KWIT: Regional News for 8/12 (2008-08-12)

In Iowa...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - It could take up to four years to extend
health care coverage to all of Iowa's children despite a $25
million state effort approved by lawmakers last spring.
About 53,000 children in Iowa now lack health coverage. Under
the first step to provide coverage, state officials will expand
existing programs next summer.
That is expected to reduce the number of uninsured children to
19,000.
A special commission headed by former Govs. Terry Branstad and
Tom Vilsack is studying how to cover the remaining children.
Sen. Jack Hatch was a main backer of the health care
legislation. The Des Moines Democrat says accomplishing the effort
would take three to four years, and he asked for patience getting
it accomplished.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - Sioux City police say a 16-year-old girl
has been arrested in the shooting of another teen who suffered a
gunshot wound to the head.
Police say the 16-year-old boy who was shot was being treated at
a local hospital. His condition wasn't immediately available.
The name of the girl arrested in connection with the shooting
hasn't been released. Police say specific charges are pending.
They say a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found a short
distance from the residence where they say the handgun was fired.
Officers responded to the shooting at around 1 p.m. Monday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The state Department of Public Health
says a new study shows that there is a shortage of health care
providers in Iowa.
Officials say at least 250 more providers are needed in
underserved communities around the state.
The report estimates that nearly 242,000 Iowans will be without
reliable access to care by 2015 because of a poor distribution of
health care professionals.
The study health officials referred to was conducted by the
National Association of Community Health Centers in partnership
with the Robert Graham Center and George Washington University.
The study recommends that Iowa expand education and training
opportunities, provide incentives for work in underserved areas and
secure higher reimbursement rates for health care providers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Republican Party of Iowa Chairman
Stewart Iverson has accepted a job with Senate Minority Leader Ron
Wieck.
Iverson will serve as Wieck's administrative assistant.
The 58-year-old is a former Senate Majority leader from Clarion.
He was elected GOP chairman in January to finish the last half of a
two-year term for Ray Hoffman.
Iverson starts his new job on August 18th. He says he will serve
out the term as chairman but he does not plan to seek re-election
in January.
He replaces Brent Oleson as Wieck's assistant. State records
show that Oleson was paid about $86,000 last year.

In Nebraska...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Two Aurora teenagers are denying charges of
intentionally setting Aurora's historic Fidelity building on fire
last month.
Fifteen-year-old Darrin Enderle and 14-year-old Jason Galvin
will be in court Sept. 16. Hamilton County officials say the
language in the charges is the same as second-degree arson, a
felony when filed in adult criminal court.
A Hamilton County judge has allowed the boys to live at home
until the hearing, but they can't drive or stay out past 7 p.m.
without a parent.
Aurora Police Chief Godfrey Brokenrope says the boys previously
confessed to starting the fire, which destroyed the three-story
building. The more than 100-year-old structure was valued at more
than $87,000.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) - A woman accused of dumping 20 dead
dogs in a cornfield near Grand Island has been booked into the Hall
County Jail.
Denise Withee of Mapleton, Iowa, was cited on three counts of
animal abandonment and is to be arraigned today.
She was arrested in Grand Island Aug. 2 after a farmer found 20
dead dogs and three live ones, which later died.
The Hall County Sheriff's office says it appears the dogs died
of dehydration and heat exhaustion, but officials plan more tests.
Roland Bowling of Grand Island is charged in the case with being
an accessory to a felony and providing false information to law
enforcement. He's being held in the jail.
Withee also faces charges of animal abuse and abandonment in
Monoa County, Iowa.

MAXWELL, Neb. (AP) - The median population of Nebraska towns may
have hit a new low.
The public affairs center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
calculated recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates and found that the
population midpoint of Nebraska towns is 320 people.
That's about the same size as towns such as Maxwell and Brule.
If Census estimates are accurate, the median size is smaller
than it has ever been. Rural sociologist Randy Cantrell at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln says the drop is caused by the
state's smallest towns getting smaller.
The Census estimates combined with economic data are signs to
him that that some rural areas of the state may be slipping into
what he called a frontier economy -- one that offers jobs where
people make ends meet, but without steady employment.

In South Dakota...

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - An off-duty Seattle police officer involved
in the shooting of a motorcycle gang member in Sturgis has been
disciplined at least twice.
The officer was detained after a Hells Angels motorcycle gang
member was shot and wounded early Saturday morning at a bar in
Sturgis.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that the 43-year-old
detective was disciplined for taunting fans at a professional
football game. Later, he was accused of threatening to shoot a
restaurant manager after being told to leave.
The head of the Seattle police union, Rich O'Neill, says the
officer opened fire because he feared for his life.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - State Game, Fish and Parks officials say
they have no intention of protecting wolves found in South Dakota,
if the animals are removed from federal oversight.
The gray wolf is listed as an endangered species in South
Dakota.
Wolves occasionally wander into the state, but federal officials
have determined that South Dakota has no habitat that could support
a wolf population.
Wolves found in South Dakota are protected under an agreement
between the state and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If a wolf
is discovered, officials try to capture it alive and remove it.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - More than three-fourths of the state's
corn and soybean crops is rated in good or excellent condition in
the government's latest report.
The Agricultural Statistics Service said Monday that the
development of both crops is slightly behind the five-year average
because a wet, cool spring delayed planting and early growth.
Fifty-four percent of the soybean crop is setting pods and 15
percent of the corn crop has ears in the dough stage.
Widespread rain in the western and northern parts of the state
last week curtailed the small grain harvest, which also is behind
normal.
Seventy-seven percent of the state has enough topsoil moisture.