CANTON, Texas (AP) — At least 13 people have been killed by tornadoes or flooding in the South and Midwest by a storm that  also dumped a rare late-season blizzard inwestern Kansas on Sunday.

 

Tornadoes hit several towns in East Texas, killing four people. Three were killed by flooding and winds in Arkansas, with officials saying two more were still missing as of Sunday. Rushing water swept away a car, drowning a woman in Missouri; and a death was reported in Sunday morning storms that raked Mississippi.

 

Flooding closed part of Interstate 44 near Hazelgreen, Mo. I-70 in western Kansas was closed because crews were waiting for snow falling at 3-4 inches an hour being blown by 35 mph winds to subside.

 

A 2-year-old girl in Tennessee died after being struck by a heavy, metal soccer goal post that was blown over by high winds, The Metro Nashville Police Department posted on its Twitter page Sunday evening. Melanie Espinoza Rodriguez was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to a second post from the department.

 

Middle Tennessee was hit by a strong line of storms that knocked down trees and power lines earlier Sunday.

 

In southwestern Missouri, a man tried to save his 72-year-old wife from floodwaters that swept away their vehicle Saturday, but her body was found when the water receded, the Missouri State Highway Patrol aid. A second death was announced Sunday by Gov. Eric Greitens, but he did not release any details about the victim or the circumstances of their death.

 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and 13 others introduced bipartisan legislation last week to reform the biodiesel tax credit and extend the new policy for three years.

 

Hoosier Ag Today reported the American Renewable Fuel and Job Creation Act of 2017 would extend this clean-fuel  incentive for three years, and reform the incentive by transferring the credit from biofuel blenders to producers. The switch would ensure the tax credit incentivizes domestic production and taxpayers aren’t subsidizing imported fuel.

 

In 2005, Congress created the first biodiesel tax incentive. In 2015 alone, the U.S. Treasury spent more than $600 million on tax credits for imported biodiesel and renewable diesel. Supporters say the American Renewable Fuel and Job Creation Act would help the industry grow to its full potential.

 

FRANKLIN, Ind. — A Shelbyville man was taken to the hospital after he attempted to drive underneath farm machinery while traveling on U.S. Highway 31.

 

The Daily Journal reported Aaron Beers, 21, was heading north on U.S. 31 south of Franklin, about 5:50 p.m. April 24, when he attempted to drive his 2001 Ford 

Taurus underneath a farm vehicle used for spraying crops, a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office report said.

 

The driver of the farm vehicle, Justin Ratliff, 28, of Shelbyville, told deputies Beers’ car approached quickly from behind, went underneath his vehicle and came to a stop in the middle of the road in front of him. Ratliff had to swerve off the road to avoid hitting the car, the report said.

 

Another witness gave deputies the same account. Beers was taken to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital after complaining of back pain. He was since discharged, according to a hospital spokesperson. The accident is under investigation.

 

 

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa agricultural products salesman has pled guilty to mail fraud. Court records say Richard Wubben, of Buffalo Center, entered the plea Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. Court records don’t list a sentencing date.

 

Prosecutors say Wubben sold seeds, farm chemicals and other agriculture products for Titan Pro, of Clear Lake, from October 2014 to Dec. 8, 2015, but never turned over more than $318,000 to the company.

 

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The USDA said a Memphis meatpacker has recalled some ready-to-eat ham products due to possible bacterial contamination.

 

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said April 25 the recall includes ready-to-eat hickory smoked and barbecue ham items packaged on Jan. 16. The products bear establishment number “EST. 428” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The items were shipped to distributors in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

 

The USDA said possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination was discovered during a food safety assessment. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions. 

 

Unrelated, a Nashville bakery and grocery store is recalling ground beef products due to potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination. WZTV-Fox reported Baraka Bakery and Grocery store, located off Nolensville Pike near Antioch, issued the recall of an undetermined amount of ground beef products labeled “halal ground beef.”

 

The packages were processed and packaged between April 19-26. The product was sold at the company’s retail location.