DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An analyst says Iowa will likely have to import corn to meet the demand of ethanol producers and livestock operations.   Iowa is the nation’s top corn-producing state, but The Des Moines Register reports economic policy analyst Ross Korves says a delay in spring planting due to flooding and last year’s reduced yields due to drought mean the state won’t have enough corn to meet demand.  Korves works for Michigan-based ProExporter Network and spoke Tuesday at an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation event in Ames.

Korves says forecasts call for 149 bushels an acre this year. That’s better than last year but far below the state’s normal output. The reduced yield comes as ethanol plants are resuming full production and poultry and pork operations see a small expansion in their operations.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A former University of Nebraska at Omaha football coach has been arrested in Iowa on suspicion of soliciting prostitution. Police in Council Bluffs, just across the Missouri River from Omaha, Neb., say former UNO head football coach Pat Behrns was one of 12 people arrested Tuesday during a sting operation at a Pottawattamie County hotel.

The 63-year-old Behrns served as the UNO Mavericks’ head coach from 1994 until the century-old program was shut down in March 2011. Before that, Behrns had been head coach of the University of North Dakota football team from 1980 to 1985.

Pottawattamie County Jail authorities say Behrns posted a $2,000 bond Tuesday evening to be released.

The Harlan Police Department today (Wednesday), released a report on several recent arrests. Officials say 24 year old Skyler Andrews, of Irwin, was arrested Sunday, when officers were called to a disturbance in the 1000th block of 6th Street. Andrews was charged with assault for allegedly threatening Brandon Buelt, of Exira, and also with public intoxication and interference with official acts. Andrews was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

On Saturday, 40 year old Curtis Baldwin, of Harlan, was arrested when police received reports of a male subject climbing the fire escape at 603 Court Street. Officers found Baldwin inside an apartment from which he had been previously evicted. He was charged with trespass and taken to the Shelby County Jail.

Last Thursday, July 18th, 38 year old Shawn Schechinger, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant and taken to the Shelby County Jail. That same day, 21 year old Logan Ford, of Hattiesburg, MS, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant stemming from an altercation with Daniel Cagle on July 12th. Ford was transported to the Shelby County Jail. 25 year old Derri Vohs, of Harlan, was arrested on Tuesday, July 16th following a traffic stop. Vohs was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and carrying weapons. She was taken to the Shelby County Jail.

Police in Harlan also cited two individuals for varying offenses. 33-year old Ryan Polley, of Harlan, was cited July 14th for illegal use of fireworks, and on July 13th, 17-year old Alexander McLaughlin, of Harlan, was cited for being a Minor In Possession of tobacco, after he was observed allegedly smoking a cigarette while at the races. Both of the individuals received their citations and were released.

(8-a.m. News)

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Federal regulators will provide another update on the efforts to repair the troubled Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant.  The power plant, which sits across from Iowa on the Missouri River about 20 miles north of Omaha, has been offline for 27 months.  Fort Calhoun initially shut down for routine maintenance, but significant flooding in 2011, a small fire and a series of safety violations forced it to remain closed.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Lara Uselding says Fort Calhoun is making progress, but the Omaha Public Power District still has to address 15 items on the restart checklist. Regulators must sign off before the plant can restart.

The meeting will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Ramada Plaza Hotel near 72nd Street and Interstate 80 in Omaha.

Police in Red Oak arrested a Mills County man Tuesday night on a theft charge. Officials say 19-year old Bragun Michael Michaelsen, of Pacific Junction, was arrested at around 8:15-p.m. on a charge of 5th degree theft. Michaelsen was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 cash bond.

Officials at Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic, say a local couple has stepped forward again this year with plans to continue providing scholarships for educational opportunities for students in Southwest Iowa.

Don and Lois Sonntag

The Don & Lois Sonntag Endowment Fund has donated $2,000 to be utilized for nursing scholarships. The Atlantic couple invite others to join with them in supporting area students who are pursuing the profession of nursing by donating to this scholarship fund.

In addition, the Sonntag’s say they will match additional gifts up to $5000 to benefit students attending Iowa Western Community College. The goal is to appeal for funds to match the challenge and to create  scholarship opportunities for students from the Cass County area who are pursuing a career in nursing, especially those serving patients with cancer.

The scholarship fund will provide financial assistance to those enrolled in nursing prerequisites or the nursing program. Matching funds under this endowment program can be in any amount. All funds shall be submitted to Iowa Western Community College Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax deductible entity.  All donors will be recognized per their request.

Iowa Western Community College will make decisions on all applications according to need and scholarship criteria. The amount awarded to each student will depend on the number of qualified applicants. The scholarships will be for classes starting August 19, 2013, and students from Atlantic and the surrounding area may qualify. All funds from the effort will be used only for students enrolled in the nursing program or prerequisite nursing courses at Iowa Western Community College.

Students who are pursuing the nursing profession, through coursework at Iowa Western, may apply for these scholarship funds by completing and submitting the paperwork to the Cass County Center by August 2.   The scholarship application is available at the Cass County Center, 705 Walnut or on-line at www.iwcc.edu.

For additional information, contact:  Don Sonntag at 712-249-1906 or Ann Pross, Iowa Western Cass County Center Director at 712-243-5527.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 250 people in at least six states including Iowa have come down with a stomach bug that could be linked to foodborne illness. The Centers for Disease Control says 10 people have been hospitalized for the cyclospora infection causing diarrhea and other flu-like symptoms. The illness is usually spread when people ingest food or water contaminated with feces.

HARLAN, Iowa (AP) — A 72-year-old former teacher in western Iowa has been arrested on charges he had sexual contact with a 17-year-old student. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says police charged Lee Nelson, of Harlan, with sexual exploitation by a school employee and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Nelson is accused of making sexual comments and inappropriately touching the girl while he worked as a band teacher.

ELKTON, Ky. (AP) — Two Iowa men flying home from Florida escaped unharmed when the pilot tried to land the small plane on a southern Kentucky highway and wound up in a field. The crash happened when the plane apparently experienced mechanical problems. Sixty-nine-year-old Roger L. Pointer of Maxwell was piloting the 1946 Aeronca 7AC. Neither he nor 52-year-old passenger Michael D. Callison of Des Moines was hurt. The FAA will investigate.

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — Some buildings at the Central Iowa Expo grounds near Boone were damaged when thunderstorms rumbled through the area. The storm earlier this week caused structural damage to one building and tore a roof off a domed building. Other building at the expo grounds also had roof damage.

The Atlantic City Council will hold a special session Wednesday evening, to act on the third and final reading of an amended ordinance calling for an increase in the rate property owners pay for a Storm Water Equivalent Service Unit (or, ESU). If adopted during the brief, 5:30-p.m. meeting at City Hall, the ESU, which has not changed in over 10-years, would increase 35-cents per month, to $2.85. The proposed rate increase would generate $25,000 in additional revenues, which will be used to cover the net increase in debt service cost of $15,000 for repairs to the Bull Creek Underground drainage system and continued funding for annual repairs to the City’s storm water management system.

During the Council’s regular meeting last Wednesday, an objection to the raising of the fee was raised by Atlantic resident Charles Griffin, who claims the “fee” is actually a tax on property owners, and is not legal, because the citizens of Atlantic were not allowed to vote on it. Griffin urged the Council to repeal the ordinance altogether. Instead, the approved the second reading, setting the stage for action this week. The ordinance needs to be approved, according to City Administrator Doug Harris, in order to meet the August billing deadline.

Snyder and Associates Engineer Pat Hall, one of the creators of the storm water fee system approved by the Council in 2003, said last week, the whole intention of storm water utility is addressed in Chapter 384 of the Code of Iowa, which spells out the City’s responsibility for utilities, and services provided to the citizens of the community. Therefore he said there is a basis for the fee, and it is not a tax.

Hall said by setting up a utility fee, the City provides itself with a certain amount of flexibility, when it comes to payments for capital improvements, such as the Bull Creek storm sewer improvement project. The ESU is based on the amount of square footage on a parcel of property. Those who have more square footage would always pay more than those who have less.