DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – No one has won the $425 million jackpot in the Mega Millions lottery game. Lottery officials say no one matched all of the numbers in the drawing Friday night.  The numbers drawn were: 19-24-26-27-70, Mega Ball: 12.  The jackpot now is expected to reach $550 million for the next drawing on Tuesday. The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever was a $656 million jackpot in March 2012.

The Mega Millions underwent a major game revamp in October in an effort to grow bigger jackpots in a shorter amount of time. But it also decreased the odds of a person winning the top prize to about 1 in 259 million. It was previously about 1 in 176 million, nearly the same odds as winning the Powerball jackpot.

A holiday tradition that began with a simple Christmas light display more than 40-years ago continues near Red Oak, and features newer technology, this year. Jack Baird and his family have been hard at work preparing for their light and display show for the past couple of months. Speaking on KJAN’s “Heartbeat Today” with Jim Field, Baird said they try to add another element to the show each year, and this year is no different. He said they’re adding a 19-foot tall saluting soldier this year, which has become a daunting task, but one they will have ready by the time the display opens Saturday evening.

The lights will be turned on at the Baird farm northwest of Red Oak, beginning at around 5:30-p.m. Saturday. Jack said there all many different signs on the hills, a church with animated characters and large Nativity Scene, and a more than 20-foot tall lighted ferris wheel. Baird switched the lights from the old incandescent-style to LED’s, which he says proved not only to be brighter and clearer, but a great cost-saver.

As many cities have learned, the use of LED lights could save 90-percent on the cost of electricity. Another advantage, is that they’re tough and will likely last longer.  The 82-year old Baird says the best way to get to the farm from Atlantic, is to take Highway 48 past Elliott, west on H-12 for three-miles, and then south for a little more than a mile. You won’t be able to miss the display, even if you’re still several miles away….just look for a large glow. A star on top of a grain bin is 50-feet in the air, and a Christmas tree on top of a radio tower is about 70-feet high.

The actual physical address is 1233 E Avenue. There is no charge to view the display, but the Baird family does accept donations through a collection box placed near the display. You can view the holiday display every night from this Saturday until New Year’s Day, from dark until 10:30-p.m. Sundays through Fridays, and until 11-p.m. on Saturdays.

Officials with the USDA and Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) have announced AMU was awarded a $300,000 grant from the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDL&G) program. The grant is to establish a revolving loan fund to support area development projects. AMU has added a $60,000 match for the grant, bringing the loan fund balance $360,000. The grant is federally funded for economic development purposes in rural areas. Historically, the grants and loans were available to Rural Electric Coops and phone companies. The last few years they have expanded applicants to municipal utilities.

The application was made by AMU for the purpose of erecting a pre-engineered building to be leased to an expanding business in the AMU district. The business would need to employ at least 25 people, with the promise of expansion. Cass/Atlantic Development Corp. owns development property northwest of Atlantic. CADCO was working with Precision Concrete Services (PCS) who were interested in a building at that site. The AMU Board agreed to loan the grant monies to CADCO who in return would be the general contractor and lessee of that building.

The rent from the building will be used to pay back the loan to AMU, over a period of up to ten years. The plan is that PCS will be the eventual owner of that building. SteveTjepkes, General Manager of Atlantic Municipal Utilities, says “Receipt of the grant and establishment of the revolving loan fund would not have been possible without the work of CADCO and the relationship they built with Precision Concrete Services to put this project together.”  Tjepkes added, “the great thing about this project is the money from the grant and matching funds, as repaid, will be used as a revolving loan fund that can then be re-loaned to foster future economic development activities. It does not have to be repaid to USDA.”

Henningson’s Construction is currently erecting the building northwest of Atlantic, off Hwy 83, north of the railroad tracts.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery game has been boosted to $425 million because of heavy sales. Paula Otto, the Virginia Lottery’s executive director and Mega Millions’ lead director, says sales are 40 percent ahead of projections prompting the game to boost the jackpot for the draw Friday night.  A winner choosing the cash option would take home $228 million.

In New York state, tickets are selling at a pace of $500,000 an hour Friday morning. The state’s lottery spokeswoman, Christy Calicchia says sales are normally between $60,000 and $70,000 an hour.  The winning ticket must match the six numbers drawn. About 32 percent of the possible combinations of numbers have been sold.

Mega Millions is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Police in Red Oak report no one was injured during an accident Friday morning at the intersection of Corning and 1st Streets. The accident happened at around 8:30-a.m. Officials says their investigation determined a 1998 GMC Jimmy driven by 53-year old Michelle Solt, of Red Oak, was traveling north on North 1st Street and failed to stop at the stop sign. The SUV collided with a westbound 2002 Mercury Sable, driven by 25-year old Jean Myers, also from Red Oak.

Both drivers, and a juvenile passenger in the Solt vehicle complained of pain, but refused transport to the hospital. The damage amounted to $6,000. Officials say Solt was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.

Police in Lenox report a local woman was arrested Thursday night on a warrant out of Audubon County. 21-year old Lacee Malson, of Lenox, was arrested at around 9:30-p.m. at her home, by officers with the Lenox Police Dept and deputies with the Taylor Co. Sheriffs Office.

Malson was wanted on an Audubon County arrest warrant for failure to appear. She was transported to the Taylor County Sheriffs office and later turned over to the Audubon County Sheriffs office.