KWIT: Regional News for 5/15 (2008-05-15)

In Iowa...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Governor Culver says he will veto
measures broadening public union bargaining rights and raising
salaries of elected officials.
Culver says he made his decisions after hearing from thousands
of Iowans and coming to the conclusion that the measures -- quote
-- "would not be in the best interest of taxpayers."
Culver's decision about the bargaining bill came after weeks of
speculation about whether the Democratic governor would sign the
bill. Unions pushed hard for the measure, which was narrowly
approved by Democratic majorities in both chambers.
The pay increase bill would have given Culver a raise of about
10 percent to $142,000 annually.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Dozens of people arrested in the
nation's largest immigration raid are being ushered through a
temporary federal courthouse in Waterloo.
Most are entering their initial court appearance in groups of
about 10, represented by the same attorney.
The proceedings follow a raid Monday at the Agriprocessors
meatpacking plant in Postville in which 390 people were arrested.
The U.S. attorney's office says 154 face criminal charges and are
expected to be processed in Waterloo by the end of today.
Those who face only immigration charges will appear before an
immigration judge after the others are processed.
Some groups have criticized the workload being placed on the
public defenders who are representing the detainees.
Randall Wilson is a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties
Union. He says it would be difficult for an attorney with 10 or
more clients to serve each one adequately.
Monday's raid affected nearly half the work force at
Agriprocessors, the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant.
Agents arrested 314 men and 76 women, most from Guatemala and
Mexico.

In Nebraska...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Secretary of State John Gale says slightly
more than 23 percent of Nebraska voters turned out for Tuesday's
primary elections.
The state average was dragged down by low turnout in larger
counties. In Douglas County, which includes Omaha, about 17 percent
of voters went to the polls.
Meanwhile, turnout in Lancaster County was almost 26 percent,
and in Adams County, nearly 34 percent.
In 2006, 35 percent of voters statewide participated in primary
elections. That was the year Gov. Dave Heineman defeated Nebraska
football legend and U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne in the Republican
gubernatorial race.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A tight race for second place will force a
recount in the legislative race for the seat held by Sen. Leroy
Louden of Ellsworth.
Louden won 72 percent of the vote to advance to the general
election. Just nine votes divided challengers Michael Jacobson and
Scott Bolinger in unofficial results from Tuesday's primary.
The Secretary of State's Office says that's close enough in this
case to make a recount automatic. Results of the recount won't be
known until June.
Because Nebraska's legislative races are nonpartisan, the top
two vote-getters advance to the general election.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) - Former President Bill Clinton swept through
Chadron yesterday afternoon on his way to a campaign stop for his
wife in South Dakota.
Bill Clinton was scheduled to speak at Pine Ridge High School on
South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation just before 3 p.m.
It's his second stop in that state in past week in support of
Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential run.
Crowds lined the street of Chadron about 2 p.m. as Bill
Clinton's motorcade passed through town.

In South Dakota...

UNDATED (AP) - Less than three weeks before the state's primary
election and the two Democratic candidates for president will
campaign in South Dakota.
Hillary Rodham Clinton has scheduled an event today at a farm
east of Aberdeen. The campaign calls it a town hall meeting on the
rural economy. It comes a week after she campaigned in Sioux Falls.
On Friday, Barack Obama will make his first campaign trip to
South Dakota. He'll be in Watertown for a 11 a.m. appearance and
then hold a rally in Sioux Falls at 7 in the evening.

PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) - Former President Bill Clinton told about
800 people on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation yesterday afternoon
that his wife will fight for them if elected president.
He also said the former first lady will fight diabetes among
American Indian youth.
In a 25-minute speech, he said Hillary Clinton knows more about
Indian Country than any other presidential candidate.
He said his wife is the first candidate to present an agenda for
American Indians. Clinton said it would restore respect for tribal
sovereignty, end the No Child Left Behind law and improve Indian
Health Service funding and services.
The former president also urged the crowd to believe his wife
can win the Democratic nomination and the general election.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The governor has asked for a presidential
disaster declaration to help cover the costs from an early May
snowstorm in western South Dakota.
His office says there was more than $7.5 million in damage to
public facilities in Bennett, Butte, Harding, Jackson, and Perkins
counties. Most of that damage was to rural electric power lines.
The declaration also would help cover snow removal costs in some
counties.
If President Bush makes the declaration, the federal government
would pay 75 percent of the costs for repairs or snow removal. The
state would cover another 10 percent.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - South Dakota motorists are among the many
across the nation who are turning to motor scooters in an effort to
deal with ever-escalating gas prices.
Joan Kohler (KOH'-lur) of Pierre is one of them.
She bought a shiny new scooter last week and says it should get
more than 100 miles per gallon.
Scooter sales across the country increased by 24 percent in the
first quarter of the year.
Sales of small and medium-sized motorcycles rose 7.5 percent in
the first quarter, but sales of larger, more-expensive motorcycles
were down 11 percent.