A legislative committee is recommending that the 2015 Iowa legislature consider changes that would help schools deal with transportation costs, a particular problem in rural Iowa where many districts have long bus routes for students. A group of legislators met for four hours on Monday to discuss the details of how state aid to public schools is distributed and agreed lawmakers should find some way to address the budget difficulties in property-poor school districts, although the group did not make a specific recommendation.

Representative Ron Jorgensen, a Republican from Sioux City, is chairman of the House Education Committee. “We all know the importance education plays in providing individuals and society with a higher standard of living,” Jorgenson says. “Having an education population will help increase wages and spur economic development.” Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, is chairman of the Education Committee in the Iowa Senate.

“If our students in Iowa don’t get education that makes them competitive economically and in other ways with students raised in other states, then we are not being equitable to our own students,” Quirmbach says. Quirmbach and Joregensen served on the legislative panel that met Monday to discuss preschool-through-12th grade education funding issues.

(Radio Iowa)

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.