Obama joins performers for Kennedy’s birthday

Obama joins performers for Kennedy’s birthday

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama led a Kennedy Center crowd in a performance of “Happy Birthday” Sunday night, capping a star-studded musical birthday tribute to ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

The Massachusetts Democrat was honored at the Kennedy Center at an event hosted by comedian Bill Cosby. Actresses Lauren Bacall and Bernadette Peters, singer James Taylor and conductor John Williams were among those who performed.

The 77-year-old Kennedy is battling brain cancer. He returned to Washington for a White House health care summit last week from Florida where he has been continuing his treatment and physical rehabilitation.

Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor after he had a seizure last May.

Science teachers to rocket into space aboard shuttle

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Two science teachers who have spent the past five years under NASA’s tutelage are about to graduate with high-flying honors.

The space shuttle flight Wednesday night of Joseph Acaba and Richard Arnold II will mark the first time two former teachers have rocketed into space together. And during the two-week construction mission to the international space station, both will attempt multiple spacewalks — the most dangerous job in orbit.

The flight on shuttle Discovery was delayed a month because of concerns about hydrogen gas valves in the engine compartment. After extra tests, NASA deemed the spacecraft safe to fly.

The teachers and their five crewmates — the usual assortment of military pilots and rocket scientists — will deliver and install a final set of solar wings for the space station.

Corps: Miss. levees fixed

ST. LOUIS — With the spring flood season fast approaching, the Army Corps of Engineers insists the earthen levees that were overwhelmed by the Mississippi River last summer are rebuilt and ready. Some people who depend on the levees aren’t so sure.

It was nearly nine months ago that the river neared and, in some cases, exceeded the record levels that were reached in the Great Flood of 1993, something many Midwesterners figured they’d never see again. The Mississippi and its tributaries pummeled levees protecting towns and farmland from Iowa south through St. Louis, breaching or overflowing dozens of the earthen structures.

Corps officials say holes in the levees have been fixed. The corps has spent some $64 million so far to fix breaches in about 70 levees in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

Space telescope launched

WASHINGTON — How many Earths are out there?

That question is the driving force behind NASA’s new space telescope, Kepler, which was launched from Cape Canaveral late Friday on what could prove to be a historic mission.

As it circles the sun, Kepler will aim itself at the constellation Cygnus, where it will unblinkingly observe a patch of sky roughly equal to the size of an outstretched hand. In that region of our galaxy are about 4 million stars. Kepler will pay close attention over several years to about 100,000 of them.

The telescope will look for dimming of starlight that might be caused by a planet passing in front of the star.

Storms hit Indiana, Illinois

INDIANAPOLIS — Strong winds from severe thunderstorms raked parts of the Midwest on Sunday, tossing a school bus onto a building, destroying or damaging homes, and cutting off power to thousands of customers in Indiana and Illinois.

Emergency management agencies reported a tornado in Lawrence County, said John Erickson, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The National Weather Service has not confirmed the reports.

Footage from WTHR-TV in Indianapolis showed a school bus lying atop a flattened building in Fayetteville, about 70 miles south of Indianapolis, where the tornado was reported.

Lawrence County Sheriff Sam Craig said at least 19 houses had been damaged, including three that were leveled.

Winds tore the roofs off buildings in northern Indiana and central Illinois, officials said. Meteorologist Chuck Schaffer of the National Weather Service said at least one person suffered minor injuries in Illinois, but he had no details.

The weather service posted high wind warnings for portions of Indiana through early today.

Combined Dispatches