(Radio Iowa) – A new report finds Iowa has lost about half its licensed child care centers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report by the non-profit Child Care Aware of America found the state’s licensed child care centers dropped from nearly 16-hundred in January to just over 800 in July. Spokeswoman Kristina Haynie says some closures may be temporary, while larger centers may be struggling with additional costs associated with new cleaning and child-staff ratio requirements.

“So, like group sizes, that used to be maybe nine children per classroom has gone down to half that,” she says, “but they can’t let go staff and so they’re paying the same number of staff, but serving fewer children.” The report found in-home providers are faring much better during the pandemic. Their numbers stayed about the same from January to July, actually adding four programs during the time period. Haynie says larger licensed centers may be struggling because they have more children and staff to manage.

“So many parents might be working from home or they’re unemployed, they might not be sending their children to child care at this point,” she says. “And so, centers if they don’t have that many children, it’s really not feasible for them to stay in business.” The report recommends investing more government support in child care and providing more resources and support for families and providers.

(reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Senator Joni Ernst says confirming President Trump’s third U.S. Supreme Court justice is a way to prevent what she calls the “radicalization” of the court. In 2016, Ernst said she wouldn’t support confirming a justice in an election year. Ernst says Iowans see the situation is different in 2020, with Republicans now in control of the White House and the U.S. Senate.

“What they’re hearing from Democrats is that they will pack the court,” Ernst says. “They’ll get rid of the Senate filibuster and you cannot tell me that Democrats wouldn’t be doing the same thing right now.” Ernst is seeking a second term in the U.S. Senate. She says Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield has also changed her views on the Supreme Court.

“My opponent already, she said she wouldn’t support packing the court earlier this year and now she hasn’t formed an opinion,” Ernst said. “…She’s not even elected yet and she’s shifting her position there.” After Greenfield said she had no opinion on adding justices to the Supreme Court, Greenfield’s spokesman issued a written statement saying Greenfield believes campaign finance reform is the best way to improve our democracy. Ernst filled up a campaign R-V with ethanol at a gas station in Grimes early Friday morning.

Ernst told a group of reporters gathered around the bus that she’s willing to push back if President Trump sows doubt about the outcome of this year’s election. “Absolutely and I can do that with authority and I have been speaking out about this because I served as a commissioner of elections here in the state of Iowa,” Ernst said, “but I do believe that our election system here in Iowa is very, very safe and if people want to vote by mail — an absentee ballot by mail — please, please go ahead and do that.”

Ernst served as the Montgomery County Auditor for six years before she was elected to the state senate in 2010.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Iowa school regulators have temporarily removed the top two officials in the Davenport school district amid concerns about inequities in discipline for minority students, inadequate special education and school safety. The State Board of Education decided Friday to replace Superintendent Robert Kobylski and Chief Financial Officer Claudia Wood while the district rectifies deficiencies.

The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Department of Education says Davenport schools have failed to make progress on goals outlined by the state over the past three years. The agency called the decision “a critical step” toward ensuring a quality education in a safe and secure environment.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say gunfire erupted at a gathering of motorcycle clubs in Iowa, killing one person and wounding seven others. Waterloo Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald says about 100 people were at the gathering inside a building in Waterloo early Saturday when there was “some kind of confrontation.” He says nearby police officers heard the gunfire and responded within seconds.

Eight people had gunshot wounds and one of them later died. Four other people were hurt by broken glass or other debris while fleeing. Investigators are still trying to determine whether there was more than one shooter and no arrests have been made.

Council Bluffs Police responded to an injury accident in the 300 block of Lincoln Avenue a little after 1-p.m., Saturday.  Upon Officers’ arrival, Council Bluffs Fire Department personnel were treating a 2-year old female who suffered life-threatening injuries. The child was transported to Nebraska Medicine Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased.

A preliminary investigation indicates the child was struck by a vehicle pulling into the driveway. No further details were released as of 3:20-p.m.