(Radio Iowa) — Most Iowans have already fired up their furnaces during the nippy fall days of late, and the experts say there’s an ample supply of natural gas to keep us warm through the winter. Dean Foreman, chief economist for the American Petroleum Institute, says natural gas and oil set record production levels in recent months, even though challenges in the industry are rising. “We’re putting tariffs on imports from China and that’s raising the costs to consumers here at home,” Foreman says. “At the same time, they’re putting tariffs on U.S. exports of things like natural gas.” It’s translating to a wealth of natural gas supplies and a dropping demand.

“U.S. energy security has never been higher in terms of what we have of the ability to not only step up for domestic energy at home but also what we can provide to the global economy,” Foreman says. “That’s a good story and we expect that to continue.” Foreman says there are still challenges ahead, including lower growth expectations, rising inflation, interest rates, trade barriers and financial market uncertainties. Still, he says domestic production of both oil and natural gas is on the rise. “All of the global oil market fuss is about annual growth of only 2% but natural gas markets are quietly expanded by 12% year to year,” Foreman says. “What we see is a natural gas market that’s very much in surplus right now.”

A federal report finds 67-percent of Iowans use natural gas to heat their homes, 15-percent use electricity, 14-percent use propane, and the rest use wood or fuel oil.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office says two men have turned themselves-in to the sheriff’s office, Tuesday, on warrants charging them with Failure to Comply with the State Sex Offender Registry. 32-year old Eduardo Corona and 34-year old Sean Edward Newman, both of Council Bluffs, were taken into custody and turned over to Corrections Staff. Corona was wanted for a second offense violation of the Registry, while Newman was wanted for a first offense violation.

And, 31-year old Troy Maurice Taylor, of Council Bluffs, who was being held in the Pott. County Jail on felony charges that include Possession with the intent to deliver and felon in possession of a firearm, and other charges, was read a warrant charging him with Violation of Probation. After being read the warrant, Taylor was returned to the custody of jail staff.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of a Council Bluffs homicide has taken a plea deal. Pottawattamie County court records say 44-year-old Michael Thacker pleaded guilty Tuesday to willful injury and attempted murder and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. He’d previously pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. Jury selection for his trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Police say Thacker and Cleo McClellan were involved in the Nov. 28 slaying of 34-year-old David Simpson, whose body was found Dec. 11. He’d died of blunt force trauma. Police say all three men were homeless at the time.

McClellan pleaded guilty to being an accessory and was sentenced.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — No winning lottery ticket was sold for the latest Mega Millions drawing, meaning the estimated jackpot climbs to $868 million. Mega Millions officials say no tickets matched all six numbers to claim the estimated $667 million prize Tuesday night. The numbers were 3, 45, 49, 61, 69 and Mega Ball 9. The next drawing will be Friday. The estimated jackpot for that drawing would be the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.

The largest lottery jackpot was a $1.6 billion Powerball prize won in January 2016. The jackpot has been growing since July, when some California office workers won $543 million. The odds of winning the jackpot aren’t good. The chance of matching all six numbers is one in 302.5 million. Mega Millions is played in 44 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Creston Police report a woman told authorities late Tuesday morning, that sometime in the last few days, her wallet was taken out of her vehicle while it was parked at either her residence, or at McDonalds in Creston. The wallet contained cash, personal identification cards and other miscellaneous cards. The loss was estimated at $85.