A flurry of high-level negotiations at the statehouse on Wednesday may have yielded a tentative agreement on how to resolve the impasse over state funding of public schools. According to the Facebook post of an eastern Iowa legislator, the tentative deal would give K-through-12 schools a one-and-a-quarter percent increase in general state aide for the next school year — the Republican bargaining position since January — along with a one-time boost of 55-million dollars in state support — so the total amount of new money for schools would equal what Democrats in the legislature had been seeking.

Brian Schoenjahn — a Democrat from Arlington — is a former educator who leads a subcommittee that’s been wrestling with education funding issues. “From our perspective it is absolutely necessary to keep our rural schools open,” Schoenjahn says. “I think this is serious funding.”

School officials, by state law, had to certify their districts’ budgets for the next school year by April 30th. Since legislators had failed to make the decision on school funding by then, Iowa superintendents issued more than 11-hundred layoff notices to teachers and staff last week.

(Radio Iowa)

The Nishna Valley Trails (NVT) group is very close to meeting their goal of raising enough funds for the Troublesome Creek Connector Trail to the Schildberg Quarry. The NVT’s Dave Chase appeared before the Atlantic City Council Wednesday night not to ask for money, but to instead provide an update on a project that has been in the works since 2010.

The latest Atlantic Recreational Trail Comprehensive Plan. (click on image to enlarge)

Chase provided the Council with an updated Comprehensive Trails Plan, which, during his last report was still in the process of being updated. Chase said “The trail system is coming together in increments.” The Council’s agenda had included an “Order of Support” of the group in its efforts to get up to $80,000 from the Surface Transportation Program (STP), but Chase asked for that to be removed, because “Involving federal funds in this project would involve requirements and red tape that would put our program back six-months, and it would also require some wage and hour considerations [involving the contractor] which might increase the cost of the project.”

This is what the pedestrian bridge over Troublesome Creek will look like when it is installed.

Chase said there is momentum and interest for the project, and to date, the group has raised and committed $364,500 toward their $600,000 goal. The group has raised money thanks to grants from the Cass County Community Foundation, and fundraisers or donations from the Lions, Kiwanis, more than 110 separated individuals and donors, and more. The Cass County Supervisors and City of Atlantic have also agreed to provide financial support.

There are also grant applications pending amounting to another $138,500, which if approved, would add up to $503,000, leaving them $97,000 short. Even so, Chase said they have other ideas about how to raise the balance of the funds, and they ready to begin”Pulling the Trigger,” on project by not only accepting bids, but hiring a Project Manager.

Since all the grant funds will flow through the City, Snyder and Associates Engineers will present to the Council a Project Manager Contract at the May 20th meeting. Chase has been working the Snyder’s Dave Sturm and Atlantic City Manager John Lund to accomplish that next step. Bid letting is still to come this spring, with construction completed on the trail by the fall.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A proposal that would legalize more fireworks sales in the state has moved forward in the Iowa Senate. The legislation won approval in the Senate Ways and Means Committee in a 9-6 vote Wednesday. Under the proposal, retailers could sell firecrackers, roman candles and other fireworks. Currently, the state allows sales of sparklers or snakes.

Supporters argued that the legislation would better regulate activity that is happening anyway, noting that Iowa residents are already going to border states to buy fireworks. But critics questioned the safety impact, saying there would be more fires and injuries. The bill will next move to the full Senate for consideration.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa agriculture officials say five additional commercial chicken farms show signs of the presence of bird flu and a backyard duck flock near a previously confirmed case also has tested positive. The new chicken cases are on Sioux County farms. Two had a total of 200,000 chickens. Estimates were not immediately available for the remaining three farms. The backyard ducks are on a farm in O’Brien County.

The new cases raise Iowa’s total number to 34 cases in 11 counties. About 21 million of Iowa’s chickens will be affected if the latest cases are confirmed. The number of turkeys to be lost is approaching 500,000. More than 100 farms in the Midwest have the bird flu virus with more than 28 million birds affected.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A 39-year-old man accused of attempted murder has been taken into custody after escaping from an Omaha hospital where he was being treated for stab wounds.  Bluffs Police report David Leroy McKee, of Council Bluffs, left CHI Creighton Hospital sometime between 2-and 2:40-p.m., Wednesday. At the time he was being transported to another area of the hospital for care of injuries he suffered during a stabbing incident Sunday evening.

McKee was apprehended in the vicinity of 42nd and Hamilton Streets in Omaha, and transported back to Creighton, where he was released from their care and then booked into the Douglas County, NE., Jail on warrants for attempted murder, first-degree burglary and felony domestic abuse assault.  He’s currently awaiting extradition back to Pottawattamie County.

McKee was charged after police investigated a report of a man threatening his estranged wife and another woman. McKee was stabbed with a kitchen knife by Roberta McKee after he allegedly tried to choke her to death. The other woman was not injured.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet 8-a.m. Monday, May 11th, to canvass the results of the May 5th Special Election, in Griswold. Voters on Tuesday approved by a vote of 28-to 4 to change the Griswold Mayor’s term from four-years to two-years. A canvass of those votes will be held in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse.

A public hearing will be held Thursday evening in Walnut, with regard to a proposed amendment to the current Fiscal Year (2014-15) budget. Following the hearing, which begins just after 5-p.m., the Council will vote to adopt a Resolution calling for the amendment of the current Fiscal Year budget.

In other business, the Walnut City Council will: discuss a possible Streetscape enhancement project; Continue discussion with regard to the possible acquisition of the Walnut School building; Discuss proposed improvements to the Veterans’ Memorial Park; and accept the resignation of intern Marye (Mary) Bierbaum (beer-bawm).

The Council will also discuss the Optimist’s Antique City Car Show, a contract with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department for continued law enforcement services, and the possible demolition of the water plant, along with other City Maintenance matters.

A man who was arrested for allegedly trying to kill his estranged wife is missing, and police need your help to find him. According to Omaha television reports, 39-year old David McKee, who was being treated in Omaha at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center, left the hospital today (Wednesday). He was apparently left unguarded.

David McKee was stabbed by Roberta McKee, as he allegedly tried to strangle her to death Sunday evening. The incident occurred after David McKee broke out a window to gain entry to a home near 36th Street and Second Avenue. He was critically injured initially, but his condition had been upgraded to fair condition on Wednesday morning.

David McKee faces charges that include attempted murder, 1st degree burglary and felony domestic assault.

The Iowa House has voted to create new tax credits for Iowans who are saving money to cover a downpayment and closing costs on their first home. Representative Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley: “It’s as simple as this, folks: it’s never a bad idea to leave more of the taxpayers’ money in their own pocket where they can invest it better than what we can down here in Des Moines,” Windschitl says.

Any interest earned on an “Iowa First-Time Homebuyers Savings Account” would not be taxed if the bill becomes law, plus individuals could claim a tax credit of up to three-thousand dollars per year for money socked away in the account. The tax credit would double to six-thousand dollars for a couple saving for their first home.

Representative Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City, voted against the bill. Mascher pointed to the estimate that Iowans will pay four-million dollars less in taxes if this tax credit is offered. She says that would put a squeeze on available state resources for other priorities. “We need to be cautious about the dollars we are commiting in the state budget to tax deductions or credits,” Mascher says.

Representative Cindy Winckler, a Democrat from Davenport, doubts this tax credit would help low-income Iowans afford a new home. “This might not be the best use of our $4 million,” Winckler said. “It might be nice to do this, but is it important or necessary?” The bill passed overwhelming on a 90-to-seven vote.

Representative Tom Sands, a Republican from Wapello, was among the bill’s supporters. “I don’t see this bill as a long-term drain on Iowa’s economy,” Sands says. “I see it as a stimulation on helping Iowans to to actually thrive within their communities and invigorate their communities.”

Sands argues first-time homeowners typically have to fix up their new property, creating ripple effects with the purchase of goods like paint and hardware for the home and the hiring of local painters, plumbers and carpenters to do the work. This proposal now goes to the Senate for consideration.

(Radio Iowa)

Deputies in Cass County, Tuesday, arrested a man from Shelby County for carrying an illegal knife. Officials say 20-year old Bill Louis Stockwell, of Elk Horn, was taken into custody on charges that include Carrying a Knife (with a blade Longer than 5”) (a Serious Misdemeanor) and Public Intoxication (a Simple Misdemeanor).

Stockwell was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was later released on his own recognizance.