Red Oak Police report Beth Renee Perdue was arrested Wednesday afternoon in the 1200 block of E. Summit Street. Perdue was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Probation Violation, with her bond set at $4,000. She was later transported by Cass County Deputies from the Montgomery County Jail to the Cass County Jail.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says at around 3:20-p.m., Wednesday, a juvenile male was arrested for Terroristic Threats, following an incident at the Southwest Valley Middle School. The male was transported to, and held at, the Juvenile Detention Center, in Council Bluffs.

(Radio Iowa) — Republicans in the Iowa legislature have taken final action on a plan to increase “per pupil” state spending in Iowa public schools by two-point-three percent next year. It’s an additional 85 million dollars and Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has signaled she’ll sign the bill. Senator Michael Breitbach, a Republican from Strawberry Point, says this batch of state funding goes along with spending approved last month to address some school budget inequities.

“We have a limited number of new dollars that we’re going to be able to spend this year…$235 million. We’re giving $100 million to K-12,” he says. “To me, that’s a pretty good shot in the arm.” All the Democrats in the legislature voted against the spending plan. Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames says the state could easily afford to send schools more. “But we look at the budget the Republicans have given us and we see their priorities,” Quirmbach says.

Senator Jackie Smith, a Democrat from Sioux City, says this level of general state spending on schools won’t help address the shortage of teachers in critical areas.”This will further add to low wages, or at least not increasing as they should,” Smith said, “and I think we’re going in the wrong direction.” Representative Cecil Dolecheck, a Republican from Mount Ayr, says it’s a matter of priorities. “If you live in a large school district, you’re getting a tremendous amount of money in total,” Dolecheck says. “Use that money like the rural school districts do and hire more teachers. Don’t spend it on administrators and other things like that. That’s what the rural districts have had to do to survive.”

One Republican broke ranks and voted against the plan. Representative Jeff Shipley of Fairfield says legislators are failing to address critical topics like a growing number of obese and diabetic students and students with psychiatric disorders.”Absent a larger discussion of these issues, we can spend as much money as we want on education, but we’re not going to see improving results,” Shipley said.

The state will spend about three-point-four BILLION on public pre-K through 12 schools next year. House Republicans and Governor Reynolds had favored a slightly higher increase of two-and-a-half percent in general state aid, but Senate Republicans voted for two-point-one percent. They compromised in the middle, at two-point-three percent.

(Radio Iowa) — The University of Iowa has canceled study abroad programs in four countries because of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Iowa State University has canceled spring break programs to Africa, Asia and Europe. I-S-U international risk analyst Shaun Jamieson says the school has canceled the spring programs because of U-S travel restrictions.

“I know that that can be a really disappointing decision for some of our students that were planning on going on these spring break programs,” he says, “but, you know, it’s a difficult decision for us as well, but we make it with the well being of our students in mind.” I-S-U suspended programs in China in late January. Just last week, the university suspended its programs in Italy and South Korea.

About 140 Iowa State students were studying in those countries. About 160 UNIVERSITY OF IOWA students are affected by the school’s decision to cancel study abroad programs in China, South Korea, Japan and Italy. Russ Ganim is the associate dean of international programs. He says some students have found alternative programs in other countries, others have already returned home or will be arriving soon — but very few will actually be coming back to Iowa City.

“Many of those students live either in Des Moines or are from out of state or Cedar Rapids,” he says, “so while we don’t have exact numbers on how many would be coming back to Iowa City, preliminary indications are that we don’t have that many.” Another 160 University of Iowa students are outside the country — but are NOT in countries where Covid-19 cases are spreading.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katie Peikes)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Three applicants to fill an Iowa Supreme Court vacancy have close political ties to Gov. Kim Reynolds who, thanks to Republican changes to the judicial nominating process last year, now has a heavier influence over the panel that chooses finalists. Among the 15 applicants to be interviewed Friday by the State Judicial Nominating Commission is Sam Langholz, the governor’s senior legal counsel. If he’s a finalist Reynolds could decide whether her own lawyer becomes the next justice. Democratic Sen. Rob Hogg says it’s a test to see if the commission has turned partisan or continues Iowa’s merit-based selection of judges.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Felons would be required to repay restitution to victims before they could get their voting right restored under a bill passed by the Iowa Senate. Earlier Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds for the first time indicated support for the measure. Iowa is the only state that automatically takes felon voting rights away. Felons must apply to the governor who requires that they have at least a payment plan for court ordered financial obligations. Senate Republicans insisted on complete restitution repayment before they would consider a constitutional amendment automatically restoring voting rights upon the completion of a felony sentence.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police say an arrest has been made in the stabbing death of a Cedar Rapids man. Police say in a news release that 36-year-old Jacqueline Marie Holmes was arrested Wednesday morning at the home where a 35-year-old man was found with a stab wound to his upper torso. The man was later pronounced dead at a hospital. His name has not yet been released. Police say an investigation showed that Holmes had stabbed the victim, with whom she was in a relationship. Holmes has been charged with first-degree murder in the case. She also had an arrest warrant for revocation of probation on other charges of child endangerment, operating while intoxicated and other counts.

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a prisoner serving a life sentence for murder died Wednesday morning at a southeast Iowa hospital. Everett Lyon was pronounced dead due to natural causes at 3:58 a.m. at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. He’d been sent there for a suspected heart attack. The Iowa Corrections Department says Lyon was 71. Lyon was convicted of first-degree murder in Marshall County. Prison records say Lyon had been serving his time at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. His incarceration began on April 10, 1979.

The Atlantic City Council breezed through their agenda, Wednesday night. One of the items they covered included action on setting April 1st at 5:30-p.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on the bids received with regard to an addition to the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

Snyder and Associates Engineers Dave Sturm and Austin Sonntag discussed the plans and specifications for the addition to the shelter’s east side, which is expected to cost $151,000. Sonntag said the 26-by 30-foot steel addition will match the existing building, but the height will be taller than the existing structure.

Snyder & Assoc. Engineers Dave Sturm (left), & Austin Sonntag.

The inside will feature space for cats and kittens that are brought to the shelter or strays that are picked up, and the appropriate cages. It will also house an office, restroom, and adoption room and wash room. Bids for the project will be let Thursday, March 5th, with the deadline for submission as March 31st.

The Lorene Eppelsheimer Estate gifted $135,000 for the project, but additional funds have come in to cover the balance, pending the receipt of bids. In other business, Mayor Dave Jones said he’s spoken with Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel, and it was decided Fireworks for the 4th of July Holiday will be held Friday July 3rd, so families can spend the weekend taking in activities together.