Officials with the Riverside School District hope another try will do the trick when it comes to passing a bond issued for new district facilities. Superintendent Jim Sutton told KJAN News the district’s Board of Education have accepted a petition calling for a June 25^th Special Election which if approved, would result in the construction of a new, 7th-12th grade facility.  Sutton says voters will decide on a $15.1 million bond issue that leaves the tax levy the same as before, at $2.70 per thousand dollars of valuation. He says “Together with the savings we have and borrowing against our remaining sales tax, we’re looking at about a $23-million project.”

If approved, the new facility would be located near the intersection of Highways 6 and 59, south of Oakland, and it would not require the closure of all three of the district’s buildings. It would also eliminate the idea of a Pre-k through 12^th grade building, and include an auditorium, a geothermal heating system, athletic complex and track, which remain on the district’s priority list. He said those items have simply been moved up on the priority list. Sutton says until the last election in Dec. 2012, the district’s thoughts were to include the extras if the money was available, but by trimming down the project to a 7-12 building, they were able to “Maintain a couple of buildings that are still usable in the district,” and “Assure voters that we would have geothermal in that project, and the athletic complex.” Previously, those items were on the wish list as more money became available.

Previous bond issue attempts for a new K-12 facility were rejected in April, 2011 and February 2012. The last attempt to pass the measure came up short of the 60-percent supermajority needed for the measure to pass, at 59.2-percent. Sutton says that’s because there were a couple of factors working against them. One was an Iowa Western Community College bond issue that was being voted on during the same day, which he says when added to the Oakland District’s bond vote, “Made it look a pretty hefty proposal.” The other issue, was the fact there was only one polling place in the County, which he says affected the turnout.

Sutton says they’re hoping they don’t have to share the ballot this time around, and that the County will be agreeable to having polling places in each one of the district’s communities, as has been the case in the past. An informal meeting on the latest bond measure is expected to take place June 11^th, just weeks before the scheduled Special Election. Additional details on the locations and times for the meeting will be announced in the district’s newsletter and a mailer that will be sent out to the district’s patrons.

Sutton says the main thing they have to overcome this time around, is “Voter Apathy.”  He says with the tax rate having fallen by as much as 80-cents over the past year , it’s a “Wise time to spending this money for a new building, it really is.”

A riverboat casino in Council Bluffs is about to be retired, and replaced with a new, indoor casino. The Daily NonPareil reports all of the gaming operations on-board the “Kanesville Queen” riverboat owned by Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino and Hotel will be removed from the 18-year old boat and taken into a new, 25-thousand square foot, one-level area, where Harrah’s convention rooms were located. The  move has been five-years in the making, according to Senior Vice President and General Manager, Bo Guidry. A change in Iowa law means casinos are no longer required to be on boats, which are expensive to maintain. Guidry said the company expects to save $2-million per year once the vessel is retired and closed at 4-a.m., June 3rd.

The new casino, which is set to hold its grand opening June 8th,  will offer 600 slot machines, including 200 new games and 100 video poker machines. There will be 18 table games featuring customer favorites like blackjack, craps and roulette. Forty-seven high-definition televisions will be installed on the walls around the room, as well.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad and MidAmerican Energy have announced plans to spend $1.9 billion to install 656 wind turbines in Iowa by 2016. The Des Moines-based utility’s plan represents the largest economic development project in Iowa history. The new turbines will have the capacity to generate more than 1,000 megawatts of wind power.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Senator Tom Harkin is announcing nearly $1.2 million in funding for projects at six Iowa airports. The largest amount will go to the Spencer Municipal Airport. More than $300,000 will be spent on renovating the runway lighting system.

CLARION, Iowa (AP) — Jurors deliberating in the trial of an Osage teenager accused of shooting his mother to death say they’re “close” to being a hung jury. Noah Crooks is charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse in the 2012 killing of his mother. Jurors sent a note to the judge yesterday that read, “Close to hung jury. What do we do?”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved a bill that includes $8 million to upgrade facilities at the Iowa Speedway in Newton. The Senate approved the money as part of an appropriations bill that includes spending on a variety of projects. The state tax dollars would be spread out over four years.