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.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday, said a man was arrested on drug charges, Tuesday. Authorities say 37-year old Jason Lee Badberg, was arrested after Deputies executed a search warrant at 707 North Chestnut Street in Avoca. Badberg was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 3^rd Offense (Marijuana).

On Monday, 31-year old Brenda Boyerman, and 28-year old Leighanna Ruth Walker, were arrested following a traffic stop near McPherson and Highway 6 in Pott. County. Boyerman was charged with Child Endangerment, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) 1^st Offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Walker was charged with Child Endangerment.

A traffic stop Sunday, in Avoca, resulted in the arrest of 60-year old Lee Jung Hoon Hansen, from Avoca. He was charged with Driving While Barred- Habitual Offender. Bond was set at $2,000.

Last Friday, 36-year old Jose Orlando Maes Jr., of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was arrested following an attempt by Council Bluffs Police to stop a vehicle at Harrah’s Casino. The driver failed to yield, resulting in a pursuit. Maes, Jr. was taken into custody for Willful Failure to Stop for Law Enforcement, and for being Fugitive from Justice. His bond was set at $6,000.

On Feb. 11th, 31-year old Matthew Mark Kurth was arrested following a traffic stop in Hancock. He was taken into custody for Driving While Barred- Habitual Offender, and on a warrant from another Iowa agency.

A public hearing was held during Wednesday evening’s meeting of the Atlantic City Council, during which there was minimal input with regard to a proposed amendment to the City’s Zoning Ordinance. The amendment would may make certain real property change from C-1 (Highway Commercial) to I-1 (light industrial), and changing the zoning maps to reflect the change. It would essentially allow Ray Armstrong to rezone his property at 1007 W. 6th Street, so as to further develop the property and use the built real estate, while remaining in compliance with zoning regulations.

Following the hearing the Council took into consideration the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission’s conclusion, that  the rezoning changes were not in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. The Commission prefers to see development occur at the location mentioned, but does not feel rezoning is the best way to see that happen. The P&Z will reconvene March 9th to fully review the relevant definitions and regulations for both C-1 and L1, to see if changes can be made to the Zoning Ordinance that reasonably accommodates development in the area, while also protecting the rights of abutting property owners.  The City Council, for its part, held the first reading of an Ordinance pertaining to the amendment, but the matter died for lack of a motion to approve.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council set their next regular meeting as the date for a Public Hearing on the FY 2022 Maximum Property Tax Dollars for Certain Levies. City Administrator John Lund says they proposed Budget for FY 2022 totals $14,638,261, or a decrease of 11.19% ($1,844,008) from the FY 2021 Revised Estimate of $16,482,269. And he said the budget will allow for work to proceed on an addition to the Atlantic Animal Shelter, along with other priority projects.

On property tax statements where no changes in assessed or taxable value have occurred, the City will show an increase of 2.59%, not the 2.87% shown on the public notice. Lund notes that “While 2.59% is the increase in dollars generated, it is not going to be reflective of the impact on the property taxes levied against individual properties.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, passed a Resolution they passed also set the date for a public hearing on a proposal to enter into a G.O. Solid Waste Management Loan Agreement and borrow money for the same, not to exceed $90,000. The City has, for the past two-years, entered into a 28-E cost sharing agreement with other cities in the County, to pay the Landfill costs, which will be paid for through the Debt Service Levy.