Bush Tours Flood-Damaged Iowa

Iowa man remembers a day at the levee

(NEWSER) - Even when it proves futile, sandbagging is an experience with its own unique rewards, writes an Iowa resident in the New York Times. “Passing sandbags is a personal thing,” Joe Blair notes in an essay. “The line may be 300 feet long,” but for you, “it’s intimate, a three-person event. You take. You turn. You give. You get to know people.” The levee overflowed despite their efforts, but Blair's at peace with that. More»

Rising waters have already led to floods in other areas

(NEWSER) - The Midwest continues to struggle with flooding, as a small Iowa town evacuated today to escape the rising waters of the Missouri River. The Army Corps of Engineers is building an emergency levee to hold back the waters, which are expected to reach record levels in the next few weeks thanks to melting snow in the Rockies, heavy rain, and release of reservoir water from Montana and the Dakotas. More»

City council mulls ban on after-work rite, other drink specials

(NEWSER) - Concerned about underage and binge drinking, Iowa City may ban happy hours at a meeting next month, the AP reports. The city council ordinance would require establishments with alcohol licenses or permits to submit to the city clerk a set schedule of prices that could not change by the day or hour. The city has also been considering a ban on price specials. More»

(NEWSER) - President Bush visited Houston and took an air tour over Galveston today, urging Americans to continue contributions to the Red Cross and other charities and promising timely aid from state and federal governments, the Washington Post reports. Meanwhile, Houston Mayor Bill White grumbled about a slow FEMA response to his city, which still has 1.6 million residents without power and a curfew in place until Saturday. More»

Food prices may rise for years to come

(NEWSER) - Floods that ravaged the Midwest have begun to subside—but the massive costs of weeks of rising water have only begun to be counted. The floods killed 24 people, left 38,000 homeless and destroyed billions of dollars of crops. The losses are likely to trigger food shortages and push up prices for years to come. More»