Gomers

BRIDGE PROBLEM:

A new analysis of federal transportation data by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association finds that Iowa ranks No. 2 in the number of structurally deficient bridges. One factor in this sobering statistic is that Iowa has many farm-to-market bridges in its extensive rural road system.

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PRISON BLUES

: A new $132 million facility to replace the 175-year-old state prison in Fort Madison was scheduled to start accepting the 566 relocated inmates by late spring but that's been pushed back at least several months. The geothermal heating and cooling system in the new prison isn't not working to expected levels. Originally, officials had hoped the inmate transfer could begin in March.

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HACKERS HIT ISU

: Despite having highly regarded cyber security experts on campus, Iowa State University officials confirmed last week that a computer data breach exposed the Social Security or university identification numbers of more than 49,000 current and former students, who were enrolled between 1995 and 2012. The cyber world is an increasingly risky place for personal information.

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YOUNG VANDALS

: Three children ages 6 or 7 have admitted to knocking over or tearing out about 60 headstones at the historic Oak Hill Cemetery in Central City on April 12, causing about $3,000 damage. Many of the markers were from the mid-1800s.

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