A little more than one week before patrons of the Atlantic Community School District will determine the fate of a $9.5-million bond referendum for facilities’ improvements, the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will meet Monday evening in a work session at the High School.

During their session, the Board will discuss the 2019-2020 Certified Budget, and upcoming dates of note, including: the April 2nd Special Election/General Obligation Bond; April regular board meeting/public hearing (To be determined); and the IASB Policy Leadership & Legal Issues Conference on April 18th.

The Atlantic Board of Education meeting begins 5:30-p.m. Monday (March 25th), in the High School Media Center.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:10 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery officials say the Powerball jackpot has ballooned to $750 million after no ticket matched all six numbers in the most recent drawing. The numbers drawn Saturday night are 24, 25, 52, 60 and 66, with a Powerball of 5. The next drawing for what would be the fourth-largest jackpot in U.S. history is Wednesday. The odds of winning are roughly 1 in 292.2 million.

FAIRMONT, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his adult son. The Des Moines Register reports that 59-year-old Daniel Niebuhr of Fairbank was charged Friday in the death of 36-year-old Brock Niebuhr of Dike. The sheriff’s office says Daniel Neibuhr told investigators that he walked up behind his son and shot him in the head as he was on a couch watching television. Authorities have not disclosed a motive.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says President Donald Trump has granted her request for an expedited disaster declaration for 56 counties with damage from recent flooding along the Missouri River and other parts of the state. The declaration makes assistance available to homeowners, renters, businesses, public entities and some nonprofit organizations.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A Colorado man faces misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct charges for allegedly throwing water on a Republican Iowa congressman who’s drawn criticism for racist statements. Blake Gibbins was arrested Friday at a restaurant in Fort Dodge, where Iowa Rep. Steve King was eating lunch. Fort Dodge police say in a news release that Gibbins approached King’s group and asked King who he was. When King replied, Gibbins allegedly threw a glass of water on him.

Anamosa, Iowa – The Iowa Dept. of Corrections (DOC) said Saturday, that a staff member was assaulted by an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary at approximately 11:30-a.m., Saturday.

The staff member, a Correctional officer was in the process of handcuffing an inmate who started throwing closed fist punches striking an officer on the left side of the face. The staff member, went to the infirmary where he saw a nurse and was advised to go to Jones Regional Medical Center to be assessed for injuries.

The incident remains under investigation.

Governor Kim Reynolds, Saturday, announced that President Trump had approved the disaster declaration for 56 counties, including Shelby, which free’s-up federal aid for areas devastated by recent flooding. Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Londo said Saturday, that while the county will get federal public assistance from FEMA to help with long-term recovery, the county has not been granted Individual Assistance.

Londo says regardless, “We are going to continue to work diligently to access this program for those in need.” We stressed how important it is for Shelby County residents, especially those that sustained structural damage, to call 1-800-621-3362, or go to www.disasterassistance.gov, and report ALL damage.

“By reporting damage,” Londo says “You may be assisting others in Shelby County in accessing funds to repair severely damaged homes. Defiance, Harlan and Shelby all saw homes that were in the Major damage category,” Londo said. “Some of those receiving damage are unable to access the current low income Individual Assistance Program (IAP), and have been denied assistance from homeowners insurance. The FEMA IAP,” he says, “would potentially allow access to funds to repair these homes.”

Londo says “Even if you have reported damage” to the Shelby County EMA “and have received a visit,” you should still call 1-800-621-3362, or www.disasterassistance.gov, and report it again.”That’s especially true if you have basement wall failures or near failures in your home.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Even as floodwaters receded in hard-hit places in in the Midwest, experts warned Saturday that with plenty of snow still left to melt in northern states, the relief may only be temporary. Rainfall and some snowmelt spurred flooding in recent weeks that’s blamed in three deaths so far, with two men in Nebraska missing for more than a week. Thousands were forced from their homes in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri, as water broke through or poured over levees in the region. The damage is estimated at $3 billion, and that figure is expected to rise.
As temperatures start to warm, snowmelt in the Dakotas and Minnesota will escalate, sending more water down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and their tributaries.

Lt. Col. James Startzell, deputy commander of the Corps of Engineers’ Omaha, Nebraska, district, said even warmer temperatures are possible into next week. He urged people living near rivers to be watchful. Bill Brinton, emergency management director for hard-hit Buchanan County, Missouri, which includes St. Joseph’s 76,000 residents, said his counties and surrounding ones have already been ravaged by flooding. A precautionary evacuation involving hundreds of homes in the St. Joseph area was lifted as the Missouri River began a swift decline after unofficially rising to a new all-time high, inches above the 1993 record. St. Joseph was largely spared, but Brinton said 250 homes were flooded in the southern part of Buchanan County. It wasn’t clear when residents would be able to get back.

When they do, officials say they need to be careful. Contaminants that escaped from flooded farm fields, industrial operations and sewage plants are part of the murky water now saturating homes. In Fremont County, Iowa, homes remain underwater, so it will be some time before residents can return, said county Supervisor Randy Hickey. “We don’t want them in that water, anyway,” Hickey said. Experts also warn that sharp objects — broken glass, pieces of metal, pointy sticks and rocks — could lurk in muddy debris. Downed or broken power lines also may pose electrocution hazards.

Another risk is posed by wildlife. Brinton said two people in Buchanan County, MO, were bitten by snakes after returning home following flooding in 2011. The Missouri River had yet to crest further downstream in Missouri, but the flooding impact in those areas was expected to be far less severe. In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem activated 13 members of the Army National Guard to help distribute water on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation after floodwaters washed out a county waterline. The guardsmen will provide drinkable water to people in the communities of Red Shirt, Pine Ridge, Porcupine, Evergreen and Wounded Knee. The Guard will set up from a central location in each community until the waterline is fixed.

Even the lower Mississippi River was impacted. The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday rescued two boaters from a disabled vessel near New Orleans. Coast Guard officials said the flooding means more debris in the river, and the currents can pull a boat into danger.

DES MOINES –  Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Saturday), received notification that President Trump has granted her request for an expedited Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for 56 counties that have been severely impacted by recent flooding along the Missouri River and other parts of the state. The declaration makes assistance available to homeowners, renters, businesses, public entities, and select nonprofit organizations. The Governor said in a press release, “Today’s announcement from President Trump approving our emergency declaration will be instrumental to Iowa’s recovery. We are incredibly grateful for the President’s consistent and timely action in the face of disaster. The road to recovery will be long, but it’s clear that Iowans will have the resources we need to rebuild.”

Federal Individual Assistance is available for five counties: The declaration by the President makes available the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program for five counties, which provides aid to eligible homeowners, renters, and businesses. Residents in Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, and Woodbury counties are eligible to apply for this program, regardless of income. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or 1-800-462-7585 TTY. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time), seven days a week, until further notice.

Federal Public Assistance is available for 56 counties: The declaration also makes available FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, which puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs to help public entities and select nonprofit organizations. Among the 56 counties eligible to apply for Public Assistance funding under the declaration is: Adair, Audubon, Carroll, Cass,Crawford, Dallas, Fremont,Guthrie, Harrison, Madison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Sac, Shelby, and Union.

Hazard Mitigation Funding is available statewide: The governor also received notification that the Presidential Disaster Declaration includes funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state. With this funding, Iowa will be able to minimize the impact of future disasters by taking steps to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards.

Other counties may be added to the declaration as additional damage is reported to State officials. For more information on flood recovery resources available to Iowans, visit www.floods2019.iowa.gov, or contact 2-1-1.

Police in Council Bluffs say emergency crews responded at around 7:35-a.m. today (Saturday) to Interstate 80 eastbound at around mile-marker 4, under Interstate 29, for a motor vehicle crash involving a semi-truck. The crash caused authorities to shutdown I-80 eastbound about four hours. Traffic had to be rerouted south on I-29.  The crash investigation indicated the semi was eastbound on I-80 and lost control on the curve striking a guardrail. The semi rolled over, spilling its load, which included an empty tanker truck it was hauling. Debris and diesel fuel covered all lanes of eastbound traffic.

Heavy Towing Equipment and the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) removed the vehicles and cleaned the debris from the roadway. The driver of the semi suffered minor injuries. He was cited for Failure to Maintain Control of a Motor Vehicle. Unfortunately, other predetermined traffic routes were unavailable due to flooding and construction road closures. That caused major traffic backups in the areas of Hwy 92 at Wabash/Harry Langdon Av and the South Expressway.

Officials say they apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused to the motoring public.  The case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A Colorado man faces misdemeanor charges for allegedly throwing water on Iowa Rep. Steve King while the Republican congressman was eating lunch in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Blake Gibbins was arrested Friday at the Mineral City Mill and Grill. The 26-year-old from Lafayette, Colorado, is charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

Fort Dodge police say in a news release that Gibbins approached King’s group and asked King who he was. When King replied, Gibbins allegedly threw a glass of water on him. Police say others seated at the table also got wet.

King has drawn criticism for racist statements. House Republican leaders this year stripped King of his committee assignments. Still, the nine-term congressman has said he will seek re-election in 2020.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An estimated $625 million jackpot is on the line in Saturday’s Powerball drawing. It would be the seventh-highest U.S. lottery jackpot ever. The estimated lump sum payout would be $380.6 million before taxes. The odds of winning are roughly 1 in 292.2 million.

No one has won the Powerball jackpot since the day after Christmas. Twenty-four drawings since then have failed to produce a winner, including the drawing on Wednesday.

The buyers of three tickets shared the country’s largest jackpot. It was a nearly $1.59 billion Powerball prize drawn on Jan. 13, 2016. A South Carolina purchaser won a $1.54 billion Mega Millions jackpot. That was the nation’s second-largest lottery prize ever.

AMES, Iowa – March 23, 2019 – NOON – The Iowa Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Iowa State Patrol, has reopened northbound I-29 from the U.S. 34 interchange (near Glenwood) to the I-80/I-29 interchange (in Council Bluffs). This location was previously closed due to flooding.

Interstate reopenings at this time:

• I-29 in both directions between the I-80/I-29 interchange (in Council Bluffs) to the U.S. 34 interchange (near Glenwood)
• The I-29/U.S. 34/ U.S. 275 interchange (exit 34 near Pacific Junction) is only open to I-29 traffic exiting to go east on U.S. 34 toward Glenwood.

Interstate closures remain in place for:

• I-680 in both directions between the Nebraska border and I-29 near Crescent (Mormon Bridge).
• The North portion of I-680 between I-80 and I-29 remains open for northbound traffic..
• I-29 in both directions between the I-680 interchange (near Loveland) and North 25th Street in Council Bluffs.
• I-29 in both directions between the U.S. 34 interchange (near Glenwood, IA) and U.S. 71 in Missouri (north of St. Joseph, MO)

Several road closures remain in western Iowa and throughout the state. Travelers are urged to check www.511ia.org for current flood-related closures and detour routes.