KWIT: Regional News for 6/24 (2008-06-24)

In Iowa...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Federal and state health officials say
fecal coliform bacteria counts in floodwaters in four Iowa cities
exceed the level of concern established by the Environmental
Protection Agency.
The EPA says samples of water from Des Moines, Cedar Rapids,
Hamburg and Burlington show levels that raise health concerns.
The level of concern is 200 colony forming units per 100
milliliters. The sampling results ranged between 270 and 68,000.
The highest end of the range was found only in the Cedar Rapids
area.
The EPA says should take precautions to stay out of all
floodwater.
Anyone in contact with contaminated water should routinely wash
with soap, and not eat or drink while in contact with the water.
Anyone with an open cut, wound, or scrape that comes into contact
with contaminated water also could become ill.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The state's executive council has
approved more than $4 million to help victims of the flooding.
The money, approved by the five-member council on Monday, will
supplement federal aid given to flood victims. The funds will help
offset uninsured losses and other needs under a presidential
disaster declaration.
Marvin Schultz of the Iowa Department of Human Services says his
agency has received more than 19,600 applications from Iowans
seeking assistance.
The executive council is made up of Gov. Chet Culver and four
other statewide elected officials.
The Legislature has authorized the council to release state
money designated for emergency situations.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Workers have rescued about 100 huge
flathead catfish from a shallow pond at Saylorville Lake north of
Des Moines.
The fish were trapped below the emergency spillway when
floodwater receded.
Brandon Bergquest of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
helped wrestle the catfish to deeper water on Sunday. He said the
fish were going to die from lack of oxygen, and they tried to save
as many as they could.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials discovered thousands of
fish stuck in the shallow pool that was cut off from the Des Moines
River by a barrier of rock and asphalt. They notified the natural
resources agency.
The catfish, some which tipped the scales at 60 pounds, are
valuable as breeding stock.

In Nebraska...

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Lincoln police have arrested a 49-year-old
man accused of firing a crossbow at his neighbor.
Officer Katie Flood says the man got into an argument with his
25-year-old neighbor about the breed of the neighbor's dog Saturday
evening. The owner said the dog was a pit bull, but older man said
it was a Labrador.
After the argument, police say the older man went into his
apartment and returned with a black crossbow.
Officers say the man shot the crossbow but missed.
Police were called, and the man was arrested on suspicion of
making terroristic threats and other violations.

OGALLALA, Neb. (AP) - A 27-year-old man has been killed while
helping load farm equipment onto a truck at his grandfather's
farmstead in Ogallala.
Keith County Attorney Blake Edwards said yesterday that Jarred
Robinson was hit in the head by a forklift.
Edwards says Robinson was helping balance a load on the
forklift. The load shifted, and one of the tines on the forklift
popped free, striking Robinson.
Robinson was taken to Ogallala Community Hospital, where he was
pronounced dead.
Edwards says an investigation is continuing, but no charges are
expected in the accident.
Robinson had been living on the farmstead owned by his
grandfather, who had recently died.

In South Dakota...

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A state official says Gov. Mike Rounds
likely will seek more state funding for a high school laptop
computer program next year, despite an ongoing dispute with South
Dakota lawmakers over the program's funding.
State officials met with a South Dakota legislative committee
yesterday to discuss how state officials found money to fund a
scaled-down third year of the program.
The Legislature earlier this year rejected a budget measure to
provide more money for the program that helps schools give laptop
computers to high school students. Officials found money from other
sources for a limited program in the next school year.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - According to the weekly crop report,
dry weather last week allowed South Dakota farmers to make progress
in late-season planting and hay cutting.
As the Fourth of July approaches, the average corn height is 11
inches. That compares to a five-year average of 16 inches.
Also, 96 percent of the soybeans and 81 percent of sunflowers
are planted - both slightly behind average. And the first cutting
of alfalfa was listed as 48 percent complete. The five-year average
is 65 percent complete.
Some heavy rain fell, but it was from isolated thunderstorms.
Areas of large hail were reported, including Gregory County.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Mitchell native Mike Miller did not
make the U.S. Olympic team.
Miller, who is a good outside shooter, and is disappointed.
But the Memphis Grizzlies player says he understands that there
were a lot of NBA players to choose from when picking an Olympic
squad.
Miller was a part of the U.S. team that won the International
Basketball Federation tournament last summer to qualify for the
Olympics.
The only way he can participate in the August games in China is
if another player has an injury.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)