It could cost the State of Iowa millions of dollars if it leaves a Midwest organization that negotiates contracts for education-related expenses. A committee reviewing state boards and commissions has the Midwestern Higher Education Compact on its list for elimination. Emily Shields, executive director of Community Colleges for Iowa, says leaving the compact would have a significant fiscal impact.

A separate distance learning agreement is only available through Iowa’s membership in the Midwest Higher Education Council, too.

Iowa colleges saved about three-and-a-half million dollars last year on the online classes taken by out-of-state students. Rob Trembath (TREHM-bath) is chief operating officer of the Midwest Higher Education Compact, which he calls MHEC (MECK).

Twelve Midwestern states are part of the compact.

Every state that borders Iowa, along with Kansas, North Dakota and Ohio, are part of the compact. The organization’s contract negotiations saved Iowa and the other 11 states nearly 128 million dollars last year. The Iowa Boards and Commissions Review Committee will issue its final report at the end of the month, but it will be up to legislators and the governor to decide whether any of its recommendations become law. The committee’s initial report would get rid of about a third of the state boards, commissions and advisory groups in state government.

Enrollment is up at all three state universities this fall. Iowa State University gained 208 students, the University of Northern Iowa 72, and the University of Iowa 27. U-N-I has been trying for several years to keep numbers up, and spokesman, Pete Moris says this is good news.

Getting students to transfer to U-N-I has been one of the strategies — including 857 student transfers this fall.

Moris says they’ve had to counter some of their own success in keeping enrollment up.

Moris says they’ve also had to address some state and national trends as well.

Moris says this year’s numbers are encouraging and they are seeing some good signs for the future.

Iowa State reported an increase of more than two percent for first-year students. The U-I reports this is the fourth-largest incoming first-year class ever with five-thousand-64 students. Iowa State edged back ahead of the University of Iowa for largest overall enrollment with 30-thousand-177 students in Ames, compared to 30-thousand-42 in Iowa City.

Red Oak Police were called to the HyVee Store in Red Oak on Thursday, September 7th.  The loss prevention specialist at the store informed them that 35 year old Sarah Hill of Red Oak and an unnamed juvenile female had been coming into the store over the last four months and not paying for items in the self check-out.  The estimated value of the items taken by Hill was estimated at approximately $2,600 and the items taken by the juvenile were valued at approximately $1,800.  Hill was arrested on a charge of 2nd degree theft and taken to the Montgomery County Jail where she was held on $5,000 cash bond.  The juvenile was also charged with second degree theft and released to a guardian to await a court date.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office updated the latest list of candidates that have filed nomination papers to run in the city/school board elections in November.

The latest to file on Thursday, September 7th are Cheryl Sokol for Anita City Council and Nancy Virginia Coughlin for Cumberland Mayor.

Others who had filed previously include:

Atlantic City Council

• Ward 2:  Jim Behrens
• Ward 3:  Pat McCurdy
• Ward 4:  Linda Hartkopf
• At-Large:  Elaine Otte

Atlantic Park & Recreation

• Mary Strong
• Frank Saddlemire
• Brad Rasmussen
• Lorrie Rasmussen

Anita City Council

• Cheryl Sokol

Cumberland Mayor 

• Nancy Virginia Coughlin

Griswold City Council

• Brenda Tietz

Lewis Mayor

• Rick Sanny

The Iowa Lottery saw the rare occurrence Wednesday of the deadline running out and a one million dollar prize went unclaimed. Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer, says they waited right up to the end of the business day to see if the unknown winner would show.

The winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at an Ames convenience store one year ago. Neubauer says they did get a few calls before the deadline from people hoping they might be the winner.

She says the fate of the one million-dollar ticket may never be known. And says it’s rare that such a large prize goes unclaimed.

The unclaimed money goes back into the prize pool and Neubauer says the Lottery is working on a plan to give it away.

Neubauer says they are working on the details of the holiday promotion and will announce them once they are finalized.