DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Education says school districts seeking permission to start classes earlier in the summer must prove that academic achievement is at risk. The Des Moines Register reported Wednesday the department sent the new guidelines to school districts. The guidelines say districts must show students would be affected in a “negative and significant manner” if classes start during the week of Sept. 1. Districts must provide research backing up the claim.

Last month, department Director Brad Buck told districts the state would stop granting automatic waivers to school districts seeking to start classes earlier in the summer. State law requires districts to start school no earlier than the calendar week including Sept. 1 but in the past, most have obtained waivers allowing them to begin classes earlier.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers in the Republican-majority Iowa House have granted committee-level approval to a small funding increase for schools, but leaders in the Democratic-controlled Senate say they want to provide more dollars. The House education committee Wednesday approved an increase in schools funding for the upcoming academic year. The legislation is based on Gov. Terry Branstad’s budget proposal. It would provide an increase of about $35 million in general support for K-12 public schools.

In all, Branstad’s budget provides about $100 million in new schools funding, much of that earmarked for specific programs. Rep. Ron Jorgensen, a Sioux City Republican who chairs the House education committee, said this was what the state could afford.

But Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames who chairs the Senate education committee, called the proposal “inadequate.”

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday approved the site plans for development of the Southern Heights View Condominiums at 1700 East 22nd Street.  The site plan had previously been approved by the Planning Commission and Personnel and Finance Committee, who also approved for recommendation to the full Council, a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposal.

Local developer Don Sonntag has asked the City for a $360,000 TIF to help the project move forward. He expects it to be complete in three-years or so. The project includes 28 condo units, with some available for rent. Sonntag estimated it would add $3.4-to 4-million in valuation to the City’s tax roll. (Southern View Site Plans Color)

In action related to Wednesday’s site plan approval, the Atlantic City Council set Feb. 4th at the date for a Public Hearing on the conveyance of the Lot A of the Southern Heights Subdivision, Second Addition.

In other business, the Council passed a resolution committing $190-thousand in matching funds for as part of an internal loan for the Atlantic Airport Corporate Hangar project.  The funds will serve to fill a grant requirement for the estimated $422,700 cost of the project, which includes the demolition of the existing block hangar, asbestos mitigation, completion of a $345,000, 75-by-85 foot hangar and engineering services. The Airport Commission has already secured $150,000 in the form of an Iowa DOT General Aviation Infrastructure grant, plus they have $32,700 in cash on-hand. That leaves them with a shortfall of $240,000.

The Commission has proposed to lease the completed hangar to two prospective clients for a period of eight years, with the option to renew, plus $25,000 down, each. The clients would pay $1,000 each per month to have their corporate jets stored, which would generate $192,000 over the life of the lease. The Commission would repay the City $2,000 per month for a term not to exceed 8-years, from the proceeds of the hangar lease.

An Oakland man convicted in the April 2014 shooting death of 64-year-old Patricia Kinkade-Dorsey has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. KETV in Omaha reports the sentences was handed down Wednesday afternoon in Pottawattamie County District Court.

Late last year, a jury of three men and nine women found Reynolds guilty of first-degree murder after just three-hours of deliberations. Reynolds shot Kinkade-Dorsey following an evening of drinking with family and friends.

Reynolds reportedly stared emotionless at a corner of the room as members of the victim’s family read impact statements in court.

Two people were arrested on drug charges last week, in Cass County. The Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday (Today), 23-year old Nicholas Dean Anderson, of Atlantic, was arrested Jan. 15th on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Anderson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $1,000 bond.

And on January 13th deputies arrested 33-year old Jacob Allen Cochran, of Red Oak, and 26-year old Jodi Lynn Brookshire, of Atlantic. Cochran was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Brookshire was charged with Driving While Barred. Both were taken to the Cass County Jail where they were released the following day on their own recognizances.

That same day, deputies in Cass County arrested 35-year old Joshua James Mullen, of Atlantic, on a District Court warrant for Violation of Probation. Mullen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $20,000 bond. And on January 14th, 41-year old Jeremy Eugene Jameson, of Anita, turned himself in to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office on a Pottawattamie County warrant. He was  transferred to Pottawattamie County authorities later that day.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Pope Francis has defrocked an Iowa priest who was accused of abusing a minor years ago. Howard Fitzgerald, who worked at parishes in central and western Iowa over the last 35 years, received notice of the pope’s decision Monday. Fitzgerald had been placed on indefinite leave in June from his most recent position serving at two Indianola parishes and Simpson College.

A Des Moines Archdiocese review committee found credible evidence that Fitzgerald sexually abused a minor in a “decades-old incident.”  At the victim’s request, church officials have not released information about when and where the abuse occurred.

Bishop Richard Pates wrote in a memo to employees that he’s informed Fitzgerald that the pope “had personally granted dispensations in his case from the obligations of the priesthood and sacred celibacy.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Back in 2007, Iowa lawmakers learned that their state had the nation’s highest disparity for sending blacks to prison. So they took a novel step. They passed a law requiring analysts to draft “racial impact statements” on any proposals to create new crimes or tougher penalties. The statements were intended to help project how the measures might affect minority communities before any votes were cast.

A review by The Associated Press shows that the first-in-the-nation law appears to be having a modest effect. The statements have helped defeat some legislation that could have exacerbated disparities and provided a smoother path to passage for measures deemed neutral or beneficial to minorities.

Similar proposals have been adopted in Connecticut and Oregon. And more are likely to surface this year in other states.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The acting commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety is telling employees they must behave professionally while off-duty or face consequences. Roxann Ryan told troopers and agents in an email Tuesday that missteps in their private lives can reflect poorly on their credibility and undermine the public’s trust. The note comes after two high-profile incidents involving supervisors who showed poor judgment while off-duty.

Capt. Ken Clary was caught speeding in November outside of Des Moines while driving a vehicle for a nonprofit. A trooper let him go, but he was ticketed this month for driving 92 in a 70-mph zone after the incident became public.

Lt. Kelly Hindman is facing a review after writing on Facebook that he wished a sniper would shoot an ESPN announcer in the head.