DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The estimated jackpot for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing has soared to $450 million thanks to strong sales. Multi-State Lottery Association officials on Tuesday increased the expected prize from $400 million because of fast sales for the largest lottery jackpot in nearly a year.

No one has won Powerball’s biggest prize since Nov. 4. The jackpot now is the sixth-largest ever in North America, and if there is no winner after Wednesday night’s drawing, the prize will keep climbing. The biggest jackpot was a $656 million Mega Millions prize won in 2012. The last time Powerball had grown this large was in February 2015, when three winners split a $564.1 million prize.

Powerball is played in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Water quality funding is among the topics legislative leaders are talking about in the week before the Iowa Legislature convenes. Gov. Terry Branstad is considering a proposal to fund water quality efforts by diverting a portion of a sales tax designed to help schools pay for repairs and updated technology. Some lawmakers oppose the idea that would pit the needs of schools against the need for clean water.

More attention has been focused on water quality as Des Moines Water Works had to spend $1.5 million last year to operate a system that removed record levels of nitrate from the drinking water to remain in compliance with federal regulations. The utility filed a federal lawsuit last year seeking monetary damages and clean water permits for agriculture drainage districts.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A reminder today from the office of Iowa Republican U-S Senator Joni Ernst, that the Senator will kick-off of her 99 county tour of Iowa for 2016, this Thursday morning (1/7). Ernst will return to the Montgomery County Courthouse in her hometown of Red Oak to host a town meeting that begins at 8-a.m.  The event is open to the public.

Officials with the Atlantic Community School District (ACSD) will hold an open session Wednesday afternoon. During the 4-p.m. meeting in the library at the Atlantic Middle School, the District’s Administration will receive the Non-Certified Collective Bargaining Unit’s initial proposal for 2016-17. No action will be taken. The District will present the Atlantic Education Association’s initial proposal at 5-p.m. Jan. 13th, in the Media Center at the Atlantic High School.

Former Senator and Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum will be stopping in Atlantic this Saturday (Jan. 9th). Santorum will meet with the public at Noon, at the home of Paul & Sheryl Iekel, 56384 Highland Road (4 miles west of Atlantic on G-30). All who are interested are invited to attend.

During the event, Santorum will share his vision for America, and address the threat of ISIS and the Middle East.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa is the featured speaker at a fundraiser to benefit a veterans organization in Fayetteville. Ernest will speak Tuesday evening at the Airborne & Special Ops Museum Foundation. The event will feature a round table discussion with Ernst and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Ernst is the only female combat veteran to ever serve in the U.S. Senate and is a member of the Armed Services and Agriculture committees. Brown and Tillis are members of the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee.

The group Veterans Leadership Council-Cares says on its website that it provides temporary housing for at-risk veterans, health and wellness services, professional counseling, vocational education, mentoring and other services.

The Cass County Democratic Party hosted about 40 Democratic activists from several counties last Saturday (Jan. 2nd). Cass County Party Chair Sherry Toelle said those in attendance heard from keynote speaker and presidential candidate Martin O’Malley, as well as all three Congressional candidates (Desmund Adams, Jim Mowrer, and Mike Sherzan), two of three US Senate candidates (Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause) and Scott Heldt, candidate for the Iowa House District #20.

Candidates in photo: Desmund Adams, Tom Fiegen, Bob Krause, Martin O’Malley, Mike Sherzan, and Scott Heldt. Not included in the photo—Jim Mowrer. (Photo submitted by Sherry Toelle)

The event was a fundraiser for the Cass County Democrats with all monies collected going to the local party to offset expenses for the 2016 caucus and election season, including opening of the Party’s Headquarters in Atlantic later this year.

Each candidate outlined their policy positions, ranging from education to retirement security to infrastructure to water quality and to climate change. Governor Martin O’Malley was the keynote speaker for the event, outlining his goals of debt-free college, increasing the minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, stopping hunger in the United States, reducing the number of gun-related injuries and deaths, and developing a 100% clean electric grid by 2050.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors held their annual organizational meeting Monday morning, in Atlantic. During their session, the Board elected Gaylord Schelling as their Chairman for 2016. Last year’s Chairman, Frank Waters, was elected Vice-Chair for 2016.

In other business, the Supervisors agreed to continue with their regular meetings every Wednesday morning at 8:30, unless otherwise noted. The also approved the appointment of Board members to various County committees and boards, as well as the appointment of other individuals to various County Boards and Commissions.

The appointments include (but are not limited to):

CASS COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL terms ending 12/31/2018 – Gilbert Gillespie, Atlantic and revoke the appointment of Chelsea Amundsen Cousins, Griswold.

VALLEY BUSINESS PARK CORPORATION MEMBERS (2yr term ending 01/15/2017) – Cass Co. Supervisor Duane McFadden; Cass Co. At Large Don Sonntag

CASS COUNTY WEED COMMISSIONER (IA CODE 317.3) – Larry Randel, Atlantic (1 yr term ending 12/31/2016)

CASS COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION (Ia Code 341A.2) – Kate Winston, Dem, Atlantic (6 yr term ending 12/31/2021)

CO. CONSERVATION BOARD (5 yr term 350.2) – Rich Govig, Lewis (ending 12/31/2020) (application on file)

CASS COUNTY ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT (5 yr term 335.11) – Roger Carter, Atlantic (ending 12/31/2020)

CASS COUNTY ZONING COMMISSION (5 yr term 335.8) – Ralph Simmons, Wiota (ending 12/31/2020)

CASS COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH (3 yr term to 12/31/2018, 137.4) – Dr. Gerald Wessels, Anita and Patricia Markham, Atlantic

CASS COUNTY HOUSING COMMISSION (1 yr term ending 12/31/2016) – Dick Bolton, Atlantic; Phyllis Stakey, Massena; and Charles Rieken, Griswold