US & World News, Monday 6/16

US & World Summary --- University Of Iowa Struggles Through More Flooding (Iowa City, IA) -- The University of Iowa continues to struggle through record floods. The schools journalism building, English philosophy building and Hawkeye Court apartments were damaged by the flooding yesterday. University spokesman Steve Parrott says despite the setbacks the university plans to resume summer school classes and is looking forward to the fall semester. UI officials expect the Iowa River to rise another foot and a half on campus before cresting in the next day or so. --- Calmer Winds Help Firefighters Battle Blaze In California (Paradise, CA) -- Calmer winds are making it easier for firefighters in Butte County, California to extinguish a raging wildfire. As of last night, the Humboldt Fire was 80 percent contained. So far, the fire has burned 74 homes to the ground and also knocked out power in the city of Paradise leaving some 18-thousand homes without electricity. According to the "San Francisco Chronicle," the fire began last Wednesday and has scorched over 23-thousand acres and caused an estimated eight-point-five-million dollars in damages. --- Obama Delivers Fathers Day Message At Chicago Church (Chicago, IL) -- Barack Obama is calling on black fathers to take their roles as parents more seriously. "The New York Times" says the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee had some tough talk for members of Chicagos Apostolic Church of God on Fathers Day Sunday. Obama told the congregation there were too many fathers missing from too many lives and too many homes. Obama said any fool can have a child but it is the courage to raise that child which makes someone a father. --- NBCs "Today" Show Pays Tribute To Tim Russert (New York, NY) -- NBCs "Today" show paid tribute to "Meet the Press" moderator Tim Russert this morning. Russert died of a heart attack last Friday at the NBC News Bureau in Washington. He was 58-years-old. His son Luke appeared on the show this morning, saying both he and his mom miss him terribly. He said theyre trying to keep busy with the funeral arrangements in order to take their minds off of the grief. Luke recently graduated from Boston College and only a few weeks ago, Tim Russert appeared on the "Today" show and expressed how proud he was to be Lukes father. --- Lakers Dodge Elimination, Force Game Six Against Celtics (Los Angeles, CA) -- The Los Angeles Lakers dodged elimination by defeating the Boston Celtics 103-98 in yesterdays Game Five of the NBA Finals. However, Boston still has a three-games-to-two lead in the best-of-seven series. Kobe Bryant scored 15 of his 25 points in the first quarter for the Lakers. Bryant said he wanted to give his team a boost by getting them off to a quick start. The two teams will now travel back to Boston for Game Six tomorrow. So far, the Celtics are 12-and-one at home in the playoffs. --- St. Louis Company Recalls Morphine Tablets (St. Louis, MO) -- A St. Louis-based pharmaceutical company is recalling some morphine tablets due to the potential risk it made some of the tablets too big. The Ethex Corporation is recalling several lots of morphine sulfate extended-release 30-milligram and 60-milligram tablets. A tablet with as much as double the correct thickness was reported in one of the recalled lots. A morphine overdose can have life-threatening side effects, including difficulty breathing and dangerously low blood pressure. --- "South Pacific" Dominates Tony Awards (New York, NY) -- A Broadway revival of "South Pacific" picked up seven Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York. A new musical, "In the Heights," a story about life in a mostly Dominican neighborhood in northern Manhattan, won four Tonys including best musical. Another musical revival, "Gypsy," won three Tony Awards. A play called "August: Osage County" earned five Tonys, including best play, best direction, best actress in a play and best set design. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-06-16-08 0852CDT