DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he is reviewing his options for raising revenues to help Iowa’s bridges and roads. Branstad said Monday that he is trying to find out what approach might be politically possible. Earlier this year, Branstad expressed concern about raising the state fuel tax and asked Department of Transportation Director Paul Trombino to review the state’s options for funding infrastructure costs.

That list of options includes raising new registration fees and raising fees for oversize vehicles. Branstad says he has not committed to any plan. Iowa’s fuel tax —now 22 cents per gallon for gasoline including fees — hasn’t been raised since 1989. A commission appointed by Branstad in 2011 recommended an increase of 8 to 10 cents a gallon to boost funding for bridges and roads.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Google will pay Iowa more than $275,000 as part of a $17 million national settlement over claims that the search engine giant violated consumer privacy. The New York Attorney General’s office said Google Inc. altered coding in 2011 and 2012 to find a way around default privacy settings on Safari without consumers’ knowledge or consent. Such coding allowed the company to gather information about consumers, including online surfing habits.

The company had allowed consumers to opt out of having third-party advertising cookies set on their browsers. Google disabled the coding in February 2012 after the practice was widely reported. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says the money will go into the state’s consumer education and litigation fund. The settlement involves 37 states and the District of Columbia.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests. On Friday (Nov. 15th), 56-year old Robert Ernest McMartin, of Red Oak, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear for Child Support Hearing. McMartin was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day by District Court order.

On Thursday (November 14th), 25-year old Dustin Michael Haas, of Griswold, was arrested in Cass County on a charge of OWI 2^nd Offense (an Aggravated misdemeanor). Haas was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.  Also arrested Thursday, was 27-year old Prudence Penelope Gwendolyn Page, of Atlantic. She was taken into custody on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Page was brought to the Cass County Jail and held on $10,000 bond.

And on November 8th, 32-year old Melanie Rene Mullen, of Atlantic, turned herself in at the Cass County Jail on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Disorderly Conduct. Mullen was released that day on $300 bond.

(12:40-p.m. News)

Authorities in Mills County report a Council Bluffs man was arrested over the weekend on drug charges. 43-year old Everett Brayman was taken into custody at around 1:35-a.m. Saturday, following a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 34/221st Street. Brayman was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,300.

On Friday, deputies in Mills County arrested 60-year old Diane Havens Hathaway, of Glenwood. Hathaway was taken into custody at around 7:55-p.m. at 5th and Locust, in Glenwood. Her bond was set at $1,000.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports also, two accident happened last Friday. Neither resulted in injuries.

Cass County 4-H Club Officers are being encouraged to attend this year’s Officer Training, scheduled for this Thursday, November 21st.  The event will begin at 6:00 PM at the Cass County Community Center. Cass County Youth Coordinator, Beth Irlbeck says “4-H club officers have very important jobs.  Their club members depend on them to be effective leaders and role models. This is an opportunity for club officers to learn leadership skills as well as learn about their duties as officers.”

A variety of challenge games and activities will be used to teach the concepts of leadership and teamwork.  4-H’ers will get a chance to meet in break-out groups with others in their office to learn about their specific responsibilities.  Breakout sessions will be held for club Presidents/Vice -Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, Reporters and Historians/Photographers.  Resources and guides will be provided for club officers to use during the year.

Interested 4-H Club Officers are asked to registered for the event by no later than 4:30-p.m. November 20^th,  by calling the Cass County Extension Office at 243-1132.

STANTON, Iowa (AP) – A 125-foot water tower painted to look like a Swedish coffeepot is in danger of losing its place in southwest Iowa.  Since 1971, a 50,000-gallon water tower in the town of Stanton has featured a giant handle, spout and knob. A sign on the edge of town says, “home of the world’s largest coffeepot.”

The Des Moines Register reports a $1.2 million revamp of the town’s central water system will cease use of the tower. At minimum, an estimated $250,000 would be needed to safely preserve the tower as an empty landmark.

Maintenance issues include no cover on the spout to protect it from rain and moisture. Repainting the structure would require costly sandblasting. There are also out-of-date ladders on the side of the tower.

A bank robbery in Harlan this (Monday) morning ended with the suspect surrendering to authorities inside the bank. According to the Harlan Police Department, an unidentified man walked into the Bank of the West in Harlan at around 9:40-a.m. and demanded money from a teller. The suspect was handed an undetermined amount of cash, but never left the lobby area.

Officers from the Harlan Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office made entry into the bank and the suspect was taken into custody before being transported to the Shelby County Jail. The Omaha office of the FBI was contacted and an agent was dispatched to the scene.

Currently the suspect is being held on $10,000 bond. He’s been charged with 2nd degree robbery, a class C Felony. No other information was released.

Officers with the Atlantic Police Department arrested three individuals over the weekend, and one person today (Monday). Authorities say 29-year old Daniel Fredericksen, of Atlantic was arrested this (Monday) morning, on a warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree.

37-year old Simon Seah, of Des Moines, was arrested Saturday and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession with the Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, and Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp.

31-year old Richard Osborne, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault with the Intent to Cause Serious Injury. And, 37-year old Ezra Sedina, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday afternoon on an outstanding warrant out of Audubon County for Probation Violation. Sedina was transferred to Audubon County and held in their jail on $1,500 bond, pending an appearance before magistrate.

The other individuals were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Guthrie Center Times reports an annual audit conducted at Guthrie County Hospital for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2013, and signed September 20th by an independent auditing firm in Atlantic, showed the hospital’s operating loss last year at more than  $1.8-million, marking the  the third consecutive year losses have topped the $1 million mark. Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn, and Company, P.C., Atlantic, recently presented their report to the Guthrie County board of supervisors.

Operating losses are now up nearly 500% over 2008. Guthrie County Hospital management officials said in the audit that operating losses are consistent with the hospital’s entire operating history. “The hospital’s operations were begun in 1951 as a county hospital, when it was agreed that a portion of its costs would be subsidized by property tax revenues, making the facility more affordable for the county’s lower income residents. In the current fiscal year operating losses have increased.”

After years of rapid expansion, Fiscal Year 2013 records indicate a leveling of growth at the hospital, as total liabilities and net assets have remained relatively level since 2011. The hospital’s long-term debt has actually decreased slightly the past two years. Although debt has decreased each of the past two years, it is still nearly 10 times what is was in 2006 prior to the hospital’s rapid expansion.

In spite of additional beds added during expansion, an emphasis on outpatient care has led to the average occupied hospital beds leveling below peaks seen in 2009-2011. Increased services have increased total patient service revenues each of the past eight years, but not enough to erase the debt of expansion.

A copy of the full audit may be viewed during normal business hours at the Guthrie County Auditor’s office.