KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say two men walked away after their aircraft plunged more than 500 feet before crashing near an airport in south-central Iowa.

The crash was reported about 1:45 p.m. Monday near the Knoxville Airport at Knoxville in Marion County. Jeff Jorgenson says he and pilot Miles Loomis had just taken off when their gyroplane stalled and began falling. Gyroplanes also are referred to as gyrocopters.

Jorgenson says the aircraft hit some power lines just before it struck the ground. He and Loomis were treated for minor injuries.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) – A man who worked for a suburban Des Moines school district for more than 11 years has been arrested on child pornography charges. Polk County Jail records say 28-year-old Justin Chugg remained in custody Tuesday on 10 counts related to the porn, including possession.

Urbandale Community School District spokeswoman Dena Soenke says Chugg worked for the district from August 2005 to Nov. 7 last year and was an Adventuretime leader. She says Chugg resigned after questions were raised about possible teenage drinking at his home. Urbandale Police Sgt. Chad Underwood says there’s no evidence Chugg had any inappropriate contact with any children.

Republicans in the Iowa legislature advanced key parts of their state budget plan on Monday. “As we put this budget together, we’ve had to prioritize our priorities within state government.” That’s Republican Representative Pat Grassley of New Hartford. He is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Last (Monday) night, Senate Republicans voted on the spending plan for Iowa’s courts and prisons. Republicans in the House, meanwhile, approved a bill outlining next year’s spending plan for higher education as well as state agencies that do things like oversee voting, collect taxes and investigate elder abuse.

Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, noted cuts to state programs for foster children as well as deaf and blind Iowans. “The state’s budget is being balanced on the backs of the state’s most vulnerable,” Hall said. Democrats complained the budget for the Iowa Public Information Board has been cut so dramatically the agency may close next month. Republicans say the duties of responding to public questions about government meetings and public records may be transferred to another agency that oversees campaign finance laws.

Also last (Monday) night, Republican Senators voted to shut down the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.

(Radio Iowa)