Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:00 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Nebraska man who thought he was meeting a 15-year-old girl at an Iowa motel for sex has been sentenced to three years in prison. The Des Moines Register reports a federal judge sentenced John Daniel Nielsen for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The 40-year-old Omaha, Nebraska, man was swept up in a law enforcement operation targeting sex-trafficking after exchanging text messages with an undercover officer posing as the teen. Nielsen arranged a Feb. 15 meeting at a Council Bluffs, Iowa, motel and agreed to pay for the sex. He was arrested when he arrived at the motel room.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — In Iowa, where nearly 17,000 residents work in the health insurance industry, candidates are facing questions about how their health care plans could affect jobs in the state. Des Moines is home to Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield’s health insurance headquarters. Some candidates have already faced questions about the issue on the campaign trail. This week, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg went on the offensive. Referencing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ and Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Medicare for All” plans, he argued that some candidates’ health care plans would “eliminate the job of every single American working at every single insurance company in the country.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Department of Transportation has announced his resignation after the governor asked him to step down. The Des Moines Register reports Mark Lowe will leave his position effective Jan. 10. Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office confirmed that she requested the resignation. The governor’s office says Reynolds appreciates his years of service and has decided to seek a change in leadership as she continues to build her administration. Reynolds appointed him director in 2017.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — One of the world’s largest banks will reap a windfall from the University of Iowa’s multi-billion-dollar plan to outsource its utility operations before students or faculty see any benefit from the deal. Wells Fargo is expected to get nearly 1% of the nearly $1.2 billion payment that the university has negotiated for leasing its utility system to a private operator. A university spokeswoman estimates Wells Fargo will receive about $10.45 million. The university hired the bank as its strategic advisor on the transaction. The Iowa Board of Regents on Tuesday awarded a 50-year contract to a private company to operate its steam, cooling, water, and electricity infrastructure.

Officials with the Joe Biden for President campaign said today (Saturday), that on Saturday, December 21 to Sunday, December 22, Joe Biden will travel to Iowa, with stops planned for Atlantic and Creston. He also will be in Ottumwa and Perry that weekend.

Biden will lay out his vision for America and listen to voters’ concerns and ideas around restoring the soul of the nation, rebuilding the middle class, and unifying the country.

His tentative schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Dec. 21st: Creston Town Hall. (Site to be determined). Doors will open at 4:45-p.m. with the event at 5:15-p.m. Members of the public can RSVP here

Sunday, Dec. 22nd: Atlantic Town Hall. (Site TBD). Doors open at 1:30-p.m., with the event starting at 2-p.m.  RSVP here.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Nebraska man who thought he was meeting a 15-year-old girl at an Iowa motel for sex has been sentenced to three years in prison. The Des Moines Register reports a federal judge sentenced John Daniel Nielsen for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The 40-year-old Omaha, Nebraska, man was swept up in a law enforcement operation targeting sex-trafficking after exchanging text messages with an undercover officer posing as the teen. Nielsen arranged a Feb. 15 meeting at a Council Bluffs, Iowa, motel and agreed to pay for the sex. He was arrested when he arrived at the motel room.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A traffic stop on a vehicle in Red Oak for a minor traffic infraction, Friday, morning, resulted in the arrest of a person on drug and other charges. Red Oak Police say the unidentified individual was arrested for Driving While Barred, Manner of Conveyance (unloaded firearm), Possession of a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Controlled Substance Marijuana.

The defendant, was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,000 cash bond. Red Oak Police were assisted by Montgomery County Sheriff Deputies.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — In Iowa, where nearly 17,000 residents work in the health insurance industry, candidates are facing questions about how their health care plans could affect jobs in the state. Des Moines is home to Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield’s health insurance headquarters. Some candidates have already faced questions about the issue on the campaign trail. This week, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg went on the offensive. Referencing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ and Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Medicare for All” plans, he argued that some candidates’ health care plans would “eliminate the job of every single American working at every single insurance company in the country.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — One of the world’s largest banks will reap a windfall from the University of Iowa’s multi-billion-dollar plan to outsource its utility operations before students or faculty see any benefit from the deal. Wells Fargo is expected to get nearly 1% of the nearly $1.2 billion payment that the university has negotiated for leasing its utility system to a private operator. A university spokeswoman estimates Wells Fargo will receive about $10.45 million. The university hired the bank as its strategic advisor on the transaction. The Iowa Board of Regents on Tuesday awarded a 50-year contract to a private company to operate its steam, cooling, water, and electricity infrastructure.

CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — An atheist leader says his organization will fight to add displays of its own if a Nativity scene is returned to a courthouse lawn in southern Iowa. The Daily Iowegian reports that the Nativity scene was moved Monday from the Appanoose County Courthouse lawn in Centerville. Some residents had complained that a religious display should not be placed on government property. Justin Scott is state director for the American Atheists organization. He says the group will demand equal access if officials return the scene to the courthouse. The Centerville City Council is scheduled to discuss the issue Monday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Department of Transportation is leaving his job next month after Gov. Kim Reynolds asked him to resign. Mark Lowe is a lawyer who was appointed to the post by Reynolds in May 2017. The governor’s spokesman says she has decided to seek a change in leadership. Lowe became general counsel for the Iowa DOT in 2008 before becoming director of the motor vehicle division and then interim director. His resignation letter released Friday makes no mention of why he was asked to leave. His resignation is effective Jan. 10.

(Radio Iowa) — Researchers at an Iowa City-based think tank says some communities face bigger challenges than others when it come to protecting themselves from flooding. David Osterberg of the Iowa Policy Project says low-income people often live in the areas most impacted by flooding. He says funds available to help isn’t always available right when needed.

)”If you are a low-income person you can’t just say ‘Okay I’ll use some of my savings until the FEMA money comes.’ You don’t have any savings,” Osterberg says. He says that creates a flood inequity as people try to recover. “While this may not be FEMA’s fault — it’s their job to make sure they just don’t give away money willy-nilley — having so many people who just are at the edge and then experience a disaster — it makes it so hard. They are not treated like somebody who would be middle class,” Osterberg says.

Osterbeg says the uncertainty of when relief is coming is a big issue. )”Some floods FEMA is right there. Sometimes it takes a long time,” Osterberg says. University of Iowa graduate student Joe Wilensky wrote the report. “Earlier research primarily focused in on peoples’ income levels and their wealth levels, sort of their poverty levels of individuals,” he says. “More recent research is showing that there are similar sort of negative outcomes associated with a sort of broader range of individuals. So, in the paper itself it list 13 different categories

The report has several recommendations, including a “rebalance” in mitigation efforts with an emphasis on community impact and vulnerability rather than up-front economic loss. It says the economic loss approach puts higher-value properties ahead of those properties of people less able to cope on their own. It also suggests putting more flexibility in FEMA guidelines to ease community burdens and allow for a creative use of funds.

Better directing of Community Block Development Grant funds to the best place for mitigation efforts — not necessarily within the damage area — but outside if needed. And keeping state funds flowing pending the arrival federal aid. State funds might be delayed after a federal disaster is declared and then the state stops processing and paying disaster claims.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Department of Transportation is leaving his job next month after Gov. Kim Reynolds asked him to resign. Mark Lowe is a lawyer who was appointed to the post by Reynolds in May 2017. The governor’s spokesman says she has decided to seek a change in leadership.

Lowe became general counsel for the Iowa DOT in 2008 before becoming director of the motor vehicle division and then interim director. His resignation letter released Friday makes no mention of why he was asked to leave. His resignation is effective Jan. 10.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — One of the world’s largest banks will reap a windfall from the University of Iowa’s multi-billion-dollar plan to outsource its utility operations before students or faculty see any benefit from the deal. Wells Fargo is expected to get 1% of the nearly $1.2 billion payment that the university has negotiated for leasing its utility system to a private operator, or around $12 million.

The university hired the bank last year as its strategic advisor on the transaction. The Iowa Board of Regents on Tuesday awarded a 50-year contract to a private company to operate its steam, cooling, water, and electricity infrastructure.