DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Democratic lawmakers are proposing a significant boost to school aid for the coming academic year. Leaders in the Democratic-majority Senate said Tuesday they will try to increase funding by over $200 million for the next school year. That’s more than double the amount sought by Gov. Terry Branstad and Republican lawmakers who control the state House. Both proposals include dollars already dedicated to a teacher training program.

Democrats say schools need more money to provide good services. Senate President Pam Jochum, from Dubuque, says in a news release that this was a “serious, meaningful step.” Republicans have said the state cannot afford a substantial increase due to other budget commitments. Branstad spokesman Jimmy Centers said the governor’s proposal was fiscally sustainable.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Nearly 200 students who took the ACT college entrance exam at Johnston High School in December have been informed they won’t receive their results. The ACT organization sent an email Monday night to 195 students notifying them their answer sheets never arrived at headquarters in Iowa City for scoring. As a result, ACT says score reports cannot be issued for the Dec. 13 national testing date.

ACT spokeswoman Katie Wacker says as many as 6,000 testing centers administer the exam on national test days, making it difficult to immediately identify if one center’s score sheets don’t arrive. She says instances where test packets don’t show up are extremely rare.

Molly Vincent, whose 17-year-old daughter’s answer sheet was among those lost, says ACT’s notification interferes with her daughter’s scholarship application deadlines.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A House legislative panel has approved a bill that would prohibit indoor tanning for minors at commercial salons in Iowa. Members of a human resources subcommittee agreed Tuesday to advance the bill. It now heads to a full committee for consideration. The bill would ban people under age 18 from using a tanning device at a commercial salon, with or without parental consent. Current law has no restrictions.

A separate legislative panel in the Senate approved a similar bill last month. There is no opposition listed for the bill. Eric Goranson, a lobbyist for the American Suntanning Association, says the group supports the legislation.

Emergency crews were called to the scene of a injury accident just east of Council Bluffs, this (Tuesday) morning. According to KETV in Omaha, the crash happened at around 11:15-a.m. on Highway 6, near 238th Street. One person was seriously injured and reported to have been trapped. A medical helicopter was dispatched to the scene. The highway in the vicinity of the crash was said to be closed while emergency personnel were on the scene.

Additional details are currently not available.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) – Investigators are asking the public for tips about anyone who is familiar with a remote wildlife area where two Iowa girls’ bodies were found in December 2012. Evansdale Police Chief Kent Smock said Tuesday the killer is likely very familiar with the Seven Bridges Wildlife Area, where hunters stumbled on the bodies of 10-year-old Lyric Cook and 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins.

Lyric Cook

Elizabeth Collins

The girls went missing in July 2012 when they were riding their bikes in Evansdale, 22 miles from the wildlife area.

Smock said the area is “extremely remote” and the killer may have hunted, camped or partied there in the past. Smock acknowledged that thousands of people have been to the park but investigators will be careful not to falsely accuse anyone of involvement in the girls’ deaths.

A van stolen last week from Harlan was found a few hours later, in a ditch. Harlan Police say Dawitt Sangele, of Harlan, reported his 1996 Dodge Caravan missing Jan. 28th. The vehicle was located in a ditch, about two-miles west of Harlan. The incident remains under investigation.

An Atlantic man was arrested last week on a drug charge, and two Atlantic residents were arrested for assault. The A-PD reports 35-year old Michael Trotter, of Atlantic, was arrested Jan. 21st, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. On Jan. 28th, 51-year old Preston Nelson, and 25-year old James Howard, both of Atlantic, were arrested on Assault Causing Injury, charges. And, on Jan. 29th, 19-year old Matthew Paulsen, of Adair, was arrested for 5th degree Theft (shoplifting).

All subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail.