Authorities in Adams County say a car reported stolen from an undisclosed location in Cass County on February 2nd, was recovered Tuesday morning in a ditch west of Prescott. The vehicle was found near the intersection of  150th and Orange Streets. The 4-door Mercury has since has been returned to the owner.  Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call the Adams County Sheriff’s Office at 641-322-4444.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent arrests.On Wednesday, Feb. 13th, 30-year old Keith Alan Wilson II, of Glenwood, was arrested in Glenwood, on a warrant for Probation Violation. Wilson was being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond. And, on Tuesday, deputies in Mills County arrested 56-year old Steven Craig Severin, of  Glenwood,  for Driving while Barred. Severin’s bond was set at $1,000.

U.S. Cellular, in conjunction with its partner King Street Wireless, has announced that additional parts of Iowa will receive high-speed 4G LTE services by the end of 2013. Some cities in the 4G LTE addition include Atlantic, Carroll, Centerville, Creston, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake.   The company says more Iowans will enjoy access to 4G LTE speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G and similar to a cable Internet connection.

4G LTE speeds provide an enhanced wireless experience with fast web browsing, smooth video streaming, video chatting with no buffering and speedy app downloads. U.S. Cellular currently offers 10 4G LTE devices that include smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S III and Samsung Galaxy Note II, in addition to a tablet, hotspots and a wireless modem.

By the end of 2013, U.S. Cellular says its customers in more than 3,800 additional cities and towns will have access to 4G LTE speeds. Currently, 61 percent of U.S. Cellular customers have access to 4G LTE speeds and 87 percent are expected to be covered by the end of the year.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Department reports two arrests over the past couple of weeks. On Monday, 41-year old Pedro Quintanilla-Flores, of Lenox, was arrested for Driving While Barred. He was also cited for No Registration and No Proof of Insurance. His arrest occurred after he was pulled over for allegedly  speeding.

And, on February 2nd, 22-year old Derek Martin, of Creston, was arrested in Adams County following a traffic stop on Highway 34. Martin was taken into custody on a charge of OWI/1st Offense, and for Driving While Suspended. He was brought to the Adams County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The state Senate has approved legislation that would increase state funding for K-12 schools by 4 percent for the 2014-2015 school year.   The Legislature is required to set school funding more than a year in advance, prompting Thursday’s Senate vote. Because lawmakers didn’t approve a budget last year, the Senate last month passed a bill increasing funding for the coming school year.

In the House, Republicans in a committee approved a scaled-backed version of Gov. Terry Branstad’s education reform proposals Wednesday night. The revised plan reduces teacher raises backed by Branstad and lets schools opt-out of minimum salary hikes or leadership bonuses.

The dueling efforts show the distance between the Democratic-majority Senate, the Republican-controlled House. A spokesman for Branstad says the governor was encouraged that House lawmakers were debating education reform.

Iowa’s shortage of nurses is starting to be solved through a University of Iowa program which officials hope will see an increase in state funding. U-of-I President Sally Mason briefed legislators on the program called Better Future for Iowans. Mason says the goal is to help would-be nurses achieve their aspirations through distance education. “Some of which allow place-bound Iowans to get a full University of Iowa degree without ever having to leave his or her home community,” Mason says. “Right now, we’re able to do that in all of the community colleges across Iowa for the nursing degree.”

A study by the Iowa Council of Nurses projected a shortfall of 25-hundred registered nurses in Iowa in the coming years. Mason says the U-of-I program is already making a difference. “It’s allowed many of our nurses in small communities across Iowa to go from their two-year nursing degree to a four-year bachelor of science in nursing degree without having to leave their jobs, leave their homes or do anything that would disrupt their lives.” Mason says if the legislature appropriates more money, a business degree program for working professionals in Des Moines can be extended to other locations around the state. She made her budget request before a joint House-Senate committee which oversees spending on education.

(Radio Iowa)

TIMOTHY JAMES GLENN, 30, of Winterset, died Mon., Feb. 11th. A Memorial service for TIMOTHY GLENN will be held 2-p.m. Sat., Feb. 16th, at the Redfield American Legion Hall. Johnson Family Funeral Home in Dexter has the arrangements.

Memorials may be directed to the Timothy Glenn Memorial Fund, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com.

w/ Ric Hanson

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