Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — After a warm and sunny Saturday, Iowans received another reminder than winter isn’t over yet on Sunday. The Des Moines area received about one inch of snow, but roads remained clear because ground temperatures were warm enough to melt it. The Iowa Department of Roads did not report any road closures due to weather.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five-term Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will face a challenger in the June 3rd Republican primary, and one Democrat has been disqualified from his party’s race. The Des Moines Register reports that 53-year-old Tom Hoefling of Lohrville collected enough signatures to appear on the Republican primary ballot. He will face Branstad, who is seeking re-election.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A resident at a Des Moines group home is accused of strangling and punching one of his caretakers. The Des Moines Register reports that 27-year-old Joseph Vanzant Bonner is charged with willful injury and a probation violation. Des Moines police say Bonner was arrested after officers were called to Optimae Life Serivces on Friday evening. Bonner was still listed as an inmate in the Polk County Jail yesterday and could not be reached.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa law enforcement is stepping up its patrols through Monday for St. Patrick’s Day festivities. The Des Moines Register reports that local and state officers will be out in greater numbers to keep watch for drunken drivers.

(Updated 7:14-p.m.)

Firefighters from Griswold responded to a fire at the home of one of their own members, Sunday afternoon. A neighbor reported seeing smoke coming from the Josh and Megan Chambers residence at 308 5th Street, at around 1:40-p.m. Griswold Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Carlisle told KJAN News the fire started in a bathroom exhaust fan and spread to the roof. No one was home at the time, but 2 hamsters and a cat were rescued. A section of the roof sustained extensive damage, while the rest of the home sustained some smoke and water damage. The couple was staying with family in the area following the blaze. Firefighters were on the scene for about 3 1/2 hours. No injuries were reported.

Griswold Rescue, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Cass County Emergency Management and the American Red Cross also responded to the scene.

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. Emergency Management Coordinator

The City Council in Audubon will hold a Special Work Session Monday evening. During the session at the Memorial Building/City Hall, which begins at 7-p.m., the Council will discuss plans for the City Clerk’s position, including a job description of the position for prospective applicants.

In other business, the Council will discuss the 408 Market Street property and funding to purchase the property for possible condemnation and demolishing. The meeting will conclude with a review of the City’s finances.

At least three area boards of education will hold their separate meetings Monday evening. The Griswold School Board will gather for a 5:45-p.m. meeting in the Central Office Board Room, during which they will discuss and act on: A Firearm Resolution; Mowing bids, and Driver’s Ed fees.

The CAM School Board meets at 6:30-p.m. Monday at the CAM High School Media Center, and is scheduled to discuss and/or act on any resignations and contracts. They’ll also: review the 2012-2013 District Audit report; Review the proposed budget, and Capital Projects. The CAM Board will conclude their regular meeting with a closed session for negotiations.

And, the Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board will meet at 7-p.m. Monday in the Family & Consumer Science Room at the High School. During the session, they’ll act on an Elementary Para-Educator resignation and hear from Superintendent Dean Schnoes, with regard to the Food Purchase Report, along with other business.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors will meet Monday afternoon in the Senior Center, beginning at 5:15. On their agenda is a presentation of the final site plan for a Senior Activities Area at Sunnyside Park. As discussed during their meeting last month, among other features, the Activities Area will include a horseshoe throwing pit, thanks to  a donation of labor, and planning expertise from the Trevor Frederickson Foundation and Dean Orstad family.

The Parks Board will also discuss: the Summer Recreation Program, as well as the final plan with approved recommendations, and a YMCA Management Fee. In other business, the Board will discuss and possibly act on various Capital Projects for the Spring and Summer, including the renovation and refurbishing of the Camblin and Kiddie Korral’s, the Painting of lines on basketball and pickle ball courts and the purchase of related equipment, and a Sunnyside Park/Camblin Addition Tree Replacement Plan in anticipation of an Emerald Ash Borer infestation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Plans to require radon testing in schools statewide have been sidelined but supporters of the idea are emboldened that a bill remains alive this legislative session. Republican lawmakers and school officials worry positive tests would open districts and the state up to serious liability and expensive repairs. They supported a bill that surveys schools to see how many have tested for the natural occurring gas that seeps out of soil into buildings.

Supporters of the Democratic-led legislation say delaying testing when radon is considered a serious risk in Iowa by the Environmental Protection Agency is irresponsible. Republican leaders counter that it makes more sense to assess the problem then deal with how to pay for fixing buildings to keep if it’s needed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state of Iowa has paid more than $282,000 in secret settlements to six former employees over the last three years. The Des Moines Register reports that all were asked to sign confidentiality agreements that would have kept the settlements out of public view. The settlements were shuffled through state agencies, avoiding the typical process of being approved by and made public through the Iowa State Appeal Board. They were obtained through Iowa’s open-records law.

The employees held positions ranging from a public health supervisor to a design engineer. They were considered merit-based employees, which gives them the ability to move into other available state jobs ahead of workers with less experience. The workers contend they would have kept their jobs if the state hadn’t violated workplace employment practices.

Authorities in Council Bluffs have released the name of the Police Officer who fired his weapon at fleeing suspect. The Omaha World-Herald says Officer Aaron Gutierrez was chasing 46-year old suspect Dudie J. Rose, and fired one round from his service weapon, but missed Rose, who was believed to be carrying a knife and under the influence of a controlled substance. Rose was transported to Mercy Hospital after his arrest, when he went into a seizure and lost consciousness. He’s been charged with Possession of Stolen Property.

The incident leading up to Rose’ arrest at around 5:30-p.m. Friday began after authorities received a report of a reckless driver. Officer Gutierrez saw the suspect vehicle – a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup — and initiated a traffic stop, but the vehicle, which was reported stolen out of Omaha on Feb 3rd,  sped-off.   Rose finally stopped the truck it in the 100 block of North 17th Street, but he then took off on foot. After the man was found behind a garage in the 1600 block of Avenue A, the officer fired at him, but missed. The pickup was taken into evidence.

The incident and officers’ actions remains under investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Authorities in Montgomery County report the arrest early this (Sunday) morning of a Red Oak man. According to Red Oak Police, 57-year old William Wayne Elliott, of Red Oak, was arrested near north 2nd and Cherry Streets at around 2:35-a.m.   Elliott was charged with Driving While Barred. He also received a warning for having an insufficient number of headlights on his vehicle.

Elliott was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash bond.

A public hearing will be held in Council Bluffs at 10-a.m. Monday, with regard to the proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Pottawattamie County Budget, which calls for an increase of $1.25 per thousand dollars assessed property valuations in the cities and $1.38 in the rural areas. The Daily NonPareil says rising costs of daily operations and a state-mandated reduction in commercial property tax bills are among reasons given by Pottawattamie County Supervisors for proposed increases in the county’s tax levies. The meeting takes place in the second floor meeting room at the Pott. County Courthouse.

Those factors, coupled with a state-mandated reduction in the property tax rollback for residential property, will likely result in higher tax bills for the fiscal year beginning July 1st. The county’s budget proposal calls for the tax levy to increase from the current $7.67 per $1,000 of taxable valuation to $8.92 for the coming fiscal year. If the budget is approved, those who live outside a community’s city limits would see the property tax levy increase from $10.87 per $1,000 in taxable valuation to $12.25.

For the fiscal year beginning July 1, property taxes will be based on 54.4 percent of a property’s assessed value. With the levy increase and the reduction of the rollback, the owner of a $100,000 home will pay $485 in county taxes, compared to $405 this year. The owner of a $200,000 home will pay $970 in county taxes, compared to $810 this year, while the owner of a $300,000 home will pay $1,455 in county taxes, compared to $1,215 this year.