A power outage Sunday morning in parts of Pottawattamie, Cass and Shelby Counties had nothing to do with the weather. Tina Potthoff, spokesperson for Mid-American Energy based in Des Moines, said a furry bandit was responsible. She says a raccoon made its way into a substation at 220 Pearl Street in Walnut. The result was a total of 806 customers who lost power.

In particular, 152 customers were left in the dark in Marne, while 654 persons in Pottawattamie County and a smattering of customers in Cass and Shelby Counties were left without power. The incident happened at around 5:04-a.m. Power was restored at around 10-a.m.

Potthoff says when a critter such as a raccoon or squirrel enters a substation, they typically get into the electrical wiring, which typically results in the animal’s demise, along with a power outage.

Governor Branstad says Missouri River flooding has already done “tens of millions of dollars” in damage. Branstad will be conducting an aerial tour of the sprawling Missouri River’s run along Iowa’s western border. “Today I’m going back to Sioux City and Council Bluffs to get a first-hand view of the flood situation and the work that’s been going on,” Branstad says. Branstad has asked for a presidential disaster declaration for the six counties that border the Missouri River, and Branstad says he “can’t imagine” the president won’t grant it.

“That’s important because communities like Hamburg and Council Bluffs and Sioux City and virtually all the communities along the Missouri River have expended a lot of money to protect themselves and they should be eligible for 80 percent reimbursement and also the state’s match as well,” Branstad says. “And so we anticipate this will be a substantial cost at all levels, but under the FEMA guidelines, the federal government should pick up at least 80 percent of this.”

Some concerns have been raised about a nuclear power plant just across the border in Nebraska which is surrounded by water, but Branstad says he’s been “assured” there is no danger to the public. “It is surrounded by water, but it is also actually shut down right now anyway for maintenance purposes,” Branstad says, “and they feel very confident there is no danger with it whatsoever.”

Branstad will fly in a Black Hawk helicopter from Sioux City to Council Bluffs this afternoon. He has on-the-ground meetings in both cities with local officials involved in the flood fight. Branstad will be along the Mississippi River tomorrow (Tuesday) to welcome President Obama to Bettendorf and the governor plans to visit with Obama about that presidential disaster declaration request for the Missouri River corridor. Branstad also spoke with the governors of Montana and North Dakota this past weekend to compare notes on the status of the Missouri River basin.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says he’ll press President Barack Obama to issue a disaster declaration along the Missouri River during the president’s trip to eastern Iowa. The governor told reporters at his weekly news conference Monday that he’s scheduled to meet with the president during Obama’s trip to Bettendorf on Tuesday and will use the occasion to seek a federal disaster declaration. That would allow the federal government to pick up roughly 80 percent of the costs of damage to public facilities due to flooding.

The governor has already requested a federal disaster declaration. Branstad says he is hopeful that request will be granted in the next few days. With the president scheduled to be in Bettendorf, Branstad says it makes sense to use that occasion to reiterate his request.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – Republican Michele Bachmann is casting herself as the “bold choice” in the 2012 presidential race. The outspoken congresswoman and tea party favorite formally launched her bid Monday in her Iowa birthplace, after first making her intentions clear at a debate earlier this month.

Outside a historic mansion in Waterloo, Bachmann says she’s waging the campaign “not for vanity.” Instead she says voters “must make a bold choice if we are to secure the promise of the future.”

Bachmann enters the race as an Iowa poll shows her near the front of the pack in the first in the nation caucus state. Bachmann played up her tea party ties but also made mention of her Democratic roots.