Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — After a long campaign, it’s finally time to vote. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Today (Tuesday), but voters have been casting early ballots for weeks. More than 300,000 of Iowa’s 2.1 million voters have opted to vote early. There are plenty of candidates on the ballot, including the presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Senate election between Republican Charles Grassley and Democrat Patty Judge, four congressional races and legislative contests.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — More than nine months after Iowa held its lead-off caucuses, beginning an extended and, at times, bizarre presidential selection process, voters Tuesday will weigh in once again on who should lead the country. Iowa voters also will decide whether to re-elect longtime U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley and the state’s four congressmen, and which political party should control the state House and Senate.

CUSHING, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma regulators say they will shut down some disposal wells and reduce volume in others after a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck near Cushing on Sunday night. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Division said Monday that more than 700 square miles are included in the new area, but specific details wouldn’t be released until Tuesday. Wastewater from oil and gas production is injected into the disposal wells.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — About 1,500 law enforcement officers joined more than 1,000 other mourners at a funeral for a one of two Iowa police officers who were fatally shot just minutes apart last week. Officers slowly filed into a church Monday in West Des Moines to remember Des Moines police Sgt. Anthony Beminio. The 38-year-old was fatally shot early Wednesday, just minutes after Officer Justin Martin was killed in nearby Urbandale. A local man has been charged in both deaths.

Despite some predictions of a colder, snowier winter ahead, 2016 is shaping up to be one of the warmest years on record for many parts of Iowa. Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg, at the National Weather Service, says we’ve been seeing above-normal temperatures in recent weeks in central Iowa, with atypical highs some days in the 60s and 70s. “So far, we do have the warmest fall on record,” Kotenberg says. “From September 1st to November 5th, we have an average temperature of 65.1 degrees. Number 2, was 1938, 64.5 degrees.”

It’s exceptional, considering weather records have been kept consistently here since 1878. Kotenberg says it’s likely we’ll end the year in the top two for the warmest weather. “From January 1st to November 5th, we are at the second warmest year on record so far in Des Moines, 58.2 degrees,” Kotenberg says. “The warmest year on record was 2012 with 59.7 degrees. We have a little bit of room, actually, quite a bit of room to go there. We’ll need some very, very above-normal temperatures for the rest of the year to catch 2012.”

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center is forecasting roughly equal chances for above- versus below-normal temperatures and precipitation in the winter ahead, according to Kotenberg. “In the long term — December, January, February — we might rebound and get closer to normal,” Kotenberg says, “but in the short term, certainly for November, it looks like we’ll be experiencing above-normal temperatures here in Iowa.”

The Climate Prediction Center recently issued a La Nina watch, predicting the weather pattern is likely to develop in late fall or early winter. La Nina favors drier, warmer winters in the southern U-S and wetter, cooler conditions in the northern U-S.

(Radio Iowa)

Traffic fatalities in Iowa are up 23% from last year according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. As of November 6th, there have been 335 crash-related fatalities this year on Iowa roads. Nine of those have taken place in Cass County. The latest deaths occurred early last Friday morning, and early Sunday morning.  The medical staff at Cass County Health System has issued a statement in response to this increase.

“As healthcare providers our goal is to help our patients protect their health.  Many times we do that by treating and monitoring chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.  Motor vehicle accidents are a different type of health condition, but one we are equally concerned about.   We urge everyone to stop and think before you drive—it’s something we do so often we sometimes take driving safety for granted.

• Don’t drive when you are distracted by other things, whether it’s texting, talking on the phone, reading a map or any of the many things that can take your attention from the road.
• Don’t drink and drive.
• Do wear your seatbelt every time you are in a motor vehicle.

We want to see our patients in the clinic, not the emergency department!”

According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, in 2014, 9,385 people nationwide lost their lives as a result of not buckling their seat belt; and in Iowa in 2014, 118 of the 322 crash fatalities were not buckled up. The Iowa DOT’s Traffic Fatality Count reports that 40.91% of the fatalities during 2016 were without a seat belt.

Residents in Cass County served by the Wiota Water Supply are being asked to boil their water for cooking and drinking beginning on Tuesday and not to give the water to infants under six months of age under any circumstance. Wiota Water Supply is taking well #4 off-line for repairs on November 8th and will be placing well #2 on-line. Well #2 is known to be high in nitrates and the City of Wiota is collecting samples to test but results of those tests likely won’t be known before well #2 goes on-line.  Due to the potential for bacterial contamination it is being recommended that the water be boiled before using for drinking or cooking, or that an alternative source be used.

Nitrates are not reduced by boiling and pose a health risk to infants under six months of age because they cannot process them the same way as older children and adults. This being the case you should not give the water to infants or use it to prepare formula or other beverages for infants.  Bottled water or other water low in nitrates should be used for infants until further notice.

Boiling kills bacteria or other organisms in the water and that is why it is recommended before using the water for any consumption purpose for anyone over 6 months until further notice.

For more information please contact Mark Hansen, Water Superintendent, at 712-249-3697. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available form the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.  The City will notify residents when sample results are obtained following repairs and the advisory will be lifted when proper levels are obtained. The system is working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to resolve the situation.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — At least a thousand law enforcement officers have joined hundreds of other mourners at a funeral for a one of two Iowa police officers who were fatally shot just minutes apart in ambush-style attacks. Troves of uniformed officers slowly filed into a church Monday in West Des Moines to remember Sgt. Anthony Beminio.

The 38-year-old Des Moines police sergeant was killed early Wednesday while sitting in his patrol car, just minutes after Officer Justin Martin was fatally shot in nearby Urbandale. An Urbandale man has been charged in both killings. Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert told mourners he was “absolutely heartbroken.” He spoke of Beminio’s influence on other officers and the community.

A funeral for Martin will be held Tuesday in his hometown of Rockwell City, Iowa.

Two people were recently on warrants, in Atlantic. According to the Police Department, 20-year old Douglas Cline, of Atlantic, was arrested Friday on a Cass County warrant for a Controlled Substance Violation. And, 25-year old Joshua Peters, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday on a Cass County warrant for Violation of Probation. Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee has selected a person to succeed current City Clerk Deb Wheatley Field when she retires early next year. The Committee interviewed three candidates last Thursday evening. The candidates included Ali Tupper, Barb Barrick, and current Deputy City Clerk Deidre Derby.

City Administrator John Lund says after interviewing the three candidates, their selection was contacted. The offer was made to Barb Barrick, and she accepted.

Barrick currently works as a Community Development Specialist at SWIPCO, in Atlantic. She’s previously served as the City Clerk/Finance Director for the City of Fort Dodge, and Financial Manager for the City of Marengo. Barrick is a graduate of Upper Iowa University, with a double major in Business Administration and Public Administration.

The City Council must still approve the Personnel and Finance Committee’s recommendation. Assuming they do, she would replace Deb Wheatley Field after her last day on February 24th.

Wheatley Field announced in Sept. she would be retiring as the City Clerk in Atlantic, after more than 35-years on the job.

A collision between a semi and a pickup truck Saturday morning in Pottawattamie County, resulted in the driver of the pickup suffering minor injuries. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened near Avoca at around 10:15-a.m., as a semi driven by Dick Meyers was pulling out of a farm drive to turn north onto 430th Street. The semi struck the rear of a northbound a 2012 Dodge Ram pickup, driven by James Ptacek

Ptacek was transported to Myrtue Medical Center, in Harlan. Deputies cited Meyers for failure to yield while entering the roadway.

In an update to our report Sunday morning, the Page County Sheriff’s Office says a Blanchard man has died as the result of injuries he suffered during a fishing accident Saturday afternoon. 69-year old Joseph Bruce Hines had gone to a bridge just west of Blanchard on 320th Street to fish Tarkio Creek, when he slipped on the edge of the bank and suffered life-threatening injuries before he fell into the water. The accident happened at around 3-p.m., Saturday. Witnesses to the accident did not have a phone at the scene and went back to a residence in Blanchard to call for assistance.

Page County Deputies, Coin Fire and Rescue, Clarinda Rescue, and Shenandoah Rescue responded to the scene. Hines was transported to Shenandoah Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce have partnered with the Cass County Health System, to sponsor the Annual Angel(s) of Christmas. The Angel of Christmas is a tradition in Atlantic recognizing and thanking area residents who symbolize the true meaning of the season. Angels exemplify the true holiday spirit all year long – putting others first, spreading generosity and sharing the holiday spirit with everyone they meet.

In 2016, Sherri Lebeck was named the Angel of Christmas, demonstrating the true meaning of the season by spending her time giving extra care to people who are ill in their homes, doing personal shopping for those who are unable to themselves, bringing food to those who need it and visiting and comforting widow and widowers.

Nominate the Christmas Angel you know to the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce by November 29th at noon. This year’s angel will be announced at the Holiday Concert, sponsored by Bonnesen’s Five & Ten Store, on December 4th at 3pm. Nominate by submitting a nomination form to the Atlantic Area Chamber of  Commerce. Nomination forms are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of  Commerce or online at christmasinatlantic.com.