Casey’s General Stores has announced it will begin offering the higher ethanol blends of E15 and E85 at 17 sites in Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board applauds the move. Board president Larry Klever, of Audubon, says it’s something they’ve been discussing with Casey’s for quite some time.

“It’s one of the most common things I’ve heard over the years is people asking me why Casey’s doesn’t…so it’s kind of a relief that they’re finally doing this pilot project and I hope it’s very successful for them,” Klever says. A Casey’s spokesman says the company does not have plans “at this time” to expand beyond the initial 17 locations. But, Klever is hopeful. “There are a lot of Casey’s stores around in small towns. It would be great if they could get those blender pumps into everybody,” Klever says.

Casey’s, based in Ankeny, is the fourth largest convenience store chain in the U.S. with nearly 2,000 locations across 15 states. In addition to the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, corn checkoff boards in Illinois and Kansas and the ethanol trade association Growth Energy are assisting Casey’s in the program.

In a news release, Growth Energy calls it “a major milestone for renewable fuel availability, especially across rural America where demand for higher ethanol blends is at an all-time high.”

(Reporting by Ken Anderson, Brownfield Ag News)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:15 a.m. CDT

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A small western Iowa hospital is facing a spate of wrongful death lawsuits. The Des Moines Register reports that two of the lawsuits against Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison were filed within the last two weeks. Another was filed last year. The hospital gained attention last year when it unsuccessfully tried to keep a $500,000 wrongful-death settlement from being made public.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa fire academy administrator has pleaded guilty to falsifying test scores that were used to improperly certify thousands of firefighters. Former Fire Services Training Bureau certification manager John McPhee pleaded guilty Wednesday to felonious misconduct in office. Judge James Malloy scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 24.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Former “The Bachelor” star Chris Soules called 911 to report his rear-end crash that killed a fellow Iowa farmer. A recording of the Monday night call released Wednesday shows Soules sought medical help for the man, who he said was unconscious in a ditch. Authorities say Soules left the scene before emergency responders arrived. He was arrested several hours later. The victim was a 66-year-old local farmer, Kenneth Mosher.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Those in Nebraska and Iowa who’ve already planted their spring flora might want to bring them inside or cover them up overnight. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for most parts of northeastern Nebraska and Monona County in western Iowa for Wednesday night into Thursday morning. A freeze warning means overnight low temperatures are forecast to drop as low as 28 degrees, with below-freezing temperatures expected for several hours.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Those in Nebraska and Iowa who’ve already planted their spring flora might want to bring them inside or cover them up overnight. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for most parts of northeastern Nebraska and Monona County in western Iowa for Wednesday night into Thursday morning. A freeze warning means overnight low temperatures are forecast to drop as low as 28 degrees, with below-freezing temperatures expected for several hours.

Sensitive outdoor vegetation may be damaged or killed if left unprotected from the freeze. The service has also issued a frost advisory for east-central and southeastern Nebraska and much of southwestern Iowa. A frost advisory means overnight lows are forecast between 32 degree and 36 degrees.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa hospital is facing a spate of wrongful death lawsuits. The Des Moines Register reports that two of the lawsuits against Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison were filed within the last two weeks. Another was filed last year. The hospital gained attention last year when it unsuccessfully tried to keep a $500,000 wrongful-death settlement from being made public.

One of the three pending lawsuits claims a surgeon ignored warnings that a morbidly obese man could not be safely sedated. Another says a teenage patient who swallowed prescription sedatives died after being sent home. The third says a newborn died after a doctor failed to promptly address a dangerous intestinal growth.

A spokesman told the newspaper that the hospital doesn’t comment on pending lawsuits.

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening, acting on a recommendation from incoming Superintendent Steve Barber, approved the hiring of Sarah Sheeder as the District’s Director of Finance to replace Mary Beth Fast, who is resigning at the end of the current school year to take a job in Urbandale. Current Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said an administrative team sat in on interviews with four candidates.

Sarah Sheeder (Panorama School District photo)

Sheeder has served as a School Business Manager/Board Secretary at the Panorama School District for the past seven-years. Prior to that she was working in the private sector. In other business, the Board approved the resignations of: Washington Elementary Kindergarten teacher Taylor Mosier, who has accepted a position in Ankeny; Linda Joyce, Middle School 7th grade science teacher, who has elected to retire at the end of the school year; Michelle McLaren, 8th grade Volleyball coach; Paul Dreager, Maintenance/grounds custodian, who is retiring; and they approved Mike McDermott, as homebound instructor for a Middle School Student.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa fire academy administrator has pleaded guilty to falsifying test scores that were used to improperly certify thousands of firefighters. Former Fire Services Training Bureau certification manager John McPhee pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony misconduct in office. Judge James Malloy scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 24.

Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a sentence of two years’ probation, unspecified restitution and community service for McPhee, 49. Malloy could opt for a different sentence for McPhee, who remains free on bond and faces a maximum of five years in prison.

McPhee, who began at the Ames-based academy in 1998, assigned passing scores to exams without checking or correcting them for years. More than 2,400 firefighters and emergency personnel were granted nationally-recognized certifications despite failing tests.