DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad had ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor an Army soldier with Iowa ties who was killed in Afghanistan. Twenty-five-year-old Sergeant Michael Ristau of Rockford, Illinois was assigned to a Washington state unit when died on July 13th after an attack in Zabul province. Branstad on Wednesday ordered all U.S. flags and state flags at state buildings and grounds be flown at half-staff from 5 p.m. tomorrow until 8 a.m. Monday.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — More than half of U.S. counties now are classified by the federal government as natural disaster areas mostly because of the drought. The U.S. Agriculture Department added 218 counties in a dozen states as disaster areas yesterday. That brings this year’s total to 1,584 in 32 states, including Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois.

NEW YORK (AP) — An independent group supporting President Barack Obama’s re-election is preparing a $30 million advertising blitz in six battleground states this fall. A person familiar with the plans says Priorities USA Action has reserved television ad time in September in Iowa and three other states. News of the ad buy was first reported yesterday by The Washington Post.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Newton doctor accused by state regulators of loosely prescribing narcotic drugs, including to people with a history of addiction, has surrendered his license. Doctor Lafayette Twyner also agreed to pay $10,000 fine this week to settle allegations brought against him by the Iowa Board of Medicine.