Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Weather officials say a line of severe thunderstorms and high winds in central Iowa have left thousands of customers without power. At one point, more than 38,000 MidAmerican Energy customers were without power last night, with a majority in the Des Moines area.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new water summary report says most of Iowa remains in some type of drought. The state Department of Natural Resources says Iowa has had below normal precipitation, though it’s in better condition than a year ago at this time.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — Le Mars officials say they may restrict flights at the city’s airport to resolve a Federal Aviation Administration ruling blocking the construction of a water tower. The FAA told the city earlier in the summer that a planned 140-foot-tall water tower would be a hazard to planes approaching the Le Mars Municipal Airport. Federal officials ordered that the tower not exceed 86 feet. But the Le Mars Daily Sentinel reports that as of yesterday the city had filed paperwork to require that planes only access the airport to the west.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Three dogs described as pit bulls attacked a 79-year-old man and his dog in in Waterloo, continuing a string of such attacks in the city. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the attack happened Wednesday while Bill Winder was walking in George Wyth State Park with his dog, Snickers. Two women fled the scene with the pit bulls.

A discussion centering around solutions to Iowa’s care gap crisis will take place in Atlantic next Thursday, Sept. 26th. Direct care professionals, consumers, and other stakeholders will start the discussion on solving the care gap crisis. Community members are invited to join in and share their stories.The “Are We Prepared to Care?” – Community forum on the care gap crisis will be held at the Cass County Community Center, 805 W. 10th Street in Atlantic, from 8-am to 9:30-a.m. on the 26th. The event is Co-hosted by IowaWORKS, Iowa Western Community College, AARP Iowa, Iowa CareGivers, Iowa Department of Public Health, and Direct Care Workforce Initiative.

The discussion is necessary, according to event organizers, because Iowa faces a critical shortage of direct care professionals, the front-line workers who provide care and support to people with disabilities or health conditions in individuals’ homes, community-based settings, and facilities. Direct care professionals are already Iowa’s largest workforce, currently numbering about 75,000. Virtually everyone will connect with direct care professionals at some point, whether for themselves or a loved one experiencing aging, illness, injury, or disability.

But demand is growing fast, and the current direct care workforce is not enough. Iowa needs almost 20,000 more direct care professionals by 2020. The problem is made worse by high turnover in this workforce, estimated at 64 percent annually. That costs Iowans too much – about $2.1 billion between 2012 and 2020 – and makes it hard for consumers to have continuity in services. Iowa must build a skilled workforce to meet our communities’ care and support needs.

If you have any questions, contact Stacie Bendixen at 515-237-0338.

An 18-year old from Treynor has plead guilty to lesser charges in his sexual abuse case. The Daily NonPareil says 18-year old Kreighton Elwood entered a plea of guilty Thursday to one count of assault, one count of assault causing bodily injury, and one count of false imprisonment.  The son of Treynor School District Superintendent Kevin Elwood,  Kreighton was originally charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree kidnapping in connection with a pair of incidents that allegedly occurred in 2012.

The teen was sentenced to 14 days in jail, two years probation and ordered to successfully complete a counseling program for sex offenders. He will register as a sex offender in Iowa for 10 years. The paper reports Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Dan McGinn said he was in contact with the alleged victims while working on a tentative agreement with Elwood’s attorney. McGinn said the victims agreed that the younger Elwood needed help, not prison time.

A first-degree kidnapping conviction for adults carries an automatic life sentence in Iowa and would require Elwood to register as a sex offender for life. In November and December of 2012, Elwood allegedly abused two females in separate incidents. In all, five females have levied complaints against Elwood, with three cases in juvenile court.

Elwood is expected to surrender himself 9 a.m. Sunday at the Pottawattamie County Jail. He is no longer a student at Treynor High School.

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows a small percentage of students in Iowa’s K-through-12 schools are classified as “English Language Learners.”  More than 476-thousand students were enrolled in Iowa’s public schools last year. According to the latest Census data, about 49-thousand Latino students are enrolled in Iowa schools this year — and about 17-thousand students are “English Language Learners.”

That means about three-and-a-half percent of Iowa K-through-12 students are learning English. On July 1st of 2012, the Census reports almost 14 percent of Iowa’s Latino population was under the age of five. More preschoolers in Iowa are Latino than any other race, including Caucasian.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the two area school districts have announced their intentions to enter into  Whole Grade Sharing negotiations. The Walnut Community School District Board of Education voted unanimously during their meeting on Monday, Sept. 16th, to approve a resolution of intent to enter into a Whole Grade Sharing agreement with the AHST Community School District, in Avoca. On Wednesday, the AHST School Board approved a similar resolution.

Currently, AHST and Walnut share all activities for grades seven through 12, and they have a partial academic sharing agreement for grades nine through 12. Walnut High School students currently take a portion of their classes at AHST.

By law, there will be a public hearing 30-days prior to final approval of the Whole Grade Sharing Agreement. The agreement will need to be given final approval by both districts, no later than February 1st, 2014. If approved, the agreement could take effect for the 2014-2015 school year.

Persons with questions about the Whole Grade Sharing process may directed them to the AHST and Walnut Community School District shared Superintendent Jesse Ulrich, at 712-343-6364.