Storms in Nebraska kill 2, cause damage in Manhattan
Extreme weather is being blamed for two deaths after storms tore though the central plains Monday, a CNN article by Micheal Pearson, Indra Peterson and Ed Payne said yesterday. At least two tornadoes touched down northwest of Omaha, as well as unconfirmed reports of tornadoes in Iowa, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
Manhattan also saw high winds that knocked down trees, broke tree limbs and blew around lawn furniture throughout the city. Broken branches could be found littering city streets and front yards alike.
Manhattan Director of Parks and Recreation Eddie Eastes said forestry crews were still cleaning up, with completion of cleanup expected this week. Numbers were not yet available on the cost of the damage.
“It was a significant storm, but not even close to the wind event we had a couple of years ago,” Eastes said.
There were also unconfirmed reports of power outages caused by the storm, however a call to Westar Energy was not immediately returned.
A Mercy Regional Health Center media relations representative said there were no injuries or fatalities caused by the wind storm.
Student loan refinance bill fails to clear senate
Last Wednesday, a bill to help students refinance their federal and private student loans was struck down by the Senate, according to an article on reuters.com. The bill would have allowed borrowers to refinance their loans to 3.86 percent, the current rate for academic year 2014-15.
According to the article, the bill was intended to be funded by the reduction of tax breaks for millionaires.
US deploys troops to Iraq
President Barack Obama announced deployment of a contingent of U.S. military forces to Iraq this week to provide support and security to U.S. assets and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Yahoo News reported.
In a press release provided by 1st Infantry Division public affairs at Fort Riley, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said approximately 170 U.S. personnel began arriving in Baghdad over the weekend.
“We have also moved 100 personnel into the region to provide airfield management, security and logistics support, if required,” Kirby said in the statement. “The safety of personnel serving in diplomatic missions abroad is among our highest priorities.”
Schumacher out of hospital, into rehab
Former Formula One race car driver Michael Schumacher is no longer in a coma, and has been moved to a hospital in Switzerland to begin the rehabilitation phase of his treatment after being injured in skiing accident where he hit a rock face-first in December, a CNN report said Monday. He was induced into a coma with the hope it would reduce swelling in his brain. Schumacher’s family is asking for privacy, telling CNN that his rehab will take place “out of the public eye.”
