ANOTHER PHASE OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN MONDAY IN THE WESLEY PARKWAY AND VETS BRIDGE AREA NEAR INTERSTATE 29.

ON MARCH 12TH THE TOP LEVEL OF WESLEY PARKWAY LEADING TO THE VETS BRIDGE WILL BE CLOSED SO CONTRACTORS CAN BEGIN REMOVING THAT OVERPASS.

NEXT FRIDAY, MARCH 16TH, I-29 WILL CLOSE THERE AT 8PM TO REMOVE THE BRIDGE PORTION OVER THE INTERSTATE.
    

THE INTERSTATE WILL REOPEN BEFORE 6AM ON MONDAY MARCH 16TH. DETOURS WILL BE POSTED AROUND THE CONSTRUCTION AREA.

INTERSTATE TRAFFIC FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA WILL BE REROUTED WEST ON 4TH STREET TO HAMILTON BOULEVARD AND THEN BACK TO I-29.

THE IOWA HAWKEYES DEFEATED ILLINOIS 64-61 IN THE OPENING GAME OF THE BIG TEN MEN'S TOURNAMENT IN INDIANAPOLIS.

MATT GATENS WAS THE GAME'S HIGH SCORER WITH 20 POINTS. THE HAWKEYES WILL PLAY TOP SEEDED MICHIGAN STATE IN THE SECOND ROUND FRIDAY MORNING AT 11AM.

MEANWHILE SOUTH SIOUX CITY GOT OFF A GOOD START AT THE NEBRASKA BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT THURSDAY. SOUTH SIOUX CITY DEFEATED CRETE 57-42.

LATER THIS EVENING YOU'LL HEAR HEELAN BOYS BASKETBALL FROM THE 3A SEMIFINALS IN DES MOINES. THE PREGAME STARTS AT 6:30PM WITH A 6:45 TIPOFF. 

Chuck Hassebrook's Democratic campaign for a Nebraska U.S. Senate seat was short lived.

The University of Nebraska Regent dropped out of the race for Ben Nelson's U.S. Senate seat and is endorsing fellow Democrat Bob Kerrey.

Kerrey is a former U.S. Senator and Nebraska Governor. Hassebrook announced his departure at aa joint news conference with Kerrey.

Hassebrook had entered the race last month, days after Kerrey initially announced he wouldn't seek the Senate seat.

Hassebrook also gave up his chance for re-election to the regent's seat he's held for nearly 18 years.

Three weeks later, Kerrey changed his mind and opted to run for Senate.

Associated Press contributed to this story.

THE MIDWEST ECONOMY IS GETTING STRONGER. THAT'S ACCORDING TO DR. ERNIE GOSS, AN ECONOMIST FROM CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY WHO CONDUCTS TWO MONTHLY SURVEYS ON REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH:
 

GOSS SAYS RISING FUEL PRICES ARE A WILD CARD FACTOR IN ECONOMIC GROWTH...AND SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DONE LITTLE TO DEAL WITH THEM:

  
ON EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS, GOSS SAYS NEBRASKA AND SOUTH DAKOTA SHOULD RETURN TO PRE-RECESSION EMPLOYMENT LEVELS LATER THIS YEAR. HE SAYS IOWA WON'T REACH THAT LEVEL UNTIL 2013.

GOSS WAS IN SIOUX CITY TO SPEAK TO THE SIOUXLAND INDUSTRIAL ROUNDTABLE AT BEV'S ON THE RIVER.