A series of criminal justice reforms officially takes effect today (Friday). Supporters hope some will help reduce racial disparities in Iowa’s prison system.  Governor Terry Branstad signed the bills outlining these new policies into law this spring. One change will make inmates doing time for robbery — a crime committed without a gun — eligible for parole sooner.

Officials estimate it could save the state more than 750-thousand dollars a year by 2018. A new state law also shields most juvenile delinquency records from the public from now on. It does not apply to felonies and a judge could order that any record be made public. The governor agreed there are many situations where allowing a teenager’s minor offense to be a public record has kept them getting a job or going to college.

A new law also calls for erasing convictions for public intoxication and alcohol consumption in public after two years — but only if the person guilty of THAT crime has a clean record. A traffic ticket wouldn’t be enough to stop the process of scrubbing the public “intox” or alcohol consumption conviction off a person’s record.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Tonight’s (Friday’s) Mega Millions drawing will give lottery players a shot at the 10th largest jackpot in U.S. history. Because no one has won a Mega Millions jackpot since March 8, the prize has steadily grown to an estimated $415 million. That makes it the largest jackpot since a $430 million Powerball prize won by a New Jersey family May 7th. The record prize was a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot won in January by players in three states.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Council Bluffs couple faces child neglect charges after their three children tested positive for methamphetamine. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Craig and Crystal McConnell were arrested Wednesday and charged Thursday with three counts of abandonment of a dependent person. Crystal McConnell is also charged with third-degree burglary and possession of a controlled substance.

Court documents say the children’s hair follicles tested positive for meth. Craig and Crystal McConnell also tested positive for the drug on May 12th. Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Dawn Landon says the children have been removed from the home and are safe.

The couple remains in the Pottawattamie County Jail. Bail is set at $10,000 for Craig McConnell and $15,000 for Crystal McConnell. They have a court date scheduled for July 8th.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 2:40 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Council Bluffs couple faces child neglect charges after their three children tested positive for methamphetamine. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Craig and Crystal McConnell were arrested Wednesday and charged Thursday with three counts of abandonment of a dependent person. Crystal McConnell is also charged with third-degree burglary and possession of a controlled substance. Court documents say the children’s hair follicles tested positive for meth.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — For years, critics have regarded Iowa’s policy of disenfranchising felons as an outrage in a state known for landmark civil rights rulings on slavery, gender equality and gay marriage. Now the practice of stripping felons of their voting rights looks likely to remain in place, probably for years. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld it Thursday as constitutional.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The owner of six Iowa cosmetology schools will forgive some student debt, pay a fine and submit to outside oversight to settle a lawsuit filed by the Iowa attorney general’s office. The Des Moines Register reports La’ James International Colleges agreed to forgive $2.1 million in student debt and pay a $550,000 fine. The settlement also requires former U.S. Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt to serve at least three years as an independent settlement administrator overseeing the company’s compliance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Tonight’s (Friday) Mega Millions drawing will give lottery players a shot at the 10th largest jackpot in U.S. history. Because no one has won a Mega Millions jackpot since March 8, the prize has steadily grown to an estimated $415 million. That makes it the largest jackpot since a $430 million Powerball prize won in May.

An escapee from the Ft. Madison Correctional Facility was captured Thursday afternoon, in Stuart. Stuart Police said in a Press Release, that a Stuart Police Officer was investigating the reported sighting of escaped fugitive, 31-year old Joseph Leclair, Jr., at around noon, in the 300 block of N. Main St. A female resident in the area answered the door when the officer knocked but refused to cooperate with the officer.

Joseph LeClair, Jr.

The woman then left the property. The same female is suspected of then making a false 911 call reporting the fugitive at a different location. The officer called in assistance from Guthrie County, Adair County and the State Patrol to surround the house, while he prepared a search warrant. At approximately 3:30-pm officers entered the house with a search warrant and found the fugitive hiding inside.

LeClaire was arrested and transported to the Guthrie County Jail. The female involved is facing charges in the incident as well. LeClaire was involved in a similar incident last year when he escaped from work release for over a two month period from May-July. He was subsequently arrested in Polk County following that incident.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has been ordered to serve five years’ probation for having sex with a 12-year-old girl. The Sioux City Journal reports that 25-year-old Willie Williams pleaded guilty Wednesday in Woodbury County District Court to lascivious acts with a child and failure to appear for an earlier court hearing.

As part of a plea agreement, Williams received a 15-year prison sentence, which was suspended, and was placed on probation for five years. Williams must register as a sex offender and serve lifetime parole. If he were to violate terms of the special sentence, he could be sent to prison. Prosecutors say Williams had sex with the girl at a house in 2011, when he was 20.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The owner of six cosmetology schools in Iowa will forgive some student debt, pay a fine and submit to outside oversight to settle a lawsuit filed by the Iowa attorney general’s office. The Des Moines Register reports La’ James International Colleges agreed to forgive $2.1 million in student debt and pay a $550,000 fine. The settlement also requires former U.S. Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt to serve at least three years as an independent settlement administrator who can oversee the company’s compliance.

The agreement settles a lawsuit filed in 2014 that had contended La’ James engaged in deceptive and unfair practices in its marketing, enrollment and instruction. La’ James has schools in Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Fort Dodge, Iowa City and Johnston. The company didn’t admit wrongdoing in the settlement.