DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Davenport man is being charged murder in the death of his mother Tuesday. Officers found Dianne Rupp, 77, from Davenport, dead inside her apartment. Police arrested her son, Andrew Rupp, 53. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – State lawmakers have sent a new education funding bill to Gov. Kim Reynolds, and it falls short of what she proposed. The Senate passed a 2.4% funding increase for K-12 education. Reynolds suggested a 2.5% increase. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s Republican-dominated Legislature is advancing a bill that would drastically rewrite state election law in a way that critics say would favor the party. The bill would cut the mail and in-person early voting period from 29 to 18 days. It would bar counties from mailing absentee ballot applications to voters, tightly regulate how absentee ballots can be returned and potentially cut many early voting locations.The Iowa State Association of County Auditors is against the bill. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa has dropped plans for a centralized registration system to help frustrated seniors and other Iowans find appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday the state has cancelled a contract with Microsoft to build a new statewide system for shots. The Governor says trying to implement such a system could cause more disruption. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The IHSAA wrestling tournament is underway in Des Moines. It’s the largest of its kind in the country. Even with reduced attendance because of coronavirus protocols, it’s still expected to bring $1.5 million dollars to Des Moines businesses.

CARROLL, IA (IRN) – Fire crews spent the night fighting a fire and explosion next door to a popular Oil Company in Carroll. The fire was at a building near Al’s Corner on Highway 71 around 10 p.m. Al’s Corner wasn’t damaged. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – The Des Moines man charged in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection faces a new federal charge. Doug Jensen, 41, originally faced six federal charges. A new charge alleges he possessed a knife at the time of the riots. Jensen was arrested in Des Moines and booked into the Polk County Jail Jan. 9. He has since been moved to federal custody in Washington, D.C. EAGLE GROVE, IA (IRN) – Authorities are investigating a homicide at Prestage foods in Eagle Grove. One white male brutally stabbed another. A suspect is in custody. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa Senate subcommittee voted to advance a bill prohibiting employers from mandating vaccines for employees and creating a new exemption from required school immunizations. Senate File 193, sponsored by five Senate Republicans, would also prohibit discrimination based on vaccine status. Anti-vaccination groups, including the National Vaccine Information Center, which has been criticized for promoting false or misleading claims regarding vaccines, supported the bill. MARION, IA (IRN) – The Marion Independent School District has narrowed its list for a new mascot to three options. The three finalists now being considered to replace the current Indians mascot are: Mavericks, Red Wolves or Red Storm. The school district narrowed down the list after reviewing suggestions submitted by students, parents, staff, alumni, and community members.

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – New details are being released in a shooting that killed a Marshalltown convenience store employee early Monday morning. Criminal complaints in the case say 20-year-old Rocky Dean Trujillo shot 48-year-old Michael West in the chest shortly after 3:00 a.m. Monday, causing his death. West was an employee at the Casey’s General Store, where the shooting took place. After shooting West, Trujillo “attempted to gain access to the cash register in the store after murdering the clerk.” He is also alleged to have placed his gun against a customer’s head and demanded his phone. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rolling power outages that have hit other states as brutal temperatures have gripped the country may be coming to Iowa. The companies calling for rolling outages are part of what’s called the “Southwest Power Pool,” a group of utilities across 14 states including Iowa. Much of western Iowa is serviced by the Southwest Power Pool. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Lawmakers at the Iowa Statehouse this week continue to work on school funding. The Republican led House passed a school funding measure that included $7 million in cuts to preschool. The Save the Children Action Network says the cuts will mean 2,600 Iowa children will not have access to early education. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa is keeping its women’s swimming and diving program after it had been among four sports the school planned to eliminate due to budget concerns brought on by the pandemic. Members of the women’s swimming and diving team filed a legal complaint against the school that argued eliminating their program violated a landmark gender equity law. Men’s swimming and diving, men’s gymnastics, and men’s tennis will still be eliminated. ORANGE CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa-based Pizza Ranch, known for its buffet of pizza, chicken and other offerings, expanded last year, even as the coronavirus pandemic hit the restaurant industry harder than most. Pizza Ranch, based in Orange City, has over 200 locations in 14 states. The chain added five new locations last year and has six or seven more openings planned for this year.

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating an early morning shooting in Marshalltown. A man was shot and killed about 3 a.m. Monday at a Casey’s General Store. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky called out Iowa for lifting mitigation efforts. Walensky said, “now is the time to not let down our guard. Now is the time to double down…with 100,000 cases a day, still with over 2.5 times the cases we had over the summer.” Gov. Kim Reynolds recently lifted mask and crowd size orders. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Republican lawmakers are considering bills that would end tenure for professors at Iowa’s three public universities. Supporters say it will make professors accountable. University officials say they already are accountable, and without tenure, it would be nearly impossible to retain and recruit the most talented professors. The Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association have registered in opposition to the bills. ARMSTRONG, IA (IRN) – The police chief of a small Iowa town, who was charged with several crimes along with three other local officials last week, has been arrested in Minnesota. The Martin County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s office said Armstrong, Iowa, Police Chief Craig Merrill was arrested Saturday just over the border from the town where he was employed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Longtime U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a New Hartford Republican, hasn’t announced whether he would seek another term in office in 2022 when he turns 89, but his grandson, Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, says he expects his grandfather to run again.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – The United States Senate voted Saturday afternoon in the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. Iowa Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley both voted that Trump was not guilty in the incitement of insurrection. The article of impeachment was filed after a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. While seven Republicans voted to convict Trump, it did not meet the threshold of votes to convict. Trump was acquitted for the charge of incitement of insurrection by a vote of 57-43. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad confirmed that a virtual town hall meeting Saturday morning was interrupted with someone using racial slurs and derogatory terms. The meeting was between Representatives Abdul-Samad, Marti Anderson, Jo Olson and Janet Peterson. The representatives reported the incident to law enforcement. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa is under a wind chill warning through tomorrow. The National Weather Service says the coldest temperatures and wind chills will arrive Sunday and Monday mornings, and lows wind chills down to -30 are expected. CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – Crews responded to a fire alarm at Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville only to find a broken sprinkler pipe on Saturday afternoon. When they arrived, they found the broken pipe leaking water in the west vestibule of J.C. Penny. Authorities said the cold weather caused the pipe to bust, but that very little water got inside the store and crews were able to silence the alarm once they arrived.