Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A House-backed measure that would increase penalties for repeat domestic abusers in Iowa is facing opposition from a group that advocates for domestic violence victims but opposes lengthening mandatory sentences. The repeat abuser bill has been pushed by a woman whose boyfriend held her hostage several years ago.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The South Dakota Board of Regents has approved a plan to offer in-state, undergraduate tuition to new Iowa students at four of its public universities. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the plan to attract more Iowa students to South Dakota was approved Friday. At current rates, the tuition discount would reduce new Iowa students’ bills by $2,170.50 per school year.

CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities are investigating the death of a 41-year-old man who was acquitted in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2000. The Sioux City Journal reports Jesse Wendelsdorf died at a Sioux City hospital on Thursday.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump says he believes he’ll still end up with enough delegates to become the Republican presidential nominee even if he loses the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday. Trump is acknowledging in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that last week wasn’t his best of the campaign. He spent much of it on defense over comments about abortion, NATO and nuclear weapons for Japan and South Korea. He says it’s always better to win and he wants to finish first in Wisconsin.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A House-backed measure that would increase penalties for repeat domestic abusers in Iowa is facing opposition from a group that advocates for domestic violence victims but opposes lengthening mandatory sentences. The repeat abuser bill, which has been pushed by a woman whose boyfriend held her hostage several years ago, easily passed the state House in March. Since then it has remained in the Senate, where lawmakers are discussing additional changes that would reduce the emphasis on mandatory minimum sentences.

The House bill’s supporters argue habitual offenders should serve at least 85 percent of their overall sentence, especially if they are seen as being likely to be violent upon leaving prison. The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence says the bill was well-intentioned, but longer prison sentences don’t make abusers less dangerous.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The South Dakota Board of Regents has approved a plan to offer in-state, undergraduate tuition to new Iowa students at four of its public universities. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the plan to attract more Iowa students to South Dakota was approved Friday. At current rates, the tuition discount would reduce new Iowa students’ bills by $2,170.50 per school year.

In 2010, Iowa students accounted for 15 percent of the freshmen class at the University of South Dakota. That had slipped to 11 percent by last year. Gary Steinke is president of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He says Iowa private colleges will be watching closely to see if South Dakota’s action affects enrollment.

One person died, three others were injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday morning in southeastern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2006 Cadillac SUV was traveling south on Appanoose County Road S-70, just north of 490^th Street at around 4:40-a.m, when the vehicle left the highway and went out of control before rolling several times. The driver, 30-year old Chase W. McElvain, of Seymour, and two passengers were ejected from the SUV as it rolled. McElvain died at the scene.

Two passengers, 24-year old Kacey J. Wills, of Seymour, and 25-year old Brett M. Schultz, of Promise City, were flown by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A third passenger, 25-year old Courtney N. Hawk, of Corydon, was transported by ambulance to the Wayne County Hospital. Officials say Hawk was wearing a seat belt, while the other victims were not buckled-in.

The accident remains under investigation.

The Iowa State Patrol report one person died, another was seriously injured during a head-on crash Saturday night, in Carroll County. Officials say 49-year old David Alvin Riesenberg, of Carroll, died at the scene of the crash on 245th Street, southeast of Halbur. He was not wearing a seat belt.

A preliminary investigation determined a 2005 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 26-year old Andrew Stephen Behrens, of Carroll, was traveling east on 245th Street, and a 2009 Ford F-150 pickup driven by Riesenberg was traveling west. The Chevy crossed the centerline of the road and hit the Ford head-on.

After the collision, the F-150 came to rest in the north ditch, while the Silverado came to rest in the south ditch. Behrens was transported by LifeNet Helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Authories say alcohol is believed to have played a role in the crash that happened at around 9:48-p.m. An investigation into the accident continues.

Police in Red Oak are investigating two reported burglaries. One occurred at 510 W. Coolbaugh Street.  Indications are someone forced entry into the residence. Evidence was recovered at the scene. And, officers were called to a residence in the 700 block of E. Hillcrest Drive, where several items were taken. Authorities say there appears to have been no forced entry into the unoccupied residence. A list of the items stolen was pending completion of an inventory.

Red Oak Police are reporting several arrests took place Saturday. At around 12:30-p.m., 44-year old Tiffani Jo Bredberg, of Red Oak, was arrested on an active Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. Bredberg was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

At around 6:55-p.m. Saturday, Red Oak Police arrested 18-year old Layn Michael Glander, of Kansas City, KS, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. And, 20-year old Rock Pennington, Jr., of Kansas City, KS, was arrested for Possession of Stolen Property. Both men were transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where Glander was being held on $1,000 bond, and Pennington, Jr. was being held on $300 bond.

And, at around 4:56-p.m. Saturday, Red Oak Police arrested 17-year old Michael Wade Hamilton, of Red Oak, on charges of Serious Assault and Disorderly Conduct. Hamilton was cited into Juvenile Court and then released to his guardian.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of an Omaha man on a drug charge on Friday. At 8:41pm deputies arrested 36-year-old William Glen Porterfield of Omaha in the 1300 block of Highway 34.  Porterfield was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.  The Montgomery County K-9 unit assisted in the investigation.

Representatives from the Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center in Atlantic hosted area business and community leaders to a luncheon on Friday to discuss the deficit the center is facing.

The Nishna Valley YMCA is contracted to operate the center and Executive Director Dan Haynes informed the crowd that the center can’t continue to operate as it is now.  The center has lost $141,417 over the last five years, averaging out to $28,283 per year.

Haynes said the biggest reason for the centers operating loss is the high number of part-time users compared to full-time users.  He said that center Executive Director Diana Williams and Wickman Committee members have toured other area facilities and found that most of them have a high number of full-time users and most work on a contract basis.  The Wickman Center currently operates on an hourly charge basis which accommodates those part-time users.

Haynes said the YMCA is looking into a number of different options to turn the center profits around. Those options include seeing if someone else can run if more efficiently than the YMCA.  The center has considered changing to a contract rate structure or if staying hourly raising the rates especially for those not attending full time. Scheduling and meal planning is also going to be more strictly enforced for parents in hopes of becoming more efficient.  The purpose of the meeting was ultimately to get feedback from area leaders and see if annual gift funding would be an option to help the center operate as is.

Director of the Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center Diana Williams also spoke at the meeting and said the Center is a DHS licensed center that cares for children six weeks to five years old. The center operates Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m with six rooms separated by age groups. The center currently serves 119 children, averaging 72 to 85 kids per day and their is a waiting list for some of their rooms.

The Center has 32 staff working various shifts and Haynes also noted that another issue is the center’s inability to offer employees a competitive wage and benefits.  Staffing has been a huge challenge for the center with the large number of part-time kids causing fluctuating staffing needs.

The center will continue to explore options and have a meeting set up with the Atlantic City Council Finance Committee in the near future.