CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Linn County authorities say a man died after he was partially run over by a skid loader near Cedar Rapids. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday in a news release that 60-year-old Robert Carson, of Marion, was using a Bobcat skid loader to clean up downed trees when he partially backed over a man who was helping him. The name of the person who was killed has not been released. An investigation is continuing.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The FBI says a right-wing conspiracy theorist from Iowa was among the first to break into the U.S. Capitol during last week’s deadly pro-Trump insurrection in which he chased and menaced a Black police officer. Douglas A. Jensen surrendered to police in his hometown of Des Moines on Friday, two days after the Jan. 6 rampage in Washington, D.C., that left five people dead and disrupted U.S. democracy.

FILE – In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, Trump supporters gesture to U.S. Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington. Doug Jensen, an Iowa man at center, was jailed early Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021 on federal charges, including trespassing and disorderly conduct counts, for his alleged role in the Capitol riot. Jensen, 41, of Des Moines, was being held without bond at the Polk County Jail and county sheriff’s Sgt. Ryan Evans said he didn’t know if Jensen had an attorney. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Investigators say Jensen told them he positioned himself to be among the leaders of the Capitol siege because he was wearing a T-shirt promoting QAnon, the apocalyptic conspiracy theory that he follows.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will ask lawmakers to immediately send her a bill to sign into law that will require schools to offer parents the option of having their children in classrooms full time despite continuing high levels of coronavirus throughout Iowa.

Reynolds, in her annual Condition of the State speech Tuesday evening, also laid out a plan for spending $450 million over the next five years to expand high-speed internet service across the state, more than $25 million to improve child care programs and $30 million over two years to fund mental health programs.

Those are the largest spending requests she’ll seek from lawmakers.

(Radio Iowa) – Federal stimulus checks are arriving in Iowans’ bank accounts and mailboxes, while scammers are hoping to dupe people out of that money — which can be several hundred dollars. Bao Vang, spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau, says Iowans should be very cautious in dealing with anyone who contacts you about the stimulus payments.

“Don’t reply directly. Don’t respond to the call, text, or email,” Vang says. “If you think the message is real, find the government agency’s contact information on their website and then contact them directly.” Vang says to resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the caller’s story might be. She says scammers try to get people to act before thinking about the situation. Also, Vang says to beware of look-alikes, like callers from the “Internal Revenue Department.”

“Scammers often make up names of agencies,” Vang says, “and sometimes these names can be very similar to the ones we know and trust.” Vang says you should never have to pay a fee for a “free” government check, grant or program, as it’s not really free if there is a fee involved.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Police have revealed that three people killed in a crash following a high-speed police chase in central Iowa were teenagers. Police in the Des Moines suburb of Clive say 16-year-old Emmanuel Martin Nyariel, 14-year-old Majok Martin Nyariel and 14-year-old Zacharia Warsame died in the early Monday crash.

Police say two other Des Moines teens, ages 13 and 15, remained hospitalized Tuesday with life-threatening injuries. Investigators say the crash happened after the teens fled when officers attempted to stop a stolen car they were in.

Police say the car launched into the air as it crossed railroad tracks, flipped several times and hit a utility pole and creek bank.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa Department of Public Safety employee who traveled to Washington, D.C., to support President Donald Trump’s push to overturn the election says she understands the rage that fueled the insurrection and that it was bound to happen. Hollie Davidson, an administrative assistant at the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications Systems Board, says she took part in two days of “Stop the Steal” rallies but wasn’t among the mob that entered the Capitol.

Five people were killed during the rampage, which delayed certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral victory. Davidson writes on Facebook that the insurrection “had to happen in order for us to have our voices heard finally.”

Iowa Senator Jake Chapman and Representative Ray Sorensen will hold joint legislative coffees for the 2021 session.The coffees will be held at The Guthrie Center Farm Bureau at 8:00a.m. on the following Saturdays: February 6; March 6 and April 3. Coffees are also scheduled for The Corner Coffee Shop in Greenfield at 10a.m. on the same Saturdays.

Newly elected as President of the Senate, Senator Jake Chapman looks to continue his leadership for a watchdog for Iowa’s taxpayers. Representative Sorensen continues his leadership in the house in a new role as a Chair of the Economic Growth Committee.

Times to be determined at a later date for Dallas and Cass Counties. Virtual options will also be available for those unable to attend in person, and information will be provided via the Sorensen for Iowa Facebook page.

(Des Moines, IA) Today (Tuesday) the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) released the guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine priority populations for Phase 1B, based on the recommendations put forward by the Iowa Disease Advisory Council (IDAC) and accepted by Kelly Garcia, IDPH interim Director.

Garcia says “I am grateful for the incredible work of the Infectious Disease Advisory Council. The work of this group is critical to ensuring Iowa’s most vulnerable are protected and have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. In a situation where there is not a playbook to follow, the thoughtful dialog and recommendations reflect their deep commitment to equity and making the right decisions in the best interest of all Iowans.”

IDAC Recommendations

Due to the current and short-term projections for vaccine allocation for Iowa, IDAC recommendations for Phase 1B focus on individuals who are age 75 and over, as well as other high risk populations. This includes Iowans who are most vulnerable to exposure to COVID-19 or high-risk for illness as the result of a COVID-19 infection, with a significant focus on equity.  Some examples include individuals with disabilities living in home settings, correctional facilities, other congregate settings and meatpacking plant workers.

Acceptance of Recommendations

Garcia accepted IDAC’s recommendations in full, modified with two additions. In addition to IDAC’s recommendations for inclusion in Phase 1B are inspectors responsible for health, life and safety as well as government officials, including staff, to ensure continuity of government, engaged in state business at the Iowa Capitol during the legislative session. Please see the IDAC recommendations and response here.

Tentative Timeframes

It will require approximately 300-400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to complete Phase 1A statewide. Iowa has, to date, been allocated approximately 226,000 doses. Vaccination of Phase 1B populations will begin no later than the first of February, and will take several weeks to complete. This timeline is subject to change.

In order to assure that we are moving through the Phase 1A schedule swiftly, IDPH is monitoring allocation data and utilization rates as well as through discussions with healthcare providers to identify challenges with administration or uptake.

There will be more details soon on where Phase 1B populations will receive their vaccines. Many of these vaccines will be administered via employer-based clinics. There are also approximately 1,700  enrolled vaccine providers in the state. Many of these providers are pharmacies and clinical offices that are equipped to handle screening and scheduling for vaccination efforts. County health departments may partner with these providers to ensure their residents have access to the vaccine when it becomes available.

In addition, to the above recommendations, IDAC strongly supports that no individual shall be restricted from obtaining vaccine based on residency or citizenship as noted in the memo from the Iowa Department of Public Health Re: Administration of COVID-19 Vaccine – County/State of Residence, dated December 11, 2020.

https://idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/61/covid19/vaccine/Vaccine%20Memo-Regardless%20of%20Residence.pdf 

Garcia says “As of today we’ve learned from the federal government of significant increased availability of the vaccine based on each state’s ability to distribute supply quickly and number of residents over age 65, or under age 65 with significant health conditions. Once we have reasonable confidence that supply meets the demands of this broader eligibility criteria, we will activate the broader distribution criteria. From the very beginning from this distribution effort, it has been our goal to reach all Iowans.”

IDPH continues to urge Iowans that while the vaccine is still a scarce resource, to practice virus mitigation efforts.

• Wear 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

View the full IDAC recommendations here and vaccine administration data here.

(DES MOINES) – Monday morning, Rep. Tom Moore (R-Griswold) was sworn in to the Iowa House of Representatives on the first day of the 89^th General Assembly. The swearing in ceremony was shortly followed by opening remarks by Speaker of the House Pat Grassley, outlining some of the priorities of the Legislature for the 2021 session.

(R) Rep. Tom Moore

During session Rep. Moore can be reached by email at tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov.