Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — There are no additional bird flu cases in Iowa, giving hundreds of state and federal workers and hired contractors a chance to catch up with the backlog of birds to be euthanized. Iowa Department of Agriculture officials say they expected to have all turkeys exposed to the H5N2 virus euthanized and composting by the end of the day Thursday. Disposal using composting, on-site burial, incineration and placement in landfills, continues.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter says tuition will be frozen at state universities for the fall semester, but he is not detailing what will happen in the spring. At a board meeting Thursday, Rastetter said a tuition freeze would continue at the three public universities for the fall. But he said officials will need to assess if the institutions have enough state funding to maintain the freeze in the spring.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State President Steven Leath says he’s “open minded” about how much the university is willing to pay its next basketball coach, adding that the school is looking for a return on its investment. Leath spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since Fred Hoiberg left to take over the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. Leath says he intends to interview all the finalists identified by athletic director Jamie Pollard and weigh in with his opinion before Pollard makes the final decision. Leath says the next coach’s contract would likely be loaded with performance incentives tied to the team’s success in the Big 12 and nationally.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is wasting little time getting to Iowa after announcing his candidacy for the 2016 presidential nomination. According to JebAnnouncement DOT com, a website established to explain Bush’s announcement plans, the Republican plans to make his first Iowa campaign stop in Pella on June 17th.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 62-year-old Mason City man has been accused of using a hammer to beat his dog. Police say George Harrington is charged with animal torture and other misdemeanor violations. Harrington didn’t immediately return a message yesterday from The Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. attorney says an eastern Iowa man who caused a fire the damaged six mobile homes while attempting to manufacture meth has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Linda Reade on Thursday sentenced 27-year-old Michael Lala to prison after he pleaded guilty in January to attempting to manufacture meth.

The legislature is passing new liability protections for county landfills that accept the dead carcasses from poultry operations that have been hit by bird flu. Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm, a Democrat from Cresco, says it’s a protection for county taxpayers who would have to pick up the tab if their local landfill is sued. “If they take on the responsibility of accepting these birds, that if they follow Homeland Security, DNR, federal regs, if somebody wants to sue them for whatever reason, they’re not going to be held responsible because they’re following all the rules,” Wilhelm says.

The issue is being addressed in a budget bill that outlines spending for the Iowa Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Legislators are also asking landfills to submit a report to the state next year, detailing the volume of bird carcasses buried and the fees charged by the landfill. Wilhelm says it’s a check against excessive landfill charges. “The feds are paying for the tipping fees,” Wilhelm says, “and so we don’t want to have them take advantage of, drastically increasing the tipping fees.”

More than 30 million chickens and turkeys have had to be killed in Iowa due to the bird flu outbreak. All of the turkeys and some chickens are being composted in their barns. Some dead chickens are being buried just outside on the farms. Some are being burned and others are being shipped to landfills. A large incinerator at a landfill near Cherokee is currently burning about seven loads of dead birds a day, with plans to increase capacity in the coming days.

A privately-owned landfill near Malvern and a county landfill near Sheldon are burying “bio-secure” bags of the dead chickens. Officials with Polk County’s landfill have indicated a willingness to make bird burials, too, but to date none have been taken there. The legislature’s new liability protection for landfills would not apply to the landfill near Malvern, but would apply to the other two county-owned landfills.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Fire department officials in Council Bluffs say a $2,000 donation will help them plan for the restoration of an old bell that once tolled for fire calls. The Daily Nonpareil reports the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation made the donation to aid planning for the bell, which will be placed at the city’s headquarters station.

The bell, which was forged in St. Louis in 1876, was rung when fire calls came in. It also tolled for firefighter funerals. The bell was moved to many stations over the years but has been in storage for a few years. Fire officials want to restore the bell and place it in a tower. Project estimates range from $80,000 to $120,000.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County arrested an Omaha man this (Thursday) morning, on a warrant charging him with Contempt of Court – Resistance to a Judicial Order or Process. Christian T. Leming was transported from the Douglas County, Nebraska Corrections facility to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center. Leming appeared before the Magistrate and had his bond set at $800.

The Branstad Administration is not yet indicating whether the governor will accept or reject the legislature’s attempt to undo Branstad’s order to close the state-run Mental Health Institutes in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant. A bill that cleared both the House and Senate yesterday (Wednesday) with bipartisan support calls for keeping the Mount Pleasant facility open for another year. The Clarinda M-H-I would remain open until mid-December, with hopes of finding a private company that would run the unit there that cares for elderly patients who are too frail or aggressive for other facilities. Clarinda Economic Development Director John Greenwood says that would be victory for his community.

“Like in anything, you’re hoping to get more, but you have to work with the powers that be on both sides,” Greenwood says. “And, you know, if you’ll remember back when Branstad brought out his budget, Clarinda would have been essentially closed right now, so for us it definitely is a positive thing.” A spokesman for the governor said this morning that Branstad “will carefully review the bill while also continuing to consider how the state provides the highest quality of care to individuals in need.” Clarinda’s economic development director says the legislature’s proposal gives employees at the M-H-I more time to figure out their next step and it his community a chance to try to find a private company that will come in and keep the facility operating.

“Probably, most importantly, it gives us another six months to continue to provide services for the folks out there that need them,” Greenwood says. Senator Rich Taylor, a Democrat from Mount Pleasant, is also hoping the governor accepts the legislature’s plan. “What the governor was trying to do in shutting down the Mental Health Institution was just wrong,” Taylor says. The M-H-I in Mount Pleasant would continue to offer inpatient treatment for those with the “dual diagnosis” of substance abuse and mental illness if the governor accepts the legislature’s proposal. Senator Taylor worked at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison for 27 years and Taylor says he saw many inmates who wound up behind prison walls because they hadn’t gotten mental health treatment.

“And to shut down even more of our state institutions was just totally unacceptable to me. It just broken my heart,” Taylor says. “It just is not the right place for these people. It’s not what we should do to these most vulnerable citizens.” State officials have said about a third of the inmates in Iowa prisons are “severely mentally ill” — hearing voices, seeing things and often unable to comprehend prison staff orders. The legislature’s vote on the future of the two Mental Health Institutes in southern Iowa is among the many decisions lawmakers are rushing to make this week, in hopes of concluding the 2015 legislative session — perhaps as soon as today (Thursday).

(Radio Iowa)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says three people have been arrested so far this week. On Tuesday, 26-year old Andrew Dean West, of Malvern, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on a Warrant for Violation of Probation. His cash bond was set at $10,000.

On Wednesday, Matthew Demorest, of Malvern, was cited for Driving Under Suspension. That same night, 33-year old Pamela Jean Demorest, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Her bond was set at $300.

Early this (Thursday) morning, 54-year old Ronald Evans McCombs, of Omaha, was arrested in Mills County, for Public Intoxication. His bond was also set at $300.

A single-vehicle accident in Mills County, Wednesday morning, resulted in the driver of the vehicle being transported to a hospital in Omaha. Sheriff’s officials say Dennis James, of Tabor, was driving a 2014 Chevy southbound on Highway 275 at around 7:10-a.m., when the vehicle crossed the center line of the road near Quigg Avenue.

The car went off the road to the left and hit an embankment before it struck a culvert and flew through the air and rolled into the east road ditch. The vehicle eventually came to rest on its passenger side, facing north. James was transported by ambulance to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, Wednesday, asked local residents and motorists passing through the area during the Highway 6/7th Street construction project, to exercise caution and courtesy, when taking the detour routes through town and to area businesses located along the construction zone.

An area of special concern is the intersection of 10th and Olive, where some motorists are making “California”, or “rolling stops,” meaning they are not coming to a complete stop, as required by law. Jones reminds motorists that when you come to a 4-way stop that is not controlled with traffic lights, you must make a complete stop, and yield to the vehicle on your right, before proceeding cautiously into the intersection.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says his officers issued 13 tickets for illegal stopping in one day alone. Green said motorists are also failing to stop along 8th Street, east of Olive, where there are stop signs located at every intersection. So far, at least three tickets were issued to motorists who failed to obey those signs.

Jones also asked motorists to respect those whose driveways are located along the detour route, by giving them a chance to exit their driveways, especially when traffic flow is heavy. Councilman Dana Halder echoed Jones’ comments about being courteous drivers.

Halder said “Courtesy goes a long ways, and, especially along 10th Street. If you’ve got a whole line of cars, and somebody is trying to turn left, it’d be nice if you’d stop for ‘em and let them turn left.” Jones said he understands the construction is an inconvenience, but it’s been a long time in coming, and when it’s finished, will be a great benefit to the community.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today (Thursday) announced that Farmers Market Nutrition Program applications are now available for eligible WIC recipients and low-income older Iowans.

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs provide eligible Iowans with checks that can be redeemed for fresh, locally grown produce at authorized farmers markets and farm stands from June 1 through October 31, 2015.

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides eligible WIC recipients with nine checks valued at $3 each. Again this year, sets of WIC FMNP checks will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible individuals may pick up checks at arranged appointments or at regularly scheduled clinic appointments. The checks will be distributed on a statewide basis.

A combination of state and federal funds will be used to make benefits available to more than 23,900 eligible WIC recipients this year. Eligible individuals include children ages 1 through 4, and pregnant, breast-feeding, and post-partum women that participate in Iowa’s WIC Program.

The state’s twenty local WIC agencies have begun to distribute checks and nutritional education information. WIC recipients interested in obtaining the benefits are encouraged to contact their local WIC clinic or visit www.idph.state.ia.us/wic/ for more information.

The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides eligible seniors with ten checks for $3 each. Applicants throughout the state are offered the checks on a first-come first-served basis and the checks are available through Area Agency on Aging offices. A combination of state and federal funds will be used to make benefits available to more than 19,700 eligible seniors this year.

Eligible seniors must be sixty years of age or older with a household income less than $21,775 if single or $29,471 for a married couple. Iowa seniors will be asked to complete a one page application verifying their eligibility, by providing their birth dates and the last four digits of their social security numbers.

The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) have begun to distribute checks and nutritional education information. To find an Area Agency on Aging near you, contact the Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging (i4a) toll free at 866-468-7887 or at www.i4a.org.

The Farmers Market Nutrition Programs are administered through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Department on Aging.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a Nebraska man was arrested Monday on a Harassment by Communication, charge. 54-year old Richard Stockton Bradshaw, of Omaha, was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $325 bond.