Escaped Psychiatric Patient Returned to LRC
Lincoln Police and the Nebraska State Patrol have found an escapee from the Lincoln Regional Center. Police say just before 10am yesterday,
Shane Tilley was on an unrestrained, supervised walk when he left the building, with therapists chasing after him. Tilley was last seen on walking eastbound from the regional center near West Van Dorn and Highway 77. Tilley was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the stabbing death of his roommate, Andrew Lubben in 2006. Lubben suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest outside Shane's apartment in Northeast Lincoln. Tilley was found just before 6pm last night on Van Dorn street between 6th street and Park Blvd. and returned to the Lincoln Regional Center.
Nelson says he'll vote no on unemployment benefits
Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson isn't changing his mind about extending unemployment benefits, even though it looks like fellow Democrats will shepherd through legislation that could help millions of jobless people. Nelson said Wednesday during his weekly teleconference that he would join Republicans again when the matter comes to a vote. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 60-40 on Tuesday to move ahead on the measure. Nelson says he wants unemployment benefits extended, but he's against the deficit spending that would make that possible. Republicans have insisted that any benefits be financed by cuts to programs elsewhere in the $3.7 trillion federal budget. Nelson says the government would be better off using stimulus funds to pay for the benefits.
2 groups sue Nebraska city over immigration law
Two civil-rights groups filed separate federal lawsuits Wednesday against a small Nebraska city to stop its new ordinance that bans people from hiring or renting homes to illegal immigrants. The lawsuits were filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund. Both lawsuits said the ordinance amounted to discrimination. Fremont City Attorney Dean Skokan said yesterday he had not seen the lawsuits and could not comment on them. Officials anticipated challenges to the ban. The ban, which was approved by voters in June, is set to go into effect on July 29. It put Fremont on the list with Arizona and a few other cities in the national debate over immigration regulations. Arizona's sweeping law also takes effect July 29 and requires police to check the immigration status of anyone they think is in the country illegally.
State unveils $316M road construction plan
The state is unveiling its 316-million dollar road construction plan for the fiscal year ahead. There are more than 140 projects in the construction plan. The larger ones include replacing the Missouri River bridge at Rulo, and resurfacing parts of state highways 15 and 385. Also, a new Interstate 80 interchange near Kearney will provide direct access to the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument. Of the 316-million dollars being spent on new construction, about 180-million is federal money. The total amount is on par with previous years, not including federal stimulus dollars.
Senator Nelson Will Vote No On Unemployment Extension
Senator Ben Nelson has dug in his heels and won't budge when it comes to extending unemployment benefits. He says there is one more vote and he will join Republicans and vote against the extension. (There is one more and the answer is yes I will because unless it is paid for, nothing has changed.)
Senator Nelson says the Senate voted yesterday to move ahead with the extension. He says he isn't against extending the benefits, but.... (I just want them paid for. It passed with the 60th vote it got yesterday and now what is going on it will become law. I am confident that the House, if it hasn't, will pass it as well.) Senator Nelson says this is just going to add to a bloated deficit and that is why he is voting against the extension. He says it is a shame that existing funds won't be used for this purpose. (But when you have the ability to pay for, as we do when we could have taken unobligated stimulus funds to stimulate the economy by extending the benefits and you don't do it, then I think that is unfortunate.)
Again, Senator Nelson says it isn't that he is opposed to extending the unemployment benefits. (There is a difference than being against a benefit and being for the payment for those benefits.)
Senator Nelson Focusing On Federal Funding To State Governments
Now that the unemployment bill is on its way to being passed, it appears that the focus in Washington will now flip to funding to state governments. Senator Ben Nelson this is already in the works. (Proposals have already surfaced that would spend more federal funds on Medicaid and other state programs. It is important to consider during any debate about federal fiscal relief that local governments, cities, counties and schools are suffering from tough economic times.) Senator Nelson says they are facing program cuts and greater demands on services. Employers have also had to cut jobs and many communities are looking at increasing taxes to help their bottom line. (Too often though, too little federal money trickles down from state governments to local communities. Instead, it usually goes to pick up the state share of the programs and as the case in Nebraska, pick up the general operating costs of state agencies. While it is hard to argue against any more federal assistance to states, it is important to remember that local governments are just branch offices of state government and they have been struggling during tough economic times.) Senator Nelson says local officials need help from both the state and federal governments. Local taxpayers also need relief from increased burden of services on them which often results in an increase in property taxes. (As proposals are discussed in Washington in upcoming days, and I know they will be, I'm going to pay particular attention to local communities. I want to look to see if any assistance is provided to them in any fiscal relief from Congress. We need to make sure we just aren't bailing out state budgets again and again and again but fiscal relief from Washington goes directly to communities in Nebraska and communities across America.)
Nelson says economic recovery is measured household by household, neighborhood by neighborhood and community by community and he will continue to focus on that.
Neb. county supervisor faces sex-assault trial
An August trial has been set for Valley County Supervisor Craig Vogeler, who's accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl. Court records say the 53-year-old Vogeler faces three felony charges: two counts of sexually assaulting a minor and 1 of false imprisonment. The records say Vogeler, of North Loup, attacked the girl on July 5, 2009, during a party at Lake Ericson in Wheeler County. Vogeler was elected to the board in November 2006 but is not seeking re-election. Vogeler did not immediately respond to a call Wednesday from The Associated Press. His attorney, Korey Reiman (RYE-muhn), declined to comment. The trial is scheduled for Aug. 10.
Ground Broken On New T-D Ameritrade Campus In Omaha
Ground was broken Wednesday on T-D Ameritrade's new corporate headquarters in Omaha. President and CEO Fred Tomczyk (TOM-zick) says 18-hundred employees will work in the 12-story building. (We have grown so much over the years we wound up at four different locations so centralizing all our people on one campus inside the city is a big day for us.) Tomczyk says this will be the tallest building west of 72nd Street. (It is going to be about 200-feet high. 12-stories. It will be the tallest building outside of downtown Omaha. On top of that it has a lot of energy efficient initiatives behind it.) Tomczyk says currently 18-hundred people work for T-D Ameritrade and with the new facility more could easily be added.
(As long as we continue to grow and what we do actually in our business model resonates with the market today, we will continue to add good people.) The new corporate headquarters are located in the Old Mill area near 108th and Farnam.
O! What A Duck Race" Benefits Food Bank
There will be a sea of yellow this Saturday at Heartland of America Park by the riverfront in Omaha. It is the 3rd annual "O! What a Duck Race" to benefit the Food Bank for the Heartland. Anyone can "adopt" a rubber duck for five dollars, which is enough to feed a family of four for a day. The ducks are numbered and spokesman for the Food Bank Brian Barks says prizes will be awarded. (The race itself is 11 o'clock and we are going to put 20-thousand ducks in the water. The first prize is 10-thousand dollars.) The owner of the duck that comes in second place will win 3-thousand dollars and 3rd and 4th place winners receive one-thousand dollars. Barks says there is a possibility that someone could win big money.
(Before the race, we get a pre-drawn number. If the 5th place duck, the number on that duck matches the pre-drawn number, that person wins a million bucks.) Pre-race activities start at 9am. Barks says every week 21,900 people head to the Food Bank seeking emergency assistance. He says the need for food has skyrocketed from people in need from all walks of life. (33-percent of the client household that we serve own their own home. 30-percent of the clients have been unemployed for less than a year. 30-percent have gone to college.) Barks says they have had more requests for food during the last three months than ever before. (And the experts say until the jobs come back to this economy, places like the food bank are going to be vital.) The event is expected to generate $100,000 for the Food Bank. For information on "adopting" a duck, go to www.FoodBankHeartland.org. The Food Bank for the Heartland is a central clearinghouse that distributes food to agencies and food pantries in 77 Nebraska counties and 16 counties in Western Iowa.
Missing Kuwaiti teen found safe in Nebraska
A Kuwaiti teen who disappeared during a Florida vacation has been found safe in Nebraska. The Lincoln County sheriff's office says 15-year-old Eman Mohammad Alsayegh had been living for the past week with a 16-year-old McCook boy whom she met online. A member of the boy's family turned her in to police late Tuesday. Sheriff Jerome Kramer says no crime was involved, but urges young adults and their parents to use caution when meeting people over the Internet. Kramer says the girl will be reunited with her family as soon as possible. The sheriff's office said last Thursday it was working with Florida authorities to find the girl. Authorities believed she took a bus to Omaha and was headed to North Platte to meet an online friend.
Man asks for petitions to recall Omaha mayor
Fed up with what he calls a tax-happy politician, an Omaha man has begun an effort to remove Mayor Jim Suttle from office. Anthony FastHorse filed paperwork Wednesday with the Douglas County election commissioner requesting recall petitions. FastHorse's move came a day after Suttle proposed, among other things, a 4 percent tax on bar and restaurant bills and a 9 percent property tax levy increase to address the city's $33.5 million budget shortfall projected for next year. "That pushed me over the edge," FastHorse said. Election Commissioner Dave Phipps said Suttle would be officially notified of the recall effort on Thursday. Suttle's spokesman didn't immediately return a phone message seeking comment.
Ex-Treasurer of Chadron Booster Club to Face Trial
The former treasurer of a Chadron High School booster club will stand trial on charges accusing her of embezzling thousands of dollars from the group. Heidi Schremmer was ordered this week to stand trial in Dawes County District Court on counts of theft and unauthorized use of a financial transaction device. Her next court appearance is set for Aug. 10. The 40-year-old Schremmer was arrested in March after investigators say she used a booster club debit card for her personal use. Initial reports say about $12,000 was taken, but court records put the loss at about $9,000.
Howells Man Sentenced for Abusing Stepdaughters
A 35-year-old Howells man has been sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting his stepdaughters over a 10-year period. The man, who is not being named by The Associated Press to protect his stepdaughters' identities, was found guilty in Colfax County District Court in January of two counts of first-degree sexual assault and a count of sexual assault of a child. Prosecutors say he sexually assaulting the three girls, beginning when the oldest was 6 years old. Authorities say he began molesting the younger girls when they were 8 and 10 years old. The man was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison for each of the first-degree sexual assault counts and five years for sexual assault of a child.
Children Escape Injury After Wilderness Park Bridge Fails
At about 11:30 a.m. yesterday, a pedestrian bridge in Wilderness Park above Salt Creek experienced some type of structural failure and dipped 12 to 15 feet in the middle. The center of the bridge fell to about six feet above the creek. About 20 people were on the bridge, most of them elementary school age children in the Wilderness Nature Camp. They were able to run off the bridge Camp staff took care of minor injuries, and no one was taken to the hospital. The cause of the failure is not yet known. The bridge is about a half mile north of Saltillo Road and was built in 2003. After the bridge had a structural failure during construction, the design was changed, reviewed and approved by a certified engineer before the City took ownership of it. Mayor Chris Beutler commended the camp staff for their handling of the situation. He also directed that three actions be taken: The City Public Works and Utilities Department has begun an immediate inspection of the remaining 11 trail bridges in Wilderness Park. This particular bridge and one other in the middle of the park have been blocked off and a complete study will be conducted to find out why the bridge was deficient.
Sand Sculpting, Kites Slated for Big Mac Event
Free beach fun at Nebraska's biggest lake is being offered by the state Game and Parks Commission on the last day of July. Sand sculpting and kite flying will be highlighted at the annual Kites and Castles event July 31 at the Martin Bay area of Lake McConaughy. A sand-sculpting contest will be held for all ages and skill levels. Registration before the event is preferred, but not required. A park entry permit is required. For more information about Kites and Castles, call 308-289-2770.
Nebraska Forest Services Receives Hazelnut Grant
The Nebraska Forest Service at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, along with partners in a national consortium, has received a $1.3 million grant to develop hybrid hazelnuts as a perennial crop in Nebraska and across the nation for use as food, animal feed and biofuel. Oregon State University, Rutgers University and the Arbor Day Foundation are the other members of the Hybrid Hazelnut Research Consortium. The grant, announced Wednesday, is awarded by the U.S. Agriculture Department. UNL researchers have found that hazelnuts can produce nearly twice the amount of oil per acre as soybeans, and the properties of the oil make it substantially superior to soybean oil for culinary use and biodiesel fuel. After the oil is extracted, a high-quality protein meal remains for animal feed.
GI Habitat for Humanity To Revitalize Neighborhoods In Disrepair
The Grand Island community's chapter of Habitat for Humanity has been selected as one of only 163 affiliates nationwide to take part in a program to revitalize neighborhoods. With the help of Habitat for Humanity International, the local chapter has begun training. Soon they'll be able to develop partnerships to not only help build new homes, but revitalize the communities around them through a new Brush with Kindness program. Officials say the program help fill some of those gaps that city programs and other government agencies can't help with. Joni Kuzma, GI Community Development administrator says neighborhood improvements often lead to homeowners following suit on their own. The City of Grand Island has already partnered with Habitat for Humanity to tear down and rebuild substandard homes. Habitat officials hope to build similar partnerships to revitalize neighborhoods. Like Habitat for Humanity homes, materials will be paid for by the affiliate, with the selected households repaying the affiliate for the costs of the materials. When necessary, a no-interest loan would be offered to help with repayment.
Former Ravenna Police Officer Convicted of Sexual Assault
A former Nebraska police officer accused of having sex with an underage girl has been convicted of sexual assault during his third trial. Prosecutors say 54-year-old Larry Williams was found guilty Wednesday in Buffalo County District Court of first-degree sexual assault of a child and five counts of first-degree sexual assault. The first-degree sexual assault charge carries up to 50 years in prison. Sentencing is set for Sept. 9. Prosecutors say Williams was sexually involved with the girl between 2001 and 2003, beginning when she was 14. The crimes occurred while Williams was a Ravenna police officer. He resigned from the department in 2005. Williams also was tried in 2007 and 2009, but both trials ended in hung juries.
Driver Charged in Fatal Omaha Collision
An Omaha man has been charged with vehicular homicide following the death of a motorcyclist earlier this month. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine's office announced that Michael J. Delaney was charged because he failed to yield the right of way. Police say 21-year-old Brandon Thomas died July 13, five days after his motorcycle collided with Delaney's car. Delaney didn't immediately return a call Wednesday from The Associated Press. Case documents don't yet list is attorney's name.
Truck Driver Charged in Fatal Omaha Accident
Douglas County prosecutors have filed a misdemeanor vehicular homicide charge against the driver of a dump truck that crushed an Omaha motorcyclist. Police say the motorcyclist, 29-year-old Daniel Kirkman, of Omaha , swerved and fell off his motorcycle when the truck pulled out in front of him on July 6. Kirkman died beneath the truck's wheels. The truck driver, 68-year-old Richard Coffey, of Omaha, was not injured. Besides the homicide charge, he was cited for failure to yield the right of way. Coffey has no publicly listed phone number. Case documents do not yet list his attorney's name.
Appeals Court Says Nude Pics OK for Sex Offender
A convicted sex offender can possess material depicting nudity upon his release from prison after the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a part of an appeal of his sentence. Jerry Lynn Simons, who has a history of sex crimes in Oklahoma and Kansas, in 2009 was sentenced to two years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender in Nebraska after moving to the state. Simons' release from a federal prison in Illinois is set for September. The district court had said Simons must adhere to 20 conditions upon his release. But the Appeals Court threw out the nude-picture clause Wednesday, saying it would deny Simons the ability to view "a biology textbook" or buy works of art depicting nudity.
Keystone XL Impact Statement Needs Revising
The Environmental Protection Agency is criticizing an environmental impact statement for a proposed pipeline that would move oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The EPA says the environmental impact statement for TransCanada's $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline does not adequately address "potentially significant environmental impacts." EPA cited several concerns, from greenhouse gases to pipeline safety, and said the draft environmental statement should be revised and opened again for public comment. Keystone XL would move oil from Alberta, Canada, down through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and then from Oklahoma to the Gulf of Mexico . Other sections of the Keystone network have been approved to move oil from Canada across several states, including Kansas and Missouri.
3 Arrested in Death of 4-Year-Old
Three suspects are accused of child abuse causing the death of a 4-year-old boy in Minden. Sharon and Charles Turnell and Katie Payne were all charged with intentional child abuse resulting in death. According to court records, 4-year-old Landon Payne was living in the Turnell's home because his father is in jail. On December 22, 2009 Sharon reported finding Landon unresponsive and he stopped breathing on the way to hospital. He was life-flighted to good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Records show Dustin Scoville, Katie Payne, and Sharon Turnell said Landon jumped from a bunk bed-- causing the fatal injuries. But medical staff disputed this claim and alerted the Nebraska State Patrol of suspicious injuries-- bruises and scabs on his head, back and legs. They also reported a large healing injury on his abdomen, as well as signs of malnurishment and dehydration. Eight children were taken out from the Turnell home and are now in the custody of Health and Human Services. The next court date for all three suspects is August 5, 2010.
Guilty Verdict in Burger King Shooting
Guilty's the verdict for Mohamed Abdulkadir, a man involved in a shooting at a Grand Island Burger King. Abdulkadir was found guilty on both charges he was facing, conspiracy to distribute marijuana and aiding and abetting attempted robbery. Donta Boelter was shot in the buttocks in August, 2009 in what he later described as a drug deal gone bad. Boelter and Abdulkadir had apparently planned to meet at Burger King, where Boelter was going to pay $700 for a pound of marijuana. A man in the backseat of the car they were in pulled a gun and shot Boelter. The case went to the jury after 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, but by 5:30 the verdict was in. Abdulkadir will stand trial later in a separate case, as one of three defendants in a homicide
Senator Nelson Monitoring Border Security Situation
The Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city of Fremont to stop their enforcement of illegal immigration within the city. Senator Ben Nelson says suits like this were expected. (It is one of the challenges of trying to do this by making a pie one piece at a time. The unfortunate truth is we can't get a comprehensive solution to this until we get our boarders adequately secured. In the interim, with cities and states trying to engage in self-help, unfortunately, this is what is going to happen.) Senator Nelson continues to monitor what the federal government is doing about securing the border and recently met with border security commissioner. (I've looked at their plans and the progress they have made and the progress they continue to make as the days go by here, it is my understanding that by the end of the year, they hope to have the border sufficiently secured.) Senator Nelson says part of this solution needs to include ICE to allow lawful immigration to work. (I'm going to continue to keep a fire burning under the Department of Homeland Security to see they continue to make the kind of progress in a timely manner because this is going to be a challenge of growing proportions as legislative sessions begin in the coming year across our country.)
Senator says in the meantime, there will be lawsuits and they will be expensive. He adds it is unfortunate that the federal government has let states down and he will continue to support every measure that deals with securing the border.
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