OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) – Wapello County has become the third Iowa county to approve a proposal for a higher minimum wage.  On Tuesday the county supervisors voted for a third and final time to raise the wage. Under the plan, on Jan. 1 the county’s minimum wage will rise to $8.20 an hour from the current national minimum of $7.25. On Jan. 1, 2018, the county minimum wage will increase to $9.15 and on Jan. 1, 2019, it will increase to $10.10.

The ordinance will apply to businesses in the unincorporated areas of Wapello County and within any Wapello County municipality that has not opted out of the county plan.     On Monday Linn County supervisors voted to raise its minimum wage. Johnson County supervisors voted a year ago to raise the wage.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court will formally hear details of a lawsuit against Gov. Terry Branstad that challenges his decision last year to close two state mental health institutes. The court is set to hear arguments today (Wednesday), to determine if Branstad’s veto of funding for the facilities in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant was proper and constitutional.

The president of Iowa’s largest public employees union and several Democratic lawmakers filed the lawsuit in July 2015, shortly after Branstad vetoed funding for the facilities. Branstad has argued patients at the institutes are able to access care through other services.

The lawsuit claims Iowa law requires the institutes to be open alongside institutes in Cherokee and Independence. A district court judge ruled in favor of Branstad.

The Creston Police Department reports two people were arrested Tuesday and one person was arrested early this (Wednesday) morning. 24-year old Richie Rodriguez, of Creston, was arrested at around 1:45-a.m. today (Wed.), for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Rodriguez was being held in the Union County Jail on $300 bond.

On Tuesday, Creston Police arrested 29-year old Kenneth Williams, of Creston, and 22-year old Michael Bergman, of Mt. Ayr. Williams was taken into custody on a Dept. of Corrections warrant charging him with a Parole Violation. Williams was being held without bond, in the Union County Jail. Michael Bergman was arrested on a charge of Theft in the 3rd Degree. He was later released on a $2,000 bond.

Creston Police said also, a woman who resides in the 1100 block of N. Walnut Street, in Creston, reported Tuesday that sometime between 7-p.m. Monday and 6:30-p.m. Tuesday, someone stole an industrial door with an iron frame, along with some metal rods. The items were taken from the backyard of the woman’s home. The loss was estimated at $200.

A traffic stop early this (Wednesday) morning, in Red Oak, resulted in the driver of the vehicle being arrested for Driving Under Suspension. Red Oak Police say 25-year old Tiffany Nicole Studey, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 6-a.m. at the intersection of N. 6th and E. Market Streets. Studey was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on a $300 cash bond.