(Radio Iowa) – The extreme cold created another roadblock for blood banks, and they are now hoping to catch up. LifeServe Blood Center spokesperson, Danielle West, says the weather overall has not been kind. “We canceled blood drives because of the snow accumulation a couple of weeks ago. And then last we saw quite a few donations fall off of the calendar because of the really cold temperatures,” West says. “We are hoping to boost the blood supply back up now that we are seeing some warmer temps.”

Lifeserve is part of the American Association of Blood Banks — and West says the impact has hit across the country. “If other areas are in need — like Texas for example because of all the winter weather they’ve had — they are looking for blood products. And if we have enough to share, we would help them as well,” according to West. “So we are hoping, number one that we can support our community hospitals, and then hopefully help areas like Texas that are in need right now.”

West says there are some people who are still worried about going out because of the pandemic — and they understand that. “We are all wearing masks, we’re all social distancing, so we are making it a very safe place for people to come. We’ve definitely seen less blood donors come out because of the pandemic,” West says, “I know some people are still fearful of coming out to do something like this. We make sure that they are safe from the minute they enter our facility until the minute they leave.” She says they have seen the pandemic spur some people to try donating blood. West says only a small percentage of the population actually donates blood and they encourage people to do it. “We’ve seen a lot of first-time donors through the pandemic that I think wanted to find a way to give back — and this is what they decided to do — which is great,” West says.

West says they are asking you to make an appointment to donate. She says you can go to lifeservebloodcenter.org and find a place to donate, or you can give them a call at 800-287-4903. West says they can answer any questions you might have about donating during the pandemic. LifeServe Blood Center provides blood and blood products to more than 120 hospitals located across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

With News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has signed two bills into law that outline the G-O-P’s main school spending plans for the next academic year. It means Iowa’s pre-K through 12 public schools will get a two-point-four percent increase in general per pupil spending. Senator Amy Sinclair, a Republican from Allerton, says that’s 179 more dollars for every child enrolled in Iowa schools today. “This is a solid funding bill that sets our schools on a predictable, reliable, fundable path into the future,” Sinclair says.

Democrats say the state has a significant budget surplus and could afford to spend more on schools. The per pupil spending calculation is based on this fall’s enrollment, which declined during the pandemic. Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says that will shortchange schools. “This bill will cut $7.4 million from preschool statewide,” Hogg says, “and result in the loss of over 2500 slots this fall.”

Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, a Democrat from Windsor Heights, says business groups have been emphasizing the importance of expanding preschool enrollment. “We are going backwards and we are hobbling our preschools for years to come with an inadequate funding increase,” she said, “imposing a formula for normal times on the most abnormal of situations.” Sinclair says she and other Republicans are working on a fix for preschools that will be considered later. The package the governor approved last (Tuesday) night provides an additional 27 million dollars that will be split among districts to deal with pandemic-related costs. “To meet the costs of in-person instruction related to substitute teachers,” Sinclair says, “related to additional transportation and related to additional cleaning and supplies, PPE and the like.”

That round of funding for schools is calculated based on how many days a district had students in classrooms during the fall semester. The package also provides more money for transportation expenses, to help geographically large rural districts cover the cost of long bus routes.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:25 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republicans in the Iowa Senate approved a bill sharply limiting early voting, with some arguing hat changes were needed to ensure the integrity of Iowa’s election despite no evidence of fraud. The bill was approved Tuesday on a vote of 30-18 with only Republican support. It would reduce the mail and in-person early voting period, tightly regulate how absentee ballots can be returned and require polls in all elections to close at 8 p.m., an hour earlier than currently for general elections. The House, also controlled by Republicans, is expected to approve the bill as soon as Wednesday. If so, it will go to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has indicated her support.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Republican lawmaker and a man later charged with participating in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot were among thousands of people who criticized Iowa’s attorney general for refusing to seek to overturn Donald Trump’s electoral defeat. Trump supporters who wrongly believed the election was stolen called Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller a coward, stupid, blind, lazy, pathetic, and worse. Several vowed to work to defeat the Democrat if he runs for reelection in 2022. The emails to Miller illustrate how authorities at all levels of government came under pressure from Trump’s biggest supporters to subvert the election results. GOP state Sen. Ken Rozenboom and Capitol riot participant Leo Kelly were among those who pressured Miller to get involved.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The FBI have identified an Iowa woman and her adult son as participants in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol after a tip from a longtime family acquaintance. An FBI agent says in a court document that videos posted to social media and surveillance video at the Capitol also confirmed that Deborah Sandoval and Salvador Sandoval Jr. were part of the mob. The affidavit describes surveillance video showing 23-year-old Salvador Sandoval pushing two officers with the Metropolitan Police Department and trying to grab the shield of a third. The mother and son were arrested on Friday in Des Moines and have been released from custody pending further proceedings.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Agricultural groups and anti-hunger organizations are pushing the Biden administration to continue a program launched by President Donald Trump that spent $6 billion to prevent farmers from plowing under food and instead provide it to millions of Americans left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began the Farmers to Families Food Box program in April 2020 after many people were shocked to see farmers destroy crops even as food banks were being overwhelmed by demand from people suddenly out of work. If the USDA extends the program, it will be a rare example of the new administration retaining rather than dismantling a Trump initiative.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Tuesday, identified 39-year old Arnell States, of Cedar Rapids, as the suspect involved in the February 20th homicide investigation of Katrina Brinson.

States was shot by a Cedar Rapids police officer who was first to arrive on a 911 call following the report of a disturbance at the Rodeway Inn located at 4011 16th Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids. The victims directed the officer to States, who was observed running from the scene.  After the shooting, medical treatment was immediately given to States. States was transported to a local hospital and today, February 23, 2021, States succumbed to his injuries.  An autopsy will be performed by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner.

Per department policy, the officer remains on paid administrative leave.  The officer’s name will be released after the officer is interviewed by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.   No additional information will be released at this time.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republicans in the Iowa Senate approved a bill sharply limiting early voting, with some arguing hat changes were needed to ensure the integrity of Iowa’s election despite no evidence of fraud. The bill was approved Tuesday on a vote of 30-18 with only Republican support. It would reduce the mail and in-person early voting period, tightly regulate how absentee ballots can be returned and require polls in all elections to close at 8 p.m., an hour earlier than currently for general elections.

The House, also controlled by Republicans, is expected to approve the bill as soon as Wednesday. If so, it will go to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has indicated her support.

A man from Corning was sentenced last week to prison, for receiving child pornography. 54-year old Lonnie Ray Schafroth was sentenced Friday in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to 65 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Microsoft provided law enforcement a cyber-tip that resulted in a search warrant served on Schafroth’s residence in Corning. The search resulted in the seizure of a computer which contained over 3,000 images of child pornography, many of which depicted children under the age of 12. Schafroth had obtained the images from searches conducted on the Internet between July of 2017 and June 12, 2019.

The matter was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

(UPDATE: Authorities say the 2 juveniles were found and are safe!)

The Council Bluffs Police Department Tuesday evening, asks for the public’s assistance in locating two missing juvenile females, who were last seen in the area of 500 Woodbury Avenue in Council Bluffs at 8:00 am this morning. The parents of the children were contacted by their school at approximately 10:00 am stating they were not in class.

Embrosia Smith

Zoey Valentine

14 year old Embrosia Smith is described as 5 foot, 185 lbs. with Brown hair and Hazel eyes. 12 year old Zoey Valentine is described as 5’5 feet, 140 lbs. with Brown hair, but dyed pinkish and blue eyes. At this time they are not believe to be in danger.

If these children are located, please contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-4728 or call 911.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The risk of flooding generally remains low across most of Nebraska and Iowa because the snow across both states is expected to melt gradually in the coming days. National Weather Service meteorologist Allan Curtis said this week’s forecast for temperatures somewhat above freezing during the days and below freezing at night with no significant new precipitation should allow the snow to melt gradually without causing too many problems.

But the amount of ice on some rivers remains a concern because chunks of ice can create flooding as the it melts by creating ice jams that block the channel of the river. So officials will be watching how the ice melts closely.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 31-year-old Iowa man has been sentenced to life in prison for the death of a Nebraska man who was stabbed more than 20 times. Raymond T. Davis, of Des Moines, was sentenced Tuesday for first-degree murder in the June 2018 death of 39-year-old Brent Quigley in Bellevue, Nebraska. He was also given two sentences of 18 to 20 years on other convictions.

Authorities say Davis was part of a group that planned to rob Quigley of money and drugs. Christopher Reagan, of Omaha, was previously sentenced to 100 years to life for second-degree murder in Quigley’s death.