Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:54 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ first day in office has included a thank you letter to state employees. Reynolds sent the letter via email Wednesday. A spokesman says it was sent to employees in all state agencies. Reynolds says in the letter to employees that she is “honored to serve Iowa with you.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The chairwoman of the University of Iowa Alumni Association has resigned ahead of a key meeting on whether the group should be merged with the UI Foundation. Association board chair Clare Kelly had been critical of UI President Bruce Harreld’s merger plan, unveiled in March. She submitted her resignation last week, ahead of a June 9 meeting to discuss the merger idea.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State officials say fake food inspectors have again popped up at restaurants in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals says in a news release Wednesday that people posing as inspectors appear to be targeting ethnic restaurants in Scott County and central Iowa. The scam involves a person posing as a food inspector who promises restaurant owners a license renewed license in exchange for a $5 payment by credit card.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed a sheriff’s deputy and wounded another while escaping from an Iowa jail. Court records say Wesley Correa-Carmenaty filed the written pleas Tuesday to charges of murder, attempted murder, escape, kidnapping and other crimes. Authorities say Correa-Carmenaty grabbed one of the deputies’ guns and shot them both before escaping from the jail in Council Bluffs. He was caught in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Atlantic School Board Wednesday night approved a tentative agreement with the District’s Education Association representing certified teachers and staff. Superintendent Mike Amstein said the 2017-18 contract calls for an increase in the base wage of $215, which equates to a 2.007% for wages on longevity, FICA and IPERS. The contract is for two-years, but will be renegotiated in the Spring of 2018.

In other business, the Board approved the hiring or reassignment of the following individuals:

Montana Pence, K-3 Special Education Teacher

Michael Applegate, 7^th Grade Science Teacher

Rachel Larson, Kindergarten Teacher at Washington Elementary

Carolyn Hunt, Behavior Interventionist

And they approved the resignation of Paul Iekel as Girl’s Track Head Coach/ Boys and Girls Cross-Country Coach. Iekel is transitioning to the Link Center, which Superintendent Amstein says doesn’t leave him much time for the coaching positions.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein attended his final meeting of the School Board Wednesday night. Amstein, who is retiring at the end of the current school year, was presented with a large plaque made by some students and instructors from the board, and heard a statement from Board Member Josh McLaren.

Amstein, whose wife and family was in the audience, cracked a joke and got a bit choked up while unwrapping the plaque he was given.

Superintendent Mike Amstein

Former School Board Members Denny Davis, Phil Hascall and Glen Smith were on-hand for the event.

Mike Amstein talks with former Board Members Glen Smith, Phil Hascall and Denny Davis.

Mike Amstein announced in April 2016 that the 2016-17 school year would be his last. He’s served the District since April, 2010. His career in education has spanned 53-years. Replacing him for the upcoming school year is Steve Barber, who is currently Superintendent for the George-Little Rock Community Schools in George (Iowa).

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State officials say fake food inspectors have again popped up at restaurants in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals says in a news release Wednesday that people posing as inspectors appear to be targeting ethnic restaurants in Scott County and central Iowa.

The latest scam involves people posing as food inspectors who promise restaurant owners a renewed license in exchange for a $5 payment by credit card. Owners who accept could discover their credit card information has been stolen.

The scam first appeared in Iowa several years ago when people posing as health department officials would bully restaurant owners and staff in attempts to obtain personal information and cash.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting at 8:30-a.m. on Friday, to act on several matters. The action items include: Approval of a Resolution authorizing bids for the Glacier, Buck Creek and Echo Road paving projects and setting the date for a hearing; Approval of a Federal Aid Project Agreement for a bridge replacement projects (located on North Olive Street about 1 mile south of Interstate 80), and approval of the plans for two bridge replacements (Bridge #25 on Tucson Road and Bridge # 342 on Lansing Road).

The Board will also act on setting the date for vacating a portion of roadway in the 73,000 block of 660th Street (Between Yankton Road and Youngstown Road). The final action item is to set the dates (or dates) for a public hearing (or hearings) on a fireworks sales/discharge ordinance.

The meeting takes place in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse, in Atlantic.

(Des Moines, Iowa – AP) In her first speech at the helm of state government, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds highlighted four goals. She told an audience today (Wednesday) at the Iowa Capitol she wants to reform the state tax code and encourage innovation in energy production, especially wind power and renewable fuels. She wants to stress science, technology, engineering and math education in K-12 schools and expand workforce training for adults.

Reynolds spoke to hundreds of people in the Capitol rotunda after being sworn in as Iowa’s 43rd governor. Reynolds addressed her historic role and called it both “humbling and exciting.” But the 57-year-old Reynolds said she hopes people remember her for more than that, promising to make the state a better place to live and work.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A 41-year-old western Iowa woman has been convicted of killing her romantic rival, who was last seen in Omaha more than four years ago. A Douglas County (NE) judge conducting the non-jury trial, found Shanna Golyar, of Persia, Iowa, guilty today (Wednesday) of first-degree murder in the slaying of 37-year-old Cari Farver. Farver disappeared in November 2012, and her body’s not been found. Golyar’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 15th.

Police say Golyar posed as Farver online and by phone for years after Farver’s disappearance, and also posed as other people confessing to having killed Farver. An officer testified that Farver had been dating Golyar’s ex-boyfriend for some weeks when she disappeared.

Golyar’s lawyer argued that prosecutors presented no evidence that a homicide occurred: no body, no murder weapon and no crime scene.