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• The U.S. Agriculture Department twice has slashed its forecast for this year's corn and soybean output because of the drought and now expects the nation to produce 10.8 billion bushels of corn, the least since 2006. If that estimate holds, the federal government says it will be enough to meet the world's needs and avoid shortages, but experts say food prices will almost certainly climb as corn is an ingredient in many products.
• This January through July has been by far the hottest start of the year in U.S. weather records dating to 1895, and there's about a two-out-of-three chance that 2012 will set a new record for the U.S.'s warmest year, NOAA climate scientist Jake Crouch said. NOAA records say that 1998 was the warmest year on record in the United States.
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• BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- The president and chief executive officer of MDU Resources Group is retiring.
• Terry Hildestad spent 38 years with the Bismarck-based company. It has interests in energy, mining, construction and electric and gas utility service.
• The company says David Goodin will succeed Hildestad in January. Goodin is president and chief executive officer of MDU Resources' four utility businesses.
• Hildestad began his career with the company in 1974. He was named president and CEO in 2006.
• MDU has operations in 44 states. Its subsidiaries include Bismarck's Montana-Dakota Utilities, Seattle-based Cascade Natural Gas Corp., and Idaho-based Intermountain Gas Co.
• Montana-Dakota Utilities also is a partner in the coal-fired Big Stone power plant northeastern South Dakota.
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• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Rapid City police say a couple of counterfeit $20 bills have popped up at local businesses.
• Police spokeswoman Tarah Heupel (HY-puhl) says merchants should be careful to check the money they get.
• Police were notified Tuesday that fake $20 bills had been spent at two Rapid City stores.

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