CNN 2008-06-20

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Hello, I'm Melissa Long here at the CNN Center in Atlanta with a look at some of the stories happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

The Mississippi River is gushing¹ through a hole in the massive levee outside Winfield, Missouri. And police officers are telling anyone in town to leave as soon as they can. Thirty five thousand acres are under water because of the breach². It's one of a dozen more broken levees up and down the river. A second levee protects the town of Winfield itself.

President Bush landed in the flood zone last hour. He is there to take a look at the damage for himself. He is pledging 1.8 billion dollars for flood relief. Officials in Iowa and Wisconsin say the floods have done at least that much in damage to corn and soybean crops in both states.

Senator Barack Obama will be the first major party presidential nominee³ in 30 years to refuse public financing for his campaign. He told supporters he made the decision because, in his words, "the campaign finance system is broken." Senator John McCain who opted⁴ out of public financing during the primaries says he will take federal money for the fall campaign.

High gas prices are starting to affect the driving habits of Americans. The Department of Transportation says motorists drove almost 1.5 billion fewer miles, highway miles, in April than they did in April 07.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't want to see new oil drilling off his state's coastline. He and several other governors are promising⁵ to fight efforts to lift the ban on new offshore⁶ oil drilling. Yesterday, President Bush urged Congress to approve that.

You're up to date. Those are the headlines making news at this hour. Do stay with CNN for more on these stories or other news of the day.