IOWA (IRN) – The sky will have a spectacular show tonight into Saturday morning with the full snow moon, an eclipse, and a comet. NASA reports the eclipse will be visible for most of North America. Also, Comet 45P will be its closest to Earth at 7.4 million miles away. The bright blue-green head with a tail will be visible around 3 a.m. Saturday in the constellation Hercules. Binoculars or a telescope will be helpful.

IOWA (IRN) – Iowa no longer services or tracks the more than 700 self-help computer kiosk locations it installed to replace dozens of unemployment offices Gov. Terry Branstad closed in 2011, according to the Des Moines Register. The Iowa Workforce Development so far has been unable to say when the department discontinued the program. No public announcement was made, and board minutes do not reflect the issue was publicly discussed in the past two years.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City man has been sentenced to life in prison for the stabbing death of a 43-year-old woman. KCRG-TV reports Isack Abdinur stabbed Cornelia Stead 23 times in her Sioux City apartment, killing her. The two were romantically involved.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A former eastern Iowa police chief has pled guilty to charges of stealing a police weapon and lying to a federal agent. Multiple other charges were dropped. 47-year-old Jeffrey Filloon stole at least three firearms and four vehicles from the Tama Police Department while chief. He sold the guns to a pawn shop and the vehicles to a salvage yard. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – One of the companies involved in Iowa’s new privately managed Medicaid system intends to reduce payments to agencies that serve people with disabilities. The Des Moines Register reports AmeriHealth Caritas plans to cut rates to the minimum. The cuts could drive some of the organizations that help tens of thousands of Iowans with disabilities out of business.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill advancing through the Iowa House would take away a county’s ability to set its own minimum wage. KCCI-TV reports the Republican bill would undo a year of study and debate by the Polk County Board of Supervisors after they decided to raise the county minimum wage, along with other counties. The bill would also reset the state minimum wage to $7.25 an hour.