Governor Terry Branstad is signalling that he’ll ask his fellow Republicans in the legislature to provide a state funding boost for Iowa’s K-through-12 public schools. Branstad’s FORMAL state budget recommendations will be made on January 10th, the second day of the 2017 legislative session — but the governor’s suggesting he’ll probably recommend a two percent increase in general state aid for schools.

“It is my hope that we will pass a two-year budget and that we will approve supplemental state aid in the first 30 days,” Branstad says. “And I have said, ideally, I’d like to get to two percent. That’s not going to be easy in light of the budget limitations that we’re facing.”

The official estimate of state tax collections has been lowered for the CURRENT budgeting year by 100 million, forcing Branstad and legislators to make cuts. The prediction of state tax revenue for the following year has been pared down as well, but Branstad says he wants to make school funding a priority.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak say a man who was reported to have been out of control in the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room, was arrested Friday night on two counts of assault on a health care providers. 55-year old Danny Meyers Moody, of Villisca, was taken into custody at around 9:55-p.m., and was being held on $1,000 bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

Authorities say Red Oak Police Officers were called to the E-R after Moody, who was a patient at the facility, became angry with staff at the hospital and allegedly kicked and struck a nurse in the arm and abdomen, and allegedly attempted to kick another nurse. Moody received the medical treatment he was at the hospital for, then arrested on the assault charges. None of the staff suffered any injuries that required treatment.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:00 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The company building an oil pipeline across four Midwestern states says it is halting land restoration work in Iowa until spring. In a letter to the Iowa Utilities Board on Monday Dakota Access says it had hoped to be finished with land restoration over the completed Iowa section by Dec. 31 but a regulatory delay this spring and “several incidents of trespassers interfering with construction work” prevented it from completing land restoration which is 80 percent done in Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says the Department of Human Services made “personnel changes” following the death of a West Des Moines teenager who was left in an allegedly abusive home despite reports made by a neighbor. Sixteen-year-old Natalie Finn died from denial of critical care and her mother is now charged with murder. Branstad’s office didn’t provide details on the personnel changes at the state agency.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of hogs and pigs on Iowa farms has reached a new record high. As of Dec. 1 Iowa had 22.4 million hogs and pigs, the most ever reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ron Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign chairman, convicted earlier of conspiracy and charges related to false campaign reporting, is accused of violating his probation while trying to arrange an illegal donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign. Court documents filed in federal court in Des Moines last week say Jesse Benton traveled to New York in October in violation of his probation agreement. Benton’s attorney had no comment this week.