Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:45 a.m. CST

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Ice and snow caused dozens of car crashes in Iowa and Nebraska, Saturday, at least one of which was fatal in Omaha. But it’s the frigid temperatures coupled with strong winds that had officials warning residents Saturday to stay indoors. The National Weather Service says winds have turned single-digit to below-zero temperatures into dangerously low wind chills. Wind chill warnings have been issued for both states, with some areas expected to see wind chills of 30-below zero.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — For the first time in well over a century, the Des Moines is about to be without an Orthodox Jewish synagogue. The Des Moines Register reports that the Beth El Jacob congregation is selling its 32,000-square-foot building on the west side of Des Moines. The Orthodox synagogue’s leaders blamed the sale on dwindling congregation numbers.

FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Forest City businessman has been sentenced to 13 months in federal prison for failing to pay employment taxes. A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cedar Rapids says 60-year-old Darrell Smith was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release after his prison term ends. Prosecutors say Smith failed in his role as president and partner of investment firm Energae to pay more than $500,000 in employment taxes for employees of Hopkinton ethanol plant Permeate Refining.

(Update 6:17-a.m.) Firefighters in Audubon fought a house fire under freezing conditions this (Sunday) morning. Audubon Fire Chief Tyler Thygesen told KJAN News the structure at 311 Pacific Street was fully involved when they arrived on the scene a little after 2-a.m., and the home was a total loss. A male occupant of the home suffered what were thought to be minor injuries. More manpower was requested from the Exira Fire Department at around 3-a.m. to provide relief to crews that had been battling the blaze. No firefighter injuries were reported.

Thygesen said they battled cold and icy conditions. The temperature in Audubon at 4-a.m. was -11, with a wind chill factor of -24. The flames were extinguished and the scene secured. Crews returned to the fire station at around 5:30-p.m.

An accident in eastern Madison County claimed the life of a St. Charles woman, late Saturday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports 79-year old Joyce Daniels, of St. Charles, who was a passenger in a 1995 Chevy Suburban, died at the scene of the crash that happened at around 11:30-a.m., west of the Holliwell Bridge Road.

The Patrol says the vehicle was traveling west on the St. Charles Road, when the driver, 79-year old Jack Daniels, also of St. Charles, lost control on the ice covered road.

The Suburban left the road and rolled once before coming to rest on its top. Jack Daniels was injured in the crash and transported to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines by ambulance. The Patrol says the couple were wearing their seat belts.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A broken elevator that left some elderly residents stranded in a Le Mars apartment building for months is back in operation. Le Mars Fire Chief David Schipper tells the Sioux City Journal that the elevator at Floyd Valley Apartments was certified by a state inspector Friday. It first went out of service in August.

The delay in repairing the elevator was due to problems getting special parts for it shipped from Pennsylvania. One part was dropped down the elevator shaft and broke a couple of weeks ago, slowing the repair process even more.

Many residents in the five-floor complex were not able to use stairs and had to rely on friends, family and the building manager to get groceries, do laundry and retrieve mail.

Ice and snow caused dozens of car crashes in Iowa and Nebraska — at least one of which was fatal in Omaha. But it’s the frigid temperatures coupled with strong winds that had officials warning residents Saturday to stay indoors.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Friday night on two valid warrants for Violation of Probation. At 8:48pm Officers arrested 32-year-old Marcus John Josephson of Red Oak at the intersection of N 6th Street and E Nuckols Street. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Friday afternoon on a valid warrant from the Omaha Police Department. At 4:30pm officers arrested 24-year-old Jacob Lee Larson of Red Oak in the 100 block of E Market Street.  He was arrested on a valid Omaha Police Department Warrant for Delivery of a Controlled Substance and Violation of the Drug Tax Stamp.  He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond while awaiting extradition to Omaha.

A truck driver from Wisconsin died Friday night, after the semi he was driving crashed off Interstate 80, east of the exit to Anita. The Iowa State Patrol says 68-year old Gerald J. Calaway, of Oneida, WI, who was not wearing a seat belt, was trapped under the steering column in the cab of the semi, and extricated by non-mechanical means. He was transported by Anita Fire and Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, where he later died.

The Patrol says the 2014 Freightliner semi he was driving, registered to Cal-Les ILLC, of Green Bay, WI., was traveling west on I-80 near the 72-mile marker at around 5:50-p.m., when the rig entered the median and continued traveling west for about 930-feet, before entering a deep ditch leading down to 770th Street in Cass County. The semi continued west and entered the north ditch on 770th before coming rest in the west ditch.

Anita Fire and Rescue and Wiota 1st Responders along with Medivac Ambulance and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:15 a.m. CST

UNDATED (AP) — A prominent political scientist has routinely misled the public by suggesting he conducts focus group research when he actually just discusses news with acquaintances and colleagues. Iowa State University professor Steffen Schmidt has written repeatedly in newspaper columns about having a focus group that gives him unique insights. But Schmidt now says he contacts individuals to discuss issues as they arise. Experts say he has been misusing the term in a way that inflates his expertise.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Education has filed an ethics complaint against Davenport’s school superintendent, saying the district openly broke the law by using money in a reserve account to pay for ongoing programming. The Quad-City Times reports that the school district has spent $1.6 million of its estimated $20 million reserve fund. Superintendent Art Tate and school board members have cited a funding inequity in the state’s system that allows some districts to spend more money per pupil.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s lieutenant governor _ who is set to become Iowa’s next governor _ is celebrating a different milestone this weekend. Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will attain her longstanding goal to get a bachelor’s degree when she graduates from Iowa State University on Saturday. Reynolds will be receiving her bachelor of liberal studies degree and will participate in the school’s fall graduation ceremony Saturday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Linn County District judge has found a former Cedar Rapids substitute teacher guilty of having sex with a student. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that 24-year-old Mary Beth Haglin was found guilty Friday of sexually exploiting a 17-year-old student last year while she worked at Cedar Rapids Washington High School. She faces up to two years in prison on the misdemeanor count when she’s sentenced on Feb. 17.