DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Mega Millions estimated jackpot has soared to $636 million, making it the second largest jackpot in U.S. history. The jackpot had been $586 million, but lottery officials increased it Tuesday morning because of strong ticket sales ahead of the evening drawing.  The jackpot now trails only a $656 million Mega Millions pot in March 2012.

Mega Millions changed its rules in October to help increase the jackpots by lowering the odds of winning the top prize to about 1 in 259 million. Paula Otto, lead director for Mega Millions, says officials expect about 70 percent of the possible number combinations to be purchased. The cash option is $341 million, before taxes.  Mega Millions is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Democratic state Rep. Tyler Olson says he is dropping out of the 2014 race for governor.   Olson made the announcement Tuesday, about two weeks after acknowledging that he and his wife planned to divorce and that he would scale back his campaign for the rest of the year. The couple live in Cedar Rapids and have two young children.  Olson says he needs to focus on his children.

The 37-year-old Olson is one of at least two Democrats running for governor. He’s in his fourth term in the state House and is the former chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party. Olson recently won the endorsement of Iowa’s largest union.  The Democratic nominee likely will face Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who is expected to seek re-election.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing Wednesday morning on the lease of a recently purchased building. During their meeting last Wednesday, the Board agreed to purchase property located at 707 Poplar Street for the sum of $370,000. The lower level of the Cambridge Law Firm building will be used for either a new 9-1-1 Center or to relocate the offices of the County Engineer and Assessor. A proposal would call for the upper level of the building to be leased for “More than three-years,” to the Cambridge Law Firm, with an option for two additional five-year periods, or a total of 10-years.

Following a public hearing on the matter, the Board will act on approving a resolution leasing the property to the law firm. In other business, the Supervisors are expected to hear a report from West Central Community Action (WCCA), and a request of continued match funding.

The meeting begins at 9-a.m. in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse.

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) – Romance writer Janet Dailey, whose books sold more than 325 million copies worldwide, has died at her southwest Missouri home. She was 69. Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home in Branson, Mo., says Dailey died Saturday in the music resort town. The cause of death was not released as of Monday. The funeral home reports the family said Dailey died “peacefully.”

Dailey was born and raised in Iowa. She moved to Branson in 1978 with her husband, Bill Dailey. Her step brother, Bobby Rutherford, lives in Atlantic.  Dailey’s novels included the popular “Calder” series and her Americana series – 50 books, one set in each state. Her website lists 155 works altogether.

Bill Dailey died in 2005. He was credited with helping build Branson into an entertainment mecca. Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department say following-up on an anonymous tip, officers were directed Saturday to a residence at 1211 Durant Street, where several persons were cited for minor in possession of alcohol. Authorities say the following teens cited for the offense and released to their parents: 14-year old Emily Ledkins; 16-year old’s Tiffany Thompson and Rebecca Hanson; 17-year old’s Shelby Gundy, Colin Fuhs, and Faith Hunt; and 20-year old Matthew Scheuring, all of Harlan; 17-year old’s Natalie Finken and Tevin Jansen, of Defiance, and 18-year old Megan Hunt, of Earling, were all cited and released.

In other news, the H-PD reports  officers were called to the 1600 block of Exchange Street on Monday, following a report of six vehicles with broken windshields. The police are pursuing leads as the investigation continues. And, on Dec. 14th, 22-year old Shawn Mosher, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop, for Driving While Revoked. Mosher was also cited for Failure to provide proof of security against liability (Insurance).

Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Tuesday) launched www.homebaseiowa.org, a new website for Home Base Iowa. The initiative is a new non-profit, private-public partnership that will recruit veterans and active duty service members for private-sector job opportunities in Iowa.

The website serves as a comprehensive source for job services available to veterans in Iowa. The site features job postings, links to job fairs, and up-to-date information about educational opportunities, National Guard recruiting, job training, and much more.

Home Base Iowa is raising private funds to support outreach efforts to veterans, including national advertising, in-person outreach, a social media campaign, and outreach through military publications. 

w/ Ric Hanson

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MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) – A search is scheduled to resume Tuesday for the body of a man whose ATV broke through the ice at Lake Ponderosa.  Montezuma Fire Chief Chris Widmer told The Des Moines Register that members of the Midwest Regional Dive Team searched from noon until 5 p.m. Monday.

Rescue crews have drilled holes in the ice and inserted cameras. They’ve found the ATV and fishing hut of 57-year-old David Hartke, but not his body.  Widmer says Hartke, of Grundy Center, and a friend were ice fishing on Saturday evening when Hartke and his vehicle broke through the ice. Lake Ponderosa sits west of Montezuma in central Iowa.

A Council Bluffs woman faces charges of Terroristic Threats and Harassment in the 1st degree, after she allegedly post on a social media website a comment that her son would be justified in shooting up the Lewis Central High School, following repeated incidents of alleged bullying. According to Council Bluffs Police, 39-year old Teri Pallat was arrested Monday following an interview with investigators.

Officials say on November 18th, Meredith Pallat reported her juvenile son was the victim of ongoing bullying at the Lewis Central High School. The incidents began in Sept. 2012 and continued through Dec, 16th 2013. At around 7:25-p.m. Monday, a uniformed officer was sent to the Lewis Central High School to meet with the Principal, in reference to a post that appeared on Facebook, allegedly by Teri Pallat (The wife of Meredith Pallat).

The post was dated Dec. 16th at 3:30-p.m. and said quote “And they ask why do people shoot up schools, well this is exactly why and when our son does it cause I know he will have nobody to blame but the administration and I promise everyone he will only get the ones that caused this. He is an excellent marks men.”

An incident report was filed with the Council Bluffs P-D in mid-November regarding an assault on Pallat’s juvenile son. The case remains under investigation, along with an investigation into the alleged threats.