OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The foreclosure rates in Nebraska and Iowa are continuing to improve. Real estate data provider CoreLogic said Tuesday that in September Nebraska’s foreclosure rate improved to 0.66 percent from last year’s 0.86 percent and Iowa’s was 1.61 percent, down from 2.11 percent. The national rate was 2.29 percent in September, down from 3.25 percent a year earlier.

In the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area that straddles the Nebraska-Iowa border the foreclosure rate was 0.87 percent in September, down from 1.21 percent in 2012. In Des Moines, Iowa, the foreclosure rate improved to 1.82 percent over last September’s 2.47 percent.

The foreclosure rate reflects the percentage of home loans involved in some stage of the foreclosure process. CoreLogic says its data covers about 85 percent of the foreclosure data nationwide.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — An 81-year-old northern Iowa man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for sexually abusing two 8-year-old girls. Clarence Miller, of Thompson, received 25 years on each count of second-degree sexual abuse. Miller must serve at least 35 years before he is eligible for parole. A jury convicted Miller in September of two counts of sexual abuse involving the girls. Prosecutors say Miller assaulted the girls at his home between January 2010 and August 2012.

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) — A southwest Iowa man has reached a plea deal in connection with the death of a 13-month-old girl he was babysitting. Twenty-three–year-old Colby Puckett, of Pacific Junction, pleaded guilty Monday in Mills County Court to second-degree murder in the February 2012 death of Aliyanna May. Puckett was dating the infant’s mother when he was watching the girl and two of her siblings. Authorities say the infant sustained extensive injuries to her head and eyes while in Puckett’s care. Officials later ruled her death a homicide.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Falls is expanding outward by 100 acres for residential housing. The City Council approved three annexation applications and the City Development Board in Des Moines must now approve it before it can receive residential zoning status. The three properties include dozens of acres of farmland. A developer plans to build single-family units on the site, which is close to the city’s industrial park.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa are investigating a hit-and-run collision involving two patrol cars. Clinton police say two marked squad cars were parked Monday night when a vehicle traveling at a high speed crossed into an opposite lane of travel and hit them. The crash caused considerable damage to the patrol cars. The high-speed vehicle fled the scene.

Authorities in Page County say one person died following an accident Tuesday morning, in Essex. 39-year old David McCue, of Farragut, was flown from the scene by helicopter to the Shenandoah Medical Center, where he died from injuries suffered in the crash. The accident happened at the intersection of Highway 48 and Forbes Street, in Essex, at around 8:45-a.m.

Officials sayMcCue was driving a car north on Highway 48, when a pickup driven by 18-year old Brett Johnson, of Essex, turned south from Highway 48 in front of him, onto Forbes Street.  Johnson was not injured in the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

Shenandoah Police, deputies from the Page County Sheriff’s Department, Page County Emergency Management and the Essex Fire and Rescue all assisted at the scene.

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) — A southwest Iowa man has reached a plea deal in connection with the death of a 13-month-old girl he was babysitting. The Council Bluffs Nonpareil reports 23-year-old Colby Puckett, of Pacific Junction, pleaded guilty Monday in Mills County Court to second-degree murder in the February 2012 death of Aliyanna May. The plea deal drops charges of first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death.

Puckett was dating the infant’s mother when he was watching the girl and two of her siblings. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says the infant sustained extensive injuries to her head and eyes while in Puckett’s care. Aliyanna was treated at a hospital and died. Officials later ruled her death a homicide.

Puckett is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13.

A woman walking along Aspen Drive in Atlantic Sunday afternoon was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, after being struck by a car. According to Atlantic Police, Audrey Goettsche, of Atlantic, was hit by a vehicle driven by Kathryn Nelson, of Atlantic, as Nelson was backing her vehicle out of a driveway, and failed to notice Goettsche prior to striking her. The accident took place at around 3:05-p.m., Sunday.

Nelson’s vehicle sustained $500 damage during the accident. No citations were issued. A report on Goettsches’ injuries was not available.

The Harlan Police Department reports three arrests were made over the past week. On Monday, 24-year old Shannon Schow of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County bench warrant for failure to appear in court. She was transported to the Shelby County jail.

On Nov. 21st, 51-year old Jeffrey Pape, of Omaha, was arrested following a traffic stop. Pape was taken to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while revoked, possession of a controlled substance and prohibited acts penalties.

And, on Nov. 19th, 33-year old Stephen Nichols, of Harlan, was taken into custody when he allegedly violated a no contact order with Melissa Nichols. Nichols was arrested on November 22nd and transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with two counts of violation of a no contact order.

In other activity, authorities in Harlan say they received several reports on Nov. 22nd, of vehicles being broken into. The incidents occurred along West Park, Court Street and 16th Street. Among the items taken were a Garmin GPS unit and an iPod Shuffle.

Officials remind citizens of Harlan to lock their vehicles and stay alert to persons in the neighborhood. Crimestoppers rewards may be awarded to persons who provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for the burglaries.