DES MOINES (AP) — The Legislature’s logjam on spending measures is breaking loose. The Iowa Senate has passed three budget bills in 16 minutes and sent them to the House. The House planned debate today on several of the Senate-backed bills and could send some to the governor.

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota beef company says it plans to close processing plants in Iowa and two other states because of the controversy surrounding a product that critics have dubbed “pink slime.” Beef Products Inc. spokesman Rich Jochum says 650 jobs will be lost when it closes its plants in Amarillo, Texas; Garden City, Kansas; and Waterloo Iowa. The closures will be effective May 25.

DES MOINES (AP) — Six Iowa universities and colleges will be home to centers that will promote teaching science, technology, engineering and math to students no matter where they live. That’s according to Governor Terry Branstad. The centers called STEM hubs will be located at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, Southwestern Community College in Creston, and Drake University. The University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College work together to form the sixth.

IOWA CITY (AP) — A gay student in Iowa says his Catholic high school is refusing to allow a foundation that promotes gay rights activism to present his $40,000 college scholarship during an upcoming ceremony. Keaton Fuller is a senior at Prince of Peace Catholic School in Clinton. He says he has learned the Des Moines-based Eychaner Foundation could not present his Matthew Shepard scholarship award during graduation.