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online at siouxfalls.org and televised on cable channel CityLink.
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Cleanup efforts continue in Sioux Falls parks
• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- As cleanup efforts continue in South Dakota's largest city, officials say they're turning their focus to parks, sports fields, golf courses and waterways.
• Sioux Falls is still thawing from an April 9 ice storm. A handful of parks have been cleared already, but most remain strewn with branches.
• Don Kearney, director of parks and recreation, tells the Argus Leader that workers are finding it difficult to reach the interior portions of the parks. Crews are focusing on preparing sports fields.
• Kearney says that a year ago at this time, golf courses were already in use.
• South Dakota has been hit with record-setting spring storms in April, but temperatures are expected to feel more spring-like this weekend.
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Neb. lawmakers advance wind tax-incentive bill
GRANT SCHULTE,Associated Press
• LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Lawmakers moved ahead Wednesday with a tax incentive bill designed to attract wind-energy companies to Nebraska, little more than a day after the state officially lost a $300 million Facebook data center to Iowa.
• The 30-0 vote also came as a Kansas-based company, TradeWind Energy, considers building a possible wind farm in northeast Nebraska.
• Despite the measure's popularity, some lawmakers challenged the decision to advance it ahead of a broader, statewide tax study that was agreed upon earlier this year.
• The bill's sponsor, Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, said it was designed to attract large-scale wind farms, which would help Nebraska export more energy and generate new revenue. Lathrop said wind farms serve as an extra revenue source for landowners, generating $10,000 to $15,000 per turbine each year for a 40-year lease.
• "We're also sending what I believe to be a very important message to businesses, both inside and outside of Nebraska," Lathrop said. "Many are making major, long-term investment decisions now. Nebraska has an excellent reputation, and our actions on this bill will strengthen that message."
• TradeWind Energy executive Frank Costanza said the company is interested in Nebraska's wind capacity, which ranks third nationwide. But he said the state has (Continued on page 16)
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