Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad says providing more funding to fix Iowa’s crumbling roads is a top priority and that he is keeping an open mind to all options, including raising the state’s fuel tax. Branstad said in an interview Thursday that he wants to get input from lawmakers in advance of the next legislative session, with hopes of reaching bipartisan consensus.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union is challenging Iowa’s tough policies that bar felons from voting. A lawsuit filed yesterday seeks to restore voting rights to thousands of former offenders before the 2016 presidential election. It also seeks to end confusion over the rules for ex-felons that followed a 2011 policy change by Governor Terry Branstad.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in a driveway. Police say they received a call about 4:30 p.m. yesterday about four to five shots being fired. The identity of the dead man will be released after relatives are notified.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An ex-nurse at a Des Moines veteran’s hospital has agreed to surrender his license after admitting to turning off equipment that would have alerted staff to a patient’s low blood-oxygen level. The Register reports that 65-year-old Michael Deal died last March at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital after oxygen levels in his blood dropped.

U-S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that USDA is providing more than $352 million in loans and grants to upgrade rural water and wastewater systems nationwide. The projects funded will not only help ensure rural places have access to clean water, but will also create jobs and help communities retain and attract new businesses and families. In Iowa, the Southern Iowa Rural Water Association (SIRWA) is receiving $5,699,000 in loan and $4,371,000 in grant funds to make improvements to existing distribution piping across the organization’s service area, as well as installation of a new elevated storage tank, booster pump station and appurtenances, and three emergency generators. The funding will benefit approximately 6,925 existing rural customers in Adair, Adams, Cass, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties.

Vilsack said “These investments are critical for our health and safety, and in the long term for sustainable economic development. Investments like these in the nation’s water infrastructure also are critical to address the impact of climate change on our water supplies. The projects supported with these resources will ensure rural families have access to clean water and create jobs in communities across the country.”

The USDA is providing $175 million in loans and $165 million in grants through the Water and Environmental Program. It’s part of more than $1.5 billion USDA invested in rural water and wastewater projects during the 2014 Fiscal Year, which ended September 30. This past year USDA Rural Development’s investment in Iowa helped create or retain more than 1,000 jobs, aided 2,600 families in buying their own homes and assisted more than 60 communities as they made improvements to their facilities, services and infrastructure.

Officials with the Cass County Community Foundation (CCCF) today (Friday), distributed $26,775 to non-profit agencies within the County. The grants were presented at the Cass County Courthouse. With the grants, the CCCF has distributed more than $1.6-million in grants and scholarships over the last 14-years.

Representatives of the 14 non-profit organizations show-off their CCCF checks Friday on the steps of the Cass County Courthouse. (Ric Hanson/photo)

Among the 14 organizations which submitted applications for grants by the Sept. 1st, 2014 deadline and which received funding, was:

• The Anita Foundation: $1,500 to upgrade a toddler playground.
• The Anita Health & Wellness Center: $350 for weight benches and rubber weightlifting mats.
• The Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center: $3,000 for an expansion project.
• The Atlantic Fire Dept.: $2,000 for a MARSARS Ice Rescue Response Kit & rescue sled.
• The Atlantic Parks & Recreation Dept.: $3,000 for the final phase of camping pads at the Schildberg Recreation Area.
• The Cass County Historical Museum: $2,150 for renovations to the Receiving Area.
• The Center for the Advancement of Self Seficiency, Inc.: $2,000 for an Automatic door opener.
• The Cumberland Public Library: $2,000 for Expansion of technology facility/
• Friends of the Griswold Public Library: $3,125 for Library software & technology.
• Friends of the Cass County Outdoor Classroom: $3,000 for an addition to the education bldg.
• The Griswold FFA: $2,000 for replacement of the Cass County FFA Food Stand.
• The Hitchcock House Advisory Board: $1,000 for gift shop/registration bldg. expansion.
• The Lewis Town & Country Booster, Inc.: $1,000 for tables for the Lewis Community Center..
• The Massena Lions Club: $650 for the Lions Hall renovations.

All grantees met the criteria as Cass County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions in the areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social services. Only organizations providing services in Cass County were eligible.

Nicholas Hunt, Chair of the Cass County Community Foundations reminds area groups and non-profit organizations, that by Feb. 1st, 2015, the CCCF will have close to $100,000 in grants to giveaway, so interested groups and organizations should be preparing their grant ideas now for the Feb. 1st application deadline. He says the Spring grant cycle in February is usually larger than the fall cycle.

Residents in the Kimballton and Elk Horn areas should be aware of a road closure that begins on Monday, Nov. 10th. The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency said today (Friday), Woodland Road, between 1000th and 1100th Streets will be closed for about one week, effective Monday. The road is being closed for repairs.

The affected area lies between Jackson Township sections 14 and 15, one-quarter of a mile north of 1000th Street, in a small tributary of Wolf Creek. Emergency responders should plan to take alternate routes to nearby residences. If you have any questions, call the Shelby County Engineer’s Office at 712-755-5954.

A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person or persons who shot at a combine and tractor in Page County. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says on Wednesday (11/5), the Page County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint of criminal mischief at two separate locations approximately four-miles apart in the middle part of the county. At both locations, the owner of the property damaged was 35-year old Jay Crom, of Malvern,

At the location in the 2000 block of 255th Street, Crom had parked his combine next to the road. Unknown person(s) shot the 2001 John Deere 9670 STS combine several times, causing about $18-thousand damage. At the location in the 2300 block of M Avenue, an unknown person(s) shot a 1976 John Deere 4430 tractor, and a semi trailer tire on 1997 Timpte trailer next to the grain auger. Damage to the tractor and semi trailer was estimated at $1,675. The estimated total amount of damage Crom suffered at this time was just under $20,000.

During the investigation this far, the Sheriff’s Office has spoken with several persons in the area for information. Page County Crime Stopper are offering the $1,00 reward for information about the incidents. Callers can remain anonymous and can be given a number instead of their name. If you have information regarding this criminal act please call the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports 43-year old Corey Allen Brooks,  of Omaha, was sentenced Wednesday in Pottawattamie County to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and a consecutive 10 years for possession of a firearm during the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Brooks’ term of imprisonment is to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

The charges resulted from a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking by Brooks in Nebraska and Iowa. It was determined through the investigation that Brooks arranged for large quantities of methamphetamine (approximately 30 kilograms) to be delivered in Omaha and Council Bluffs,  between March and September 2011. During the course of the conspiracy, Brooks carried a firearm to protect the operation from interference from outside parties. On January 6, 2014, Brooks pled guilty to both charges.

Additional members of the drug trafficking organization run by Brooks that have also been sentenced include:
Cliff Ellis, who was sentenced on February 15, 2013, to 175 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and a consecutive 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm during the conspiracy, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Khodie Maves, who was sentenced on March 25, 2014, to 80 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Jason Hanan, sentenced on March 25, 2014, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and a consecutive 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm during the conspiracy, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Roy Gage, sentenced on March 25, 2014, to 100 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and a consecutive 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm during the conspiracy, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

James Surber, who was sentenced on March 25, 2014, to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Anthony Good, who was sentenced on May 29, 2014, to 140 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and a consecutive 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm during the conspiracy, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

And Chris Tietz, who was sentenced on July 1, 2014, to 188 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department, Omaha, Nebraska, Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, and the United States Secret Service. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.