Snow closes roads; 7 die in accidents
A large, fast-moving snowstorm closed sections of major highways on the Plains on Saturday, dumped more than a foot of snow on the Upper Midwest and caused seven traffic deaths in Wisconsin.
The storms knocked out power to more than 145,000 customers, mostly in Iowa, where freezing rain coated trees, power and utility lines. Outages were also reported in Oklahoma and Nebraska.
As the massive system moved through the region, fierce winds tossed cars into trees, destroyed businesses and yanked mobile homes off the ground in southern Arkansas. At least 27 people were injured.
Earlier Saturday in Colorado, Interstate 70, a major cross-country route, was closed for about 400 miles in both directions from just east of Denver to Salina, Kan., because of blowing snow and slippery pavement.
Between Denver and the beginning of the highway closure, about 35 cars collided in a pileup in whiteout conditions on an icy section of I-70. No major injuries were reported.
Virginia Beach, Va.
‘Jesus’ chant draws discipline
A Catholic school principal has organized sensitivity training for students who shouted “We love Jesus” during a basketball game against a school with Jewish students.
The word “Jew” also was painted on a gym wall behind the seats of Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School students attending the Feb. 2 game at Norfolk Academy, said Dennis W. Price, principal of the Virginia Beach school.
Price, who also watched the game, said the rivals exchanged chants, “Then, at some point, our students were chanting, ‘We love Jesus.’ “
“It was obviously in reference to the Jewish population of Norfolk Academy; that’s the only way you can take that,” he added.
Denver
Jaguar mauls keeper to death
A zookeeper died Saturday after a 140-pound jaguar mauled her in the doorway of its exhibit, and the big cat was fatally shot when it approached emergency workers treating the injured woman, the zoo said.
The zookeeper, whose name was not immediately released, was taken to a Denver hospital, where she died, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.
Zoo officials did not know how the mauling occurred or what led up to the attack, spokeswoman Amy Sarno said.