OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new report says a September survey of business supply manager suggests a slump in economic growth is continuing for nine Midwest and Plains states. The report issued Tuesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions index fell further below growth neutral, hitting 49.1 last month compared with 49.3 in August. The figure was 52.0 in July. The index had remained above growth neutral for 32 straight months.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says trade disagreements and the global economic slowdown have cut regional growth to about two-thirds that of the U.S. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines says moderate to heavy rainfall is expected across the area today into tonight. Widespread 1 to 2 inches of rain can be expected north, with higher amounts of 1 to 3 inches across portions of central and southern Iowa. Some locations may receive 2-4 inches with isolated higher amounts possible. The heaviest rainfall is expected with strong storms expected to develop across central and southern Iowa this afternoon into tonight. The heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding. Severe storms are also possible roughly along and south on I-80 across Iowa today into tonight.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa woman has been given to 25 years in prison for injecting her mother with insulin in order to kill her. Floyd County District Court records say 45-year-old Jennifer Bean was sentenced Monday in Charles City. She was convicted Aug. 19 of attempted murder.

A court document says Bean injected her mother on Nov. 6 last year in Charles City. The document says the insulin caused the woman to have low blood sugar. That could have resulted in the woman’s death if she were not treated.

The document also says Bean struck and pushed her mother and took away a phone when her mother tried to call 911 for help.

A Public Hearing will be held 5:30-p.m. Wednesday in the Atlantic High School Media Center, with regard to the Plans, Specifications & form of contract for the Atlantic School District’s Athletic Facilities Improvement Project. During the hearing, the Board will receive and consider any comments/objections to the proposed plans, specification or contract for, or cost of the project. Late last month, six general contractors submitted base-bids for the project.

The highest bid came in at $9,741,000 and the low bid was $8,650,000. Some alternative bids were given for a few parts of the project at the Trojan Bowl as well. The opening bids are construction bids only and will have other costs added. School officials said it appears that the project will be able to continue as expected with the lower bids coming within budget.

Following the Public Hearing, the Board will discuss upcoming dates (including the Regular School Board meeting Oct. 11th, School/City Elections, the Annual/Organizational Meeting Nov. 19th, and plans for the last two home football games).

The Board will then act on a Resolution Making the award of contract for the Athletic Facilities Improvement Project.

(Radio Iowa) — A 14-year-old of Fort Dodge boy was apprehended Monday on a charge of “threat of terrorism” after allegedly making an online post advertising for the position of “school shooter.” Authorities were made aware of the online job posting on Indeed.com. The post offered minimal content to specifically identify anyone responsible for the post. Fort Dodge police attempted to apply to the post but were directed to another page with little content before being unable to proceed any further. Investigators contacted Indeed.com and were able to obtain information from their records indicating the origins of the post. With the information along with other investigative leads, it was determined the post was published Friday afternoon by the male juvenile. The male was transported from Fort Dodge to the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center in Eldora. The juvenile’s name is not be being released.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Monday night, in Red Oak. Authorities say 18-year old Emmeline Grace Stougard, of Corning, was arrested at around 8-p.m., on an Adams County warrant for Harassment. Her arrest followed a traffic stop. Stougard was transported to Adams County and held without bond.

And, at around 10:30-p.m., Red Oak Police arrested 59-year old Joseph Virgil Clark, of Red Oak, on a charge of Public Intoxication. Clark was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A panel of top state elected officials has approved the latest bill for former Gov. Terry Branstad’s continued fight against a jury verdict that found he discriminated against a former state executive. The Iowa Executive Council approved a bill Monday for more than $488,000 to a Des Moines law firm, raising the taxpayer costs of defending Branstad to $2.4 million.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state of Iowa will end its 2019 fiscal year with a surplus of more than $289 million in its general fund, but Republican political leaders were cautious about discussing where the money might be spent. Gov. Kim Reynolds says it’s a reflection of a vibrant economy, adding in a statement that the state must be “mindful of the economic headwinds in our agricultural economy and be prepared for whatever the future might hold.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa House Speaker Linda Upmeyer says she will not seek re-election next year and plans to resign as speaker before lawmakers return in January. Republican lawmakers in 2015 chose Upmeyer to be the first woman in Iowa to hold the job as speaker of the House, the presiding officer over the legislative chamber. The GOP lawmaker of 17 years says Monday she wants to step away from the legislature to spend more time with her family.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge is questioning the University of Iowa’s decision to deregister dozens of student organizations following a lawsuit by a Christian student group that accused university officials of discrimination. U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Rose said in a ruling that the university can’t selectively deregister student organizations. The group InterVarsity Christian Fellowship sued after university administrators deregistered its local chapter along with a dozen other religious groups.

(Radio Iowa) — The executive director of the Iowa Business Council says their third-quarter survey shows weaker confidence among members. Georgia Van Gundy says the survey found sales expectations for the next year were down 24 percent compared to survey results from one year ago. “Due primarily to the political and global market uncertainty and the disruptive regulatory climate is what they cite,” Van Gundy says. “In past quarters they have been pretty positive , but this time they aren’t as optimistic as they have been.”

The survey also questions members on expected capital spending and workforce to get an overall index. Van Gundy says the survey’s overall index number is down from last quarter. She says they have been putting out the survey since 2004 and this quarter it is at the lowest point that it has been then since Q-4 of of 2016,” Van Gundy says.

The index dropped from 63-point-75 to 62-point-five. The organization includes the chief executives of the 23 biggest companies in the state. Van Gundy says the uncertainty of when trade deals are going to get completed is a big issue. “That’s why our members have been speaking with the Iowa delegation as far as passage of U-S M-C-A and some other issues that they see from a trade perspective,” she says. “We met with them during our third-quarter meeting and we have also been sending letters and other communications from around the state in terms of getting some certainty and passing U-S M-C-A.”

Thirty-three-percent of those in the survey expect the number of employees in their business to grow over the fourth quarter — and 53 percent expect the number to stay the same. Van Gundy says finding employees to do that remains a challenge. “Workforce is always an issue with employers — any size employer in our state — and honestly it’s in other states as well. But for our members, 83 percent cite attracting, developing and retaining a quality workforce as restraining for growth,” according to Van Gundy.

Van Gundy says they continue trying to address the worker shortage with programs that help train workers, and build the workforce. “Some of them are short term issues that we are working on — but some of them are hopefully long-term that will help us hopefully stabilize the workforce,” Van Gundy explains. “In addition to that — one of our high-level initiatives that our members have is looking at increasing our populations.” You can see the full survey by going to the Iowa Business Council’s website.

(Radio Iowa) — The governor has announced the State of Iowa’s last fiscal year ended with a surplus of nearly 290-million dollars. The state’s 12-month fiscal year ended June 30th, but the books don’t close until two months later to ensure all receipts and payments are processed. This year’s 289-point-three MILLION dollar surplus is more than twice as large as last year’s.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests:

• Today (Monday), 39-year old Brian James Johnson, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $5,000.
• Early Sunday morning, 31-year old Bobby Brice Horn, of Maryville, MO., was arrested on I-29 for OWI/3rd offense, Eluding, Speeding and Reckless Driving. Bond was set at $10,000.
• Friday morning, 36-year old Terence Chevy Magill, of Red Oak, was arrested at the Montgomery County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Probation Violation. Bond was set at $12,000.
• On Sept. 25th, 58-year old Michael Earl Gillenwater, of Bellevue, NE., was arrested for Theft in the2nd Degree, and on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. His total bond was set at $10,000.