The family of an Atlantic couple killed in a gas explosion and fire last week is holding a fund raising event.  57-year old’s Paul and Denise McDaniel, who operated a small taxi company in Atlantic, were killed after a fire broke out Feb. 4th in their home. The Omaha World-Herald reports donations to the McDaniel Benefit fund can be made at either the Atlantic or Creston locations of the Nishna Valley Credit Union. Checks also can be mailed to Nishna Valley Credit Union, P.O. Box 350, Atlantic, IA 50022, Attention: McDaniel Benefit.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Powerball jackpot has climbed to $485 million, making Wednesday night’s drawing the fifth largest prize in U.S. history. It’s been more than two months since someone won the Powerball jackpot, so the prize has been gradually growing from its $40 million starting point. The last time Powerball grew nearly so large was February 2014.

Because of strong sales, lottery officials Tuesday raised the estimated jackpot from $450 million to $485 million. Lottery officials are quick to point out that the game is for fun and a chance to dream. They note the chance of winning a Powerball jackpot is about 1 in 175 million.

Powerball revenue has been down slightly during a drought of jackpots, but officials say this big prize has caused sales to surge.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The newly appointed acting chief of Iowa’s corrections system says the department will keep employing some workers at state mental health institutions in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant that have been ordered to close.

Jerry Bartruff, who recently took over corrections, told a legislative panel Tuesday that about $2 million will be transferred from the state Department of Health and Human Services to corrections to continue administrative staffing and other jobs that had been shared between the agencies at both facilities.

The state Department of Corrections currently has operations at Clarinda and Mount Pleasant, which houses two of the state’s four mental health institutions. Gov. Terry Branstad has proposed phasing out state health services at the two facilities later this year, though corrections will continue to operate.

A traffic stop early this (Wednesday) morning east of Villisca, in Montgomery County, led to a high-speed chase, a crash, and a foot pursuit. Sheriff’s officials say 30-year old Joshua Dean Cooney, of Villisca, was arrested on eluding, OWI/1st offense, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Interference with Officials Acts, charges, following the incident that began at around 12:30-a.m. He was also cited for Speeding, along with multiple Stop sign violations.

When a sheriff’s deputy tried to stop a Dodge Dakota pickup running without a license plate near Vine Avenue and 260th Street, the vehicle driven by Cooney fled south on Vine Avenue in excess of 90-miles per hour, before going out of control and rolling over multiple times near 140th & Willow Avenue, in Page County.

Cooney got out of the vehicle and took off on foot, but was apprehended by the Montgomery County K9 Unit about 150-yards away from the crash site. The k9 team located narcotics near where Cooney was arrested.

Cooney was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $5,000 bond. The sheriff’s office was assisted during the incident, by deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Office, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office’ Drug Recognition expert, Clarinda EMS, along with Villisca Fire and Rescue personnel.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Democratic-controlled Iowa Senate has approved legislation to significantly boost school funding, but the plan will likely face opposition in the Republican-majority House. Lawmakers on Tuesday backed bills to boost funding for the next two school years, voting largely along party lines. Under the proposal, school aid would increase by more than $200 million for the upcoming academic year, according to the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency. That’s more than double the amount approved by the House for the same period.

The House and Senate proposals both include funding specifically dedicated to teacher leadership training. Sen. Tod Bowman, a Democrat from Maquoketa, said the state’s future “depends on high quality schools.” But Republicans in the Senate questioned how the state could afford the plan.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Senate panel has approved a bill that would require Iowa businesses to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees. Members of a labor and business relations subcommittee approved the bill Tuesday. It now heads to a full committee for consideration. The bill would define reasonable accommodations as anything from modifying equipment that a pregnant employee must use to assisting them with their work schedule. The bill states the action cannot impose an undue hardship on the business or employer.

A few business groups oppose the bill. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the bill would affirm a decision by the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, which enforces the state’s civil rights act. The commission said in 2013 that employers must provide such accommodations to pregnant employees.

A woman from Red Oak was arrested Tuesday night on a Possession of drug paraphernalia, charge. Red Oak Police say 22-year old Joslin Nicole Davies was taken into custody at around 9:45-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where she was being held on $300 bond.