Latest North Dakota news, sports, business and entertainment:

JOURNALIST IRAN Roxana Saberi to return Saturday to Fargo FARGO, N.D. (AP) Journalist Roxana Saberi, who was freed earlier this month from an Iranian prison, is coming home.

Governor John Hoeven's office says an official welcome is scheduled at the Fargo airport at two o'clock this afternoon.

Officials at Saberi's alma mater, Concordia College in Moorhead, are asking students and employees to wear their school colors to the homecoming. The school president and one of its journalism professors are scheduled to speak.

The 32-year-old Saberi was released May 11th after 100 days in prison in Iran, where she was accused of spying for the United States. The U-S denied the charges.

Saberi grew up in Fargo, where her parents, Reza and Akiko, still live. She says she wants to be with her friends and family and work on a book.

SCHOOL PROGRESS State says 115 schools did not meet goals Bismarck, N.D. (AP) The state Department of Public Instruction says 115 of the 465 public schools in North Dakota have failed to make adequate yearly progress under the federal No Child Left Behind law during the 2008-09 school year.

The department reports the number is down from the 2007-08 school year, when 169 schools failed to make adequate progress.

Officials attributed the larger number in 2007-08 to stiffer federal standards.

State school Superintendent Wayne Sanstead said the latest numbers are encouraging. He said the state has raised its expectations and "schools and students have met that challenge." The federal law seeks to have all students proficient in reading and math assessments by the 2013-14 school year.

The number of schools failing to make adequate progress represent 42 of the state's 183 school districts.

MIDWEST FLOODING-Valley City SEWER Valley City will rebuild sewer line VALLEY CITY, N.D. (AP) Valley City officials are planning to repair the Main Street sewer line that malfunctioned during spring flooding and forced the city to restrict water use.

City commissioners decided not to replace the line after an inspection showed it had not totally collapsed. Officials said water from the Sheyenne River got into the line after a concrete cap blew off an old overflow pipe.

The repair project is expected to cost about 3 million dollars.

Most of it will come from federal money. The city will have to pay about $400,000.

Construction is expected to begin in July.

Information from: Valley City Times-Record, http://www.times-online.com CENSUS-Fort Berthold Census Bureau partnering with tribes New Town, N.D. (AP) The Census Bureau is partnering with the Three Affiliated Tribes to take the next census.

Jodi Leidholm, the area's census office manager, says the office has had problems recruiting census workers and the reservation was undercounted in the 2000 census.

The census numbers, taken every 10 years, are used in determining how much federal money goes to the reservation.

A proclamation to be signed by Tribal Chairman Marcus Leavings says the census is important to the tribe in a number of ways, including rural development, heath and education services.

Denver regional census spokesman Jared Ewy said the Census Bureau wants to recruit "friends and neighbors" as census workers in their home communities to help get an accurate count. Ewy says census officials may partner with other tribes in North Dakota as well.

Information from: Minot Daily News, http://www.minotdailynews.com FISHER-TAX FRAUD ND executive pleads guilty to income tax fraud BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A former executive at a Dickinson construction materials company is to be sentenced August 27th after pleading guilty to nine felony charges of federal income tax fraud.

Prosecutors say Micheal Fisher's crimes cost the government more than 600-thousand dollars in unpaid taxes from 2001 to 2004.

The 36-year-old Fisher admitted in federal court that he used funds from the Fisher Sand and Gravel Company of Dickinson to pay personal expenses. Fisher also said he helped to file bogus personal and corporate tax returns to hide what he did.

Eight of the nine felonies carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A ninth conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Fisher Sand and Gravel was founded by Micheal Fisher's father, Gene.

Micheal Fisher said he worked for the company for 11 years. He said he divides his time between Dickinson and Phoenix.

Two other company executives are awaiting sentencing for their roles in the tax fraud.

CHILD ABUSE CHARGE Man charged with child abuse to review plea offer Grand Forks, N.D. (AP) The attorney for a man accused of breaking the arm of his 3-month-old daughter says he will consider a plea offer.

Michael Balek of Grand Forks is charged with child abuse, and faces an August 18th trial. He has pleaded not guilty.

Defense attorney Steven Light says he and Balek plan to review a plea offer from prosecutors.

A sheriff's department report says the 26-year-old Balek told investigators he pulled his daughter's arm with more force than usual while changing her clothes in September. The report said Balek acknowledged he was distracted and angry after an argument with his wife.

Authorities said the baby had a number of broken bones in various stages of healing.

Light said the charges are "overblown considering the facts of the case." Information from: Grand Forks Herald, http://www.grandforksherald.com BROWNS VALLEY FLOOD PLAN Groundbreaking set for Browns Valley, Minn., floodway SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) A small town along the South Dakota-Minnesota border has a flood control plan that's been about 80 years in the making.

Flood waters last hit Browns Valley two years ago, when melting snow and ice jams caused the Little Minnesota River to sweep through the town of about 800.

Officials are to break ground later today on a project designed to create a natural flow of water around the city.

The town's mayor says the cooperation among various agencies could be a model for Fargo-Moorhead.

MINOT STATE-CONFERENCE DAC athletic directors say no to Minot DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) In sports, athletic directors in the NAIA's Dakota Athletic Conference say Minot State should not be eligible for league titles and awards because the school wants to leave the league for in NCAA Division II.

The athletic directors want the presidents of league schools to vote on the idea when they meet in June.

Dickinson State athletic director Roger Ternes says Minot State should not be allowed to compete for league awards when it's recruiting against other DAC schools for athletes. He says Minot State could still play a full league schedule.

Minot State athletic director Rick Hedberg was not available for comment.

Information from: The Dickinson Press, http://www.thedickinsonpress.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 05-30-09 0201CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list