KWIT: Regional News for 8/4 (2008-08-04)

In Iowa...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - After several months of below average
temperatures, Iowa is finally seeing its first real spell of hot
weather.
Temperatures are expected to reach in to mid-to-upper 90s in
many areas with heat indexes expected to be well above 100. The
National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for much of
southwest and south-central Iowa.
On Sunday, some locations, such as Council Bluffs and Shenandoah
topped off at 99 degrees with heat indexes at or above 118.
Officials with the weather service say Iowa has seen below
normal temperatures for the past three months, so the steamy
weather may seem especially uncomfortable.
The hot weather is expected to be shortlived.
Meteorologist Ken Podrazik (Puh-DRAH'-zik) says temperatures
should return to near normal or below normal by the middle and end
of the week.
The hot spell was a welcome relief for the owner of Big Creek
Marina and Boat Rentals at Big Creek State Park north of Des
Moines.
Mark Crawford says after two months of flooding and storms,
business was finally busy Sunday as people sought relief from the
heat.

IOWA, Des Moines - The state's weather warning sirens are a
patchwork of old and modern equipment that receives no state
oversight, according to the Des Moines Sunday Register.
A review of city, county and state records shows some towns
don't have sirens and no one keeps track of how many sirens there
are in Iowa.
The state has shifted its focus to promoting warnings issued
over NOAA weather radios, but a spokesman for Gov. Chet Culver says
he believes the sirens are an important part of an early warning
system.
Spokesman Troy Price says Culver would support legislation to
assess the state's early warning system.
Officials elsewhere say they don't have money to fix sirens or
can't find the parts needed to repair them.
State Emergency Management Administrator David Miller says the
sirens are required but still part of the system.
Miller says television and radio stations also have improved
their ability to distribute weather information.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) - Investigators say a shooting in Fort
Dodge is linked to a series of gun thefts from sporting goods
stores.
Police responded to a shooting early Saturday that left one
person injured. The victim's name hasn't been released.
Special Agent Larry Hedlund of the Iowa Division of Criminal
Investigation says the shooting is related to the investigation
into thefts of guns at two Fort Dodge sporting goods stores.
The thefts were reported during the week of July 23.
Hedlund says some of the guns have been recovered but that
others remain missing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - While her competition hopes to ice Lolo
Jones' chances for the gold in Beijing, the world-class hurdler
will be a cool attraction at the Iowa State Fair.
A sculpture plans to carve an image of Jones in ice during an
ice carving demonstration at the fair, which begins on Thursday.
Ice carving demonstrations will be held daily and Jones is
scheduled to be carved into ice on Aug. 17, the same day she is
scheduled to compete in the first round of the 100-meter hurdles at
the Olympics.
Jones isn't the only Iowa Olympian to have her likeness put on
display at the fair. Gymnast Shawn Johnson will be carved in butter
alongside the butter cow.

In Nebraska...

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Nebraska judge has ruled that a prison
secretary shouldn't have lost his job for smoking pot while he
wasn't at work.
John Ahmann was secretary to the deputy warden at the Lincoln
Correctional Center. He submitted a urine sample for drug testing
in May 2006, and tested positive for marijuana. Ahmann admitted he
smoked marijuana off duty, and agreed to quit using the drug.
Lancaster County Judge Jodi Nelson says he was fired the next
month, despite an otherwise spotless employment record and
above-average evaluations.
She says there was no evidence his marijuana use affected his
job performance or jeopardized the security of the institution.
So she reversed the State Personnel Board's decision.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Federal highway dollars and the global demand
for irrigation systems have helped Valmont Industries weather this
year's difficult economy.
Valmont Chief Executive Mogens Bay says demand for irrigation
equipment worldwide has grown substantially.
The Omaha-based company earned more than $37 million in the
second quarter of this year. That's 37 percent higher than the $27
million the company earned a year ago.
The company says strong demand for grain contributed to
irrigation purchases. The equipment Valmont sells helps farmers
increase grain production.
Bay says Valmont is selling more of the lighting structures,
traffic signs and support structures that federal highway projects
require.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Organizers of a special state training
session say it will help nonprofit groups or government entities
stretch their federal dollars.
The training is available through the Nebraska Department of
Health and Human Services.
It will be held over the Internet and through conference calls.
The trainer is Robert Lloyd, an expert on federal grant
policies.
The training is free to people who represent Nebraska
organizations whose missions include health and human services.
More information about the training is available on the Nebraska
Department of Health and Human Services Web site.

In South Dakota...

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Attorney General Larry Long set up a
cold case unit in 2004.
The effort resulted in the conviction last year of James Strahl
for the 1998 beating death of a Beresford man and charges against
David Lykken for the 1971 disappearance of two Vermillion girls.
But in preparing for that trial, it was revealed that a prison
snitch had another inmate pose as Lykken to record a supposed
confession.
Strahl's lawyer has asked for a new trial but the judge hasn't
ruled on it. Prosecutors withdrew the charges against Lykken.
Long says everyone involved learned something but there have
been no changes to the unit.
Mike Butler, Lykken's lawyer, says investigators were taken in
by the snitch but the cold case approach is a good way to bring
closure for families -- as long as it's applied right.

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - Sturgis Police Chief Jim Bush has seen many
Sturgis motorcycle rallies. And he says the experience helps him
prepare - to a point.
He says the rally changes all the time. Quoting Bush: "If you
think you've seen it all, you'll see something new."
Kathie Grant, Meade County's emergency manager, said she's not
worried if problems arise because of planning that's grown creative
during the years.
Fire, police and emergency staff sizes balloon for the weeklong
rally, which draws several hundred thousand bikers to the Black
Hills every August. He says it's similar to preparing for a
disaster in terms of manpower, equipment and food.
Part-time staff for the rally come from ten states.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The number of bankruptcy filings in
South Dakota is ahead of last year. But officials say if the pace
continues, the total for the year would be lower than average.
Personal bankruptcy filings through June totaled 726. There were
687 through the first half of 2007.
Bankruptcy official Forrest Allred says twice as many South
Dakotans filed for bankruptcy in 2005 before a new federal
bankruptcy law took effect. He says that had the effect of reducing
the pool of prospective filers and is one reason the total for 2008
could be below average.

FAITH, S.D. (AP) - Much of the extra traffic this summer in the
western South Dakota ranching town of Faith can be attributed to
Sue.
That's the nickname of a 45-foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex fossil
discovered 18 years ago about 15 miles northeast of town.
A cast of the fossil is being displayed at the Faith Community
Center through September first.
The replica is on display partly because Nellie Isaacs of Faith
made a comment two years ago while visiting the Field Museum in
Chicago -- the home of the dinosaur's skeleton. At the museum,
Isaacs said it would be nice if Sue could return home.
A worker overheard her -- and said it was a possibility. Faith
officials and Field Museum representatives began talks, money was
raised and the Sue display arrived in May.
So far, it has attracted more than 8,000 visitors.