News
Weather Forecast
Storm Track 7 Forecast:
Today: Mostly cloudy with showers and an isolated rumble of thunder. High: 67. Winds: W 5-15 mph.
Tonight: Rain early with scattered showers after Midnight. Low: 49. Winds: N 5-15 mph.
Tomorrow: Stray shower in the morning then mostly sunny skies, breezy and cool. High: 64. Winds: N 10-20 mph gusting higher.
Friday: Mostly sunny with highs in the upper 60s and lows around 40.
Saturday: Partly cloudy with a chance of storms. Highs in the mid to upper 60s and lows in the upper 40s.
Sunday: Partly cloudy with a chance of storms. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low 50s.
Memorial Day: Partly cloudy with a chance of storms. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 50s.
Mississippi River Stage: 13.7 and falling
Dubuque and TriState
Local Unemployment Declines Again
For the second month in a row, the unemployment rate for the Iowa counties in the Tri-States followed the state trend, and moved lower. According to officials at Iowa Workforce Development the April unemployment rate for Dubuque County dropped from 5-point 2 percent in March to 4-point 7 percent in April. In Jackson County, the rate went from 6-point 0 percent to 5-point 5 percent. Delaware and Clayton Counties also showed decreases in unemployment. Delaware County's rate dropped 8-tenths of a percentage point from 4-point 8 percent to 4-point 0 percent, while Clayton County's rate went from 7-point 5 percent to 6-point 1 percent.
DRA Grant Awards
The Dubuque Racing Association Board of Directors has given the OK to distributed over 1.4 million dollars to local non-profits and organizations through it's 2013 Grant Awards Program. There were 353 applications this year, and 163 were approved. The grant amounts ranged from 12-hundred to 25-thousand dollars. A total of 76 organizations received their full funding request. The Dubuque Community School District was was of those organizations, getting 24-thousand dollars for a Raptor Visitor Management System. The system has to do with cameras and gaining access to school buildings that are locked. District Secretary Joni Lucas says the district wrote the grant for a safety and security option to be added to all the schools. Mystique General Manager Jesus Avillies says the DRA and the gaming board in Des Moines are the only two in the state that give back to thier communities. The Dubuque Jaycees received 25-thousand for it's annual Fireworks and Airshow, while the Honor Flight of Greater Dubuque got 25-thousand dollars. 25-thousand will go to Special Olympics Iowa, and 25-thousand to the St. Stephen's Food Bank. The DRA has distributed nearly 40-million dollars to non-profits since 1985.
Jane McCall to Retire
The woman who, for many years, has been the face and the voice of the Dubuque Regional Humane Society is going to retire. The Humane Society's board is announcing that Jane McCall will be retiring later this year, after heading the organization for the last 22 years. The president of the Board, Diann Guns, says after all McCall has done for the Humane Society, she deserves to retire, but still Guns says it will be a great loss to the organization. McCall is currently overseeing the Humane Society's renovation of the former Carlisle Building on Chavenelle Road. The facility is being called Kinsey's Campus, and will serve as the society's headquarters and what is called a modern animal resource center. Guns says it is fitting that McCall's retirement will come later this year, and she will be able to finish what she started. During McCall's time with the Humane Society, the organization has grown from around 400 adoptions a year to about 28-hundred. She led the Humane Society's move from a small building on Center Grove Drive to the present facility on North Crescent Ridge and oversaw several renovations of the current facility. In commenting on her retirement, McCall said she has enjoyed her time with the Humane Society, but feels it's time for someone else to write the next chapter of the organization.
N.Y.Trip Is Back On
Some music students at Hempstead High School, were prepared to make a trip to New York City in June, but later found out that the travel agency contracted to organize the trip had ceased operations. The group's trip was in jeopardy, after Integrity Travel went out of business. After hearing the news, the students, their parents, staff and district administrators held a meeting to talk about how to handle the situation. Following the meeting, Hempstead Principal Lee Kolker says there was an outpouring of support for the students and the trip. He says thanks to the generous support of travel agencies and an anonymous donor, the trip will continue as planned. Windstar Lines, which operates an office in Dubuque, and Star Destinations are providing discounted bus transportation for the trip. Worldstrides, a national travel agency also heard about the students' plight and the company's CEO offered to cover meals and hotel rooms while the group is in New York. The anonymous donor then offered 13-thousand dollars to fund the remaining costs. The trip is planned for the first week in June. Attorneys for the district are still looking at options to recover the money paid to Integrity Travel.
Regional News
Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa lawmakers are due back at the state Capitol today and legislative leaders say they're close to concluding the 2013 session. There was no floor action in the House or Senate this week, but leaders say they've been working privately to resolve differences on key issues. Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen says it's possible lawmakers could finish their work today.
DECORAH, Iowa (AP) - A retired president of a Minnesota seminary has been chosen as interim president of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The college board says David Tiede will begin his duties in July. Current president Richard Torgerson is stepping down on June 30th after 14 years.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - The University of Iowa's vice president for research is expected to urge Congress to support funding for developing ultrafast supercomputers. Daniel Reed will testify today before a House subcommittee. Reed says supercomputers could help solve some complex societal questions.
AMES, Iowa (AP) - Northern Illinois transfer Abdel Nader has signed on to play basketball at Iowa State. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 13.1 points a game for NIU as a sophomore last season. The Cyclones say Nader will sit out the 2013-14 season and have two years of eligibility left at Iowa State.
National News
FBI agent shoots man under questioning in bombing case...IRS official takes the Fifth...Shelter proposal
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - An FBI agent has shot and killed a man in Orlando, Fla. -- and FBI officials say the man had been undergoing questioning in connection with the Boston Marathon bombing. They say he became violent, and that the FBI agent responded to an imminent threat by shooting and killing the man, identified as Ibragim Todashev. He was a mixed martial arts fighter who had recently faced a charge of aggravated battery after a fight over a parking spot.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the storm over the agency's targeting of conservative groups has told Congress she did nothing wrong. Lois Lerner then invoked her constitutional right to not answer questions. Lerner heads the office that decides whether groups qualify for tax exemptions. She appeared today before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which was holding a hearing on the IRS's treatment of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. Before refusing to answer questions, Lerner told the panel that she has done nothing wrong, broke no laws and has provided no false information to lawmakers.
MOORE, Okla. (AP) - The mayor of the Oklahoma City suburb that was battered by a monstrous tornado says he is pushing to require safe-room shelters in all new homes. Glen Lewis says he will propose an ordinance in the next couple of days that would require the construction of reinforced shelters in every new home in the town of 56,000. The suburb was also hit by a massive tornado in 1999 that followed nearly the same path as the storm Monday that killed at least 24 people. Underground safe rooms are typically built below garages and can cost around $4,000.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling Congress that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the Federal Reserve to end its extraordinary stimulus programs. In testimony to the Joint Economic Committee, Bernanke notes the economy is growing moderately this year and unemployment has fallen to a four-year low of 7.5 percent. Still, unemployment remains well above levels consistent with healthy economies. And Bernanke says higher taxes and deep federal spending cuts are expected to slow economic growth this year.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Eric Garcetti has defeated Wendy Greuel in the race to become next mayor of Los Angeles. With all precincts reporting, the city councilman grabbed 54 percent of the votes against his fellow Democrat. Garcetti sent out a tweet thanking voters and saying he's honored to lead the city. Garcetti was elected after promising to increase jobs and patch up the city's battered streets and sidewalks.
Sports
AP SportsAlert
CHICAGO (AP) - Tweet from Brian Urlacher's account says linebacker retiring after 13 years with Chicago Bears.
NBA and NHL recap and preview...Twins look to win a game
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - The Spurs took a 2-0 lead in the NBA's Western Conference final last night with a 93-89 overtime win over the Grizzlies. Tim Duncan had a team-high 17 points and Tony Parker finished with 18 assists and 15 points. Game 3 isn't until Saturday in Memphis.
NEW YORK (AP) - The Cleveland Cavaliers have once again won the NBA draft lottery. This marks the second time in three years. The Cavs entered with a 15.6 percent chance of winning before passing over Orlando and Charlotte to capture the top pick in next month's draft.
MIAMI (AP) - The opening game of the Miami-Indiana NBA Eastern Conference final is tonight in Miami. The clubs met three times during the regular season with Indiana taking the two games played in Indianapolis and the Heat winning in Miami. Game 2 will take place in Miami Friday night.
OTTAWA (AP) - The Penguins and Senators are facing off tonight in Game 4 of their NHL Eastern Conference semifinal in Ottawa. The Pens top the best-of-seven series 2-1. The fifth game will be played in Pittsburgh Friday night.
UNDATED (AP) - This is a busy day of play in Major League Baseball as there are seven matinees on the schedule. Of note, in one of the early games the Twins are playing the Braves and Minnesota is looking to snap a seven-game losing streak.
INTERLEAGUE
Final Atlanta 5 Minnesota 4, 10 Innings
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Detroit 5 Cleveland 1
Final Baltimore 3 N-Y Yankees 2, 10 Innings
Final Tampa Bay 4 Toronto 3
Final Oakland 1 Texas 0
Final Chi White Sox 3 Boston 1
Final Kansas City 7 Houston 3
Final L.A. Angels 12 Seattle 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 5 Chi Cubs 4
Final Cincinnati 4 N-Y Mets 0
Final Philadelphia 7 Miami 3
Final Milwaukee 5 L.A. Dodgers 2
Final Colorado 5 Arizona 4, 10 Innings
Final St. Louis 10 San Diego 2
Final San Francisco 4 Washington 2, 10 Innings
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Final OT San Antonio 93 Memphis 89 (San Antonio leads 2-0)
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Boston 2 N-Y Rangers 1 (Boston leads 3-0)
Final San Jose 2 Los Angeles 1 (Series tied 2-2)
Here is the latest Wisconsin sports news from The Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Carlos Gomez hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the fifth last night as the Milwaukee Brewers topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2. Jonathan Lucroy added three hits and an RBI for the Brewers. Dodgers starter Zack Greinke gave up nine hits and five earned runs against his former team.
NEW YORK (AP) - Brewers left-hander Alan Williams has been suspended 50 games under minor league baseball's drug program following a second positive test. The punishment was announced yesterday. The 23-year-old Williams is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA this year for Double-A Huntsville.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - The Green Bay Packers are using their spring practices to get their reconfigured offensive line accustomed to their new roles. Packers coach Mike McCarthy says yesterday's practice was the first to feature 11-on-11 work. Bryan Bulaga, Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang, Marshall Newhouse and Don Barclay have all shifted positions.
Here is the latest Illinois sports news from The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Travis Snider hit a pinch-hit grand slam last night as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Chicago Cubs 5-4. Pedro Alvarez also drew a bases-loaded walk in the Pirates' five-run sixth. Cubs starter Matt Garza pitched five shutout innings in his first outing in 10 months, but the Chicago bullpen couldn't hold the lead.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Daniel Descalso hit his first career grand slam last night to lead the St. Louis Cardinals past the San Diego Padres 10-2. Descalso finished with five RBIs and Matt Carpenter added a run-scoring double for the Cardinals. Adam Wainwright held San Diego to one run and four hits to earn his first victory at Petco Park.
CHICAGO (AP) - Jose Quintana took a no-hitter into the seventh innings last night as the Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1. The left-hander allowed just three hits and struck out five to improve to 3-1 on the season. Alex Rios extended his career-high hitting streak to 16 games with a single and RBI double.
CHICAGO (AP) - White Sox pitcher Chris Sale has been scratched from today's start because of mild tendinitis in his left shoulder. Sale was scheduled to pitch against unbeaten Boston starter Clay Buchholz. The White Sox says they expect Sale to make his next scheduled start against the Cubs on Tuesday.
Wednesday's Time Schedule
BASEBALL
Minnesota at Atlanta, 11:10 p.m.
Cincinnati at N.Y. Mets, 12:10 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee, 12:10 p.m.
Oakland at Texas, 1:05 p.m.
Arizona at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.
Washington at San Francisco, 2:45 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Toronto, 3:37 p.m.
Detroit at Cleveland, 6:05 p.m.
N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.
Seattle at L.A. Angels, 6:05 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.
Boston at Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m.
Philadelphia at Miami, 6:10 p.m.
Kansas City at Houston, 7:10 p.m.
St. Louis at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.
NBA PLAYOFFS
Indiana at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Pittsburgh at Ottawa, 6:30 p.m.