Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

OELWEIN, Iowa (AP) – A northeast Iowa mayor accused of sexually abusing two girls has been released from jail. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports 36-year-old Jason Manus left the Fayette County Jail on Wednesday after a bail bonding company posted a reduced $65,000 bond. Manus, the mayor of Oelwein, is accused of sexually abusing two girls, ages 9 and 14, in 2010. He faces five counts of second-degree sexual abuse. He was arrested on August 11th.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – A Dubuque man faces federal charges for allegedly selling crack cocaine out of his candy store earlier this year. The Telegraph Herald reports 35-year-old Dwayne Howard is charged with four counts of distributing crack cocaine near a school or playground.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A northeast Iowa man sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for fabricating grain elevator scale tickets and bankruptcy fraud has lost his sentence appeal. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says 48-year-old Michael Recker was properly sentenced last year to 46 months in prison. Recker admitted at sentencing that in 2008 and 2009 he bribed an elevator worker to create false grain tickets then lied to Internal Revenue Service investigators about it.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa marching band is trying out a new, $15-million indoor facility for the first time after stormy weather blew through Iowa City this week. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the Hawkeye Marching Band was able to rehearse inside on Wednesday.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Thursday afternoon of a woman on an assault charge. 22-year old Danielle Lynette Archer, of Villisca, was taken into custody at around 3:15-p.m., on a warrant for Domestic Assault.

Archer was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of bankers suggests the economy is slowing down in rural areas of 10 states in the Plains and the West. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says falling crop prices have farmers spending less, and crop prices are expected to continue declining this fall. The overall economic index for the region fell into negative territory to 48.3 in August from July’s 51.8. The survey indexes range from 0 to 100. Any score below 50 suggests decline in the months ahead.

Goss said bankers are not very optimistic about the next few months. The survey’s confidence index dropped to 39.9 in August, from 42.9. Bankers from rural areas of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors announced Thursday that Ouida Wymer has been hired as its new Executive Director, effective Monday, August 25th. Wymer has been working as the Chamber’s Program Director since March and had previously worked as the Executive Director of Adams Community Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Corning  before coming to Atlantic.

Board President Amy Jordahl, in a press release, states that her attitude and teamwork are outstanding and her commitment and passion to the Chamber is evident to all that know or have worked with her. Most recently she played a key role in working with committee members, volunteers and the public to make AtlanticFest a big success.

The interview process concluded Monday with board members interviewing three applicants.

Jordahl said the committee spent a lot of time discussing the applicants and it wasn’t an easy choice.  She believes Wymer will be a great fit as the organization moves forward.

The Atlantic Police Department investigated a two vehicle accident at the intersection of 7th Street and Olive Street Wednesday. Jared Smith of Atlantic was travelling west and was stopped behind a vehicle at the red light at the intersection. Diana Peterson also of Atlantic was travelling west and struck the Smith vehicle while he was stopped.  No injuries were reported and Peterson was cited for failure to stop in assured clear distance.