DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Drivers are more likely to be stopped by the Iowa State Patrol in one of five counties that are home to busy stretches of Interstate 80. The Des Moines Register analyzed five years of reports to determine the Patrol’s interdiction team writes the most tickets in Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Cass, Iowa and Dallas counties.

The records show that more than 17,000 tickets or warnings were issued in those counties from 2008 to 2012. About 22,000 tickets and warnings were issued by the team in that time. The busiest location for traffic stops in Iowa was near mile marker 5 on I-80 not far from the Nebraska border. The specially trained troopers issued 785 tickets and warnings there.

Authorities are investigating a shooting incident that took place this (Sunday) morning, near Council Bluffs. According to Omaha television station KETV, a shot was fired at an Iowa State Patrol Trooper at around 7-a.m., in the Lake Manawa area south of Council Bluffs.

Investigators have not specified if the trooper was hit, but say one person was taken away in an ambulance.  The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation responded to the area of Twin Cities Drive and Highway 275 and continues to investigate.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Legalizing medical marijuana will again be debated in the upcoming legislative session, though Iowa lawmakers have so far been loath to embrace a policy that is finding acceptance elsewhere.  Democratic Sen. Joe Bolkcom, of Iowa City, says he will pursue legislation seeking to legalize medical marijuana in 2014. Bolkcom acknowledges similar efforts have failed over the past decade, even as some nearby states have embraced medical marijuana. He calls Iowa a “cautious state.”

A total of 20 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have legalized medical marijuana, which advocates say eases the symptoms of illnesses like cancer, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Bolkcom says he will offer bills reclassifying marijuana as a drug with medical benefits and creating a medical marijuana program modeled on New Mexico’s system.

Deputies in Montgomery County assisted by Red Oak Police, arrested a southwest Iowa man on burglary and assault charges, Saturday. Sheriff’s officials say 35-year old Shaun Allen Akers, of Sidney, was taken into custody at around 3:30-p.m. on a charge of 3rd degree Burglary, which followed an investigation into an incident in the 2300 block of Q Avenue in rural Stanton. Akers was also charged with a warrant out of Fremont County for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center.

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.