Neb. opposition muted ahead of Keystone XL hearing
GRANT SCHULTE,Associated Press
• LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Opponents and supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline are preparing to face off in Nebraska once again, but a new route for the project has helped reduce some local opposition.
• Both sides will speak on the pipeline Thursday during a U.S. State Department hearing in Grand Island. The public forum comes before the department makes a recommendation to President Barack Obama on whether to build the $7.6 billion, Canada-to-Texas line.
• National opponents have formed a new group, the "All Risk, No Reward Coalition," which recently ran television ads in a dozen major media markets. The group planned to air the ads Tuesday in Nebraska.
• But local officials in several towns along the route say the pipeline no longer registers as a major concern.
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Sioux Falls mayor: Stay away from parks, trails
• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- The mayor of South Dakota's largest city is asking that residents and visitors stay away from parks and bike trails due to fallen trees and low-hanging branches.
• Mayor Mike Huether said in a Wednesday news release that the branches could be dangerous, especially as yet another snowstorm was expected to sweep through the area through Thursday.
• Winds are expected to gust up to 40 mph for the next two days.
• The city is cleaning up from a record-setting ice storm that downed power lines and trees across the region.
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Fire destroys South Dakota barn containing sheep
• CAVOUR, S.D. (AP) -- A fire near the South Dakota town of Cavour has destroyed a barn and killed some sheep inside the structure.
• The Plainsman of Huron reports (http://bit.ly/12nhgAM ) that Cavour firefighters
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