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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The man who will serve at least temporarily as the nation’s top law enforcement official is a relatively inexperienced Republican Party loyalist from Iowa who has called for limiting special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Matthew G. Whitaker, 49, will become the nation’s acting attorney general following the forced resignation of Jeff Sessions. President Donald Trump announced the appointment Wednesday, saying on Twitter that Whitaker “will serve our Country well” and that a permanent attorney general will be nominated later. The former federal prosecutor served as Sessions’ chief of staff for one year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A defiant Iowa Congressman Steve King says his “head is bloodied but unbowed” by an unexpectedly difficult election in which he eked out the narrowest victory margin of his career. His victory over Democrat J.D. Scholten came amid outcry over his association with white supremacist groups, which he says is false, and his hardline views on immigration, abortion and gun rights. King also vows he’ll no longer allow news media or opponents to mischaracterize statements or take them out of context.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Secretary of State’s office says turnout for Tuesday’s election was the highest for a midterm general election in the state. The office said in a written release that more than 1.32 million votes had been tallied by Wednesday morning, marking the highest number for a midterm election in the state’s history. The previous record of more than 1.14 million votes was set in 2014.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Republican wall that has stood in state capitols for much of the past decade now has a few holes in it. Democrats flipped control of seven gubernatorial offices and picked up hundreds of state legislative seats in Tuesday’s first midterm elections of President Donald Trump’s tenure. While Democrats celebrated their gains, Republicans also expressed optimism because they held on to some key positions, such as the governor’s offices in Florida and Ohio.

ATLANTA (AP) — Election officials have long warned about the nation’s aging voting equipment, and voting this week underscored how badly upgrades are needed. Technological meltdowns caused problems and long lines in polling places across the country on Tuesday, leaving voters to wonder why their smartphones seemed to be light years ahead of the equipment used to distribute and count their ballots.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday passed on the third and final readings, of two amended Ordinances, and acted on three Resolutions. The Council approved by a vote of 5-to 1, with Councilperson Linda Hartkopf absent, setting the speed limit on 1,650-feet of Sunnyside Lane at 35-miles per hour, from 2,000-feet south of 10^th Street, where the speed limit is 25, to 22^nd Street. Councilperson Ashley Hayes was the lone No vote.

The Council also approved an amended Ordinance that repeals and replaces a chapter pertaining to Trees, with a New Tree Ordinance to be located under Chapter 155, entitled “Trees.” The change also reflects the shifting of the City Forester position from Parks and Rec Director to Street Superintendent, and clarifies the authority of the Forester.

Prior to a vote adopting the City’s updated Comprehensive Plan, the Council heard from Susie Pellett, of Atlantic. Pellett questioned if there was enough publicity, and input from the public. Alexis Fleener, with SWIPCO (The Southwest Iowa Planning Council), said there were focus group and related meetings. Pellett then asked if those meetings were “advertised,” so the public was aware. Fleener said they sent out invitations after input was derived from the City, of which groups should attend those meetings. E-mails were then distributed to those groups. Fleener then mentioned a community survey that was sent out seeking input on the Comprehensive Plan. She said those are included in the Plan, which is a public document available for review.

A copy of the Comprehensive Plan is available on the City of Atlantic website: (www.atlanticiowa.com/atlantic) or on this PDF link: City of Atlantic Comprehensive Plan 2018. The City’s Comprehensive Plan was last updated in December, 2002. SWIPCO updated the Plan, which was tweaked by the Planning and Zoning Commission and then recommended to the full Council for approval. Councilman Jimerson suggested portions of the plan be reviewed and updated annually, instead of the normal, every 10-years. Fleener that there are sections, such as housing, that can be discussed and revised as necessary, but she and Mayor Dave Jones said there are some limitations on what can be adjusted.

In other news, the Atlantic City Council approved, by a vote of 5-to 1, “Adopting [a] Reservation Fee Schedule for City Park Facilities.” Councilman Chris Jimerson was the lone No vote. The fees would be waived for official City sponsored and partnered events. Under the fee schedule, reservations for the City’s Shelters would be $20 from 8-a.m. To 2-p.m., $20 from 3-p.m. To 9-p.m., or a full-day for $35. Picnic tables will be rented out in the same fashion as shelter reservations. The cost for six tables is $20, 12 tables $35. Tables will be picked up and returned by the renter. Without a reservation, the shelters are available on a first-come first-served basis.

And, the Council approved a Resolution “Obligating funds from the Whitney TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Urban Renewal Area Fund for Annual Appropriation Payment,”  with regard to the Council approved TIF agreement with the Whitney Group for improvements to the Whitney Inn in 2016. This is the first year the City is eligible to capture the taxes paid by the Whitney Group using TIF. Afterward, they will be an annual feature on the Council’s agenda until the $750,000 maximum is paid-off, or 20-years expire – whichever comes first.

Officials with the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa report a Pottawattamie County man was arrested by agents with the FBI, Tuesday in Texas, in connection with sex trafficking and other offenses. 68-Year old Richard John Massey, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on charges of sex trafficking of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor, and traveling in interstate commerce to facilitate prostitution.

His arrest followed an indictment on these charges returned by a federal grand jury sitting in the Southern District of Iowa on October 30, 2018. The offenses are alleged to have occurred between October 2017 and April 26, 2018.

Massey was arrested at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport as he entered the United States on a flight originating from Mexico. On November 7, 2018, Massey made an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge in Dallas, Texas, and was ordered to appear in the Southern District of Iowa on a subsequent date. Massey remains in custody pending proceedings in the Southern District of Iowa.

Authorities stressed that an Indictment is merely an accusation, and that Massey is presumed innocent unless he is proven guilty. The matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Omaha Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Secretary of State’s office says turnout for Tuesday’s election was the highest for a midterm general election in the state. The office said in a written release that more than 1.32 million votes had been tallied by Wednesday morning, marking the highest number for a midterm election in the state’s history. The previous record of more than 1.14 million votes was set in 2014.

The office says nearly 61 percent of Iowa’s more than 2 million registered voters participated in this year’s elections, including the primary election. That marked the highest percentage for a midterm election year since 1994, when turnout topped 62 percent.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A defiant Iowa Congressman Steve King says his “head is bloodied but unbowed” by an unexpectedly difficult election in which he eked out the narrowest victory margin of his career. The Republican’s victory over Democrat J.D. Scholten came amid outcry over his association with white supremacist groups, which he says is false, and his hardline views on immigration, abortion and gun rights.

King, in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, vows he’ll no longer allow news media or opponents to mischaracterize statements or take them out of context. He says the attacks will not intimidate him into backing off the values he believes.

Since first winning election in 2002, King’s vote total has dipped below 60 percent only twice. He defeated Scholten on Tuesday with just 50 percent of the vote.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has resigned as the country’s chief law enforcement officer at President Donald Trump’s request. Sessions announced his plan to resign in a letter to the White House on Wednesday. Trump announced in a tweet that Sessions’ chief of staff Matt Whitaker would become the new acting attorney general. Whitaker is native Iowan and former University of Iowa football player who is currently in charge of the United States Department of Justice. He served as a US Attorney in Des Moines during the George W. Bush Administration.

The attorney general had endured more than a year of stinging and personal criticism from Trump over his recusal from the investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump blamed the decision for opening the door to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation and began examining whether Trump’s hectoring of Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct justice.