(Radio Iowa) — The U.S. Postal Service will not be delivering the mail. Schools, churches and even some Iowa businesses are closed on this frigid Wednesday, but state government is open. “State agencies within the executive branch of state government will be open to maintain our commitments to Iowans throughout the state.”  Governor Kim Reynolds says there was very similar weather in 2014 and state government did not close then either. “In a couple of days, it’s going to be 40, so we just need to be conscientious of the weather,” Reynolds says.

Reynolds spoke with reporters yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon and read through a list tips for surviving when the “feels like” temperatures reach minus 40, minus 50 or even more frigid depths. “Stay indoors when possible. Dress warmly in loose-fitting, layered, light-weight clothing. Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently, to prevent loss of body heat. Maintain at least half a tank of gas at all times and keep an emergency supply kit in your car,” Reynolds said.

The governor’s schedule calls for her to be on the road today (Wednesday), visiting businesses in four eastern Iowa cities. “We’re Iowans and this is part of the elements that we deal with and so just be mindful that it’s nasty outside,” Reynolds said. “…I think if people are just thoughtful about when they go out into the elements, they’ll be fine.” Reynolds plans to be in Albion by 9 a.m. today, followed by mid-day tours of companies in Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids, plus a late afternoon stop in Tipton.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A deadly arctic deep freeze has enveloped the Midwest, forcing widespread closure of schools, businesses, government offices, and prompting the U.S. Postal Service to take the rare step of suspending mail delivery to a wide swath of the region because of the cold.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the first Democrats running for president propose taxing wealth and providing universal health care, a broader debate is emerging over how far Democrats should go to appeal to their base during the primary season. Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is among those pitching to the party’s center. He recently visited Iowa to test his theory that Democrats are less interested in a resistance champion than someone with a record of achieving liberal goals even with divided government.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man with a lengthy criminal record who is already in prison for other crimes has been convicted of trying to hire a hitman to kill two northeastern Iowa people. Federal prosecutors say 44-year-old Jason Harriman was convicted Tuesday of two counts of murder-for-hire. Prosecutors say Harriman began serving a 15-year federal sentence in 2011 on gun charges and made multiple phone and email contacts from prison with someone he thought was a hired killer.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested a man already serving a 25-year federal prison sentence for the 2017 death of a central Iowa man whose body was found weeks after he went missing. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says 28-year-old Armando Adame III was arrested Tuesday at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility on charges of first-degree murder and a weapons count in the death of 28-year-old Michael Bruce Johns.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports early this (Wednesday) morning, Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office arrested 36 year old Jeffrey Sidney, of Plattsmouth,NE.   Sidney was traveling westbound and coming around the bypass in Sidney, when he failed to maintain control of his vehicle and wrecked landing on the front lawn of the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center.

When Deputies made contact with Sidney, he was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. At that time Deputies walked  him from the front lawn into the jail where he is being held on $1,600 bond.

Police in Red Oak report a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon resulted in the arrest of 50-year old Rene Telesforo Valdivia, of Red Oak. Valdivia was taken into custody for Driving While Suspended, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense (Marijuana). He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 bond.

And, Red Oak Police responded to a two-vehicle accident with No Injuries, Tuesday. The collision happened at the intersection of 4th and Oak Streets, in Red Oak. Authorities say a female juvenile was traveling westbound on Oak in a 2012 Hyundai Sante Fe, when the female juvenile driver of a northbound 2007 Jeep failed to yield the right-of-way. The SUV’s collided, with the damage estimated at $5,000 altogether. No citations were issued at the scene.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s three public universities are asking lawmakers for an additional 18 million dollars in the next fiscal year. In the past two years, lawmakers cut millions more than that from Iowa, Iowa State and the University of Northern Iowa to make up for lower-than-expected state tax revenue. Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen says if the request isn’t met, the financial burden will continue to shift to students in the form of higher tuition.

“That’s something that everyone needs to remember. What do we want our reputation in Iowa to be? Historically, for 100 years, it’s been about supporting education, having an educated workforce, supporting innovation in science,” Winterstein says. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has endorsed the 18 milion dollar boost for the universities in Ames, Cedar Falls and Iowa City, but Republicans in the legislature haven’t signalled whether they intend to provide extra money to the schools.