Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:38 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Room and board costs will increase at Iowa’s three public universities. The Iowa Board of Regents voted unanimously Thursday to approve the price hikes that will go into effect next school year. Under the new plan, the most popular room and meal plans will now cost $9,301 at the University of Iowa, $8,356 at Iowa State University and $8,629 at the University of Northern Iowa.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) — Officials says residents in Oskaloosa and Beacon no longer need to boil their water after testing found the water was safe to drink. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources lifted the boil advisory Thursday. Officials asked residents to boil their water Tuesday after a pump failure caused two water towers at the Oskaloosa treatment plant to empty. The low pressure created the possibility for bacteria to enter the water system.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a man’s request for a new trial after he was convicted of a hate crime in the beating of a black man at a Dubuque bar. U.S. District Judge Linda Reade on Wednesday denied 40-year-old Randy Metcalf’s motion seeking acquittal and a new trial. Jurors in federal court found Metcalf guilty of committing a hate crime in March. Prosecutors said the beating was racially motivated.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A psychiatrist says a man accused of killing a woman at a Coralville mall may have had a disorder that causes “explosive outbursts.” William Logan, a Kansas City-based forensic psychiatrist, testified Thursday in Story County court. Kozak is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Andrea Farrington. Prosecutors say Farrington was shot three times while working in the Coral Ridge Mall.

The Red Oak Police Department announced the arrest Thursday of 35-year-old Kale Garrett Hardman of Red Oak for Domestic Abuse Assault.  Hardman was arrested after being found walking westbound on Senate Street from 8th Street in Red Oak at 3:50pm Thursday.  He was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on no bond.

Members of the Griswold and Lenox Community School Districts’ Boards of Education will meet in a special, joint session Monday evening. The purpose of the meeting is to explore whether the districts have a mutual interest in sharing the duties of a Superintendent. The meeting takes place at 7-p.m. in the Lenox Public Library at 600 S. Locust Street, in Lenox. The session will be informational only. No action is expected at this time.

Earlier this week, a proposed three-way sharing arrangement between the South Page, Sidney and Griswold School Districts, was shelved, because the Sidney School Board failed to take action on the matter.

Two people were injured and transported to the Clarinda Regional Healthcare Center, following a collision (this) Thursday morning, about two miles west of Clarinda. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened at the intersection of O Avenue and Highway 2, at around 6:55-a.m.  The drivers of the vehicles, 26-year old Andrew Thomas Skinner, of Denver, IA, and 38-year old Tylicia Vaun Bradley, of Fairfax, MO., were hurt. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

Officials say Skinner was southbound on O Avenue operating in a 1998 Oldsmobile, while Bradley was eastbound on Highway 2, in a 2009 Mitsubishi SUV. Skinner failed to failed to pay attention to the stop ahead sign, rumble strips, or the stop sign and went into the intersection without stopping. Bradley didn’t see Skinner until Skinner was in the intersection. Her SUV hit Skinner’s car on the passenger side doors. Both vehicles spun-out, went through a fence in the southeast corner of the intersection and came to rest in a pasture owned by Brent Pulliam.

Clarinda Ambulance and the Clarinda Fire Department assisted at the scene. Both vehicles are considered totaled. Damage to the fence is estimated at $1,500. Charges are pending at this time.

Officials with the City of Council Bluffs said Thursday (today), that the five members of the Council Bluffs City Council are unified in their decision to build a new Council Bluffs Police Department.

Voters are going to the polls in a special election May 3rd to cast a ballot regarding the $20 million bond needed to fund a new police building. The entire City Council is asking residents to vote in favor of the bond.

The Council says it recognizes the need, as the police force has outgrown the current 40 year old building. The police department they agree, has run out of room to operate efficiently and effectively.

A press conference about their unified support for the project will be held Monday afternoon.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A survey of rural bankers in 10 Western and Plains states suggests the region remains stifled by relatively low agriculture and energy commodity prices. An April report released Thursday says the Rural Mainstreet Index fell to 38.2 from March’s 40.2. It had risen the past two months. Survey officials say any score below 50 on any of the survey’s indexes suggests that factor will decline.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the monthly survey, and he says that, compared to a year ago, prices for farm products are down 16 percent and energy products are down 8 percent. Nonetheless, the confidence index rose to 34.8 from 30.1 in March.

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

(DES MOINES) – Today, Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds have unveiled a new website for the State of Iowa enabling citizens, visitors, and businesses greater access to information and services.  Iowa’s new Web portal, available at www.iowa.gov, features a streamlined interface which can be accessed across multiple device platforms and web browsers, optimized search results with associated agency and service information, statistical information and graphs for quick interpretation of data, and dynamic content with social media feeds from Twitter and Facebook.

“The recent redesign of www.iowa.gov makes it easier than ever for Iowans to utilize multiple government services,” said Governor Branstad. “We use technology to transform how government communicates so citizens and businesses can access information anytime, anywhere.”

Lt. Gov. Reyolds added, “Our Administration has been committed to government transparency from the very beginning.  The new upgrade this website is another step in improving transparency in state government.”

www.iowa.gov is built on the Drupal platform, delivering the security, accessibility, and functionality key to eGovernment success. It was developed in cooperation with several key state agencies, focused on providing a streamlined interface for visitors using desktop computers or mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. In addition to the accessibility features, the dynamic content, presented in a quick and compliant-coded manner, ensures that the website is fully accessible to the broadest range of Web browsers.

The State’s Official Website is designed and maintained by Iowa Interactive at no cost to taxpayers through a public-private partnership with Iowa Interactive, LLC and the Iowa Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).