KWIT: Regional News for 6/12 (2008-06-12)

In Iowa...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A spokeswoman for Iowa Homeland Security
said at least four people were killed and 40 injured Wednesday
evening when a tornado struck a western Iowa Boy Scout camp.
Julie Tack, a spokeswoman for Iowa Homeland Security, said a
search and rescue team had been deployed to the camp, near Little
Sioux in Harrison County. She said the camp was covered with debris
and downed trees after the tornado hit about 7 p.m.
Tack said there were 93 campers and 25 staff members at the camp
when the tornado struck. The campers were between 13 and 18 years
old and were attending a leadership training camp.
"They were considered some of the best in the area," Tack
said.
At least 40 people who were injured in the storm were being
taken to area hospitals.

NEW YORK (AP) - Corn prices on Wednesday surged above $7 a
bushel for the first time, pushed higher by Midwest rains that have
flooded fields and left farmers with the prospect of a
significantly smaller crop.
Corn's jump -- its fifth record in as many days -- means more
headaches for consumers, who can expect higher beef, pork and
chicken prices as livestock owners are forced to thin their herds
and flocks to cope with higher costs for corn-based animal feed.
Heavy rain and flooding in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin and other
Midwestern states have drenched corn fields and severely delayed
spring planting. More bad weather is expected over the next several
days, meaning farmers may have to abandon planting or shift the
acres to soybeans, which have a later growing cycle.
Vic Lespinasse, with Grainanalyst.com, says if poor weather
continues, corn prices could explode even higher.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told a group
of Michigan Democrats that the current primary system is
"fundamentally flawed" and he supports changing the 2012 primary
calendar to reduce the influence of early contests in Iowa and New
Hampshire.
Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, made the remarks last Sunday at a
private fundraiser in Oakland County, Michigan, for Senator Carl
Levin, a Democrat from Michigan.
According to three people in attendance, Reid credited Levin and
other Michigan Democrats for challenging the primary calendar and
says he will work with them to seek improvements while maintaining
Nevada's role in the process.
Reid told the group of about 50 Democrats in Farmington Hills,
Michigan, that Iowa and New Hampshire were unrepresentative of the
rest of the nation.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - With food prices already high and corn now
commanding record-high prices, the flooding in Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa, Wisconsin and other states will likely push those prices even
higher.
That's according to Christian Mayer, an analyst for Northstar
Commodity in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who says that until the
weather straightens itself out a higher price for corn and higher
food prices are going to become the new normal.
The recent wave of flooding prompted the U.S. Department of
Agriculture on Tuesday to lower the nation's corn production
estimate to about 11.7 billion bushels -- or 10 percent less than
last fall's crop.
A tighter corn crop means higher prices for the corn-based feeds
used to fatten up cattle, hogs and chickens.

In South Dakota...

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - South Dakota falls right in the middle
of a national ranking of states on child well-being. The Annie E.
Casey Foundation ranks every state each year on 10 health
indicators for children.
South Dakota ranks 25th this year. Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa
and Nebraska are in the top ten.
The health indicators are child death rate, teen death rate,
teen birth rate, high school dropout rate, teens not in school and
not working, infant mortality rate, low-birthweight babies,
children living with jobless or underemployed parents, children in
poverty, and children in single parent families.
New Hampshire is ranked No. 1. Mississippi is last.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Senator Tim Johnson says he is asking
the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary to investigate the
effects that soaring gas prices are having on the delivery of home
health services.
Robert Dockter, C-E-O of Eureka Community Health Services, says
the fuel expense for home visits in his area now averages $14.43
per trip. That's almost $4 per trip higher than a year ago.
Dockter says Medicare pays home health care agencies a
predetermined base payment, with some adjustments.
But before 2000, agencies were reimbursed on a cost-based system
and used to be able to count mileage costs. Dockter says returning
to that system would help.
He says economics have forced his agency to cut back its service
area from a radius of 40-to-50 miles down to 20-to-25 miles.
Senator John Thune says he thinks the government may have to
look home health reimbursements and allow adjustments for fuel
costs.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - State Represenative Jim Bradford of Pine
Ridge has requested a recount in his bid to win the Democratic
nomination for the state Senate in last week's primary election.
Bradford admitted Wednesday that he's doubtful the recount will
change the outcome of his race against state Sen. Theresa Two Bulls
of Pine Ridge.
"I've got nothing to lose
Legislative District 27 includes Shannon, Bennett, Jackson and
Haakon (HAH'-kuhn) counties.
State Election Supervisor Kea Warne (WAHRN) says a judge will
appoint recount boards in each county to recheck election records.
Tuesday's state election canvass showed Bradford losing by 28
votes to Two Bulls.
Two Bulls had 1,183 votes and Bradford had 1,155 votes.

In Nebraska...

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Flooded streets trapped several drivers in
Lincoln and other eastern Nebraska cities last evening as
torrential rains fell from the passing thunderstorms.
Rainfall totals ranging from 2 to four inches are reported in
several areas.
Knee-deep storm water was forcing some drivers to abandon their
flooded cars.
In Sarpy County south of Omaha, water rushed down streets
because clogged storm drains couldn't handle the flow.
Underpasses were flooded in Omaha as well.
The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and flash
flood watches for several eastern Nebraska counties.
The service says there's a 20 percent chance of more rain in the
area later today.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Lightning from one of the supercell
thunderstorms that struck the Omaha area last evening struck a
house in Gretna.
Officials say the home was set ablaze, but the residents escaped
unharmed.
Lightning also hit the National Weather Service office in
Valley, knocking out its storm radar.
There were no immediate reports of major damage or deaths in
Nebraska, although several tornadoes and funnel clouds were
reported.
Much of eastern Nebraska had been under a tornado watch since
the early yesterday afternoon.