Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — AIB College of Business officials say this spring will be the final season for the school’s athletic department. The Des Moines Register reports the move was announced yesterday just more than a week after the private business college said it would become the University of Iowa’s Des Moines campus.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The head of the Iowa National Guard says that overseas requirements for the unit continue to decline. Major General Timothy Orr addressed the Iowa General Assembly yesterday. He says they currently have about 150 soldiers and airmen deployed around the world.

WAPELLO, Iowa (AP) — County officials say a man did nothing illegal when he shot two dogs, one fatally, owned by his neighbors in southeastern Iowa. A news release issued Wednesday from the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office says the Louisa County Attorney has decided not to file criminal charges against Michael Drayfahl of Wapello. The Muscatine Journal reports he shot Tammy and Greg Slater’s German shepherds Sunday. One dog was shot through the leg, and the other died in the shooting.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Railroad officials say it’s unclear how much ethanol has leaked into the Mississippi River following a train derailment in eastern Iowa, but that they’re working to monitor the environmental impact and offload fuel from the train. The cars went off the tracks Wednesday morning in a remote area about 10 miles north of Dubuque.

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees Thursday afternoon released the names of the victims of Wednesday night’s explosion and fire. McNees said 57-year old Paul McDaniel, of Atlantic, died at the scene of the blaze at 604 Olive Street. His wife, 57-year old Denise McDaniel, also, of Atlantic, died this (Thursday) morning at a hospital in Omaha.

Earlier, McNees said a broken gas line caused the explosion and fire that happened just after 10-p.m. Denise McDaniel was found in a room upstairs. She was unresponsive and underwent CPR before being transported to the hospital in Atlantic and later flown to Omaha. Paul McDaniel was found deceased in the second floor bathroom.

Neighbors told McNees they heard a loud “boom” prior to noticing the flames.  Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office and Chief McNees used that information and spent the night combing through the home trying to determine the cause. They discovered a natural gas pipe in the basement broke due to the weight of clothes on hangers being hung on the pipe. The ignition source of the explosion is not known, but since a kitchen stove on the first floor is directly above the pipe in the basement, it’s believed the stove may have sparked the explosion.

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – The city administrator in a western Iowa town has been charged with assaulting his 15-year-old son. Court documents say 45-year-old Bradley Hanson, city administrator in Onawa, got into a fight with his son at their home. A criminal complaint with the Monona County Sheriff’s Office says Hanson slapped his son, who slapped him back, and Hanson then took him to the ground and slammed his head into the floor.

Records show Hanson’s wife called police as the fight occurred. The sheriff’s office says the teen had minor injuries, but didn’t require medical treatment. KTIV-TV reports Hanson was arrested Jan. 28. A message left with Hanson’s attorney Thursday was not immediately returned. Hanson has since bonded out of jail. A court hearing is set for Feb. 11.

In an update to our earlier reports, a broken gas line is to blame for an explosion and fire in Atlantic late Wednesday night that has now claimed the lives of two people. Firefighters were called to 604 Olive Street (Denise’s Taxi Service) at around 10:08-p.m.  When crews arrived on the scene they knew they had victims trapped. A female victim was found upstairs. The woman was unresponsive and underwent CPR before being transported to the hospital in Atlantic and later flown to a trauma center in Omaha. A male victim was found deceased in the second floor bathroom. KETV in Omaha reports the female had died from her injuries at Nebraska Medicine. Both victims were said to be in their 60’s. No names were released as of mid-day, Thursday.

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said neighbors told him they heard a loud “boom” prior to noticing the flames.  Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office used that information and spent the night combing through the home trying to determine the cause.

He says they discovered a natural gas pipe in the basement broke due to the weight of clothes on hangers being hung on the pipe. The ignition source of the explosion is not known, but since a kitchen stove on the first floor is directly above the pipe in the basement, it’s believed the stove may have sparked the explosion.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The head of the Iowa National Guard says that overseas requirements for the unit continue to decline. Major General Timothy Orr addressed the Iowa General Assembly Thursday. He says they currently have about 150 soldiers and airmen deployed around the world. Thousands have served in combat and combat support roles over the past 13 years in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Orr said the guard is focused on training, so that the guard is ready for military duties and emergency response in the state. He said the guard is “mission focused and warrior ready.” There are about 9,200 National Guard soldiers and airmen in Iowa.

AMES, Iowa – ISU Theatre students performed on all three of the Guthrie Theater stages as part of the final events of the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. The festival took place January 18-24 at various locations throughout the Twin Cities.

Taylor Sklenar, from Treynor.

A staged concert reading of senior in performing arts, English, and chemistry Taylor Sklenar’s original one-act play was one of three plays performed on the Guthrie Theater’s McGuire Proscenium Stage. Taylor’s play was awarded second place and will be considered for invitation to the national festival at the Kennedy Center. Taylor is from Treynor.

KCACTF is a national organization sponsored by the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The organization celebrates and encourages excellence in college and university theatre across the country. Region V’s festival includes competitions, workshops, and exhibitions in all areas of theatre, including acting, directing, playwriting, criticism, design, dramaturgy, and technical theatre. The Region V festival brings together approximately 1500 students, faculty, and staff from colleges and universities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas to celebrate and experience the best of college theatre.

(Press Release)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Creston man, 36-year old Jason Alan Ford, was arrested Wednesday night. Ford was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for possession with intent to deliver and failure to affix drug tax stamp. The man was  being held in the Union County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Greg Steensland has set the date of a restitution hearing for an Atlantic woman who falsely claimed her 5-year old daughter had cancer and then raised money for her treatment. Authorities believe nearly $30,000 was raised through various fundraising efforts, only $16,000 of which remains in a bank account. The hearing in the case of Leatha Kaye Slauson will be held 1:30-p.m. Feb. 25th at the Cass County Courthouse.

In January, District Court Judge Kathleen Kilnoski sentenced the 30-year-old Slauson to 5 years probation. The woman was also ordered to continue mental health treatment and not contact her five children unless requested by her therapist. In November, Slauson pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangerment, one of administering harmful substances, one of theft and one of unlawful possession of a prescription drug.

At her restitution hearing, anyone who donated money to Slauson, and who wants to make a claim for the return of their donation, should present their claim and proof of donation. The court order says funds will not be returned without sufficient proof.

Also, if provable claims exceed the available funds, the claims will be paid on a pro-rata basis. Any remainder owed will be subject to an Order for Restitution. And, in order to protect the nature and deductibility of donations, any unclaimed money will be given to cancer research tax-exempt charity.