DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court will formally hear details of a lawsuit against Gov. Terry Branstad that challenges his decision last year to close two state mental health institutes. The court is set to hear arguments today (Wednesday), to determine if Branstad’s veto of funding for the facilities in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant was proper and constitutional.

The president of Iowa’s largest public employees union and several Democratic lawmakers filed the lawsuit in July 2015, shortly after Branstad vetoed funding for the facilities. Branstad has argued patients at the institutes are able to access care through other services.

The lawsuit claims Iowa law requires the institutes to be open alongside institutes in Cherokee and Independence. A district court judge ruled in favor of Branstad.

The Creston Police Department reports two people were arrested Tuesday and one person was arrested early this (Wednesday) morning. 24-year old Richie Rodriguez, of Creston, was arrested at around 1:45-a.m. today (Wed.), for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Rodriguez was being held in the Union County Jail on $300 bond.

On Tuesday, Creston Police arrested 29-year old Kenneth Williams, of Creston, and 22-year old Michael Bergman, of Mt. Ayr. Williams was taken into custody on a Dept. of Corrections warrant charging him with a Parole Violation. Williams was being held without bond, in the Union County Jail. Michael Bergman was arrested on a charge of Theft in the 3rd Degree. He was later released on a $2,000 bond.

Creston Police said also, a woman who resides in the 1100 block of N. Walnut Street, in Creston, reported Tuesday that sometime between 7-p.m. Monday and 6:30-p.m. Tuesday, someone stole an industrial door with an iron frame, along with some metal rods. The items were taken from the backyard of the woman’s home. The loss was estimated at $200.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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A traffic stop early this (Wednesday) morning, in Red Oak, resulted in the driver of the vehicle being arrested for Driving Under Suspension. Red Oak Police say 25-year old Tiffany Nicole Studey, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 6-a.m. at the intersection of N. 6th and E. Market Streets. Studey was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on a $300 cash bond.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans have gained ground on Democrats in registering voters in three battleground states and kept their razor-thin advantage in Iowa. That’s encouraging news for Donald Trump eight weeks before Election Day. Data compiled by The Associated Press show that Republicans added hundreds of thousands of voters to the rolls since 2012 in states including Florida and Arizona, and narrowed the gap in North Carolina. In Iowa, Republicans prevented Democrats from surpassing them, aided by a court ruling upholding a ban on voting by ex-felons, who often register as Democrats.

As Election Day approaches, voter registration drives are in full swing. The latest registration numbers aren’t an assurance of new voters for Trump. But the figures, when available, offer important clues as to how each party stands.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Officers responding to a domestic disturbance at a Cedar Rapids apartment shot and killed a 25-year-old man suspected of stabbing his children’s mother. The Division of Criminal Investigation says both officers responding to Monday night’s call fired their service weapons at Markell Bivins, who died of his injuries. Bivins is suspected of stabbing 25-year-old Raelynn Finn multiple times. Finn has undergone surgery for her injuries and is expected to live.

MAXWELL, Iowa (AP) — The men and women who grew what’s expected to be the biggest corn crop the United States has ever seen won’t benefit from the milestone. Prices are so low that for the third consecutive year, most corn farmers will spend more than they earn. It’s a similar story for soybean producers. That’s left farmers across the country cutting costs, dipping into savings or going further into debt to make it through the year.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A woman accused of stealing money from a Mason City dental office where she’d worked for years has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud in the case. Federal prosecutors say 58-year-old Pamela Harris, of Mason City, was the office manager of the dental practice of Drs. Blake Barnes and Michael Louscher, and had been an employee for 21 years. Prosecutors say that from 2005 through May 2014, she stole nearly $500,000 from the practice.

ASTON, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump is rolling out a plan aimed at making child care more affordable, guaranteeing new mothers six weeks of paid maternity leave and suggesting new incentives for employees to provide their workers childcare. Spurred on by his daughter, Ivanka, Trump waded into topics more often discussed by Democrats.

A tip from authorities in Denver, Colorado, Tuesday, resulted in the arrest in Red Oak, of a man wanted on sexual assault charges. According to Red Oak Police, their department was notified by Denver Police, that 23-year old Jacoby Tyrell Tubbs, was residing in Red Oak.

Tubbs was found in the 1600 block of E. Summit Street and taken into custody on a Fugitive from Justice Charge, in Iowa. He was being held at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center without bond, pending a hearing and extradition to Colorado, where Tubbs was wanted on two felony warrants for Sexual Assault with Force, and Sexual Assault Aiding and Abetting by another.

Voters casting their ballots Tuesday during a Special Election for a Voter Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (VPPEL) have said YES to a request by the Atlantic School District to have an income surtax blended with the property tax the District collects, to fund school infrastructure, equipment, repairs, purchases and improvements over $500 or for capital improvement projects.

Unofficial results from the Cass County Auditor’s Office show there were  351 Yes votes (61.63%) and 221 NO votes (38.64%). A simple majority was needed in order for Public Measure B to pass. The results will be canvassed during a meeting of the Cass County Board of Supervisors next Monday morning.

School officials had said in the months leading up to Tuesday’s vote, that if they would have been able to use an income surtax for the VPPEL in the past, it would’ve reduced the property tax by 60-cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation. Approval means patrons of the district will pay no more than 85-cents per thousand dollars of taxable property valuation each year annually (for up to 10-years), plus up to 20-percent of an Iowa Income Surtax for each individual income taxpayer in the district, with the amount of the surtax to be determined by the School Board each year. The total taxation cannot to exceed $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed property value in any one tax year.

The Income Surtax will begin December 31st for each calendar year, commencing with the 2017 calendar year, and the PPEL itself will begin with the levy of property taxes for collection in the fiscal year that begins July 1st, 2017. School Board Vice President Kristy Pellet said back in July, that the combined PPEL and Income Tax Surtax would essentially make it fairer, because more people would contribute to the PPEL, not just property owners.

A similar Measure placed before the voters last fall, failed.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting Wednesday evening at the High School. During the 5:30-p.m. session in the Media Center, the Board will hold an election among its members, for Board President and Vice President, and act on appointing the Board Secretary and Treasurer, followed by the administration of Oath of Office for those individuals. They’ll also act on possible changes to the date, time and place of Board meetings for the 2016-17 School Year

In regular business, the Atlantic School Board will hear from Justin Williams during the Public Comment portion of the meeting. They’re also set to hear special presentations from Williams with regard to the Cass County Educational Opportunity Center (CCEOC), and Dan Vargas, with regard to the Costa Rica trip.

The Board is also expected to act on approving various teacher contracts, the appointment of John Becker as volunteer Middle School Football Coach, the resignation of Justin Williams as Archery Club Sponsor, and other, administrative matters.

Prior to concluding their meeting, the Atlantic School Board will discuss progress on the search for a new Superintendent, and Instructional/Athletic Facilities.