KWIT: Regional News for 5/30 (2008-05-30)

In Iowa...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The EF5 tornado that ripped through
northeastern Iowa did nearly $6 million in damage.
That's according to a preliminary estimate from the Federal
Emergency Management Agency and Iowa Homeland Security and
Emergency Management. According to the estimate, about $5.8 million
in damage was done during the storm which hit late Sunday afternoon
and destroyed nearly half of Parkersburg.
The bulk of the damage - more than $3 million worth - was done
in Butler County.
According to a news release from the governor's office, which
released the figures on Thursday evening, the estimates are
typically less than actual costs of repair. ia iabas iaol

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Court of Appeals has denied a
request to renew a lawsuit filed by a man who was shot by Council
Bluffs police officers after another man hijacked his car.
Kristian Harrod was seriously wounded in the January 2006
shooting. Court records say officers fired at Harrod's car nearly
20 times after he shot his captor in the head following a struggle.
Harrod sued the city, arguing that the officers were negligent
in their response.
The district court granted the city's request to dismiss the
case, saying the officers were responding to an emergency, which
made them immune under state law. In its ruling, the district court
also noted that even if the allegations of negligence were true,
the officers would still be granted immunity.
In his appeal of the district court's decision, Harrod claims
the law did not cover the officers' actions, that it is
unconstitutional and that the court erred by dismissing his case
without allowing him to gather and present evidence.

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (AP) - Officials are investigating whether
reports of a bear near North Liberty are true.
Wildlife supervisor Don Pfeiffer, with the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources, says there have been 11 reported sightings of a
bear along Mudd Creek on the southern edge of North Liberty over
the past two days.
He says an initial investigation found dog tracks in the area,
but he didn't discount the possibility the animal people are seeing
is a small black bear.
He says what's needed is some tracks to verify the suspicions --
or a picture.
He says until more evidence is available it's all speculation.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - Partial lockdowns at two Cedar Rapids
public schools have been lifted.
The lockdowns were the result of an unspecified family argument.
That led two schools to lock their all external doors and post
someone at the front door to greet guests.
On Wednesday, six elementary and middle schools were in partial
lockdown mode.
Cedar Rapids Police Sgt. Christy Hamblin says the lockdowns are
at least the seventh of the school year.
School officials say letters have been sent notifying parents
about the situation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Gov. Chet Culver will tour storm damage
and attend a prayer service for victims of the Parkersburg tornado.
Culver's first stop will be Thursday afternoon in Lamont, where
he'll see the damage in the Buchanan County town. The governor then
will tour storm damage in the nearby town of Hazleton.
Culver will end his visit by attending a 7 p.m. prayer service
for victims of the tornado, held at a church in Parkersburg.
Seven people were killed and about 50 injured by a tornado that
swept through the area Sunday afternoon. The tornado had winds
topping 200 mph.

In Nebraska...

AURORA, Neb. (AP) - A few businesses sustained severe damage and
at least one house was partially destroyed last night when a
tornado struck the southern outskirts of Aurora.
The tornado was among several reported in Nebraska as a storm
system carrying rain, hail and strong winds moved through the
state. Tornadoes have also been reported in Kearney, where 40 rail
cars were derailed outside the city limits.
There was no immediate report of injuries.
State officials closed down Interstate 80 from Aurora to York
just before 8 p.m. because of downed power lines.
The heart of Aurora appeared mostly untouched by the storm, but
twisted trees and metal buildings in the south were telltale signs
of a tornado.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) - Much of Kearney was without power last
night after a powerful storm system carrying several tornadoes
moved through the city.
Nebraska Public Power District spokesman Mark Becker said 12,000
customers were without power there about 8 p.m.
He said numerous power lines are down in the northwest,
northeast and southeast parts of Kearney.
The National Weather Service forecast severe weather, including
strong thunderstorms and possible tornadoes, for much of the state
into today.
A spokeswoman for Governor Dave Heineman says the state's
emergency operations center was put into service yesterday evening.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A survey of Nebraskans' views on health care
says 94 percent of Nebraskans would like to see affordable health
plans available to everyone, regardless of their general health.
The survey also says 76 percent would support a requirement that
all Nebraskans must sign up for coverage, should such a plan become
available.
The Nebraska Medical Association announced the results yesterday
at the conclusion of the Nebraska Health Summit in Omaha. The group
is advocating state legislation that would ensure all Nebraskans
have health coverage.
The survey says 90 percent of Nebraskans have health insurance.
Of the insured, 26 percent had problems paying for medical services
in the past year, and 31 percent postponed or skipped services to
save money.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Douglas County Sheriff's officials say
reports of gas drive-offs are up sevenfold in the county.
Lieutenant Mark Gentile said his deputies are catching more
people, too.
Mike Dunn manages an Omaha Bucky's station. He's using an
anti-theft product called a Pump Now card that activates the pump.
He says since his company started using the card, gas drive-offs
have dropped off 95 percent.
The head of one Omaha neighborhood association says notes were
sent telling people to keep their cars in a garage. That came after
somebody stole gas out of a vehicle's tank twice.

In South Dakota...

HURON, S.D. (AP) - At a campaign stop in Huron, Hillary Rodham
Clinton repeated a message that experience sets her apart in the
state's Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday.
Clinton said the decision on whom to hire for president comes
down to -- who's ready to be president, and who can beat John
McCain.
Clinton says she's the stronger Democratic candidate.
Though her rival, Barack Obama, leads in the delegate count,
Clinton says she leads in the popular vote. She says the race is
not over -- as shown by excitement and interest in the South Dakota
primary.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Ethanol industry officials say parts of
the recently passed farm bill will help speed the transition from
corn-based ethanol to fuels made from biomass such as woody waste,
switchgrass and corn cobs.
Under a portion of the farm bill, farmers in a defined project
area near a cellulosic ethanol plant could choose to enroll land
for dedicated energy crops. They'd be covered for up to 75 percent
of costs to establish the crop and could receive annual rental
payments to compensate them for lost opportunity costs.
Don Endres (EN'-drees) of VeraSun Energy says new incentives
will help both investors and farmers.
And Jeff Broin of Sioux Falls-based Poet says another important
aspect of the farm bill provides loan guarantees of up to $250
million for companies building commercial-scale advanced
biorefineries.
Senator John Thune says America needs more biofuels, not less.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
has approved a $3 million construction bond for a crude-oil
pipeline that will be routed 220 miles through 10 eastern counties.
The bond provided by TransCanada Keystone is intended to cover
any road damage that isn't properly repaired during construction.
PUC Chairman Gary Hanson says only construction planned for this
year would be covered by the bond.
The 30-inch pipeline will transport 435,000 to 591,000 barrels
of oil from Alberta, Canada to refineries in Illinois and Oklahoma.
It will enter South Dakota in Marshall County and exit from
Yankton County.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - Tourist attractions in western South
Dakota reported a so-so Memorial Day weekend.
Some places like Mount Rushmore were busy with visitors. Others
like the Mammoth Site at Hot Springs reported 10 percent fewer
visitors than a year ago.
The Black Hills Museum of Natural History said visitation was
nearly identical to last year, but sales were down 27 percent.
President Neil Larson blames that on higher gas prices.
The rainy weather reduced the number of campers in Custer State
Park, but the park reports nearly the same amount of vehicle
traffic as Memorial Day weekend last year.