The Marshalltown City Council last night approved the plans and specifications
for extending West Merle Hibbs Boulevard west by nearly 400 feet.  The City's
cost  is estimated at $154,000 dollars.  Work can proceed on the street that
will provide access to the Village Cooperative Retirement complex under
construction.

The first phase of a recommended sidewalk improvement plan for the city
was approved by the Council.  The City will invest just over 49,000 dollars
for several blocks on the Southeast side of Marshalltown.  Some School
Routes money will be added for portions near schools.

Marshalltown Mediacal and Surgical Center will be receiving nearly 380 thousand
dollars from the federal grant to be used to upgrade electronic communication to
better provide health care services to rural areas.

 IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - One of the largest dorms at the
University of Iowa is back to normal after a small fire forced the
evacuation of hundreds of students. The fire broke last night in a
room on the fifth floor of Burge Hall. The fire was caused by
bedding material touching a light bulb in a lamp.
 
     DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Governor Culver is talking about flood
relief as he makes his rounds at the Democratic National Convention
in Denver. Congress is expected to take up Iowa's request for aid
when the House and Senate convene in September.
 
     DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) - Half of the teachers affected by cutbacks
in the Dubuque School District are returning to work. Over 30
teachers were laid off in April in the midst of budget fears.
 
     WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - Bruce Strom wants his spare Obama back.
Storm operates a bowling alley in Waterloo. A life-size cutout of
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has disappeared.
Strom uses it in promotions.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A disaster task force is out with
several proposals to help Iowa recover from this year's devastating
tornadoes and flooding. The ideas from the Rebuild Iowa group
include loosening the rules to give communities more flexibility
and temporarily waving the sales tax on materials for disaster
rebuilding.
 
     SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - A Woodbury County jury has convicted a
Sioux City man in the shooting death of another man whose body was
found on a rural road in January. The jury found Samuel Wright
guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and
first-degree kidnapping in the death of Zachary Cooper.
 
     DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - An investigation is under way into a
fatal fire in the Polk County town of Berwick. Authorities say the
body of a 77-year-old man was found inside the burning mobile home
yesterday afternoon.