POCAHONTAS, Iowa (AP) — Forty soldiers in a National Guard unit based in northwest Iowa are getting ready to head to Afghanistan. KTIV reports that family members said goodbye to the members of the Army’s 415th Military Police Detachment in Pocahontas on Saturday.The soldiers flew out of Des Moines Sunday for 10 weeks of training before heading to Afghanistan.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The CEOs of two nonprofit casinos in Iowa both make more than $650,000 a year because their boards believe competitive pay is needed to keep the executives in Dubuque and Altoona. The Des Moines Register reports that Prairie Meadows CEO Gary Palmer made $652,747 in 2012 and Mystique Casino CEO Jesus Aviles received $708,899 that year. The 2012 figures are the most-recent available, and both totals include six-figure bonuses both men received.

SPENCER, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northwest Iowa are investigating the death of a 15-month-old child. Paramedics were called to a home in Spencer Friday evening, and the child was taken to a hospital. The baby died at the hospital. The baby’s name wasn’t immediately released.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Aaron White scored all of his 18 points in the second half and Josh Oglesby added a season-high 17 points as 14th-ranked Iowa blew past Minnesota 94-73 on Sunday. Devyn Marble had 15 of his 16 points after halftime for the surging Hawkeyes, who moved into third place in the Big Ten behind Michigan State and Michigan.