(Radio Iowa) — Flu is now widespread in Iowa and it’s claiming more lives. The state health department is reporting six more people have died from the flu statewide. Among the six is the first child to die from the flu in Iowa this season, though no name or location was given.

Iowa’s flu season started at the end of September and since then, it’s taken the lives of 20 Iowans and several more due to flu complications. As of March 2nd, at least 25 Iowa schools reported at least ten-percent of their student body was absent because of the flu.

(Radio Iowa) — A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on a plan that would force local officials to take a public vote if property tax payments in their city or county increase more than two percent. Representative Lee Hein, a Republican from Monticello, says he often hears complaints from constituents unhappy with their updated property assessments.

“Don’t blame the assessor because the assessor is actually doing his job,” Hein says. “We all want our property values to increase.” Hein says under current practice, when the assessed value of a house, business or farm increases, property owners will pay more in taxes even if the property tax levy remains the same.

“I don’t believe your local governments are being very honest with you when they tell you: ‘We are not raising your property tax levy,’ but they’re not lowering it either and then they’re gaining the windfall,” Hein says. Hein’s proposal would require a city council or county board of supervisors to vote to approve an increase greater than two percent in local property tax revenue. In addition, voters could petition for a referendum on any property tax hike that’s above two percent.

The Iowa State Association of Counties has registered its opposition, while the Iowa League of Cities is listed as “undecided” on the bill.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state board has agreed to pay a former prison guard $2.3 million as settlement for discrimination and retaliation she says she suffered after filing a sexual harassment case against the state. The state paid Kristine Sink $1.65 million last month to settle the sexual harassment case, and the Iowa attorney general recommended settling the second retaliation case.

The State Appeal Board on Monday approved the settlement but only after State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald complained that board members are not informed enough about some settlements. He complained about a settlement last month with two women from the Iowa Finance Authority who were paid $4.15 million after allegations IFA Director Dave Jamison sexually harassed them.

Emails obtained by The Associated Press indicate the settlement was reached in discussions with Gov. Kim Reynolds’ attorney in the days before the November election. Solicitor General Jeff Thompson says the decision to settle the IFA cases had nothing to do with politics and was done in the state’s best interest.

Three arrests have taken place recently in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office said Monday (today), that 24-year old Angela Marie Gould, of Bellevue, NE, was arrested Friday, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. On Sunday, 42-year old Michael Raymond Carver, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for Harassment in the 1st degree. And at around 2:40-a.m. today (Monday), 24-year old Tyler Albert Fowler, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension and Operating a Non-Registered Vehicle.

Their bonds were set at $300, $2,000 and $300, respectively.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Lottery officials say the winner of a $1 million Powerball prize is running out of time to claim the payout. Officials say the winning ticket was purchased April 11, 2018, at a Casey’s convenience store in the Des Moines suburb of Nevada. The ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball.

The winner has a year to claim the prize, so that means he or she will need to get to lottery headquarters in Clive by 4 p.m. April 11.

Unclaimed prizes go into a pool for future prizes. The lottery says that in the 2018 fiscal year, more than $1.4 million in prizes went unclaimed in Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A proposed underground transmission line would carry electricity generated mostly by wind turbines in Iowa to the Chicago area. The company behind the $2.5 billion project, Direct Connect Development Co., said Monday that it has lined up three major investors to back the project. It could be operational in 2024 if regulators approve.

Direct Connect plans to bury the transmission line in land that runs along existing Canadian Pacific railroad tracks. That greatly reduces the number of landowners Direct Connect would have to deal with.

A similar proposal from a different company for an overhead transmission line was withdrawn in 2016 after landowners raised concerns. That Rock Island Clean Line was supposed to run from northwest Iowa into Illinois.