DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Senate Republicans have proposed $50 million in mid-year cuts to Iowa’s roughly $7.2 billion state budget, including a reduction of more than $24 million in higher education spending. A Senate budget committee is expected Thursday to vote on the cuts, which impact the budget year running through June. The full Senate must still consider them before several votes in the House.

Leaders in the Republican-controlled chambers had indicated they would cut beyond the nearly $30 million spending reductions proposed by GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds. They say it’s to avoid extra cuts if future budget projections are down. There’s disagreement between Republicans over the reductions, though lawmakers declined to offer specifics.

The Senate plan released Thursday cuts about $19.3 million from Iowa’s three public universities and $5.4 million from community colleges.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Doctors say a Burlington man accused of using an electric guitar to kill his mother remains incompetent for trial. Thirty-year-old Garret Selters is charged with first-degree murder in the October slaying of 56-year-old Linda Selters. In November doctors concluded he was incompetent for trial. At a follow-up hearing Tuesday, a judge read through reports that said Selters still was unable to assist in his defense but remained “a candidate for restoration.”

The Hawk Eye reports that the judge set another review hearing for Feb. 19. Police say Garret Selters struck his mother in the back of her head Oct. 17. She’d called for help that day, saying her son was having an “episode.” Officers found Garret Selters outside, pacing and stating that he’d killed his mother.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say the man whose body was recovered from the Des Moines River was being sought by police on robbery and assault charges. Des Moines police said Thursday in a news release that the body was identified as that of 20-year-old Des Moines resident Phillip Philavanh. He’d been reported missing by his family on Dec. 12.

The Police Department says the body was reported around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, south of the Grand Avenue bridge. Police say he assaulted a family member and later attempted to steal a car on Nov. 5. The death investigation is continuing.

EUFAULA, Okla. (AP) — Deer, cattle and horse sightings are common in Oklahoma, but not elephants. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says four circus elephants were spotted briefly on a roadside Wednesday after the truck carrying them to Iowa broke down. Trooper Dwight Durant said today (Thursday) that the floor of the trailer carrying the pachyderms had started to give way and was dragging on the road, sparking grass fires along the way.

The elephants disembarked near Eufaula, about 120 miles east of Oklahoma City, after someone noticed the problem from another vehicle traveling with the truck. The elephants were transferred to another trailer and moved to a nearby veterinarian’s property before another vehicle arrived to take them to Iowa. Durant said the elephants belong to Carson & Barnes Circus, based in Hugo, Oklahoma.

WAUKON, Iowa (AP) — A fire has heavily damaged a restaurant in the eastern Iowa city of Waukon. Waukon Fire Chief Dave Martin says firefighters quickly knocked down the flames Tuesday night inside Mulligan’s Grill Pub. But the heat generated melted items down the inside walls, and there was significant smoke damage. Firefighters remained on the scene until 10 a.m. Wednesday. Martin says the building likely is a total loss. No injuries have been reported. The cause is being investigated.

Roberta Palmer owns a neighboring eatery, the Waukon Inn Restaurant, and she says she’s counting on Mulligan’s to make a comeback. She says Mulligan’s isn’t a full competitor, because her restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, while Mulligan’s is open for lunch and supper. Palmer says the businesses sort of feed off each other. Mulligan’s owner Dana Ruegnitz says he wants to find out what started the fire before making any plans to rebuild

A man arrested for Nov. 20th incident in Red Oak, now faces additional charges after test results on a substance believed to be Meth, came back positive for the drug. Red Oak Police have charged 37-year old Daniel Bruce Clemons, Jr., of Red Oak, with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, 3rd or subsequent Offense, because he had two prior convictions associated with the drug. Bruce was originally arrested in November for Aggravated Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. Officers located a substance believed to be meth on his person and had it sent to the DCI Lab in Ames, for confirmation.

Law enforcement and rescue personnel in Harrison County responded to a sand pit near the Boyer River to search for a man whose vehicle was found buried in sand near the Hallett Materials plant, which is near the Boyer River. Coworkers looking for him overnight found his Caterpillar truck in a sand ditch. Attempts to recover the vehicle were underway this morning. Initial reports indicated the vehicle was in the water. Dive teams were called to the scene, southwest of Dunlap, as the sand pits contain water. An on-site crane was bringing up a mix of sand, water and ice.

Water rescue team boats were being deployed.The circumstances around the incident remain under investigation.

(Update from KNOD/Harlan)