OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Schools, businesses and services are getting a jump on a winter storm set to hit Nebraska and Iowa overnight by announcing late starts and some closures on Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for most of Nebraska and a winter storm warning for a swath of Iowa from just east of Omaha, Nebraska, northeast through Denison, Fort Dodge and Mason City.

The forecast Wednesday night calls for rain, freezing rain and rapidly falling temperatures throughout the night into Thursday morning, when heavy snow and strong winds are expected to make travel dangerous.

Schools in Nebraska have announced late starts for Thursdays, and many Iowa schools and businesses in the storm’s path have announced plans to close Thursday. Some sporting, church and other events have also been canceled or postponed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says he’ll travel the state this year to inform the public about a new law requiring voter identification at the polls. Pate said Wednesday his plans include “educational summits” and meeting with groups that will get the word out.

Beginning in 2019, voters must show an Iowa driver’s license, Iowa non-driver’s ID, U.S. passport, military identification, veterans ID or a new non-photo ID issued by the state. A soft rollout in 2018 means voters without acceptable ID must sign an oath acknowledging they will need it soon. In 2019, those voters will be offered provisional ballots.

A special state House election on Jan. 16 is the first under the law’s soft rollout. The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the law last spring, arguing it would maintain election integrity. There’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Iowa.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department said today (Wednesday), that both Council Bluffs Police and Fire Departments are investigating an apartment fire that occurred this morning at 228 Harrison Street in Council Bluffs. Officers were called to assist the Fire Department with a possible fire in an apartment in the two hundred block of Harrison Street at around 9:30-a.m. Officers arrived in the area and found that a fire had started at 228 Harrison Street Apt. 4A.

The Fire Department had started putting the fire out when they found two subjects inside the residence. Both subjects were taken to Mercy Hospital for treatment. An investigation into the cause of the fire and the condition of the two subjects found in the apartment is underway.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors held their regular, weekly meeting today (Wednesday), in Atlantic. During their session, the Board heard reports and FY 2019 funding requests from the Cass County Committee on Aging (CCCOA). Their $7,000 funding request is unchanged from previous years. It was taken under advisement.

The organization has five towns in the County who have representatives to serve on the CCCOA. Lewis, Marne and Wiota have chosen not to join at this time, but the organization hopes they will do so in the future. Locally, residents may find activities/services at the Anita Sunset Club, the Irregular Seniors of Cumberland, Massena Seniors, Griswold Golden Tigers, and the Atlantic Meal Site. The Griswold group has recently started a Tai Chi form of exercise, which has been well received.

The group works with CCCOA to serve seniors with programs such as exercise, healthy eating and assistance with insurance supplements. They have also begun to take advantage of Angels Home Health Care, which provides programs for things such as communication between doctors and patients, support groups, and dementia. Each month, a combined 250 seniors take part in some kind of gathering. CCCOA meets the fourth Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December, at the Atlantic Meal Site. Their meetings begin at 10-a.m.

In other business, the Supervisors appointed Judy Kennedy to fill a vacancy on the Cass County Conservation Board, and Peter T. Smith, as Pymosa Township Trustee, to fill a vacancy created by his father, Glen Smith. Glen Smith is serving in Washington, D-C., after being confirmed by the Senate to the Farm Credit Administration Board. They also received quarterly reports from Micah Lee, with Cass County Conservation, and Mitch Holmes, with Cass County Veterans Affairs. They tabled action on approving a 28-E (cost sharing) agreement with the Guthrie County Board of Health, for the sharing of environmental health services in Cass County. They also tabled action on appointing someone to the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority, to fill a vacancy.

They also approved the renewal of a lease agreement with Marne & Elk Horn Telephone Company. The agreement grants METC the right to install, maintain and operate certain equipment on the Courthouse Tower, and, in lieu of rent, provide a high speed internet connections and internet services, to the courthouse.

And, the Board of Supervisors set January 24^th, January 31^st, and Feb. 7^th, as the dates for Public Hearings on an Ordinance authorizing the operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s) and off-road utility vehicles (UTV’s), on county roadways and trails.