Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Federal budget cuts may force the city of Iowa City to lay off two employees at its low-income housing agency. In a memo to the city council, city manager Tom Markus says the Iowa City Housing Authority has suffered a significant decline in funding because of sequestration, the federal across-the-board cuts that went into effect this year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a man used a brick to smash a hole in the glass door of a Des Moines business, and then filled his pockets with Newport cigarettes. KCCI-TV reports that surveillance video at the Walgreen’s store shows a man smashed the door with the brick and then crawled through the opening around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The last few years have been difficult for Iowa Christmas tree farmers as drought, disease, and deer killed young trees. Jan Pacovsky, president of the Iowa Christmas Tree Growers Association, tells the Des Moines Register younger growers coming in to the business don’t want to stick with it because they find that it’s a lot of work.

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — James Bell scored 20 points and sparked a huge rally as Villanova beat Number 23 Iowa 88-83 in overtime to claim the Battle 4 Atlantis championship Saturday night. Devyn Marble led all scorers with 24 points for Iowa in the Bahamas. Iowa defeated UTEP 89-53 Friday night at Paradise Island.