TUESDAY NIGHT'S DEBATE BETWEEN CHRISTIE VILSACK AND STEVE KING WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THEIR PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS.

BEFORE THE DEBATE, CITADEL BROADCASTING PRESIDENT RAY COLE ADMONISHED THE CROWD TO NOT CLAP, CHEER OR MAKE ANY COMMENTS DURING THE DEBATE, SO PANELISTS FROM HIS SPONSORING TV STATIONS KCAU AND WOI, ALONG WITH THE SIOUX CITY JOURNAL, COULD ASK MORE QUESTIONS.

THE DEBATE MODERATORS ASKED THE CROWD TO BE QUIET A FEW TIMES DURING THE DEBATE.

ALSO, EACH CANDIDATE WAS ABLE TO CHOOSE AN AUDIENCE MEMBER TO ASK A QUESTION OF THEIR OPPONENT. VILSACK CHOSE BETH NORTON, A STUDENT FROM MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE, TO ASK KING HIS PLAN TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY COLLEGE STUDENTS.

KING PICKED MORNINGSIDE PROFESSOR AND KSCJ RADIO HOST SAM CLOVIS TO ASK VILSACK A QUESTION REGARDING BALANCING THE BUDGET:



VILSACK INSTEAD LEVELED A CHARGE AT KING:



KING COUNTERED BY STANDING BY HIS VOTING RECORD:



THE ONE HOUR DEBATE TOOK PLACE AT MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE.

A RATE INCREASE ON MID AMERICAN ENERGY CUSTOMER'S ELECTRIC BILLS HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE IOWA UTILITIES BOARD.

THE BOARD APPROVED A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FOR 2012 AND 2013 ON THE RATE HIKE REQUESTED BY MID AMERICAN BECAUSE OF RISING COSTS OF ENVIROMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND COAL TRANSPORTATION.

THAT ALLOWS MID AMERICAN TO KEEP THE TEMPORARY AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL RATE INCREASE OF $2.33 PER MONTH THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN MARCH OF 2012.

THE BOARD ALSO APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL $1.30 PER MONTH AVERAGE INCREASE FOR 2013, MAKING THE TOTAL AVERAGE INCREASE
$3.63 PER MONTH PER CUSTOMER.

BOARD MEMBERS CALLED THE REQUESTED INCREASE IN RATES REASONABLE AND LESS THAN WHAT MID AMERICAN WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN A TRADITIONAL RATE CASE.

UNION PACIFIC CONTINUES TO REMOVE THE 23 TRAIN CARS THAT DERAILED NEAR LE MARS ON MONDAY.

COMPANY SPOKESMAN MARK DAVIS SAYS THE TRACK IS REPAIRED AND WAS TO HAVE TRAINS OPERATING ON IT AGAIN BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

DAVIS SAYS IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THE DERAILED CARS REMOVED FROM THE AREA.

DAVIS SAYS THE INVESTIGATION OF WHAT CAUSED THE DERAILMENT IS CONTINUING:

DAVIS SAYS ABOUT HALF OF THE 23 DERAILED CARS ARE SALVAGEABLE. ALL OF THE CARS WERE EMPTY WHEN THEY WENT OFF THE TRACK.

A REMINDER THAT TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE UNTIL FRIDAY FOR THIS WEEKENDS 16TH ANNUAL DINNER FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

SIOUX CITY NATIVE JERRY MATHERS, WHO WAS THE STAR OF THE TV SITCOM "LEAVE IT TO BEAVER" IS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR SUNDAY'S EVENT.

PROCEEDS FROM THE DINNER BENEFIT MORE THAN 6200 STUDENTS ATTENDING CATHOLIC SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE SIOUX CITY DIOCESE.

THE DINNER WILL BE HELD AT 5PM WITH A 4PM SOCIAL HOUR THIS SUNDAY AT THE SIOUX CITY CONVENTION CENTER. YOU MAY OBTAIN TICKETS BY CALLING 712-255-7933.