OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Soaring numbers in a monthly survey of business supply managers suggest economic conditions are improving in nine Midwest and Plains states. The Mid-America Business Conditions Index report released Tuesday says the overall economic index for the region jumped to 53.1 in December from 46.5 in November. The October figure was 43.8.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the December and November increases point to an improving regional manufacturing economy. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Several thousand Iowans are entering the New Year without a home. A longtime advocate for the homeless in Iowa says she’s seeing more people who are living out of their cars or tents. Joni Hansen is calling on community leaders across the state to find ways to help those who struggling rebuild their live

“There needs to be more transitional programs…where it’s not just offered on an emergency basis — programs that help them find employment, get some financial management skills, and build their life from that,” Hansen says. She’s also encouraging everyday Iowans to get involved — and not just by donating money or clothes.

“Volunteer and get to know the people. Perhaps you have a lead on a job someone could get, but I think the whole thing starts with volunteering and getting to know the needs in your own community,” Hansen says.

The state’s annual Homeless Memorial Day was held on December 21st and 32 Iowans who died in the past year after struggling with homelessness were remembered at the gathering on the grounds of the Iowa Capitol. Hansen is director of Hospitality House, a daytime homeless shelter in Waterloo.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:39 a.m. CST

VIENNA, Ill. (AP) — Authorities in southern Illinois have identified the four people who died after a single-engine plane crashed in a wooded area on New Year’s Eve. Johnson County Coroner David Rockwell says 34-year-old Curt Terpstra, 35-year-old Jordan Linder, 26-year-old Jasmine Linder and 37-year-old Krista Green died in Saturday night’s crash. All four were from eastern Iowa.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa police officer has been fined and ordered to complete a treatment program for drunk driving and weapons charges. Former Newton officer Dustin Hamell received the sentence last week in connection with an Aug. 30 traffic stop on Interstate 80 outside of Des Moines. Authorities said that his blood tested at nearly three times the legal alcohol limit, and that he had a loaded handgun and unopened cans of beer in his truck.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A University of Iowa benefactor has donated $5 million toward the renovation of Kinnick Stadium’s north end. The university announced Sunday, during Outback Bowl festivities in Tampa, Florida, that Ted and Deb Pacha had made a contribution to the $90 million project. The project plans include a second deck for seating and expanded concourses. The project is expected to be finished before the 2019 season.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A charity controlled by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has missed a deadline for disclosing the names of donors who paid for his 2015 inaugural celebration, keeping them secret even as he prepares to become the U.S. ambassador to China. Tax experts say the lack of disclosure potentially subjects the group to IRS penalties of $100 per day. It means the public doesn’t know the identities of those who wrote checks totaling $1 million to fund Branstad’s inauguration and namesake college scholarships.