DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic lawmakers are seeking a compromise deal on education funding, but Republicans say their proposal is still too expensive. Democrats on Wednesday proposed that schools get about $150 million in new funding for the upcoming school year. That number — which includes dollars dedicated to teacher leadership training — is a middle point between the original proposals from House Republicans and Senate Democrats.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, called the offer an effort to split the difference. But House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, of Hiawatha, said he was not interested in going beyond the original House plan, saying the state could not afford to spend more.

Atlantic City Administrator John Lund, says faced with numerous calls and questions about the current Yard Waste site hours, the City wants to remind citizens about the hours and rules for the site:

Lund says “We request that the public be reminded Not to leave bags at the site.  Separate the piles of yard waste, grass and green stuff in one, twigs and branches in the other.” Lund says also, that “People are on camera. The City will be particularly aggressive this summer about monitoring footage to set an example for those that want to ignore a few simple rules. The camera software will pay for itself within a year, so we are trying to save taxpayers money that could be put to better use, if everyone works together, it won’t be a problem.”

The Yard Waste site hours are as follows:

Tuesday: 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Thursday: 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Sunday: 1:00 pm. to 5:00 pm.

The City of Atlantic reminds the citizens to bring only trees, branches, grass, garden waste, and/or leaves.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — New figures released by the Iowa Department of Education show that the state’s high school graduation rate rose for the class of 2014, making it the fourth straight year the rate has edged up. The data released Wednesday show Iowa’s four-year graduation rate increased to 90.5 percent, up from 89.7 percent in 2013. The overall dropout rate in 2014 was 2.7 percent, slightly down from 2.8 the previous year.

Nine of Iowa’s 10 largest school districts saw their four-year graduation rates climb, with Cedar Rapids Community School District reporting the largest gain of 4.1 percent. Only Sioux City Community School District saw its graduation rate drop.

Statewide graduation rates increased for all but two subgroups of students, with English-language learners seeing the most significant change, a 7.4 percent increase.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa-based organization that leads adventure trips for cancer survivors has revealed its next excursion — a journey to Tibet to hike around Mount Kailash, which many religions have deemed a sacred site.

Dr. Richard Deming, a Des Moines oncologist who founded Above and Beyond Cancer in 2011, announced Wednesday that a group of roughly 24 people will travel to the remote western Tibet in September. Most are cancer survivors and caregivers.

The upcoming trip will allow participants to trek the region where Mount Kailash’s peak soars more than 22,000 feet within the Transhimalaya mountain range. Deming says trips and events sponsored by the organization are representative of cancer patients’ journey toward recovery. Past destinations include Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and, most recently, Machu Picchu in Peru.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An effort to keep two state mental health facilities open longer remains alive in the Iowa Legislature, though lawmakers acknowledge it may not prevent some employees from losing their jobs. A House Appropriations subcommittee approved a bill Wednesday that would require facilities in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant to remain open until a commission approves a transition plan for the closings.

The closings are set to happen by this summer, though layoffs in at least one facility are scheduled by April 6. Lawmakers acknowledge the bill may not get to Gov. Terry Branstad in time, and they weren’t sure what would happen. The Senate passed the bill following criticism that the closings would be too sudden. Branstad has said the facilities are outdated and there are other treatment options for patients.

Officials with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Upper Midwest Chapter, say the annual MS Auction at Atlantic’s Fireside Lounge, held Friday, March 6th, raised nearly $15,000 to support the organization, bringing the event’s 19-year fundraising total to more than $225,000. Over the last two decades, the funds have helped provide life-changing programs and services for people living with MS in Iowa and across the Upper Midwest, as well as fund cutting-edge research for the disease.

National MS Society, Upper Midwest Chapter President Holly Anderson says “We’re immensely grateful to Mark Foegen for his passion and leadership these past 19 years, not to mention the outstanding generosity of the Atlantic community. Events like these are truly helping to change the world for people with MS and end the disease forever.”

Event organizer Mark Foegen has expressed his appreciation to the Atlantic community for supporting the event, of which 100 percent of the proceeds are directed to the National MS Society, Upper Midwest Chapter. In addition to all those who attend and donate each year, many local businesses and individuals have played a critical role in the auction’s continued success — from donating advertising and auction items to helping with event planning and execution.

Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. Learn more at nationalMSsociety.org.