Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 330 a.m. CDT

KELLOGG, Iowa – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office continue their investigation into the September 16 discovery of a burned body in rural Jasper County. The investigation has led to the involvement of the Grinnell Police Department and the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation is on-going and is being treated as a homicide.  Additional information will be released later today (Friday). Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Grinnell Police Department at 641.623.5679 or the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office at 641.792.5912.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa reported more than 900 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 14 deaths in the past 24 hours, as a federal report says the state has one of the nation’s highest infection rates. As of Thursday morning, Iowa Department of Public Health data showed 918 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, raising the state total to 76,965 known positive cases. An additional 14 people died for a total of 1,248 deaths attributed to COVID-19 since March. The data also shows an increasing number of children under age 17 have tested positive for the virus, with the total now 5,929. That’s an increase of 389 cases since Monday. More than 2,700 educators have tested positive for the virus.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is refusing to review lower court decisions that invalidated tens of thousands of voters’ absentee ballot requests at the urging of President Trump’s reelection campaign. The court issued orders Wednesday denying requests to put rulings in Linn and Woodbury counties on hold. The elections commissioners in those counties, an affected voter and Democratic-aligned groups had asked the court to intervene, saying thousands of voters could be disenfranchised and inconvenienced if the rulings stand. The court rejected all of their requests without explanation. Judges have ruled the counties overstepped by sending absentee ballot request forms to voters with their personal information already filled in.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has determined a Webster County deputy was legally justified in the Aug. 4 fatal shooting of a woman near Fort Dodge. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation announced Thursday that the attorney general’s office cleared deputy Brett Knippel in the shooting of 39-year-old Melissa Halda, of Fort Dodge. The shooting happened the evening of Aug. 4 when Webster County and Fort Dodge officers were called to a home and told a woman was armed with two knives and was suicidal. The officers found Halda, who threatened the officers with the knives and moved toward them. Knippel fired five times, striking Halda with four bullets and killing her.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa says the Big Ten’s decision to have a fall football season will not impact its decision to eliminate four sports programs. Athletic Director Gary Barta last month announced the elimination of men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and men’s gymnastics. He said the cuts were “100% driven by” the coronavirus pandemic, which caused the postponement of football and tens of millions in lost revenue. On Wednesday, the Big Ten announced that the conference would have a fall football season beginning in late October. Alumni of the Hawkeye programs that were cut held a news conference to call for their reinstatement. But the athletics department says the cuts are “final” and have been supported by the Board of Regents.