DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Last week was a busy one for Iowa farmers, who took advantage of dry conditions to plant nearly half of the expected corn crop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday that farmers planted about 7 million acres. About 20 percent of the soybean crop, or 2 million acres, also was planted.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says the heavy rain Sunday and Monday was good for those who have planted their crop but bad news for those who haven’t and now must wait for fields to dry out. As of last week, the USDA says 74 percent of topsoil was rated as adequate and 15 percent had surplus moisture.

Northwest Iowa was the driest region, with nearly one-third of topsoil reported as very short or short of moisture.

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) — An anonymous donor has offered to help with renovation costs for a museum in western Iowa. The Daily Nonpareil reports an anonymous donor offered $30,000 to offset renovation costs at the Museum of Religious Arts in Logan. Facilities needing attention include a wooden deck and fish pond in the museum’s Biblical Garden. Museum director Rhonda McHugh says the fish pond needs repair before it can be filled, and the deck must be treated to better withstand severe weather.

McHugh says renovations will also include installing a gate at the museum’s entrance and providing lighting for a stone arrangement that spells out “believe.” The museum underwent a $28,000 renovation in 2013, which included cleaning figurines and fixing rails damaged by animals.

PANORA, Iowa (AP) — Preliminary data shows an EF-2 tornado touched down in central Iowa during severe weather that hit swaths of the state. The National Weather Service says a line of thunderstorms produced at least one tornado Sunday night that hit the community surrounding Lake Panorama in Panora. Officials are still surveying damage to determine if other tornadoes were recorded.

The tornado reached 115 mph and was first recorded south of Guthrie Center before it traveled more than 16 miles northeast. It went across Lake Panorama and dissipated near Yale. Officials in Lake Panorama say the tornado destroyed eight condominiums and damaged about a dozen other homes. No injuries were reported.

More severe weather was expected in Iowa later Monday, with thunderstorms and potential flash flooding.

Police in Atlantic report the arrest on Saturday of 23-year old Uriah Joiner. The Atlantic man was taken into custody on a Cass County warrant for violation of his probation. Joiner was booked into the Cass County Jail.

The A-PD reports also, there were no injuries following an accident Friday evening at 7th and Olive Streets. Officials say vehicles driven by Margrette Groves, of Walnut, and Glynn Westphalen, of Atlantic, collided at around 5:40-p.m.

Officials say the vehicles driven by Westphalen and Groves were traveling east on 7th Street. After  Westphalen turned on his right turn signal, he pulled to the left in order to make the right turn into an alley. In the process, his vehicle was hit on the passenger’s side by the Groves vehicle, which had proceeded to travel eastbound.

Damage from the collision amounted to $3,100. There were no citations issued.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Forecasters say much of central and eastern Iowa could be affected by another wave of severe weather moving across the state.  The National Weather Service says a system expected to cross central Iowa early Monday evening could cause large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.

Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg says the eastern third of the state is at greatest risk, especially parts of southeast Iowa. However, he says the storm shouldn’t be as powerful as the one that moved through Iowa on Sunday night. He says large hail is the primary concern.

Sunday’s storms damaged buildings near Panora.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report an arrest has been made in conjunction with a recent burglary. Officials say 24-year old Ryan Scott Wendt, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Saturday evening on charges that include Burglary in the 3rd degree, and Theft in the 5th degree. Wendt’s bond was set at $2,300.

Twenty-nine Iowa cities will benefit from a combined total of more than $33.7 million in low-cost water quality loans through the State Revolving Fund.Among them is the City of Cumberland, which is receiving $396,000 for a drinking water construction project. And, the City of Elliott is receiving $250,000 for a Clean Water construction project

State Revolving Fund Construction Loans are a low-cost construction financing option available for Iowa cities and municipalities for water quality initiatives. Planning & Design Loans are zero percent loans that assist with the first-phase of project expenses. The Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources jointly administer the State Revolving Fund.

Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Dave Jamison said “More than 500 Iowa communities have recognized the State Revolving Fund as their best choice for low-cost financing of their water quality initiatives.” Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Chuck Gipp said “The State Revolving Fund is an important resource for Iowa communities as they face a wide-array of water quality improvement needs. Quality water costs money, and the State Revolving Fund helps make the investment in Iowa’s water more affordable for communities.”

The State Revolving Fund has awarded Iowa communities and municipalities more than $2.1 billion in Construction Loans and $130 million through Planning & Design Loans since program inception. The loans are made available as part of the State Revolving Fund. For more information on Planning & Design Loans, as well as other State Revolving Fund programs, visit IowaSRF.com.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Saturday afternoon of a Blanchard man an assault charge. Deputies responding to a domestic disturbance at 100 High Street in Blanchard, arrest 23-year old Bryan Michael Vannausdle at the residence. Following an investigation, Vannausdle was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault. He was brought to the Page County Jail and held without bond pending an appearance before a magistrate.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says four people were arrested over the weekend. On Sunday, 33-year old Amber Renee Parsons, of Shenandoah, was arrested on Fraud and 2nd degree Theft charges, along with two counts of Forgery. Arrested Saturday in Fremont County, was: 39-year Richard Lee Aultman, of Sidney, who was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault; 23-year old Andrew Ryan Lemrick, of Hamburg, who was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and 43-year old Leslie Arnold Campbell, of Nebraska City, who was arrested for having no valid driver’s license, and for Failure to Stop.

Last Friday, deputies in Fremont County arrested 44-year old Amanda Lynn Driever, of Hamburg, on an OWI/1st offense charge. Other recent arrests include on May 4th, 42-year old Bret Philip Samuelson, of Randolph, who was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, and Driving Under Suspension. That same day, 33-year old Michael James Anderson, of Sidney, was arrested for Distribution of a person under the age of 18, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

A Pottawattamie County man facing a first degree murder charge is set to appear in court early this afternoon, for his arraignment hearing. The hearing for 63-year old Robert Arthur Reynolds, Jr., is set to begin at 1:30-p.m. in Pottawattamie County District Court.  His jury trial is scheduled to start July 1st.

Reynolds Jr., is accused of fatally shooting 64-year old rural Cass County resident Patricia Kinkade-Dorsey during the early morning hours of April 8th. The incident occurred in Reynolds’ Oakland home.
Reynolds later admitted to authorities he had a verbal confrontation with Kinkade-Dorsey and later to shooting the unarmed woman multiple times, causing her death.