IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases as Gov. Kim Reynolds’ administration allowed school districts to keep offering 100% online instruction next week for tens of thousands of students. The Iowa Department of Education granted waivers allowing the school districts in Des Moines, the state’s largest, and the suburb of Johnston to continue teaching online until Christmas break begins. Iowa City schools said the department also granted its waiver but that it would nonetheless return to 50% in-person instruction Monday, citing the late notice. Under the governor’s policy, districts can move online for two weeks if their county’s 14-day positivity rate exceeds 15%.

DES MOINES —  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced that it has awarded more than 140-million dollars ($143,892,544.40) to 11 broadband providers to bring broadband to rural Iowa.  The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Auction is a federal program focusing on bringing broadband to 10 million Americans. Nearly all rural locations eligible for the award will receive broadband at speeds of 100 Megabits per seconds (Mbps) download, with nearly 85% of eligible locations receiving Gigabit service according to the FCC.

Among the Iowa providers receiving funds is Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company (FMCTC) in Harlan, which will receive $ 12,447.00.

The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is just the latest project working to bring broadband to all of Iowa. Earlier this year $50 million dollars in CARES Act funds were made available by Governor Kim Reynolds for broadband grant projects throughout the state. This is in addition to the ongoing Empower Rural Iowa broadband grants that provides matching grants up to 35% for broadband infrastructure and development.

The CARES Act and Empower Rural Iowa grants are administered by the Office of the Chief Information Officer through authority granted by the Iowa State Legislature. The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is administered by the FCC.

(Council Bluffs) – Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker reports “The Sheriff’s Office always looks forward to our Shop with the Sheriff event that [is held] each December.” Danker said this was the 21st year for the event, and “With the generous donations from individuals, families, businesses and organizations, we will be shopping for 72 kids, which represent 33 families in our community.”

Shop with the Sheriff (Pott. Co. S/O photo) – FILE PHOTO

The Sheriff acknowledged that this year brought them some challenges. Because of the pandemic Deputies and Sheriff’s personnel will be unable to spend the morning shopping with the kids like they have in previous years. Danker says “With all the generosity, we were able to spend $200 on each child and provide a gift card to those families so they can purchase goods to cook a family holiday meal.”

On Saturday at 10:00 AM, the families will drive-thru the Sheriff’s Office parking lot to see Santa and pick up the gifts that were purchased for the kids.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Dubuque man who was sentenced to 50 years in prison on a second-degree murder conviction for the death of his girlfriend. Fontae Buelow claims Samantha Link turned a knife on herself in an act of suicide after an argument in March 2017. Prosecutors alleged he stabbed her and charged him with first-degree murder. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder in January 2018. The court’s ruling upholds an appeals court decision last year that threw out the conviction because the trial judge did not allow information about Link’s prior suicide attempt and mental health records that may have supported Buelow’s contention that Link stabbed herself.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating the vandalism of a synagogue in Davenport that occurred on the first day of Hanukkah. Television station KWQC reports that someone spray-painted a New Testament biblical citation at an entrance to Temple Emanuel on Thursday afternoon. The citation “John 8:44” was painted in red on a wall near the temple doors. The verse recounts Jesus telling his critics that they are the spawn of the devil. Rabbi Bertenthal says the vandalism and its message are particularly hurtful coming at the opening of the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights. Police have not announced any arrests or suspects in the vandalism.