DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say smoke inhalation likely killed a Sioux City man who was found dead inside a burning car near a Des Moines church. Firefighters had been sent to the parking of the Abundant Life Church on East Sheridan Avenue around 10 p.m. Sunday. They discovered the body of 51-year-old Patrick Murphy II after opening the driver’s side door.

Medical examiner Gregory Schmunk says Murphy was barely burned. The autopsy didn’t reveal any evidence of trauma or signs of any crime involved in Murphy’s death. A toxicology report is expected within six weeks.

A 25-year-old man from southwest Iowa was arrested Monday morning in a burglary and weapons case in Red Oak. According to the Daily NonPareil, Logan James Chelf of College Springs was arrested around 8 a.m. at Broadway and Market Streets after Red Oak police received a call about a burglary. Red Oak police said Chelf was carrying a loaded 9 mm handgun when he was arrested.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is getting a warm welcome from Iowa Republicans in his first campaign appearance since returning from a rocky trade trip to the United Kingdom. Christie appeared at a Monday event sponsored by a county GOP organization held in suburban Des Moines. Seeking to introduce himself to voters in the kickoff caucus state, Christie touted his record as a conservative governor in a Democratic state, citing his efforts to cut taxes and reduce spending.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — University of Iowa President Sally Mason has discussed details of a merger with a Des Moines business college that will become part of the university in 2016. Mason says the AIB College of Business will be gifted to the university instead of technically merging because of accreditation issues. AIB will graduate its last students at the end of June 2016, and the University of Iowa will take over operations the following month. AIB athletes at the meeting later expressed concern about the merger.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources says results from several monitoring stations along the Mississippi River show much of the ethanol that leaked into the water after several train cars derailed has dissolved. DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins says the highest levels of ethanol have been detected nearest the site where 14 cars containing the fuel went off the tracks Wednesday in a remote area north of Dubuque.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Three trial dates have been set for a Davenport man accused of molesting multiple children over several years. And April 27 trial date for the first case was scheduled Friday for 54-year-old Melvin T. Lucier, a registered sex offender. Police say Lucier was charged in 2014 with six counts of second-degree sexual abuse and one count of third-degree sexual abuse after they say they received reports of Lucier fondling at least five young children.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Mike Amstein received permission from the School Board Monday night, to apply for an early start waiver, with regard to the 2015-2016 school year. The request must be received by the Dept. of Education no later than March 15th. He says without the waiver, Atlantic would be starting its school year on or about Sept. 1st.

The school calendar for next year is currently under development and it’s doubtful it could be approved in-time for the deadline. For that reason, the Board approved filing of a waiver, which can be amended if the calendar shows the district can start on Sept. 1st.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the education committee in the Iowa House believes he’s got a compromise that could end the controversy over when Iowa schools should start classes in August. Representative Ron Jorgensen, a Republican from Sioux City, has drafted a proposal that would require Iowa’s K-through-12 schools to start the fall semester on or after August 23rd. Jorgensen says there’s been of lot of discussion about the issue.

“Just going back and forth and talking to some school district officials on what’s still doable for them and taking into consideration the State Fair issue and the tourism issue and those type of things,” Jorgensen says. Governor Terry Branstad has been a critic of having schools start earlier and earlier in August, complaining it hurts the state’s tourism industry and makes it impossible for families to go to the Iowa State Fair. Two months ago Branstad’s Department of Education put schools on notice that no more automatic waivers would be granted, so schools would have to start in the week in which September 1st falls. Brian Johnson is a lobbyist for the Iowa State Fair, the Iowa Lodging Association and the trade group for Iowa’s restaurant industry. He says August 23rd seems better than August 11th, the date on which some schools started classes last year.

“It’s an issue that the State Fair has worked on for a long time,” Johnson says. “I know not all the tourism people are happy with that date, but it’s one that we believe we can support and hope we can get the issue behind us.” Margaret Buckton is a lobbyist for the Rural School Association of Iowa and the Urban Education Network.

“For us, school boards being able to set when school starts is a core belief,” Buckton says. “And it’s one that, frankly, we wouldn’t compromise on because we think the priority of children trumps all other things.” Schools say they need to start early in order to conclude the fall semester before the long holiday break, plus many high school students take community college courses and community colleges start earlier than the last week of August, too. The House Education Committee’s chairman says setting August 23rd as the start date accommodates those two concerns from schools. Republicans and Democrats on the committee met privately for about an hour yesterday to discuss Jorgensen’s compromise. A committee vote on the idea could come Wednesday.

(Radio Iowa)