Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/331754
ByAmandaLeeMyers TheAssociatedPress CINCINNATI A federal ap- peals court will hear ar- guments in gay marriage fights in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee in a single session, setting the stage for historic rulings in each state. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Cincin- nati, scheduled arguments in five cases from the four states for Aug. 6. Though the cases are unique, each deals with whether state- wide gay marriage bans vi- olate the Constitution. "I think the way the court's approaching it is significant," said Al Ger- hardstein, a Cincinnati civil rights attorney who repre- sents plaintiffs in two Ohio cases that will go before the appeals court. "They see the need to do some basic rul- ings on core principles cut- ting across all these state lines. It's very exciting." Louisville attorney Dawn Elliott, who represents eight plaintiffs in the Kentucky case, said she and her co- counsel plan to make their arguments personal, focus- ing on the people affected by the ruling. "Our plaintiffs are all planning on being there, be- cause it's harder to say no to somebody when you're look- ing at them, to say, 'No your marriageisnotvalidbecause you're gay,'" said Elliott's co- counsel, Shannon Fauver. The 6th Circuit is the third federal appeals court to weigh recent challenges to state gay marriage bans, though the first to consider cases in so many states at the same time. Arguments were held in the 4th Circuit in Virginia concerning one case in May and the 10th Circuit in Denver concern- ing two cases in April. Rul- ings are expected soon. In Cincinnati, a three- judge panel will hear argu- ments in each case one at a time. It's unclear whether it will issue a large ruling encompassing all the cases or separate ones. Any losing side could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. More than a dozen fed- eral and state judges have struck down part or all of state-level bans in recent months. No rulings have gone the other way. The 6th Circuit's decision toconsolidatethecasesisun- usualbutnotunprecedented, said Carl Tobias, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Richmond. GAY RIGHTS Court to rule on 5 marriage cases By Susan Montoya Bryan The Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. A fast-moving wildfire near the Arizona-New Mexico border grew Tuesday as it approached two commu- nities and threatened tra- ditional grazing lands on the Navajo Nation, where sheep are a staple of life, their wool is prized for its use in rugs, and mutton is on the menu of restaurants throughout the region. The Assayii Lake Fire ballooned to more than 19 square miles in less than two days while making its way across winter and summer grazing lands in the Chuska Mountains. The flames destroyed at least four structures and threatened about 50 homes near the rural communi- ties of Naschitti and Sheep Springs, fire officials said. Some homes in Naschitti were evacuated Monday afternoon, and authori- ties were urging desperate Navajo families to refrain from going into the moun- tains to search for their sheep and other livestock because of the fire's erratic behavior. "They haven't contained any of it yet, and they're just letting it burn right now because the winds are so high, and that presents a problem," said Leo Watch- man, head of the Navajo Nation's Department of Agriculture. "How far out do you evacuate homes and livestock pens? We're not out of the danger yet." The tribal agency has been busy rounding up trailers to move livestock from the area. But Watch- man said it was too early to say what might have hap- pened to the sheep and cat- tle that were on the moun- tain when the fire broke out. Agriculture and livestock have been key in the evolu- tion of Navajo society and economy. Tribal members have grazed sheep in the area for centuries, and live- stock ownership is consid- ered a symbol of resource- fulness and prosperity. Fire managers said Tues- day they've closed roads in the area, but it has still been a challenge keeping people out given the value of livestock to Navajos. WILDFIRES Blaze threatens homes, livestock Navajo Nation fire consumes 19 acres The Associated Press WASHINGTON Your money or your life? Sovaldi, a new pill for hepatitis C, cures the liver- wasting disease in 9 of 10 patients, but treatment can cost more than $90,000. Leading medical societ- ies recommend the drug as a first-line treatment, and patients are clamoring for it. But insurance compa- nies and state Medicaid programs are gagging on the price. In Oregon, offi- cials propose to limit how many low-income patients can get Sovaldi. Yet if Sovaldi didn't ex- ist, insurers would still be paying in the mid-to-high five figures to treat the most common kind of hep- atitis C, a new pricing sur- vey indicates. Some of the older alternatives involve more side effects, and are less likely to provide cures. So what's a fair price? The cost of this break- through drug is high- lighting cracks in the U.S. health care system at a time of heightened budget concerns. The Obama ad- ministration has a huge po- litical stake in controlling treatment costs, but its critics may cry rationing. "People are going to want to try to dodge this hot potato," says econo- mist Douglas Holtz-Eakin. For insurers, there's a frustrating twist: For each middle-aged person they pay to cure with Sovaldi, any financial benefits from preventing liver failure are likely to accrue to Medi- care, not to them. More than 3 million Americans carry the hepa- titis C virus, and many don't realize it. It's a public health concern since the disease can be transmitted by con- tact with infected blood, and sometimes through sexual activity. Health offi- cials advise all baby boom- ers to get tested. The illness is complex, with distinct virus types requiring different treat- ments. HEALTH Patients clamor for hepatitis cure costing $1,000 per pill JAKEWRAGGE—NORFOLKDAILYNEWS The remains of the Midwest Bank stand next to rubble Tuesday a er a tornado ripped through town. By Josh Funk The Associated Press PILGER, NEB. As two gi- ant tornadoes bore down on this tiny farming town in northeast Nebraska, Trey Wisniewski heard the storm sirens, glanced out at the blackening sky and rushed with his wife into their basement. "My wife was holding our animals, and I was holding on to my wife. We could feel the suction try to pull us out of there," he said Tuesday. Suddenly, their house was gone, leaving them to dodge debris that rained down upon them. And then, the storm that hit so suddenly Monday af- ternoon was gone, allow- ing them to emerge and see what was left of the 350-person farming town of Pilger. They found that much of the community was gone and two people had died. The disaster, deliv- ered by twin twisters rare in how forcefully they travelled side by side for an extended period, left some townsfolk doubting whether the town could rebuild, even as they mar- veled that the death toll hadn't been worse. "This is by far the worst thing I've ever seen as governor," said Gov. Dave Heineman, who flew over Pilger in a helicopter Tues- day morning and then walked through the town, trailed by reporters. One of those killed was a 5-year-old girl, Calista Dixon, said Stanton County Sheriff Mike Un- ger. The other was a mo- torist killed during the storm, David A. Herout, 74, of Clarkson, Nebraska. He died in Cuming County, a few miles from Pilger. 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PLEASE BE ADVISED That the present owners of Gibbs Auto Body are in NO WAY related to Rex Gibbs, the original owner | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014 8 A