The same storm system that responds deadly tornado in 6 days. it's now flooding South Alabama and Florida Panhandle. Florida governor Rick Scott says people are trapped by high water in their homes and in cars. 

"We had flash flooding. We had about 300 requests about evacuation. We have been sending vehicles there. We've sent 24 high-water vehicles from National Guard; Fish and Wildlife is there with 31 vehicles, 13 boats."

Pensacola recoded more than 20 inch of rain, and more in the forecast. Flooding is expected to continue to several days as rivers and creeks overflow their banks. Debbie Elliott, NPR News, Orange Beach, Alabama. 

 

President Obama is urging people who believe the federal minimum wage should be higher to make their voices heard. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the president spoke after Senate Republicans blocked the bill that gradually raises the wage to $10.10 an hour.

Democrats say this vote won't be the last on raising the minimum wage. Polls show widespread public support for higher minimum wage, and while the bill isn't likely to advance in the divided Congress anytime soon. It could be a potent campaign issue in the approaching the midterm election. Meanwhile, President Obama notes the Hawaii lawmakers voted this week to gradually raise their state minimum to $10.10 a hour, following the lead of Cincinnati and Maryland. 

"The good news it is outside the Washington focusing on wage."

State lawmakers are considering a similar way check in Massachusetts, Vermont and Illinois. Scott Horsley, NPR News, the White House. 

 

Stock prices finished higher today with Don Jones Industrial Average hitting a new record. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports a positive economic assessment from Federal Reserve sent prices rising. 

Federal officials said in a statement that they were once again cutting back on measures they have been taken to stimulus growth. The US economy grew by just 0.1% in first quarter, a slowdown that has been widely blamed on bad weather. But fed officials said growth in economic activity has picked up brazenly, partly because consumers are spending more. The relatively upbeat assessment of economic condition seem to make investors happy and stock prices rose across the board. For the first time this year, the Dow hit all time high and Standard and Poor 500 index almost set a record. Jim Zarroli, NPR News, New York.

 

That new high for the Dow, 16,580 up 45 points for the day and S&P closed it 1,883, gaining 5 points. The NASDAQ rose as well, climbing 11 points to close at 4,114.

 

It's NPR News. 

 

Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin is calling for an independent review of last night botched execution. After a death row inmate was injecting with combination of drugs that include a new sedative and declare dead the convict convulsed and repeatedly mumbled. The execution was halted and he later died. The execution had been put off for weeks as a lawyer argued the state was withholding information about the new drug's been used.

 

Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens told Senate panel today he disagreed with basic promise of Supreme Court's decision on campaign finance that political money is constitutionally protected free speech. NPR's Peter Overby reports Stevens is calling for a constitutional amendment to reverse the decision. 

Testified in the Senate Rule Committee, Stevens said money can finance speech but they're absent anonymous. 

"Campaign funds were used to finance the Watergate burglary, actions that clearly were not protected by the First Amendment."

Republican Senators said the First Amendment shouldn't be tinkered with and they defended the free market of debate. Democrats said that market's just dominated by the wealthy, spending his surge demand so-called social welfare organizations which don't disclose their donors. According to the Westin media project and the center for their response for politics, non-disclosing groups subair 15,000 ads so far this circle, easily surpassing regular political committees. Peter Overby, NPR News, Washington. 

 

Toronto mayor Rob Ford says he's taking time off the battle of his substance abuse. Ford has been drown controversy and ridicule ever since he admitted to smoking crack. He later made a chaos in city hall and displayed other erratic behavior.