DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa courthouses have a variety of security features, with about half banning guns and fewer providing secure areas for judges and staff to work outside courtrooms.     A gun incident in March at the Madison County Courthouse has sparked another push from the Iowa State Bar Association for upgraded security procedures at courthouses statewide. The group published a report on the issue in 2005.

The Des Moines Register reports a review show a majority of courthouses lack safety features recommended by the bar association. Those features include metal detectors or entryways that are monitored by deputies.

Guy Cook, a Des Moines attorney and president of the bar association, says a lack of basic security such as restricted entrances has the potential to create dangerous situations.

SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) – A southwest Iowa pastor has pleaded not guilty to charges he sexually abused a 5-year-old girl. The Omaha World-Herald reports 66-year-old Roger C. Kissel, of Sidney, pleaded not guilty to second-degree sexual abuse, lascivious acts and indecent exposure.

When he was arrested in February, Kissel was a pastor at the nondenominational Sidney Cowboy Church. Sidney Police Chief Austin Richardson says the allegations aren’t connected with the church. The crimes are alleged to have occurred over several months in 2013.

Kissel posted bond and has been released from the Fremont County Jail.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

MERRILL, Iowa (AP) – A company has purchased a former corn oil plant in northwest Iowa with the intention of starting it up again. Prairie Sun Foods LLC purchased the former Plymouth Oil plant for $3 million. The sale includes all the equipment in the plant and the acreage on which it sits. Company officials say the plant will produce food-grade corn oil and gluten-free corn germ flour. Up to 30 employees will be hired, including some former Plymouth Oil workers.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Public Radio is asking for additional funding from the state’s three public universities, a departure from a plan to become financially independent of them. Documents released Tuesday show IPR is asking the Board of Regents to approve $945,000 in funding for the budget year beginning July 1. The regents will consider the request next week.

SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) – A southwest Iowa pastor has pleaded not guilty to charges he sexually abused a 5-year-old girl. Sixty-six-year-old Roger C. Kissel of Sidney pleaded not guilty to second-degree sexual abuse, lascivious acts and indecent exposure. The crimes are alleged to have occurred over several months in 2013.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – An Alliant Energy official says the utility has received the necessary permits for a power plant in Marshalltown and expects to begin construction this summer. Alliant, with Iowa operations based in Cedar Rapids, previously said its planned natural gas-powered plant will cost roughly $750 million and generate about 600 megawatts of electricity.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A bill meant to further relieve the financial stress of disabled veterans in the state has won the unanimous support of the Iowa Senate.  The Senate voted 50-0 Tuesday to expand a homestead tax credit already in place for disabled veterans. The legislation now goes to the House for consideration.

Under current law, eligibility for the credit is limited to disabled veterans who have an income of $35,000 or less and have acquired their home through certain federal programs. The proposal would make the tax credit available to disabled veterans regardless of income and how the home was purchased, and extend the credit to surviving spouses or children.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says the bill is a small way to better help disabled veterans financially.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – More than 100 slot machines have been delivered for the new Hard Rock casino in Sioux City. General manager Todd Moyer told the Sioux City Journal that officials spent more than nine months researching machines and games and visiting other Iowa casinos to check the competition. Moyer says Hard Rock’s selections included “the best of the best” slot machines.

The slots will accept bets ranging from a penny to $25 per play.  Up to 850 machines should be installed for the opening of the $128.5 million project. The opening is expected to occur by late July or early August.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting Wednesday morning in Atlantic. The only item on their agenda other than regular departmental reports, is the appointment of an individual to fill a vacancy term on the Cass County Conservation Board.

In Greenfield, the Adair County Board of Supervisors will meet at 9-a.m. On their agenda, is an amendment to Construction Permit Applications, the Consideration of Rescoring of Circle G Pork with an Amended Matrix, and a resignation letter from County Sheriff Brad Newton, along with related discussion of vacancy procedures. Newton’s resignation, if approved by the Board, isn’t expected to be in effect until July.

In other business, the Adair County Board will hear from Custodian Rich Wallace, with regard to ceiling fans, and T-J Oder, with regard to County-owned property.

The Harlan Community School District’s Board of Education has approved a wage increase for non-certified support staff and administrators. In a regular meeting Monday, the board agreed to an 8 percent increase for the support staff and a 16.85 percent for Superintendent Justin Wagner. The administration was increased the same as the HEA at 4.26 percent. Superintendent Justin Wagner says the support staff took it upon themselves to figure out where they were in the Hawkeye 10.

“So they agreed, a group of about seven women, non-certified staff members said let’s walk through a comparative-ability study. We want to see what the people in the Hawkeye 10 that do our job make. Well six months later, they found out they are ten out of ten or nine out of ten in a lot of categories. We took some steps to try and get the increase. Last night we had a recommendation for the 8 percent increase because we have to start bumping up.”

The increase for Superintendent Wagner was also due to being in the bottom tier of the Hawkeye 10. In other business, the Harlan Community School Board approved two separate STEM Sharing Agreements. The first was with Iowa Western Community College for a three year agreement to host STEM classes. In addition, IWCC agreed to pay for ½ the teaching fees, $60,000 towards technology support and training costs. The second STEM agreement was with the A-H-S-T school district for two class periods and costs for the classes. The STEM agreement will need to be approved by the AHST School Board of Education at their next meeting to go in affect.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)