Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is pushing to end the state’s often-criticized Republican straw poll, but other GOP leaders say the event may still go on next year. The poll is traditionally held in Ames the summer before a contested presidential caucus. Branstad said Monday that it could diminish the state’s kickoff caucuses. Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kauffman said he expects the board that governs the party to vote next month on whether to hold a straw poll in August.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials have suspended a multi-state lottery game aimed at giving out $1million prizes because of low ticket sales. Terry Rich, president of the North American Lottery Group, says officials decided to suspend future ticket sales of the Monopoly Millionaires’ Club game, just two months after it launched in 23 states. Tickets will be suspended shortly before its last weekly drawing on Dec. 26. Rich says the game did not meet ticket sales expectations, but he did not elaborate.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Officials for a Dubuque museum say they’ve received 16 baby turtles that were confiscated at an airport in Alaska. The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confiscated the turtles at an airport in Anchorage, Alaska. They arrived at the museum on Wednesday. More than 200 turtles were recovered at the airport after being packed inside boots in luggage.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Marshalltown officials say a school employee has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old student. The Marshalltown Community School District says it contacted the Marshalltown Police Department on Monday with concerns over an alleged inappropriate relationship between a school district employee and an 18-year-old student. No charges have been filed.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors will gather Wednesday and Thursday evening of this week at the Parks & Rec Building at Sunnyside Park, to begin interviews of five finalists for the Assistant Parks and Rec Director’s position. Current Director Roger Herring’s five-year contract with the City expires in May, 2016.

Parks Dir. Roger Herring talks to the Board about the Asst. Director finalists.

In September, Herring asked the Board to start looking for someone to succeed him. He said the assistant would learn the Operations aspect of the department, which would allow Herring to work on other, important aspects of the job, such as grant-writing.

During Monday evening’s meeting. Herring told the Board a screening committee whittled-down 30 applicants for the position to eight finalists, but he thought that was still too many, so he asked them to pair down their selections again, and they came up with six. One of the candidates however withdrew their name from contention.

Herring said the applicants were all highly qualified and experienced. The Board received binders containing information on all five finalists. They also handed Herring a list of prepared questions, which will be pared down to eliminate duplicates.

There are three interviews scheduled for Wednesday, with the remaining two candidates to be interviewed Thursday evening. Afterward, the Board will discuss the candidates, make reference calls if necessary, conduct further background checks and then meet no later than next week to select their choice for the position.

Police in Council Bluffs said Monday (today), a Special Needs woman who jumped out the window of a facility at 2065 Nash Boulevard late last month has been located and is safe.

Kyla Jones

21-year old Kyla Jones contacted a family member by phone and made arrangements to meet with them. Family members and an Officer with the Council Bluffs Police Department met with Jones and confirmed that she was alright.

Jones had left the area in an unknown direction after she leaped from the building at around  8:50-p.m., Nov. 26th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is pushing to end the state’s often-criticized Republican straw poll, but other GOP leaders say the event may still go on next year. The poll is traditionally held in Ames the summer before a contested presidential caucus. Branstad said Monday that it could diminish the state’s kickoff caucuses.

First held in 1979, the Iowa Straw poll has grown from a county GOP fundraiser stop to a large event. The poll draws a small percentage of caucus attendees. It’s one early test of campaign organization. Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kauffman said he expects the board that governs the party to vote next month on whether to hold a straw poll in August.

Kaufmann said he thinks there’s interest in continuing the tradition.

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS COUNTIES…
352 PM CST MON DEC 15 2014

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST TUESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST TUESDAY.

* TIMING…STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP THROUGH THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE OVERNIGHT.

* WINDS…NORTHWEST 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH.

* IMPACTS…THE STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DIFFICULT DRIVING
CONDITIONS AND MAY BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS SUCH AS GARBAGE
CANS AND LAWN FURNITURE. IN ADDITION…ANY FALLING SNOW WOULD BE
BLOWING SNOW CAUSING SLICK SPOTS ON ROADS AND REDUCED
VISIBILITIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 TO
39 MPH OR GUSTS BETWEEN 45 TO 57 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS
STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE
VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

The Atlantic Police Department reports three residents were arrested recently. Last Saturday (Dec. 13th), 22-year old Michael McConnell, of Atlantic, was arrested for Assault Causing Bodily Injury; Disorderly Conduct; and Public Intoxication. McConnell was booked into the Cass County Jail. That same day, 64-year old Dean Adams, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication. Adams was booked into the Cass County Jail.

And, on Friday (Dec. 12th), 37-year old Richard D. Smith, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County Warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. Smith was also booked into the Cass County Jail.

The body of a man who went missing in Lake Manawa after the canoe he was in capsized Sunday afternoon, has been found. KETV in Omaha reports the victim was an active duty airman stationed at Offut Air Force Base. His name has not yet been released. The body was discovered at around 11-a.m. today (Monday).

The victim, and another man, 36-year old Benjamin Ferguson, where in a canoe that overturned when it came into contact with ice on the lake on the south side of Council Bluffs. Ferguson managed to swim to shore after about 30-minutes, but the other man slipped below the surface of the lake after trying to cling to the canoe.

Ferguson, who is a Master Sergeant at Offut AFB and assigned to the Air Force Weather Agency, walked to the park ranger’s house to report the incident. He was suffering from extreme hypothermia when he was found, and was transported to an Omaha hospital, where he was expected to fully recover.
Rescuers had called-off a search for the other man Sunday evening, due to darkness.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a Nebraska woman was arrested Friday, for being a Fugitive from Justice. 18-year old Emilly Nichole Gelvin, of Omaha, was taken into custody at around 5:20-p.m. at 18818 Highway 370. Her bond was set at $1,000.  Also arrested on Friday, was 20-year old Mitchell Stephen Waller, of  Glenwood. Waller was arrested on a Warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was set at $5,000.

And, early Sunday morning, 21-year old Jeremy Lee Booher, of Hamburg, was arrested on a charge of OWI/1st Offense. He was being held in the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.

A man arrested last week in Stuart for allegedly stealing pop cans from a local collection box, was also arrested a felony charge of Theft associated with an incident in Central Iowa. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports on December 10th, Stuart Police responded to a report about a man seen stealing pop cans from a local collection drive. The subject fled the scene and was located hiding in an apartment in Stuart. The suspect was identified as Christopher Grunder.

An eye-witnesses confirmed Grunder was responsible for the theft. During Grunder’s arrest, officers became aware he was in possession of a set of keys to a vehicle. They were able to determine the keys belonged to a stolen vehicle from Ankeny. The stolen vehicle was recovered a few blocks away, in Stuart. Grunder was arrested and transported to the Guthrie County Jail. He plead guilty to the theft of the pop cans, and was subsequently turned over to Polk County authorities.

In Polk County, Grunder faces a felony charge of Theft in the 2nd Degree, for the alleged theft of a motor vehicle in Ankeny. Grunder is also suspected in several other incidents of motor vehicle thefts and burglaries in the city of Ankeny.

The Stuart Police Department was assisted in its investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ankeny Police Department.