The Creston Police Departments reports two people were arrested on separate charges. Early this (Wednesday) morning, 46-year old Jon Eric Muselman, of Osceola, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Simple Assault. Muselman was later released on $300 bond. And, Tuesday evening, 42-year old Nicole Annette Hoffman, of Winterset, was arrested in Des Moines on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. Hoffman was being held in the Ringgold County Jail pending an appearance before the magistrate.

In addition, the Creston P-D says a resident in the 1300 block of N. Cherry Street reported Tuesday, someone had taken a trailer from his residence. The theft took place sometime between 8-am Sept. 23rd and 8-am Sept. 29th. The loss was estimated at $1,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly economic survey index for nine Midwestern and Plains States dropped in September, suggesting slowing economic growth in the months ahead. A survey report issued Wednesday says the overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index dropped nearly three percentage points to 54.3, from 57.2 the previous month. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, says a drop in grain prices over the past year has led to a pullback in economic activity for the heavily agrarian region.

In Iowa: The overall index for August fell to a tepid 51.5, from 58.3 in August. It was the third consecutive month the reading has declined. Components of the index were new orders at 48.3, production or sales at 45.1, delivery lead time at 62.4, employment at 52.2, and inventories at 49.5. “Iowa’s manufacturing sector, both durable and nondurable goods producers, are experiencing much slower growth than recorded earlier in the year,” Goss said. “Weaker grain prices are spilling over into the broader state economy.” Average weekly wages have expanded by 3.1 percent in the last year, Goss said.

The survey results from supply managers are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth, while a score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) – High school officials in northwestern Iowa have postponed homecoming as the community mourns the death of two students in a crash this week. The Sioux City Journal reports  that Sioux Central High School’s homecoming, which has been set to begin Friday, has been rescheduled for the week of Oct. 17th.

The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Department says 16-year-old Caleb Smith, of Sioux Rapids, and 16-year-old Lexi Rydstrom, of Marathon, Iowa, were killed in the Monday crash. Investigators say the crash occurred on a gravel road when the teens’ car and a pickup collided head-on.

The crash also injured two other teens in the car, as well as the 43-year-old driver and a 49-year-old passenger in the pickup.