DES MOINES – Iowa House Republicans, even with significant opposition from within their own party, passed a version of legislation that would make substantial changes to Area Education Agencies that will head to the Senate for their education subcommittee to consider. The bill varies greatly from a proposal started by Governor Kim Reynolds that would have significantly changed the relationship between the entities and public and private schools across the state. The Iowa Senate has not passed a full bill yet; the House version keeps several key structures in place for AEAs, including special education funding, but moves most of their controlling operations to the Iowa Department of Education.

WAPELLO COUNTY – A body found in the Des Moines River earlier this week has been identified. WHO-13 reports 53-year-old Lee Alan Lukehart of Ottumwa was found inside of a truck spotted by a passerby Monday near Rock Bluff Park. The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.

TAMA – UPDATE: An endangered person advisory that was issued by the Tama Police Department and Meskwaki Nation Police Department for a missing seven-year-old girl has been cancelled. According to the advisory, seven-year-old Milla Keahna was reported missing yesterday. KCCI-TV reports the girl was last seen with her mother, Starla Mae Marie Lincoln, or possibly her father, Redmond Keahna. She has since been safely located.

IOWA CITY – The greatest women’s college basketball player of her generation will take her talents to the professional level after this spring. Iowa Hawkeyes Superstar Caitlin Clark announced on social media she will declare for the WBNA draft after the conclusion of the 2024 NCAA tournament. Clark broke another all-time scoring record, passing Lynette Woodard for the major college high mark. She passed the NCAA’s best scoring mark for women earlier this month, and is 18 points away from Pete Maravich and his all-time best for the NCAA men.