DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - An audit of Des Moines Public Charter School has found almost $3,000 in improper or undocumented purchases. The audit report cited by the Register ( http://dmreg.co/LRzeFN ) also found $700 worth of school uniforms and $1,300 worth of flash drives can't be found.

After Thursday, Wendell Sande will be trading in “City Administrator Sande” for a moniker  that was never used even once at more than 500 city council meetings. For Maya and Kieren Sande, his 4-year-old and 2-year-old granddaughters, the big guy with the mustache and the penchant for building things is “Poppy.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Gov. Terry Branstad is pushing for ways to place teachers in leadership roles that would also lead to higher pay for those to take on more responsibility such as master teachers or mentors.

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - A district court judge has rejected an attempt by the city of Duluth to block the Fond du Lac Band from using a downtown hotel for its casino operations.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota is betting big on a technological expansion of small-dollar bar gambling to help build a $975 million Vikings stadium.

Mankato's City Council will soon decide whether or not to build a $1.4 million hangar at the airport with the help of a grant from the state for half the cost.

The building will continue to be used by the USPS, but most of the about 100 jobs will leave Mankato.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) - Officials at the University of Northern Iowa say 12 tenured faculty members will sign up for buyout incentives or phased retirements, saving the school about $1.3 million as it seeks to reduce spending.

Do you have trouble stepping away from a sale, even when your wallet is empty? Or maybe your shoe collection is threatening to walk all over your credit.

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) - Union Pacific Railroad and the family of a man killed in a Blue Earth County train crash have reached a legal settlement. Attorneys say Union Pacific has agreed to pay $650,000 to the family of Todd Ziegler.