IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been delayed for a man accused of killing his wife in Iowa City. Johnson County court records say 67-year-old Roy Browning Jr. has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the April 5 stabbing death of JoEllen Browning. His trial had been scheduled to begin March 10, but on Thursday a judge granted Browning’s request for a delay. The new starting date: Oct. 13.

Prosecutors have said Roy Browning killed his wife just hours before she was set to learn about financial problems he had tried to hide from her. She was director of operating budgets at University of Iowa Health Care.

Creston Police today (Friday) said a Creston man has reported that the lock on his storage unit had been cut off. The man told authorities its appears no items were missing or damaged at the time of his report.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — The American Red Cross is urging you to join their lifesaving mission by giving blood or platelets this March, in celebration of Red Cross Month. Donors of all blood types, especially type O, are urgently needed to help ensure blood is available for patients this spring. Make an appointment now by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Upcoming area blood donation opportunities March 1st through the 15th:

Cass County:  Atlantic, 3/12/2020: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Atlantic YMCA, 1100 Maple Street; Griswold: 3/6/2020: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Griswold High School, 20 Madison

Mills County: Glenwood, 3/10/2020: 6:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Glenwood High School, 504 East Sharp Street

Page County: Clarinda, 3/10/2020: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Regional Health Center, 220 Essie Davison Drive

Pottawattamie County:

Council Bluffs –

• 3/2/2020: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Iowa Western Community College, 2700 College Road
• 3/2/2020: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Green Hills Area Education Agency, 24997 IA-92
• 3/5/2020: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Abraham Lincoln High School, 1205 Bonham
• 3/12/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Amelia Place Assisted Living, 57 W Ferndale Dr.

Oakland – 3/3/2020: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Oakland Riverside High School, 18997 Hwy 59

Union County: Creston, 3/11/2020: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Creston High School, 601 W. Townline

How to donate blood:

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Warren County supervisors have approved construction of the long-sought justice center in Indianola. On Thursday the board backed a trimmed-down plan for the $30 million-plus project. Construction is expected to begin this summer with a goal of completion in the next 18 to 19 months. The plan includes an 88-bed jail. Voters had approved $29.9 million for the project in 2018, but the bids came in more than $7 million higher. A referendum to let the county borrow an additional $3.5 million for the project gained support from nearly 56% of the voters, but the referendum required approval from 60%.

(Radio Iowa) — The counting of the Iowa Democratic Party’s February 3rd Caucuses appears to be over — with Pete Buttigieg finishing a fraction ahead of Bernie Sanders. On Thursday night the Iowa Democratic Party announced the results of the limited recount requested by the campaigns of Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders. Delegate calculations changed in 19 of the 23 precincts the campaigns had asked party officials to review. However, the recount process resulted in no change to the National Delegate allocation. Pete Buttigieg has 14 and Bernie Sanders has 12. The Iowa Democratic Party’s state central committee will meet Saturday to certify the results.

The party’s final “state delegate equivalents” calculation found Buttigieg finished ahead of Sanders by point-oh-four percent (0.04%).

(Radio Iowa) — The Government Oversight Committee in the Iowa House will meet March 16th to hear from the state agency director Governor Reynolds has put in charge of changes at the state-run Glenwood Resource Center. Department of Human Services director Kelly Garcia started in the job November 1st and 21 days later the U.S. Department of Justice announced it was investigating allegations of the disabled patients at Glenwood were being mistreated and being subjected to human experiments. House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, says enough information has been made public that the committee can have a productive meeting without jeopardizing any investigation. “We weren’t just going to hold a meeting to say we held a meeting,” Grassley said.

Grassley credits the D-H-S director for meeting with the families or guardians of the patients at Glenwood as well as staff and for notifying key legislators of changes she’s making at the facility. Grassley says next month’s hearing will give Garcia a chance to address a larger audience.  “One individual hasn’t had the chance to sit down with every single legislator to show the reaction that’s happened,” Grassley says.

Earlier this week Republicans and Democrats in the Iowa Senate unanimously confirmed Garcia to serve as director of the Department of Human Services.

(Radio Iowa) — Republicans in the Iowa House have passed a bill that would force any Iowa city or county with gun restrictions in a government-owned building to screen people at entrances AND have an armed guard inside. Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, says it will help ensure Iowans have the right to self defense. “It is also about the health and safety of our children and our families,” Holt said. “It is about my right as a parent to be prepared to defend my wife and my children — my family.”

The bill would override opinions from the state’s attorney general in 2003 and 2010 that indicated cities and counties could pass resolutions that create gun-free zones.  “I have never understood why someone believes that a gun-free zone will make them safer. In reality, a gun-free zone without screening and security will never stop a sick individual from killing innocent people,” Holt says. “It will stop the law-abiding citizen from carrying protection.”

Representative Mary Gaskill, a Democrat from Ottumwa, suggested that if the bill becomes law, Iowans with a permit will be able to carry guns into most any city or county-owned building in the state. “With the addition of metal detectors and armed security, few entities to pay for these measures,” Gaskill said. Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat from Ames, says it would cost more than 400-thousand dollars to staff metal detectors and have armed security at the Story County courthouse. “This is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars,” she said. “…The constitutional right to own a firearm comes with important responsibility regarding community safety and therefore it must come with conditions.”

Supporters of the bill say Iowa gun owners should not have to navigate a labyrinth of different ordinances. The bill also forbids cities and counties from trying to ban gun modifications or from establishing restrictive zoning aimed at gun shooting ranges. The House passed the bill on a 52 to 44 vote as dozens of gun rights activists sat in the gallery watching debate.