OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Powerful thunderstorms that ripped through eastern Nebraska and western Iowa damaged homes, vehicles and businesses and has left thousands of people without power. Hail from the rain-laden storms shattered windows, roofs and siding at homes around the region. No storm-related deaths have been reported.

Ann Thelen, Director of Communications for MidAmerican Energy, said there were numerous power poles and wires down in Council Bluffs. Thelen said crews were being brought in from all over in Iowa, to help with the repair work. As of 10:30-a.m, more than 46-hundred MidAmerican customers in southwest Iowa were without power, including 1,884 in Council Bluffs, 874 in Mills County, 441 in Bedford, 44 in Glenwood, and nine in Griswold. Thelen said the energy company hopes to have all power restored to customers, by Saturday night.

Omaha’s Eppley Airfield was closed for a time and more than 35 flights were delayed or canceled because of the storms, which rolled through at around 5-p.m. Seven aircraft were damaged, and one Southwest Airlines pilot was struck by hail as he walked off a plane and onto the jet bridge. He was taken in serious condition to a local hospital.

In Council Bluffs, baseball- and softball-size hail knocked out 19 skylights and three classroom windows on the St. Albert Catholic Schools campus. Several cars in the parking lot were hit. School officials say about 25 volunteers worked to clean up the debris, and cover the broken windows and skylights.

Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County say only minor injuries were reported following a rollover accident earlier this week, northwest of Guthrie Center. On Tuesday, a van driven by Allie Brooks, of Guthrie Center, was traveling east on 215^th Street, just west of 190^th Road, when the vehicle went out of control on the soft, wet gravel surface.

The van entered the south ditch and rolled over a fence. Brooks, and the children in her van escaped serious injury, because they were all properly secured with seatbelts. Brooks suffered an injury to her arm, and was transported to the Guthrie County Hospital by private vehicle.

The 2003 Dodge Caravan she was driving, was totaled in the crash.

A judge in Pottawattamie County has ruled a Council Bluffs man will not not have to spend an additional 10-years in jail beyond the 50-year sentence he’ll serve for attempted murder and robbery. Judge Timothy O’Grady said Thursday, that 34-year old David Maddox Jr.’s 10-year sentence for third-degree kidnapping, should be served concurrently. As it is, Maddox will have to serve a minimum of 34-years in prison, for his role in the December 2009 beating of Rodney Koehrsen.

Maddox, and Jeremy Gibler, who was 25 at the time, were convicted in April 2010, of attempted murder, 1^st degree robbery, and 1^st degree kidnapping, for beating Koehrsen, and tossing him into the Missouri River on December 17, 2009.

Last May, the Iowa Court of Appeals reduced the kidnapping charge — which would have meant a mandatory life sentence without parole — to 3^rd degree kidnapping. The court ruled there wasn’t enough evidence to support a finding of a serious injury, during the attack.

Chief Deputy Pottawattamie County Attorney Jon Jacobmeier told the Omaha World-Herald Thursday, he was satisfied with the judges’ decision. Defense attorney Greg Jones also said he was satisfied with the ruling.