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MIDWEST FLOODING-RED CREST Crest estimate lower for Red River in Fargo FARGO, N.D. (AP) The National Weather Service has slightly lowered its projection for a second Red River crest in Fargo.

The new projection is for a crest of less than 40 feet sometime this week. It's a range of 38 feet to 39 feet.

Forecasters say the amount of water coming into the Red from the Wild Rice River is less than projected. They say light rain is expected over the northern valley, but little if any accumulation.

is expected in the southern part of the valley.

SWEPT AWAY Authorities identify driver swept away by floodwaters PARK RIVER, N.D. (AP) Walsh County authorities have identified a pickup driver missing after the pickup was swept away by floodwaters on a rural road.

The sheriff's office says the pickup was swept off a gravel township road near the Homme (HAH'-me) Dam shortly before 3 a.m.

yesterday, about a mile north of the town of Park River.

Authorities searched until about seven o'clock last night for the driver before calling off the search for the night. He's identified as 27-year-old Jared Udby of Adams.

The sheriff's office says two passengers managed to swim to safety. They're identified as 27-year-old Greg Gustafson of Adams, and 21-year-old Ashley Blasky of Fargo.

MIDWEST FLOODING-ROADS ND drivers advised to use caution Bismarck, N.D. (AP) North Dakota drivers returning from Easter weekend trips faced flooded roads and detours.

In Oliver County, authorities said last night that all secondary roads were closed due to flooding. In Morton County, authorities advised no travel in the western part of the county due to washed out roads. Officials in LaMoure and Mercer counties also advised no travel on township and county roads.

In eastern North Dakota, state officials closed state Highway 13 in the city of LaMoure to build a dike across the highway. State Highway 27, east of the junction of North Dakota Highway 32 in Lisbon, also has been closed for construction of a dike.

Interstate 94 stayed open, but transportation officials said water on the road between Tower City and Oriska caused some delays.

MIDWEST FLOODING-Valley City Crews work to shore up dike in Valley City VALLEY CITY, N.D. (AP) Valley City's mayor says crews had to shore up a dike in the northeast part of the city after finding a "bubble" of water underneath.

Mayor Mary Lee Nielson said late last night that the problem appeared to be under control after crews put in a ring dike.

Nielson says families in about 15 homes temporarily evacuated.

TOBACCO CONTROL Higher tobacco tax, smoking ban in bars on group's agenda BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) An early look at the agenda of a new anti-tobacco group shows it seeks a $2-a-pack state cigarette tax and a smoking ban in all public places.

North Dakota's cigarette tax is now 44 cents a pack. The tax has not changed since 1993.

Last week, the state House defeated a proposal to get rid of the panel's responsibility for writing the anti-tobacco plan. But it doesn't have money for its operations.

Since Governor John Hoeven appointed the panel in December, its members have been circulating proposals for a comprehensive North Dakota tobacco control plan.

Kathleen Mangskau (MANGS'-kow) is chairman of the committee. She says in other states, a higher tobacco tax and bans on public smoking have cut tobacco use.

Fargo Representative Jim Kasper says the committee shouldn't be advocating tax increases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists raising the price of tobacco and a smoking ban in all public places among a list of effective ways to cut tobacco use.

(SOUND: Sound files have been e-mailed to accompany this story) UNTAGGED DEER ND man charged with hunting violation PARK RIVER, N.D. (AP) Authorities say a man faces charges after two untagged deer were founding hanging in his shed.

Gregory Kachena of Park River is charged in Walsh County with unlawful taking of a big game animal.

Warden Gary Rankin says he confiscated two large bucks and cited Kachena. He's due in court April 20.

Authorities say the case remains under investigation.

Information from: Grand Forks Herald, http://www.grandforksherald.com CONSTRUCTION SLOWDOWN Muddy ground slows construction BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Home builders figure they're about a month behind in North Dakota because much of the ground is too muddy.

Mike Hopfauf is president of the North Dakota Home Builder's Association and the owner of Hopfauf Custom Homes. He says the weather caught builders off guard. He says the economy might also have slowed things down.

Keith Doerr manages Pro-Build in Mandan. He says builders cannot get basements in the ground and it's been too muddy for them to get to job sites and pour concrete.

Doerr says construction crews normally are working steadily this time of year but they don't expect that to happen now until mid-May.

Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com UNHEALTHY GRAVEL-VOLUNTEERS Lack of volunteers delays dust study BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) The Environmental Protection Agency and state health officials are having a tough time finding western North Dakota residents who want to volunteer for a study of their lungs.

Government officials want to test 50 people who've had long-term exposure to an asbestos-like mineral called erionite (AYR'-ee-ah-nite).

It's found in rock used for gravel in Dunn, Stark and Slope counties. And it's similar to a mineral linked to cancer in some people and in lab rats.

State and federal officials have been studying erionite in North Dakota for about three years. But they say studies on humans are needed.

State geologist Ed Murphy and state paleontologist John Hoganson have volunteered for the study. They say they've had exposure to erionite for years and want to find out if it's caused them any health problems.

But few people have joined them. Mark Dihle (DEEL'-ee) with the state Health Department's air quality division says only about 10 people have signed up for the study.

HIGH TECH HOME-EC Bowbells 8th graders learn high-tech sewing via interactive TV BOWBELLS, N.D. (AP) Six eighth-graders at Bowbells Public School learned how to sew the high-tech way.

Their family and consumer science teacher, Valerie Aho, taught the class from a TV studio in Mohall about 35 miles away.

Aho says officials at the state Department of Public Instruction told her it couldn't be done. But Bowbells had no choice about how it offered the required class, because no teachers were available to teach it. So Aho proved the doubters wrong.

Aho says she thinks other small schools will be delivering family and consumer sciences courses over interactive TV in the future because of a shortage of teachers in the field.

And Aho is now the go-to person for other school districts planning to try the teaching method for eighth-graders DPI officials are referring inquiries to her.

(Information from: Minot Daily News, http://www.minotdailynews.com) (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 04-13-09 0201CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list