DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of setting his stepson aflame in Des Moines has taken a plea deal and avoided a murder trial. The Des Moines Register reports that 42-year-old Randy Miles Jr. pleaded guilty Friday to involuntary manslaughter and fleeing the state to avoid prosecution. Prosecutors dropped charges of arson and first-degree murder in return for Miles’ pleas. Prosecutors say he’ll be sentenced later this month to up to 30 years in prison.

Authorities say Miles fled to Grand Forks , North Dakota, following his confrontation with 26-year-old Christopher Lenhart on Aug. 25, 2017. Witnesses told police that Miles had argued with Lenhart and then threw gas on him while Lenhart was inside a vehicle. The gas then ignited. Lenhart died two days later at an Iowa City hospital.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Institute for Supply Management, formerly the Purchasing Management Association, began formally surveying its membership in 1931 to gauge business conditions. The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group uses the same methodology as the national survey to consult supply managers and business leaders. Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss oversees the report.
The overall index ranges between 0 and 100. Growth neutral is 50, and a figure greater than 50 indicates growth in that factor over the next three to six months.

• In Iowa: The state’s overall index climbed to 56.9 in February from 54.8 in January. Index components were new orders at 55.5, production or sales at 52.2, delivery lead time at 50.9, employment at 58.9 and inventories at 56.3. It’s estimated that Iowa exported $561.8 million in goods to China last year and that those exports supported about 5,600 jobs in Iowa, Goss said.
• In Nebraska: The state’s overall index climbed to 52.4 in February from January’s 50.5. Index components were new orders at 50.9, production or sales at 48.3, delivery lead time at 57.1, inventories at 52.1 and employment at 53.5. Nebraska is estimated to have exported $462 million in goods to China for 2018. Those exports supported about 4,600 Nebraska jobs, according to Goss.

Here’s a look at some other, neighboring States’ economic indices:

• Kansas: Kansas’ overall index hit 55.2 in February, compared with 53.3 in January. Index components were new orders at 53.1, production or sales at 51.2, delivery lead time at 60.5, employment at 56.2 and inventories at 55.2. Kansas is estimated to have exported $674.9 million in goods to China for 2018. Those exports supported about 6,800 Kansas jobs, Goss said.
• Minnesota: The state’s overall index dropped to 53.4 in February from 54.5 in January. Index components were new orders at 51.7, production or sales at 49.4, delivery lead time at 58.4, inventories at 53.2 and employment at 54.5. The state is estimated to have exported $1.9 billion in goods to China last year, and those exports supported about 19,000 jobs in Minnesota, he said.
• Missouri: Missouri’s overall index rose to 57.0 last month from 55.0 in January. Index components were new orders at 54.5, production or sales at 53.0, delivery lead time at 62.6, inventories at 57.1 and employment at 58.0. Missouri is estimated to have exported $888.7 million in goods to China last year, supporting about 8,900 Missouri jobs, according to Goss.
• South Dakota: The South Dakota overall index rose to a regional high of 68.7 last month from 66.2 in January. Index components were new orders at 63.7, production or sales at 64.6, delivery lead time at 76.3, inventories at 69.7 and employment at 69.2. South Dakota is estimated to have exported $60.8 million in goods to China last year, which supported about 600 South Dakota jobs, Goss said

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — The trial of an Indiana man accused of killing a Fort Dodge woman has been relocated again and rescheduled. The Messenger reports that 26-year-old Phillip Williams, of Lafayette, Indiana, was scheduled to start trial Monday in Mason City, where the trial had been moved because of pretrial publicity in Fort Dodge. He and Mackenzie Knigge are accused of killing 26-year-old Jessica Gomez in August 2017.

Williams’ attorney, Katherine Flickinger, objected to the lack of black people in the Mason City jury pool, saying that just one person out of 130 potential jurors was self-identified as black. Flickinger told the judge that Williams “has a legitimate interest in the representation of African-Americans on the jury panel,” and she asked that the trial be moved to a county with a higher black population.

On Wednesday the judge moved the trial to Cedar Rapids in Linn County and scheduled it to start March 25. Knigge also has pleaded not guilty. She’s scheduled to begin trial June 10.