Car dealerships across the United States may see an increase in sales over Thanksgiving weekend, according to a new report from Edmunds.com, which tracks the automotive industry online.

The unsold inventory index for existing homes in October was 4 months, down from 6.1 months for the same period a year ago, the California Association of Realtors reported Wednesday.

The Washington Post is shuttering its bureau offices in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago at the end of the year, according to an e-mail sent to staff on Tuesday.

Los Angeles Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt is running into financial trouble and living paycheck-to-paycheck and is behind on his mortgage, The Wall Street Journal reports Wednesday.

AMES -- Fifty-one Iowans have earned state 4-H project awards, the highest achievement 4-H'ers can receive in project work, according to an ISU Extension news release.

LITTLE AMANA -- As farmers continue harvesting, the overall economy will likely continue to be the major factor in commodity prices.

This was the last year of the alfalfa variety trials at Iowa State University.

Solon farmer Ed Ulch, Iowa Soybean Association secretary, recently was elected to an at-large seat on the National Biodiesel Board, according to a news release.

EMMETSBURG -- The late harvest and a cold wind didn't stop several hundred farmers from attending Poet's Project Liberty Field Day here recently.

AMES -- The maize genome sequence is complete, thanks to efforts at Iowa State University.

The prolonged moist conditions during the delayed corn harvest are conducive for molds to develop on grain in the field.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) recently announced it has tentatively accepted 154 bids in the fourth herd retirement it has conducted in the past 12 months.

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has generated a return on investment of $1.54 per hundredweight so far in 2009, according to an independent economic analysis of the voluntary program.

AMES -- Twenty-two 4-H'ers have been selected to represent Iowa as delegates for the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Nov. 27-Dec. 1.

It seems like too few people pay much attention to often-heard comments: "Life is short," "you only live once" and "you can't take it with you."

Myron Bruhn, who farms near Cylinder in Northwest Iowa, is one of 14 area farmers who have been harvesting cobs for Poet this year using pre-commercial equipment.

In the nature of "going green," the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 supports the effort with federal tax credits for energy efficiency for individual homes.

GOLDFIELD -- Wagon by wagon, semi by semi, Midwestern co-ops and grain elevators are learning how to operate alongside grain users in the ethanol era.

Grain is filling bins across the country this fall, but farmers wonder what yields will be next year.

HIGGINSVILLE, Mo. -- Sifting through old books in her 1868 home, Betty Mendenhall came across a treasure trove of handwritten notes from a woman.