The board that oversees the three state universities gave final approval for the 2018 budgets during a meeting via telephone Wednesday. The presidents of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and Northern Iowa each talked about the challenges they face in light of state budget cuts.  Board of Regents president Michael Richards says the university leaders are doing what they can to handle the state funding cuts. “I think that we have presidents that are willing to work together. There is stress obviously in the state on the budgets  and I believe that each school is sort of differentiating itself as having little bit different issues,” Richards says.

He says the board and the schools will continue working with lawmakers and the governor on the budget concerns. “We’re are focusing on what the students need, what the parents need, we’re open to obviously to the legislature. We’re working with them and working with the governor’s office to come up with a good solution — and I think our presidents are the leaders to help us do that,” according to Richards.

He says it’s not a fight between education and state government. “We’re all on the same side….and there’s always something more that we can do, and if we have the opportunity we will try to work with them,” Richards says.The Board of Regents put together a tuition task force to look at the future of tuition and how it fits into the budget picture. It’s meeting schedule last week where they were supposed to hear from legislative, economic development and business representatives was canceled. Richards says he’s not concerned about that.

“I think it was really a situation of timing this summer, it was hard to get everybody’s schedule together,” Richards says. “I know we have a great deal of interest at the universities. So, I think it was more schedules rather than a lack of interest, it was just getting everybody together.” The task force has meetings scheduled next week with each of the three schools where they will talk about their five-year tuition plans.

(Radio Iowa)

Three bicyclists were injured when they were struck by a van Wednesday evening, in Dallas County. The Iowa State Patrol says 36-year old Renae Deaver, of Dallas Center, was traveling south on Dallas County Road R-22 at around 7:45-p.m., when she failed to see four bicycles and struck them with her 2011 Toyota Sienna. The bicycle riders came to rest in the west ditch. All four riders were wearing their helmets.

Taken to Mercy and Methodist Hospitals respectively by Dallas County EMS, was 50-year old Todd Bidel, of West Des Moines, and 49-year old Brian Terhark, of Clive. A Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputy transported 45-year old Chad Roethler, of Urbandale, to Mercy West Lakes hospital. 36-year old Todd Bindel, of West Des Moines, was not seriously injured, according to the Patrol’s report.

The accident remains under investigation.

The Creston Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing juvenile. Authorities are trying to locate 10-year old Phoenix White, a white male, 5’2″ tall, 110lbs with blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. He was last seen wearing a black Creston Panthers t-shirt and denim shorts. Phoenix has 2 bald spots on the left side of his head.

If you have any information on his whereabouts please contact the Creston Police Department at 641-782-8402 or call 9-1-1.

Updated photo of Phoenix

Atlantic City Clerk Barb Barrick reminded the Atlantic City Council and the public, Wednesday night, that the petitions for various City Council positions may be circulated now, and turned in toward the end of the month. Barrick said current Council members seeking re-election and persons wishing to run for office, can receive nomination papers at City Hall, the Cass County Auditor’s Office, or the Secretary of State’s website. The completed papers may be filed with the County Auditor, beginning August 28th.

City Council members whose elected positions are slated to end Jan. 1st, 2018 and will be included on the November 7th ballot, include: Mayor – Dave Jones; 2nd Ward – Kathy Somers; 5th Ward – Richard Casady and At Large – Gerald Brink.

Brink was appointed in Sept. 2016 to fill a vacancy on the Council created by the resignation of Bob Cord. Casady was appointed in 2015 to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Lori Stuart. Casady was unopposed in the Nov. 2015 election to hold the seat for through the end of 2017.