DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is hearing attorneys, judges, and law professors give their opinions on what would happen if the state eliminated the requirement that all attorneys must pass the bar exam before beginning practice. Currently only Wisconsin allows attorneys graduating from in-state law schools to skip the test.

The Iowa State Bar Association has suggested Iowa adopt the policy called diploma privilege allowing students graduating from law schools at Drake or the University of Iowa to practice law without taking the bar. Supporters say it will help reduce the debt of law students by allowing them to enter the work force sooner and may help slow declining law school enrollment.

Opponents say the bar exam serves an important gatekeeping purpose of weeding out lawyers unprepared to begin practicing law.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A legislative oversight committee will investigate a program administered by the Iowa attorney general’s office. Rep. Kevin Koester, a Republican from Ankeny who chairs the House Government Oversight Committee, says Wednesday the panel will review some of the practices of the office’s Crime Victim Assistance Division.

According to a news release, the committee will look at the funding that goes to programs around the state that assist crime victims.

The committee will meet Sept. 8 to question staff from the attorney general’s office. Geoff Greenwood, a spokesman for Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller, says the program was managed responsibly and the office looks forward to discussing operations with the committee.

The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors have approved the sale of $1.94 million in bonds to be repaid at an interest rate of 1.35 percent. According to the Daily NonPareil, the action Tuesday means the sale of the bonds will provide money for a new Veterans Affairs building, along with needs in the Sheriff’s Department and elsewhere. The investment bank of Robert Baird and Co. of Milwaukee, Wis., in association with the UMB Bank of Kansas City, Mo., purchased the bonds while offering the 1.35 percent interest rate, the lowest of four bids received.

The former principal of Red Oak Community High School has taken a new position at Saint Albert Catholic Schools. The Council Bluffs Daily NonPareil reports Jedd Sherman is teaching biology, anatomy and physiology and environmental science at the private high school in Council Bluffs. He spent 11 years teaching at the high-school and middle-school level.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports three juveniles who escaped from the Clarinda Academy early Wednesday morning, have been apprehended. Brothers said at approximately 1:20 a.m., officials from the Clarinda Academy reported the escape of three male juveniles from the facility. A 14-year old white male from Sioux City, Iowa, a 15-year old black male from Waterloo, Iowa and a 16-year old black male from Moreno Valley, CA., left one of the campus dormitories.

At around 2:50-a.m. the 15-year old back male from Waterloo was located and apprehended without incident by Clarinda Academy staff near the power substation located east of Clarinda.  At about 7:25- a.m., the 14 year old white male from Sioux City and the 16 year old black male from Moreno Valley, CA., were also located and apprehended without incident by a Clarinda Police Officer. Those teens were taken into custody about one-mile west of Clarinda.

All three escapees have been returned to the custody of the Clarinda Academy.

An Atlantic man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly violating the terms of his probation. Atlantic Police report 57-year old Terry Calhoun was booked into the Cass County Jail.