KWIT: Regional News for 8/26 (2008-08-26)

In Iowa...

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - A second sexual abuse trial against
James Bentley is scheduled for Nov. 17.
The Vinton man was accused in Benton and Linn counties of
molesting 10-year-old Jetseta Gage, who was later kidnapped and
killed by his brother, Roger Bentley, who is serving a life
sentence for that crime.
James Bentley was convicted earlier this month on the Benton
County charge of second-degree sexual abuse. The trial was held in
Osceola in Clarke County because of pretrial publicity.
The trial on the Linn County charge will also be held in Clarke
County. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Nov. 7.
Bentley is already serving a 100-year sentence for sexual
exploitation and child pornography for taking explicit photos of
Gage and a 1-year-old girl.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - University of Iowa researchers armed
with shovels, sampling jars, GPS units and clipboards will check
for pollutants in the soil and water left after the 2008 floods.
The researchers will be part of a $100,000 National Science
Foundation study starting Tuesday that examines pollutants left in
Cedar Rapids.
They hope to collect about 400 soil samples, along with water
samples from the Cedar River and Cedar Lake. Cedar Lake is
contaminated with toxic industrial chemicals and insecticides.
Two principal investigators and about a dozen Iowa undergraduate
and graduate students comprise the team.
Principal investigator Keri Hornbuckle says that although much
of the mud and muck has disappeared, "we are confident that the
chemicals needed for their research remain."

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey
says Iowa's crops have benefited from recent weather.
Northey commented Monday on a U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistical Service report.
Northey says dry weather has been beneficial for haying and
other fieldwork. But he says more rain and warm days will be needed
to continue support crop growth.
He says he hopes the weather conditions continue to cooperate.

In Nebraska...

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A majority of Nebraska women surveyed by an
advocacy group say they have been the targets of sexual
discrimination in the past five years.
That is among the findings of a survey conducted recently by
Nebraska Women Work!, the advocacy group. It was scheduled to
discuss its findings Tuesday at a news conference.
The survey also found that the majority of working women worked
more than 40 hours a week and were dissatisfied with their current
pay.
More than 1,000 Nebraska women who are currently employed or
actively seeking work responded to the survey regarding their work
life and its impact on family life.
Many identified the workplace environment as one thing they
disliked about their current employment.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Nebraska state trooper is among seven men
arrested in a prostitution sting in Lincoln.
Lincoln officers conducted the sting Friday and Saturday. Police
say Trooper Kerry Rogers of Omaha was among the men to solicit an
undercover officer.
Police say the men all offered money for various sex acts.
Rogers is a state trooper with the traffic services division.
The patrol says he has been placed on leave pending the outcome of
an investigation.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) - The Kearney City Council is considering a
move that would have a Kansas firm taking over retail operations at
the Kearney Regional Airport.
The move would offer a multi-year lease agreement to Otis Air
Service Inc. of Wichita, replacing current fixed-based operator Air
Midway. The contract includes leasing a building and fuel
distribution system from the city.
As the airport's fixed base operator, Otis would be required to
offer certain levels of service, such as flight training, plane
rentals and fueling of corporate and private airplanes.
Air Midway has been the airport's fixed-base operator for 23
years, but owner Clyde Mickelsen is retiring and decided not to
renew his lease.
The City Council is set to discuss the move to Otis at its
meeting tonight.

In South Dakota...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senator John Thune says he's out of the
running to be John McCain's running mate.
Thune was an early McCain supporter and was mentioned as a
possible vice presidential candidate. But he said yesterday that he
has not given the campaign any personal documents used to check
prospective running mates.
Thune says he'll attend the GOP convention in Minneapolis next
week.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - South Dakota's traffic fatalities in
2007 fell from the previous year.
The South Dakota Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Summary shows that
fatalities in 2007 were down by 45 although the number of crashes
was up by 490.
The total people killed in 2007 was 146, compared to 191 in
2006. There were 16,220 crashes in 2007 and 15,730 in 2006.
State highway safety director James Carpenter says there are
more drivers and vehicles on the road, which helps explain the
higher number of crashes.
He says the drop in fatalities is partly due to a collaborative
effort by law enforcement, schools and special programs.

DENVER (AP) - A meeting of the First American Caucus drew more
than 100 tribal leaders and American Indian delegates who are in
Denver for the Democratic National Convention. Their meeting
yesterday focused on electing more Indians to public office and
boosting voter turnout on reservations.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said five
U.S. senators, including Tim Johnson of South Dakota, won close
races because of support from American Indian voters.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Sunny skies spurred the small grain
harvest toward completion and raised concern that row crop yields
might be reduced if it doesn't rain soon.
After a week of temperatures reaching the 90s and no measurable
precipitation, the weekly crop report shows 35 percent of South
Dakota is short of topsoil moisture, up from 19 percent a week ago.
The Agricultural Statistics Service said precipitation was 50
percent of normal in the southeast and south central areas of the
state in the past 30 days.
Development of corn, soybeans and sunflowers advanced
signficantly the past week. The harvest of oats, spring wheat and
barley is at least 91 percent complete, slightly behind the
five-year average.