DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines Water Works plans to double the size of the nitrate removal facility that treats drinking water from the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers. The Des Moines Register reports the utility’s board this week approved an $800,000 design contract. The utility expects to spend $15 million on the project, and officials say the new equipment and the cost to operate it will require bigger future rate increases.

The utility had sued three northern Iowa counties, accusing them of allowing agricultural drainage districts to send nitrate pollution into the rivers. The lawsuit sought damages for the money the utility has spent to remove the nitrates.

A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit March 17, saying Iowa’s water quality problems were an issue for the Iowa Legislature.

An enrollment study commissioned by the Atlantic Community School District in advance of plans for improved academic and athletic facilities shows enrollment will experience some ebbs and flows over the next five-years. Robert Schwarz, with RSP and Associates in Overland Park, KS., projects overall enrollment for the 2017-18 school year (K-12) will be down seven students. A large drop of 42 students is anticipated for the 2018-19 school year, before a slight increase in enrollments happens for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, and then a drop of 10 students for 2021-22.

A breakdown of the numbers shows a nearly steady enrollment for Washington Elementary at around 427, except for a jump from 2019-through 2022. At Schuler Elementary, the number of students are expected to decline for the 2018-2021 school year before rebounding a bit for 2021-22.

The Atlantic Middle School is expected to show a steady enrollment for much of the next five years, with a decline beginning in the 2021-22 school year. After experiencing a nearly steady enrollment for 2016-17 and 2017-18, the Atlantic High School is expected to realize a decline of 50 students during the 2018-19 school year, followed by a jump of more than a dozen students that leads to a steady increase through 2022.

With the exception of Schuler Elementary School, the District’s other buildings will experience an enrollment of students that exceeds the respective capacities of each building, caused by students in the lower grades moving up through the system. That’s especially true for Washington Elementary, where capacity is 396 students but the enrollment numbers are projected to be from 426 through 442 between 2017 and 2022. The Atlantic Middle School is also expected to be over its capacity of 338 students, with enrollment in excess of 360 for 2018 through 2021. As for the Atlantic High School, where student capacity is 441, the district is over capacity for 2017-18, just like with the 2016-17 school year, but then the enrollment numbers slip under the maximum for 2018-19 and indicate an increase for the remaining three-years in the study, but still under capacity.

Factors the School Board has to consider when it comes to the District’s facilities over the next five-years, according to Schwarz, is a possible influx of workers for the Elite Octane Ethanol Plant, and an increase in the number of single-family homes being constructed or being made available with aging seniors looking to downsize. Various infrastructure improvements may also bring more young families to the area.

Two people were arrested Wednesday evening in Red Oak. Red Oak Police report 58-year old Rodney Lynn Vanderhood and 58-year old Vicki Susan Huber, both of Red Oak, were arrested for Public Intoxication in the 100 block of N. Broadway Street a little after 8-p.m. The pair were brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on a $300 cash bond, each.

The Iowa State Patrol has provided an update on a couple cases of “excessive speed” on interstates. Troopers say a driver who was clocked at 144 miles an hour on I-80 in eastern Iowa earlier this month was issued a $560 ticket. That incident occurred at 3 in the morning north of Stockton. This past weekend, another motorist was clocked at 124 miles an hour on I-29 in western Iowa and was handed a ticket of $424. The driver told the trooper they were running late for a graduation party.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:54 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ first day in office has included a thank you letter to state employees. Reynolds sent the letter via email Wednesday. A spokesman says it was sent to employees in all state agencies. Reynolds says in the letter to employees that she is “honored to serve Iowa with you.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The chairwoman of the University of Iowa Alumni Association has resigned ahead of a key meeting on whether the group should be merged with the UI Foundation. Association board chair Clare Kelly had been critical of UI President Bruce Harreld’s merger plan, unveiled in March. She submitted her resignation last week, ahead of a June 9 meeting to discuss the merger idea.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State officials say fake food inspectors have again popped up at restaurants in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals says in a news release Wednesday that people posing as inspectors appear to be targeting ethnic restaurants in Scott County and central Iowa. The scam involves a person posing as a food inspector who promises restaurant owners a license renewed license in exchange for a $5 payment by credit card.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed a sheriff’s deputy and wounded another while escaping from an Iowa jail. Court records say Wesley Correa-Carmenaty filed the written pleas Tuesday to charges of murder, attempted murder, escape, kidnapping and other crimes. Authorities say Correa-Carmenaty grabbed one of the deputies’ guns and shot them both before escaping from the jail in Council Bluffs. He was caught in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Atlantic School Board Wednesday night approved a tentative agreement with the District’s Education Association representing certified teachers and staff. Superintendent Mike Amstein said the 2017-18 contract calls for an increase in the base wage of $215, which equates to a 2.007% for wages on longevity, FICA and IPERS. The contract is for two-years, but will be renegotiated in the Spring of 2018.

In other business, the Board approved the hiring or reassignment of the following individuals:

Montana Pence, K-3 Special Education Teacher

Michael Applegate, 7^th Grade Science Teacher

Rachel Larson, Kindergarten Teacher at Washington Elementary

Carolyn Hunt, Behavior Interventionist

And they approved the resignation of Paul Iekel as Girl’s Track Head Coach/ Boys and Girls Cross-Country Coach. Iekel is transitioning to the Link Center, which Superintendent Amstein says doesn’t leave him much time for the coaching positions.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein attended his final meeting of the School Board Wednesday night. Amstein, who is retiring at the end of the current school year, was presented with a large plaque made by some students and instructors from the board, and heard a statement from Board Member Josh McLaren.

Amstein, whose wife and family was in the audience, cracked a joke and got a bit choked up while unwrapping the plaque he was given.

Superintendent Mike Amstein

Former School Board Members Denny Davis, Phil Hascall and Glen Smith were on-hand for the event.

Mike Amstein talks with former Board Members Glen Smith, Phil Hascall and Denny Davis.

Mike Amstein announced in April 2016 that the 2016-17 school year would be his last. He’s served the District since April, 2010. His career in education has spanned 53-years. Replacing him for the upcoming school year is Steve Barber, who is currently Superintendent for the George-Little Rock Community Schools in George (Iowa).

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State officials say fake food inspectors have again popped up at restaurants in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals says in a news release Wednesday that people posing as inspectors appear to be targeting ethnic restaurants in Scott County and central Iowa.

The latest scam involves people posing as food inspectors who promise restaurant owners a renewed license in exchange for a $5 payment by credit card. Owners who accept could discover their credit card information has been stolen.

The scam first appeared in Iowa several years ago when people posing as health department officials would bully restaurant owners and staff in attempts to obtain personal information and cash.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting at 8:30-a.m. on Friday, to act on several matters. The action items include: Approval of a Resolution authorizing bids for the Glacier, Buck Creek and Echo Road paving projects and setting the date for a hearing; Approval of a Federal Aid Project Agreement for a bridge replacement projects (located on North Olive Street about 1 mile south of Interstate 80), and approval of the plans for two bridge replacements (Bridge #25 on Tucson Road and Bridge # 342 on Lansing Road).

The Board will also act on setting the date for vacating a portion of roadway in the 73,000 block of 660th Street (Between Yankton Road and Youngstown Road). The final action item is to set the dates (or dates) for a public hearing (or hearings) on a fireworks sales/discharge ordinance.

The meeting takes place in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse, in Atlantic.

(Des Moines, Iowa – AP) In her first speech at the helm of state government, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds highlighted four goals. She told an audience today (Wednesday) at the Iowa Capitol she wants to reform the state tax code and encourage innovation in energy production, especially wind power and renewable fuels. She wants to stress science, technology, engineering and math education in K-12 schools and expand workforce training for adults.

Reynolds spoke to hundreds of people in the Capitol rotunda after being sworn in as Iowa’s 43rd governor. Reynolds addressed her historic role and called it both “humbling and exciting.” But the 57-year-old Reynolds said she hopes people remember her for more than that, promising to make the state a better place to live and work.