KWIT: Regional News for 8/1 (2008-08-01)

In Iowa...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - State lawmakers have requested that
members of the Iowa Board of Regents attend a special meeting in
September to talk about an investigation into an alleged sexual
assault at the University of Iowa.
The co-chairmen of the Joint Government Oversight Committee sent
a letter to Regents President David Miles yesterday.
It asks that Miles and other members of the board appear at a
special oversight committee meeting on September 19th.
The lawmakers say they want an update on the new investigation
into an alleged sexual assault at a university dorm last October.
Former football players Abe Satterfield and Cedric Everson, both
19, have each pleaded not guilty to charges in the case.
The regents reopened their investigation after learning that
university officials withheld two letters sent to the university by
the alleged victim's mother.

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) - A prosecutor says 10-year-old Jetseta Gage
may have called James Bentley "Dad," but instead of treating her
like a child he sexually abused the Cedar Rapids girl.
Closing arguments were presented to a Clarke County jury
yesterday. Jurors will resume their work this morning.
The second-degree sexual abuse trial was moved from Benton
County because of pretrial publicity.
Bentley's attorney Mark Brown argued that the prosecutor failed
to establish what type of sex act took place and where it happened.
Brown also argued that the prosecutor relied on the emotional
value of nude photos that aren't in evidence and are not an element
of the crime.
Jetseta was kidnapped and killed by Bentley's brother, Roger, in
March 2005. Roger Bentley is serving a life sentence for that
crime.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - Presidential candidate Barack Obama is
pointing to record oil company profits to argue that rival John
McCain offers only "short term gimmicks" in response to that
nation's energy problems
Speaking yesteray in Cedar Rapids, the presumptive Democratic
nominee says he and McCain should have a serious debate about
energy issues. But Obama says McCain only wants to make attacks
based on false accusations.
Obama was referring to television ads the Republican has run
blaming Obama for gas price increases.
During his visit to Cedar Rapids, Obama met first with victims
of this summer's record flooding. He then focused on energy issues
at a town hall forum.

In Nebraska...

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska roads officials say all but two of
the state's 25 busiest, structurally deficient bridges have been
fixed, are being repaired or are scheduled to be fixed.
No additional money was set aside for bridge repairs in Nebraska
after the Interstate 35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis a year ago.
But state bridge engineer Moe Jamshidi (jam-SHE-dee) says the
tragedy caused Nebraska to inspect truss bridges similar to the one
in Minneapolis "a little bit closer."
Most structurally deficient bridges have one component, such as
the deck, that has a low rating and may need to be replaced,
normally because of age.
Jamshidi says none of the structurally deficient bridges poses
an imminent danger. He says any dangerous bridges are closed.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A group of Boy Scouts who were at a camp hit
by a deadly tornado last month got to meet President Bush.
The group of about 145 Scouts, leaders and family met Bush at
the White House and had pictures taken with him yesterday.
The Scouts also planned to tour the Capitol and have dinner at a
Scout camp in Virginia before returning to Omaha, Neb. The trip is
being paid for with donations.
The Scouts from Nebraska and Iowa were attending leadership camp
at Little Sioux Scout Ranch in Iowa when a tornado struck on June
11. Four boys were killed and several others were injured.
The camp is about 40 miles north of Omaha where the Mid-America
Boy Scout Council is based.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska officials estimate that the
state's unemployment rate increased slightly in June to 3.3
percent.
That's a tenth of a point higher than the rate for May and
two-tenths higher than June 2007.
The Nebraska Department of Labor said that the national figure
for June 2008 remained at 5.5 percent. That's nine-tenths of a
percentage point higher than the June 2007 rate of 4.6 percent.
The department also says there were 8,847 more jobs in Nebraska
since June 2007. The top three private growth sectors were
professional and business services; education and health services;
and trade, transportation and utilities.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Omaha area drivers might want to ease up on
the gas in coming days or risk paying hefty fines.
Throughout August, the Nebraska State Patrol along with the
Omaha Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office
will combine to heavily enforce traffic laws.
The goal is to draw attention to crash causing behaviors and
reduce the number of people killed or injured in traffic crashes.
The initiative will include high visibility patrols in areas
including Highway 75, Interstate 680, 72nd Street, and Sorenson
Parkway, as well as Maple & Dodge Streets.
The combined efforts will take place on seven days throughout
the month of August not specified by the patrol.

In South Dakota...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the Indian Health Service defended
his agency against accusations that it lost nearly 16 million
dollars worth of equipment and tried to cover it up.
Robert McSwain has been the head of the agency since April. He
told the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that the agency is
updating policies and conducting investigations into the missing
items.
But he insisted the problem had been exaggerated by the
Government Accountability Office, which issued the report. McSwain
says the GAO overvalued many of the lost and stolen items.
Senators said the agency appears to be in chaos and suggested
that the lost property is indicative of chronic management
problems.
North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan told McSwain that his
testimony seemed too defensive of the current system, and said he'd
be furious if he had to answer for, quote, "this staggering
incompetence."
Montana Senator Jon Tester criticized McSwain for not making
more changes at the agency, and suggested some people should have
lost their jobs.

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has
committed to appear at Dakotafest, an annual farm show just east of
Mitchell, but a campaign official for Sen. Tim Johnson says
"nothing's been determined yet" regarding Johnson's participation
in a U.S. Senate debate.
Campaign manager Steve Jarding says something more might be made
public in the next few days.
The Dakotafest schedule has a Senate debate for the morning of
August 20. Joel Dykstra, the Republican candidate, has committed to
appear.
A U.S. House candidate debate also is set.
Schafer's appearance at a forum is scheduled for August 21.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The state Transportation Department
says none of the 20 busiest structurally deficient bridges in South
Dakota is classified as unsafe.
But city and state officials say repairs or replacement are
scheduled on most.
One year after the collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis,
an Associated Press review found there's been limited progress in
critical repairs being done to the nation's worst spans.
In South Dakota, one of the 20 bridges on the federal list has
been repaired: the span over Six Mile Creek on U.S. Highway 14 in
Brookings County.
The bridge with the most traffic is on 41st Street in Sioux
Falls and is slated to be replaced in 2010 as part of a flood
control project.