European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 26, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 0 the stars and stripes Midwest flooding monday july 26, 1993 suspected Vanda i ism a angers town Fly William ii Ortii the Washington Post when i hair in acc broke and closed a Vitril Bridge Between Missouri and Illinois on july 16, the people who spent Days fortifying the Dike thought it was a cruel Aci of god or nature. But not now. Foul play is suspected in the spectacular levee break at West Quincy to that closed the last open Bridge Over the Mississippi River for 200 Miles. Authorities said Friday they have several suspects and that an arrest is expected. Townspeople say they arc stunned angry dismayed. But rumours have been circulating All week that someone someone reportedly known to Many in the Community tampered with the levee. After surveying the broken levee from a helicopter Norman Harrr commissioner of the Fabius levee District suspected foul play because the break came through at one of the strongest spots of our levee  Marion county sheriff Dan Campbell said a Crew had been at the spot where the break occurred that very Day putting Down Straw to absorb water on the levee and plastic to Drain off rainfall. That levee was in very Good shape Campbell said. To have it break there was very very  radio station Gem am in Quincy Iii., has served As a Clearinghouse for flood information and As a kind of on line Coffee shop for flood ruminations. The station closed its on air phone lines for two hours thursday after the it announced that Law enforcement official were investigating the Case. Station officials feared that townspeople would name  people in the town believe the know who did this said Leo Kenning director of operations a t Gem radio and television. Campbell said that All a Saboteur would had to have done was remove sandbag or two and leave. The swollen Mississippi would have done the rest we Don t have a motive Campbel said whether this was sabotage to re Lieve another levee or something else. At this Point it seems like a mindless act of  the levee reinforced by a three Footwall of packed Sand a layer of plastic and then sandbags was patrolled All Day but when it gave Way very few people Whereon the levee. Since the patrol was reduced anyone could have sneaked up and broke through what the townspeople had fought so hard to save said Haerr Heleve a commissioner. Successfully prosecuting someone however will be difficult. Hundreds of levees have failed during the weeks offloading. Campbell said he was unsure what charge a suspect would face. But he said he thought a charge of causing a catastrophe would be appropriate. More rain storms making matters worse in Region St. Louis a residents prepared for another record flood Crest on the Mississippi River while flood ing knocked out water service sunday to about 77,000people in Missouri. Severe thunderstorms and rain battered parts of the upper Midwest on saturday night and sunday sending Missouri River floodwaters into the Only water treat ment Plant in St. Joseph to. The Missouri american water co. Was shut Dow after water reached electrical equipment said company vice president Bill l Ecuyer. All City residents los water shortly after 3 . He could not say when the Plant would be working again. Crews had sandbagged the Plant All Day saturday inthe City about 20 Miles North of Kansas City. In Iowa powerful storms roared across the stat sunday packing torrential Rains and winds up to 83 Mph. Thunderstorms dumped 1 Inch of rain in 10 min utes at the pcs Monics International Airport. The pcs Monics water works was not affected bythe storms. The water treatment Plant knocked out by record floods july 11, resumed pumping water thurs Day to More than 250,000 customers. More rain was forecast later sunday in parts of Iowa Missouri Nebraska and Illinois. Another record flood Crest was forecast saturday on the Mississippi River after heavy rain upstream. The River is expected to reach 48 feet at St. Louis next Sun Day nearly a foot higher than Ever. The water is going to come Back up said Missouri water patrol spokesman Hans Huenink. There s a lot of areas where they re re sandbagging. Areas that Holdup last time Are in jeopardy this time. In Southern St. Louis up to 2,000 Volunteer sandbag Gers worked along the bulging River Des Peres orm. Warily a narrow drainage Channel for St. Louis and its surrounding county. Five states request gis to help with cleanup Bloomington Iii. Up farm bureaus in five states hit hard by Mississippi River flood ing asked president Clinton on Friday to Send inthe army and National guard to help with cleanup efforts once the water has subsided. The request from the Illinois Iowa Minnesota Missouri and Wisconsin farm bureaus ask the president 4o order army units to help restore the River and clean up flooded areas. The states also asked Clinton to federalize state National guard units. The farm bureaus asked Clinton to Speed pay ments to Farmers and delay the dates by which they must repay crop Loans. Illinois farm Bureau president John White said the magnitude of this disaster warrants dramatic action to put this disaster behind usand open up River transportation in an expedient a manner As possible before the fall Harvest an Winter  Safe in grandpa s hands Jerry Cude holds grandson Andrew after the Tot was handed out of boat by his Mother katrina on sat urday in Hamburg Iowa. Katrina Gude and 5-month old Andrew were evacuated from their flooded farm binational guardsmen As Waters from the Nishn Botna River Rose overnight. Some officials Brace for flood of Price gouging other scams by the associated press the dealer was willing to rent portable toilets for$250 a month More than four times  Price. Diana Mavis and co workers said no but they also made sure the Iowa attorney general heard about the offer. It was an exorbitant amount said Mavis an office administrator at the hospice of Central Iowa in Des Moines. We re a nonprofit organization and we could t afford to pay that. It was absolutely unjust  she is one of hundreds of Midwest flood victims complaining of Price gouging or other scams. Portable toilets a hot item in Des Moines when the water sys tem was Down for 12 Days normally go for $60 a month Mavis said. Authorities Are bracing for More reports of greed a people seek an easy Buck from the flood. They warn of contractors who May not perform Worktop specifications loan schemes in which applicants pay a fat fee up front but never get any Money and other who falsely claim to be collecting Money for Charity. Authorities in Missouri and Illinois have created task Force to combat flood related fraud. Any Type of disaster. Attracts people who will take advantage of victims said . Attorney Stephen any Type of disaster.,. Attract people who will take advantage off victims . Attorney Stephen Higgins Higgins in St. Louis. Iowa a fraud hot line has received 200 to 300complaints since july 13, when the state made Price gouging a crime said Bob Brammer spokesman for at Torney general Bonnie Campbell. One complainant said a $100 pump was being rented for $300 an hour Brammer said. Iowa Law defines Price gouging As increasing prices without justification on any indispensable items such a pumps plywood or any repair materials. Each violation carries a maximum Fine of $45,000. If the victim is over65, the penalty can go up another $5,000. In Missouri some towing companies raised their prices More than 600 percent when Mobile Home own ers needed to move their trailers to higher ground said attorney general Jay Nixon