DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – UPS plans to move much of its Des Moines air shipping operations to Illinois. The company announced Thursday that the move to Chicago Rockford International Airport in Rockford will eliminate 123 jobs at the UPS facility at Des Moines International Airport. Rockford has a larger sorting facility with extra capacity and is closer to major markets.

UPS spokesman Jim Mayer says all 123 people will be offered similar positions elsewhere in Des Moines. The move of 13 flights a week begins July 16. Mayer says the change will not affect UPS customers in the Des Moines area. UPS will continue to operate one nightly flight from Des Moines.

About 900 people work for UPS in the Des Moines area. The company says it doesn’t expect that number to change.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – The world’s most experienced spacewoman says she’s thrilled to get an extra three months off the planet. The commander of the International Space Station, Peggy Whitson, told The Associated Press on Thursday that five months into her mission, she’s still not bored. She misses cooking, though, and a diverse menu. She’s afraid there isn’t much chocolate left, to celebrate Easter this Sunday.

Earlier this month, NASA announced Whitson – a native of Beaconsfield, in Ringgold County – will stay up until September, stretching her mission to nearly 10 months. NASA is taking advantage of an empty seat in a Russian Soyuz capsule for her return.

The 57-year-old Whitson – the oldest woman to fly in space – is on the verge of setting a U.S. record for most accumulated time in space. This is her third space station stint.

Officials with Vested Interest in K9’s have announced Cass County K9 “Vader” was selected to receive medical reimbursement health care coverage. In a press release, the organization said “Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) nationwide charity located in East Taunton, MA, whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit is pleased their “Healthcare for K9 Heroes” program which launched in 2016.  The charity will supplement their initial donation of $10,000 in 2016 by donating an additional $10,000 in 2017 toward medical reimbursement programs for some self-funded K9 units.

Cass County K9 Vader (photo provided)

“The ‘Healthcare for K9 Heroes’ grant will be awarded to departments who have the financial burden of raising funds to support their K9 unit, who have no more than three K9s, and who have previously been awarded a vest through Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Law enforcement dogs ages two through seven will be eligible. The medical reimbursement insurance policy will cover illnesses, injuries—including those sustained in the line of duty—diagnostic testing and therapies.  In 2016, the pilot program for the charity awarded twenty-four K9 recipients with an annual policy at the cost of just over $10,000.00.

“Selected as 2017 recipients to date are: Cass County, IA Sheriff’s Office, K9 Vader, Dalton MA Police Department, K9 Max, , Ballard County KY Detention Center, K9 Abby, University Hospital of OH, K9 General, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, WA K9s Grizzly and Chicka and Attica, IN Police Department K9 Dirk.

“The Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. grant will allow for the provision of a Trupanion prepaid annual policy. The plan allows the freedom to use any licensed veterinarian, speciality center, or the emergency hospital in the United States, and Puerto Rico.

“The program will be administered by Trupanion. Cass County has been fortunate in previously receiving bullet and stab resistant vest for both of their K9 teams.  Cass County K9 Vader, who is handled by Deputy Quist, now will have extra protection medically because of this grant.  The K9 team meets the qualifications listed above because the program is run through forfeiture funding, has previously been awarded a vest, meets the age requirements, and Cass County currently has two K9 teams.

“Trupanion, a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs, offers injury and illnesses coverage for working and service dogs— both on and off duty. For nearly two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners and working dog owners peace of mind so they can focus on their dog’s recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is honored to support these brave K9 heroes and is committed to providing the highest value in medical insurance to help them receive the best veterinary care.

“In addition to the healthcare reimbursement program, the non-profit has provided over 2400 law enforcement dogs with bullet and stab protective vests in 50 states, at a cost of 1.9 million dollars. For more information, please call 508-824-6978. Tax deductible donations accepted via mail to: Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718 or via the website: www.vik9s.org.

“Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States and Canada. Trupanion is committed to providing pet owners with the highest value in pet medical insurance. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “TRUP”. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Omega General Insurance Company. For more information please visit Trupanion.com.”

Police in Red Oak, Thursday night, arrested 44-year old Floyd Raymond Henry II, of Red Oak. Henry was taken into custody at around 10:25-p.m. for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond until making an appearance before the magistrate.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Thursday of 50-year old Kristine Courtney Ryan, of Elliott. Ryan was taken into custody for Theft in the 2nd degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree, following an incident in the 500 block of 5th Street, in Elliott. Ryan was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

It’s unclear EXACTLY how House Republicans intend to go about “defunding” Planned Parenthood. Republicans on a House subcommittee last (Thursday) night set aside three MILLION dollars in state money to pay for contraceptives, exams and other reproductive health services for Medicaid patients in Iowa, but there’s no language in the bill specifying which clinics qualify. The intention, though, is to prevent any of that money from being spent at health facilities where abortions are performed.

Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell of Ames admits since she and other Democrats are a minority in the legislature, they do not have the votes to stop this. “But we can let Iowans know what’s happening and I think that’s probably the most important thing we can do today,” she says.

A key Republican in the House says the details of the G-O-P’s plan may be released sometime today (Friday). Wessel-Kroeschel says the bottom line is the state is giving up matching federal dollars for the Medicaid program, while the G-O-P’s budget plan reduces the Iowa Department of Public Health’s budget by 10 percent. “This could put us at a public health risk,” she says. “It is absolutely unconscionable that you leave $3 million on the table when you are doing those kinds of cuts.”

The Republican-led Iowa SENATE passed a bill back on February 2nd that would deny state tax dollars to facilities that perform elective abortions. Legislators are rushing to craft the final details of a OVERALL spending plan for the state budgeting year that begins July 1st. Lawmakers hope to wrap up the 2018 legislative session next week.

(Radio Iowa)

Republican Congressman Steve King says he’s concerned that President Trump picked a “pro-immigration” economist to head his “Council of Economic Advisors.”  “People are policy,” King says, “so whenever I see those kind of appointments come in place, I do get concerned about it.”

King, though, says he has “some level of comfort” because of what Trump said during the campaign, plus King is a fan of Trump’s attorney general. Jeff Sessions and King were staunch opponents of immigration reform efforts during the Obama AND Bush Administrations. “But I am not at the level of being happy with so far of what Donald Trump has done,” King says. “He’s done some good things, but DACA and DAPA still exist.”

King opposes the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” as well as Obama’s decision to table deportation orders for the parents of American citizens. “And I’ve told the president this: ‘Every day you don’t address this, it gets harder and harder to do,'” King says. If Trump WERE to try granting legal status to people who came into the country illegally, King warns Trump’s support would slump in the countryside.

“I wouldn’t say that is the case today. His base is starting to get uneasy because they haven’t seen this movement on DACA and on DAPA…They are not quite confident yet on the wall, but the messages are clear out of the White House: ‘We’ll build the wall.’ King says. “…I look at the ‘to do’ list that comes out of the campaign promises of Donald Trump…and there are quite a few check marks behind that. There are a few to go or he will lose his base and think that’s an important message for the president to receive.”

And King says he’s trying to “whip” up support among House conservatives who opposed the initial plan to “repeal and replace” ObamaCare. King made his comments Thursday afternoon during taping of this week’s episode of “Iowa Press.” It will air tonight (Friday night) at 7:30 on Iowa Public Television.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 1:40 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Republican lawmakers are seeking to eliminate a tax on utilities that has long funded energy and environmental research at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. A draft plan proposes ending in 2022 an assessment on utilities that raises about $5 million annually for the Iowa Energy Center at Iowa State and the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research at the University of Iowa. One Democratic senator says he fears the centers will go away when their funding dries up.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — One of three men charged in the death of a 29-year-old man last summer has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. The Quad-City Times reports that 34-year-old Durell Parks Jr. pleaded guilty Thursday to willful injury resulting in serious injury in the Aug. 18 fatal stabbing of Romane Nunn Sr. in a Davenport park. Parks had originally been charged with first-degree murder. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he’s sentenced May 24.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a police officer and two bystanders pulled a man who slipped and fell into the Cedar River in northeastern Iowa from the water. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier report that the rescue happened Thursday near the Ice House Museum in Cedar Falls. Officials say he was unconscious when the officer and two others pulled him from the water. He was taken to a hospital, and his condition was not known Thursday afternoon.

A Life Flight medical helicopter made an emergency landing north of Stratford shortly after 2 a-m today (Thursday) after notifying the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office of a problem. The crew members stated that they had struck a bird while in flight. A windshield was broken out as a result with all crew members escaping injury. The helicopter landed in a farm field. The helicopter is owned by Unity Point Health Trinity Regional Medical Center out of Fort Dodge. The crew was returning to Fort Dodge after transferring a patient to Iowa City.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature has passed a bill that will require identification at the polls and reduce the number of early voting days. The Senate approved the bill 28-21 Thursday. The House approved it earlier this month. It now heads to Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who has indicated he supports requiring ID to vote.

The legislation would require people to show acceptable identification at the polls beginning in 2019. The state must provide identification to people who need it. Another provision will reduce early voting before a general election from 40 days to 29 days. It also eliminates a straight party voting option.

Republicans say the measure will maintain voter integrity, though there’s no evidence of widespread fraudulent voting in Iowa. Democrats say the legislation will suppress voter turnout and is unnecessary amid budget constraints.