Neb. lawmakers allow storing of license info
Nebraska retailers will be allowed to electronically store names, addresses and driver's license numbers, barring a veto from Gov. Dave Heineman. Lawmakers gave final approval on Friday to the bill (LB261) from Sen. Kent Rogert of Tekamah. Supporters say the bill will make it easier to determine ages of people buying alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets and that retailers already have access to the same information when people write checks. Jaimee Napp of the Identity Theft Action Council of Nebraska says the bill increases the convenience of retailers at the expense of personal privacy. Currently, only the courts and police can swipe driver's licenses and electronically store the information.

Union talks about rejection of pay freeze
Nebraska's largest union representing state workers rejects Governor Dave Heineman's wage freeze request. NAPE/AFSME Executive Director Julie Dake Abel tells us that it was turned down by more than 95 percent of the responding employees. Governor Heineman had proposed the wage freeze to help balance the state budget. If the union had accepted the proposal and managers, not covered by union contracts also had their pay frozen, the state would have saved about $10 million.

Unions say no way to wage freeze proposal
The State's largest Union is saying no way to a wage freeze proposed by Governor Dave Heineman as the state works through would could be a several hundred thousand dollar shortfall. In fact, that shortfall for the next biennium could be as high as a billion dollars according to Appropriations committee chair Lavonn Hiedemann. Appropriations committee member Senator John Harms of Scottsbluff is concerned. Senator Tony Fulton says he is planning on introducing future legislation that would suggest a more reasonable approach for the way the commission on industrial relations sets sallaries for unionized state employees.

Green buildings bill heard before Urban Affairs
A state senator wants Nebraska to go green in how in constructs and renovates larger state-owned buildings. Senator Heath Mello’s bill is aimed at utilizing modern construction and energy practices to save money. The measure would require new state buildings greater than five-thousand square feet in size, or renovation of such buildings exceeding half the value of the building to receive what’s called silver level certification through the United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED, for short. Mello’s bill points out similar building requirements are found in 45 states and over 200 communities along with 34 state governments and 14 federal agencies or departments.
The Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee took testimony on the bill this week.

Neb. court affirms $550,000 superfund cleanup case
The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a decision ordering two insurance companies to pay about $550,000 of the cost of cleaning up industrial contamination in Hastings. In a ruling issued Friday, the court said The Continental Insurance Co. and Northern Insurance Co. of New York should pay. Both companies insured Dutton-Lainson Co. during part of the four decades when that company contributed to groundwater pollution in Hastings. Continental has been ordered to pay more than $475,000 Northern has been ordered to pay almost $75,000. The court refused Dutton-Lainson's appeal seeking $4.9 million from the insurance companies. Dutton-Lainson was one of several companies that settled with the Environmental Protection Agency over groundwater contamination.

IRS says more people should use Earned Income Tax Credit
The Internal Revenue Service is trying to highlight changes in the Earned Income Tax Credit in hopes more Nebraskans will take advantage of it this year. Verlinda Paul oversees the program for the I-R-S. Paul says the credit has been expanded by law to provide a larger credit for larger families and the income guidelines have also changed. She says they believe the economy will lead to even more people being eligible for the credit. She says many people are going from full to part-time work, their hours have been cut, or they have lost their job. Paul says their research finds only one in four people who are eligible for the credit actually get it. Paul says you can find out if you're eligible on the I-R-S website at: www.irs.gov. Paul says you can answer a few questions and find out if you are eligible, or you can go to any I-R-S office and find out. She says you can also get help in filing a tax return, as you must file a return to get the credit. She says even if you have no income, you still need to file a return to be eligible to claim the credit. She says anyone making 48-thousand dollars or less needs to check out the credit. Paul says the credit can help Nebraskans who are struggling. Paul says the maximum credit for a married family of three is about 56-hundred dollars, but the average credit is about two-thousand dollars. You can call 800-906-9887 to find help with your taxes or you can find a list of I-R-S offices at: www.irs.gov.

Lymaphoma-thon Scheduled For April
Nebraska is holding its first "Lymphoma-thon" in April. The event will be held in 24 cities nationwide. Bettina Frappier (ba-TINA fra-PIER) is a nurse case manager for the lymphoma program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and says their goal is to help those in Nebraska suffering from this illness. (The purpose is to raise money to support the Lymphoma Research Foundation. The money will go to support research and patient's education and support services for patients whose lives have been touched by lymphoma.) Frappier says the day is filled fun and support for those with lymphoma in Nebraska.  (And we encourage people to sign up teams. It is just a non-competitive 5K walk for patients, survivors, family, friends, community to get involved to support people whose lives have been touched by this disease.) Lymphoma is a type of cancer that involves the lymph nodes. Frappier says when it comes to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Nebraskans are high on the list.  (Actually in Nebraska, Nebraska has a higher incident of lymphoma than the national average so there are a lot of people in Nebraska, patients and families, whose lives have been touched by lymphoma so that also makes us very excited to have this event in Nebraska.) The "Lymphoma-thon" 5K walk is Saturday, April 24th at Mahoney State Park. Registration starts at 9 am at the park pavilion and the walk starts at 10 a.m. More information is available at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Better Business Bureau warns of fake email about the US Census
A fake e-mail is being forwarded around that appears to be from the Better Business Bureau, warning Nebraskans to take precautions with the approach of the U-S Census. Chris Coleman, of the Better Business Bureau, says the e-mail contains both legitimate advice and false claims. Coleman wants to set the record straight. "In March of 2010, every resident will get a questionnaire with ten simple questions," Coleman says. "If you fill that out and return it, no one will come visit you." If you don't mail the form back, you may be visited by a census worker, who will ask you the same questions that were on the form.  If you don't fill out the form, Coleman says the Census will not try to email you as nothing is being done over the Internet. He says an official Census worker may come to your door -- he or she will have an I-D, a badge, a bag with a logo on it and will be using a hand-held electronic device. Coleman says the census taker will provide you with supervisor contact information or the local Census office phone number for verification, if asked. He says you'll only be asked the questions from the form, nothing else. "Even the Census workers will only ask ten simple questions: name, gender, race, ethnicity, relationships, whether you own or rent your house," Coleman says. "They will not ask for your Social Security number, bank account number or credit card number. They'll never solicit donations and they will never tell you that you can pay off debt." Coleman says the Census Bureau safeguards all census responses to the highest security standards available.  "There's 1.4-million U-S Census workers and they're all obliged to keep this information confidential," Coleman says. "Don't be afraid to participate but be careful and verify when you receive something in the mail or when somebody knocks on your door." Those door-to-door visits will run April through July. Your answers are protected by law and are not shared with anyone. The census taker who collects your information is sworn for life to protect your data under federal law. Those who violate the oath face criminal penalties, a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. About $85 million in taxpayer dollars are saved for every one-percent increase in mail response. For more information, visit "www.bbb.com" or "www.2010census.gov".

Lincoln Teen Facing Sex-Assault Charge
A bond review is set for a Lincoln teenager who's been accused of forcing a teenage girl to have sex. A hearing is scheduled Monday for 17-year-old Kevin Dakan, who's charged with first-degree sexual assault. According to a police affidavit, a teenage girl said she and Dakan were watching television last Tuesday in his bedroom when he undressed and touched her. She told police she repeatedly asked him to stop, but they had sex. Then he asked her not to tell anyone what happened. Dakan turned himself in Wednesday and his bail was set at $50,000. He posted 10 percent bond of $5,000 and was released. A phone message left for Dakan's public defender wasn't immediately returned Monday. A phone number listed for Dakan's home had been disconnected.

Nebraska Residents Can Weigh in on Economic Plan
Nebraskans have a chance to give their opinions on changes being proposed for the statewide plan to fund economic development. The state Department  of Economic Development will accept public comments on the proposed changes from Feb. 19 to March 22. Those changes include increasing the maximum award for any project in the economic-development category from $500,000 to $1 million, increasing the maximum awards for industrial-park projects from $750,000 to $1 million and increasing the amounts of loans that can be forgiven. Other proposals include increasing the amount of money to promote tourism.

UNL's Behlen Observatory Sets Free Public Viewing
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Behlen Observatory near Mead will be open for public viewing later this month. Visitors will be able to view several objects in space with Behlen's 30-inch telescope. They include the planet Mars, the Great Orion Nebula, a star cluster, a double star and a planetary nebula. Members of the Omaha Astronomical Society will set up telescopes outside the observatory, and a member of the observatory staff will talk about objects in the night sky. There is no admission charge for the public night, which is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 12. There will be more public nights this spring, on March 26 and April 23.

Overnight Stabbing Sends Victim to Hospital
An overnight stabbing sends one victim to the hospital.  According to Captain Chris Peterson of the Lincoln Police Department, police were sent to a reported stabbing at 1027 Goodhew Blvd. shortly after midnight Monday. Peterson says that, upon arrival, police found a victim with a wound to his back. The victim was taken to Bryan LGH West and, as of 4 a.m., was in surgery. As of now, Peterson says the victim is only being identified as a man in his 20's. He adds that police are still detaining several individuals as they continue investigating the stabbing.

Nebraska Grant to Help Lodgepole Build New Lagoon
The community of Lodgepole has been awarded a $350,000 grant to improve its wastewater treatment system. The money comes from a Community Development Block Grant handed out by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Lodgepole currently has two wastewater treatment lagoons southeast of the village. The Economic Development department says no improvements have been made since they were built in 1956. The grant money will be used to build a new lagoon and expand the existing lagoon system. Lodgepole has also been approved for $1.1 million in federal grants and loans to complete the project.

Omaha Police Say Man Has Died of Hit-Run Injuries
Police say a man injured in a hit-and-run accident last weekend outside an Omaha party has died of his injuries. Officer Jacob Bettin says 24-year-old Scott Limbeck died late Sunday night. A suspect, 28-year-old Travis Wolfe, turned himself in on Tuesday. He left jail after posting bond. Police say there's no word yet on whether Wolfe will be returned to custody or whether he'll face new charges.

Load-Your-Own Ammo Workshop
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will sponsor a workshop by an ammunition expert who will share tips on loading your own ammo. The workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 20 at the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium. It's situated at the Schramm Park State Recreation Area south of Gretna. Gene Krepela will share tips on reloading safety, materials needed and basic procedures. He'll also leave time for questions and answers. Call 402-332-3901 for more information.

Disappearance of Nebraska Woman Becomes Homicide Case
The Gage County attorney says the 2008 disappearance of a Filley woman has become a homicide investigation. Randall Ritnour said at a court hearing Thursday that Ann Marie Kelley's husband, William Kelley, is a suspect in the case. Anne Marie Kelley was last seen the morning of April 15, 2008. Her vehicle, a gray 1991 Plymouth Voyager with Nebraska registration 3-A8045, is also missing. William Kelley is at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution on unrelated charges. A message left Sunday for his attorney was not immediately returned. Ritnour says authorities had been keeping secret the scope of the investigation. It came out in court because Kelley was seeking the return of items seized as evidence.

Bar Owner Ordered to Comply With Smoking Ban
A judge has issued a temporary injuction to force a Broken Bow bar owner to comply with Nebraska's smoking ban . The order signed Thursday by Custer County District Judge Karin Noakes requires Henry "Fred" Schumacher to take steps to prevent smoking at Sylvester's Bar & Lounge. Schumacher has declined to comment on the case and refused to identify an attorney to speak on his behalf. The court doesn't have an attorney on file for him. Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Marla Augustine has said there've been eight complaints about Sylvester's Bar, which led to three citations for Schumacher. Court documents show he was fined a total of $500.

US economic stress hit a peak in Dec.
Weakness in Western energy-producing states helped raise the average U.S. county's economic stress in December to its highest point since the recession began in December 2007, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions in more than 3,100 U.S. counties. States such as Alaska, Wyoming and Montana lost jobs related in part to a drop in energy and mining exploration. Those states in the past had generally defied the national economy's weakness. Economic strains in the final month of last year were evident throughout the nation. Foreclosure and bankruptcy rates rose even as the national unemployment rate held steady. The spillover to Western states was inevitable, some economists say.

Public hearing on proposed Lincoln arena today
Today the public will get a say on whether the city should partner with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to build a new arena to replace the Pershing Center.The Lincoln City Council will hold a public hearing on agreements with UNL and whether to put the arena issue on the May 11 primary election ballot. The council meeting begins at 3 p.m. at the City-Council Building, 555 S. 10th St. The council will hold public hearings and then vote on three items:  Whether to put the arena project on the May 11 ballot.  Whether to form a joint public agency with UNL to finance the project.  Whether to approve an agreement with UNL in which the city would own the arena, and Husker basketball teams would play in the arena -- contingent upon voter approval. The Huskers would lease the arena for 30 years, beginning in 2013. The joint public agency would be governed by the mayor, a member of the NU Board of Regents from District 1, which covers the largest portion of Lincoln, and a member of the Lincoln City Council. If the council agrees to put the issue to a vote, as expected, voters will be asked to approve about 6 percent of the $344 million financing plan: bonding a portion of state sales tax revenue collected at the arena and nearby hotels that the state would turn back to the city. Where would the rest of the money come from? About half of the $344 million would be paid off with new citywide entertainment taxes that are expected to generate about $10 million a year: a 2 percent tax on restaurant and bar tabs, 4 percent tax on hotel stays and 4 percent tax on car rentals. Another 24 percent of the financing would come from arena revenue. The rest would come from things such as parking revenue and private donations.

Lincoln police look for woman suspected in stabbing
Lincoln police are looking for a woman suspected of stabbing a man in an apartment south of the state Capitol early Monday. Officers were called to an apartment on the 1000 block of Goodhue Boulevard just after midnight, said Capt. Joseph Wright. A 20-year-old man had been stabbed in the back of his neck between his shoulder blades with a large piece of glass, causing a "significant injury" that required surgery, Wright said. His wound was not considered life-threatening. Police were still piecing together what happened, but Wright said police believed a party at the apartment had gotten out of hand when the man was stabbed. Witnesses described the suspect as a black female in her late teens, about 5-feet-8 and 140 pounds with braided blond hair, Wright said. She was wearing a brown shirt, green pants and white shoes.

Waverly man jailed for domestic assault
A 40-year-old Waverly man was arrested Friday after his 37-year-old girlfriend was treated at St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center for injuries sustained in an alleged assault. "It's pretty gruesome," said Sgt. Mike Novacek of the Lancaster County Sheriff's Department. The man was jailed for first degree sexual assault, making terroristic threats, use of a weapon to commit a felony, strangulation, third degree domestic assault, false imprisonment and child abuse. Late Thursday night, according to the sheriff's office incident report, the victim was beaten with a closed fist, her head was slammed repeatedly into the floor and she was choked. The assault continued into Friday morning when the alleged assailant refused to allow the victim to leave their shared home, holding her at gunpoint and forcing her to perform oral sex. The victim sustained severe bruising and a broken nose. The victim's children were in the home and awoke to the sounds of the beating.

State discusses raising highway speed limits
You can get from here to there faster these days, at least on some state highways. The speed limits have gone up on about 360 miles of state highway during the past 14 months as Department of Roads staff study roads, trying to put more consistency into speed limits on the state's two-lane roads.The speed limit policy is based on what is reasonable and safe as well as on being more consistent, said Alan Swanson, with the Nebraska Department of Roads. The re-examination of the speed limits grew, in part, out of highway commissioners' frustration with low speed limits and inconsistent speeds on rural roads. After designing a new speed limit policy that gives greater weight to consistent speeds, the department began assessing the 1,135 miles of highway posted at 55 mph in November 2008, Swanson told commissioners at a recent meeting. Since then, the agency has reviewed about 50 percent of the 55 mph highways and raised the speed limit to 60 on about 75 percent of those reviewed, Swanson said. The agency expects to be finished with the review of highways posted at 55 mph in 2011.

Snowfall numbers crack top 20
With more winter - and more snow - to go, Lincoln's winter of 2009-2010 is already one of the snowiest on record. After an inch and a half of wet snow Saturday night into Sunday - which contributed to 28 Lincoln fender benders before 9 a.m. - 37.8 inches of snow has fallen on the Capital City this winter. In a ranking of winters over the past 111 years, this winter is already the 20th snowiest, with every flake edging us closer to 19th, maybe even 18th place. The forecast for today calls for additional accumulation of less than an inch of snow, with a morning high of 27 dropping to the teens by afternoon. Snow flurries return to the forecast by the weekend. In terms of seasonal snowfall, we're still a long way from No. 1 - 59.4 inches in 1914-1915 - a dubious distinction at best.

Students invited to Nebraska's birthday parties
Thousands of elementary school students have been invited to a series of birthday parties celebrating Nebraska's statehood. Secretary of State John Gales says he expects 3,300 students to attend the parties, scheduled for Feb. 22-26. They'll be held in Omaha, Boys Town, Sidney, Scottsbluff, McCook, Kearney, Fremont, Seward, Columbus and Norfolk. Gale says he wants ``students to develop state pride and become good citizens.'' He plans to attend all 10 parties, appearing in costume as ``Cactus Jack.'' The parties are sponsored by Gale's office, the NEBRASKAland Foundation, the Nebraska Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. March 1 marks the 143rd anniversary of Nebraska's statehood.

GI teen arrested for assaulting a police officer
A Grand Island teen is in a juvenile detention facility Saturday night after a assaulting a police officer.
Police were called to Grand Island Senior High Friday afternoon. That was where they found a 15 year old insulting staff members. They said the teen then started insulting police and even slapped the officer in the face and chest.  Police said the teen was under the influence of alcohol. They arrested him. The teen now faces charges of third degree assault, minor in possession and obstructing an officer.

20 Car Pile Up Shuts Down I-80
A 20-plus car pileup in the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 between Waverly and 56th Street in Lincoln briefly shut down the interstate Saturday morning, said Deb Collins, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska State Patrol. Collins said one vehicle lost control on the icy interstate and "started a chain reaction" with other vehicles and three semi trucks just before 7 a.m. There were no injuries.

AK-47 Stolen From Closet
Lincoln Police are searching for the person responsible for taking an AK-47 out of the home of a Lincoln man. Officer Katie Flood said a 24-year-old man recently bought the Romanian made AK-47 semi-automatic assault rifle, and was not allowed to keep it at home, so he was storing it at a friend's home, in the 2300 block of Randolph Street. The friend had several people over Saturday night, and realized the gun had been taken from the closet. Flood said no ammunition was taken. The gun is worth $453.

Man Arrested for Sexual Assault
The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office was called to a Waverly home over the weekend, on reports of a sexual assault. Sheriff Terry Wagner said his office was called by Saint Elizabeth's Regional Medical Center Friday night on reports of 40-year-old Thomas Maass sexually assaulting his 37-year-old live-in girlfriend. Wagner said Maass punched her in the face, and forced her head into the ground several times, before he brought out a gun, and forced her to do sexual acts to him. Maass was arrested for 1st degree sexual assault, terroristic threats, use of a weapon to commit a felony and strangulation. He was also cited for child abuse, false imprisonment and domestic assault.

State Senator Rich Pahls is Still in Critical Condition
Nebraska Senator Rich Pahls is listed in critical condition. He is being treated for an auto-immune condition in the Intensive Care Unit at Bryan LGH West Hospital in Lincoln.  Senator Mike Flood, Speaker of the Legislature, made the following statement regarding the health of Nebraska State Senator Rich Pahls:  "Senator Rich Pahls of Omaha is being treated for an auto-immune condition in the Intensive Care Unit at Bryan LGH West Hospital in Lincoln. According to his family, it will be several weeks before the medical team can predict the date of his return to the Legislature. Please continue to keep Senator Pahls in your thoughts and prayers. At this time, Senator Pahls is not receiving visitors."

Nebraska Panel Raising some Speed Limits on some Roads
The Nebraska Highway Commission and Roads Department are proceeding with all deliberate speed in reviewing posted limits on state highways. Speed limits have been raised on about 360 miles so far, and the review is about halfway finished. The Roads Department's Alan Swanson says the policy on speed limits is based on what is safe and reasonable for any particular stretch, plus what would be consistent with similar stretches elsewhere in Nebraska. Swanson says the review of 1,135 miles of state highways began in November 2008, after a new policy was developed that gives more weight to consistency. Highway commissioner Doug Leafgreen says motorists often are frustrated by limits of 35 mph in one town, while in another town the limit is 50 mph.

Plans In The Works For New Natl. Cemetery In Sarpy Co.
After years of planning, a new National Veteran's Cemetery will be built in Sarpy County. John Hilgert is with the Nebraska Department of Veteran's Affairs and says a site near Offutt Air Force Base is the perfect location.  (It is a combination of a place for eternal rest and that combined together to make a place of eternal honor.) Hilgert says a lot of planning has gone into getting money for this cemetery.  (It has been in the works for years and we are very happy the President included this in his budget.)
No time-table for construction has been set. Hilgert says he would like to see veterans' groups provide input in the design of the cemetery.

Felons Can’t Pay for DNA
Lincoln Senator Bill Avery is arguing against claims that felons cannot afford to pay the 30 dollar fee in his bill that requires every inmate to pay to have their D-N-A taken. Some argued that it's many felons are broke and their families are too poor to pick up the cost. Avery checked with the Department of Corrections. Avery says that segregation is usually for a short amount of time as punishment. His bill to collect DNA from all felons is moving to the final round of debate.

Man dies after hit and run
Police say a man injured in a hit-and-run accident last weekend outside an Omaha party has died of his
injuries. Officer Jacob Bettin (beh-TEEN) says 24-year-old Scott Limbeck died late Sunday night. A suspect, 28-year-old Travis Wolfe, turned himself in on Tuesday. He left jail after posting bond. Police say there's no word yet on whether Wolfe will be returned to custody or whether he'll face new charges.

Review of speed limits halfway done
The Nebraska Highway Commission and Roads Department are moving forward in reviewing speed limits in the state.  On about 360 miles of roadway speeds have been raised in the state and the review is about halfway finished. The Roads Department's Alan Swanson says the policy on speed limits is based on what is safe and reasonable for any particular stretch, plus what would be consistent with similar stretches elsewhere in Nebraska. Swanson says the review of 1,135 miles of state highways began in November 2008, after a new policy was developed that gives more weight to consistency. Highway commissioner Doug Leafgreen says motorists often are frustrated by limits of 35 mph in one town, while in another town the limit is 50 mph.