INDEPENDENCE, IA (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds has rescinded COVID-19 allocations for Washington, Chickasaw, Buchanan, Poweshiek, and Hancock Counties, creating uncertainty about planned vaccinations next week. The counties had not met the state’s new 80% usage requirement in order to receive more doses. Buchanan County Public Health Director Tai Burkhart says “they change their rules on us so often, it’s very hard to meet their demands.” ARMSTRONG, IA (IRN) – Three current, and one former city official in the Emmet County town of Armstrong face charges following a multi-year investigation into alleged wrongdoing. Among those accused are Armstrong’s mayor, police chief, its current city clerk and a former city clerk. Investigators allege misappropriation of city funds, the presentation of fraudulent public records, deploying a TASER against a civilian, and the falsification of records to conceal embezzlement. JACKSONVILLE, FL (IRN) – One day after he was hired, the Jacksonville Jaguars and embattled strength coach Chris Doyle parted ways Friday after a diversity group blasted the team and called the hiring “simply unacceptable.” Coach Urban Meyer said Doyle resigned. The group ripped Meyer, and said racist allegations at Iowa should have disqualified Doyle as a coaching candidate. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Webster County is looking to get in on a wave of green energy by setting up a massive array of solar panels large enough to power 30,000 homes. The panels will be ground-installed on more than 950 acres near the town of Badger. The panels will allow the county to be a net energy exporter.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported five new cases of the U.K. variant of COVID-19 in the state of Iowa. According to the CDC, the variant “may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other variants.” DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An amendment saying a woman’s right to an abortion is not protected passed another hurdle in the Iowa Statehouse on Wednesday. House Joint Resolution 5 passed through committee and is now eligible for debate on the full Senate floor. If it passes both chambers this year, the issue would need approval from Iowa voters in 2023 or 2024 in order to become law. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Citing concerns over an imbalance of political beliefs among faculty at Iowa’s public universities, a state lawmaker has introduced a bill requiring the state Board of Regents to survey employees at Iowa’s three public universities about their political affiliations. Republican sponsors fear there are too many Democrats among faculty, and want more balance. JACKSONVILLE, FL (IRN) – Chris Doyle has found a new job, eight months after he left the University of Iowa following accusations of promoting racial disparities in the football program. On Thursday, the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL announced that Doyle had been hired as “director of sport performance.” DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines is launching a new initiative along with the Metro Waste Authority to educate Iowans about single-use plastics, the harm they can cause and how to cut them out of your life by “stomping the straw.” 17% of trash in landfills is single use plastic.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is cosponsoring a bipartisan bill funding diaper banks nationwide. Before Congress passed the last COVID-19 stimulus package in December, Ernst tried to get $200 million added to support diaper banks. That didn’t happen but Ernst is trying again for $200 million in a bill not associated with a stimulus bill. IOWA (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds is defending her decision to lift statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts, arguing that the statistics show Iowa is turning the corner in the fight against the virus and that the rules are unnecessary. She says she trusts Iowans to do the right thing. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A measure that would require transgender people in Iowa schools to use bathrooms that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificates won a subcommittee vote in the Iowa Senate yesterday. The measure would apply to people using bathrooms in elementary and secondary public and nonpublic schools. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A marijuana dispensary could open just two miles from the Iowa state line this spring. The shop would go in a small shopping center just a four minute drive from the Julien Dubuque Bridge. A dispensary could create $250,000 dollars in tax revenue for the city every year. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – About two dozen community members gathered in the cold Wednesday night to honor a man who was found dead in a portable toilet outside a Des Moines library. A snowplow driver clearing the parking lot near the Forest Avenue Library found the man’s body around 3:10 a.m. Monday. Authorities have not released the man’s identity or cause of death, but community members believe the man was homeless and trying to find shelter during subzero temperatures.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A resolution that would give Iowa voters a chance to amend the state constitution to say there is no fundamental right to abortion, or public funding for it, has passed an Iowa Senate committee. The Iowa Senate Government Committee approved Senate Joint Resolution 2 Wednesday. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa public health officials have selected Microsoft to develop an online COVID-19 vaccine scheduling system as they seek to get past a rocky start that has the state near the bottom nationally in doses administered. The will award a separate contract to run a vaccine call center later this week. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa’s two high school athletics organizations announced Tuesday that they will continue mask and social distancing restrictions for spectators at upcoming state tournaments. The Iowa High School Athletics Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletics Union also encourage member schools to require that spectators wear masks and social distance. This is despite Gov. Reynolds’ move to lift state COVID-19 restrictions, including a mask mandate. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A House Education subcommittee advanced a bill Tuesday that would ban Iowa public schools from incorporating curriculum from the New York Times’ 1619 Project, created by Waterloo native Nikole Hannah-Jones. The Pulitzer Prize Winning project was published in 2019, and aims to reframe American history through the lens of slavery. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A Cedar Rapids woman wants everyone to shovel their sidewalks for people with physical challenges. Cathy Hafsi was born with cerebral palsy and relies on a walker or wheelchair to get around. She says, “if the sidewalks aren’t shoveled I just can’t walk where I want to walk…”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A snowplow driver found a man dead in a portable toilet early Monday morning in Des Moines. Around 3:10 a.m., the snowplow driver clearing the parking lot of the Forest Avenue Library found the man. No foul play is suspected. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Iowa ranks last among states in its ability to administer COVID-19 vaccinations. Only 7.5% of Iowans have received at least one vaccine dose. Alaska leads the nation at 15% receiving at least one dose. This is one day after Gov. Kim Reynolds lifted mask and crowd restrictions in public places. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa House of Representatives on Monday confirmed its sixth COVID-19 case since the 2021 legislative session began. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa wrestling program has paused all in-person activities due to COVID-19 cases in the program. The meet against Penn State on February 12 has been postponed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Democratic Black Caucus said it’s working with authorities to locate several people responsible for Zoom-bombing their meeting with racial slurs. The slurs began during opening prayer.