of the vehicles. At the time, investigators found only shell casings in the area, but no damage or injuries. Now, police believe Winfrey was shot in the incident.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified 20-year-old Lily Macke of Grimes, Iowa, as the woman who died in a fatal collision between a car and a semi. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday that Macke was driving a 2006 Nissan southbound on Highway 141 on Friday morning when her vehicle crossed the median and was struck by a northbound semi. She was pronounced dead a the scene. The driver of the semi was uninjured. The investigation into the accident continues.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating a shooting in Des Moines that fatally wounded a man. The Des Moines Police Department and Des Moines Fire Department responded to the report of a shooting at about 11:20 p.m. Friday and arrived to find the man with a gunshot injury.

Police said in a news release that despite lifesaving efforts at the scene and the hospital, he died at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday. This is the city’s first homicide of the year.