Victim's name released in Columbus homicide case
COLUMBUS, Neb. - Police are releasing the name of a homicide victim in Columbus.
The Columbus Police Department says 51-year-old Steven Jorgensen was found dead Wednesday morning at his home on 8th Street.
A press release from CPD says officers were called to check on the welfare of Jorgensen when his body was discovered Wednesday morning.
Information at the crime scene
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Columbus man who fled after child porn charges returns
COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) - A Columbus man who fled the area after being charged with having and sharing child pornography has turned himself in, telling a judge he left to see his dying father.
35-year-old Christopher Fleming was charged last month with 16 child pornography counts and an arrest warrant issued, but Fleming could not be found.
Fleming turned himself in to Platte County
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Schumacher tax reform measure headed to final vote Neb. legislature
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Nebraska tax measure that could benefit high-tech start-up companies and uninsured medical patients is headed to a final vote in the Legislature.
Lawmakers gave second-round approval Thursday to a bill that would repeal Nebraska's alternative minimum tax, and allow businesses to spread losses over 20 years to reduce their state tax burden.
Senator Paul
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Neb. work-subsidy pilot bill heads to final vote
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A proposed work-subsidy program aimed at Nebraskans who qualify for welfare is headed to a final vote in the Legislature.
Lawmakers gave the bill second-round approval on Thursday.
The measure by Senator Sue Crawford of Bellevue would create a pilot program to subsidize employment for parents or young people who make as much as 200 percent of the federal
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Neb. lawmakers advance human trafficking bill
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Nebraska bill that would expand protections for human trafficking victims has won first-round approval from lawmakers.
The bill that advanced on Thursday focuses heavily on minors of both sexes who are coerced and sometimes forced into the sex trade.
Senator Amanda McGill of Lincoln says the law should reflect that young people often aren't entering
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Neb. rescue team returns home after Okla. tornado
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A search and rescue team from Nebraska has returned home after helping with tornado damage in an Oklahoma City suburb.
The Nebraska Task Force 1 was scheduled to return to Lincoln Thursday afternoon. The full 82 members of the urban search and rescue team arrived Tuesday morning in Moore, Oklahoma to help with operations in the wake of a deadly tornado on
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Financial literacy program aimed at Neb. schools
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A new program will offer an online education in financial literacy to Nebraska high school students and parents.
State Treasurer Don Stenberg on Thursday unveiled the new initiative, which will be available this fall. The program is being offered through an agreement with EverFi, Inc., an educational technology company based in Washington, D.C.
The
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Norfolk city councilman arrest on DUI suspicion
NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) - A Norfolk city councilman has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
35-year-old Josh Moenning was arrested early Wednesday morning in Norfolk.
A press release from the Norfolk Police Department say officers were called to the area for a report of a car parking in the middle of a street. When they arrived, the car, driven by Moenning, pulled over and
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Neb. AG wants to revoke license of abortion nurse
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning says the only nurse at Doctor LeRoy Carhart's abortion clinic in Bellevue should lose her license because of substandard care there.
Bruning said Wednesday he had filed a petition with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to revoke Lindsey Creekmore's license.
Bruning says Creekmore failed to
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More Neb. families could qualify for care subsidy
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A bill that would allow more working families in Nebraska to qualify for child care subsidies is headed to a final vote in the Legislature.
Lawmakers gave the measure second-round approval on Wednesday, after holding firm on a provision that would allow more children to receive the benefit. Some lawmakers questioned the size of the increase, which would cost the
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Railroads urge drivers to be cautious at crossings
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - When travelers hit the road for Memorial Day weekend, they should be careful when crossing railroad tracks.
It can take more than a mile for a train to stop, and when a train collides with a vehicle there can be disastrous consequences for the vehicle's occupants.
Union Pacific's public safety director Dale Bray says by the time a locomotive engineer
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Homicide investigation at Columbus home ongoing
COLUMBUS, Neb. - Authorities in Columbus are investigating a homicide.
Witnesses observed several officers at home near 8th Street and 26th Avenue Wednesday afternoon with men in white haz mat suits seen entering and exiting the residence. Police tape and several police vehicles were also seen outside the residence.
The following news release was issued by the Columbus Police
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Home improvement scams may be coming to Northeast Nebraska
MADISON, Neb. - The Madison County Sheriff’s office is warning residents of home improvement scams involving out-of-state individuals.
According to a news release, the sheriff’s office says such groups have pulled scams before and are believed to be back in the area. These people are going door-to-door to convince home owners of maintenance needed around their home, such as
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Heineman vetoes $200K in golf tournament funding
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman has used a line-item veto to strike $200,000 from the state budget that was approved for an Omaha golf tournament.
The governor said Tuesday that funding for the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament is unjustified, given the state's other spending priorities on education and changes to juvenile services. Heineman also argued that the
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Wind energy tax measure headed to final Neb. vote
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A bill designed to attract large wind-energy farms to Nebraska is headed to a final vote in the Legislature.
Lawmakers gave second-round approval Tuesday to the bill, which would extend sales tax exemptions to wind-energy companies. One firm, TradeWind Energy, has expressed interest in developing a wind farm in Dixon County, on the Iowa and South Dakota
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Omaha could lose power to increase sales tax
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The city of Omaha could lose its power to ask voters for a local option sales tax increase, under a measure backed by Nebraska lawmakers.
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha has fought the new law for months, attaching his repeal measure to unrelated bills and filibustering after his initial proposal stalled in committee.
On Tuesday, lawmakers attached his repeal
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Arizona man convicted in Fremont enticement case
FREMONT, Neb. (AP) - An Arizona man has been convicted of five felony counts for exchanging sexually explicit text messages with a 14-year-old Fremont girl.
30-year-old Christopher Vick, of Glendale, Ariz., pleaded no contest Monday to five counts of enticement by electronic communication device. In exchange, one of those counts was reduced from sexual assault.
Vick faces up to
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Nebraska lawmakers approve state budget bills
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska lawmakers have given final approval to the seven budget bills that make the state's two-year budget.
Lawmakers passed the measures on Monday through their third and final vote. They now head to Gov. Dave Heineman.
The package contains increases for early childhood education and a two-year tuition freeze at the University of Nebraska and the
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Public input on Columbus dog ordinance heard by city council
COLUMBUS, Neb. - The second reading of an ordinance to amend Columbus’ city code regarding dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs is producing more questions, it seems, than answers.
“Does that mean that now I will have an appeal process put in before me?”
“Is it possible to put any kind of a ‘grandfather clause’ in
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Attempt to repeal Nebraska sales tax law rejected
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Lawmakers have rejected an attempt to repeal a new Nebraska law that lets cities raise their local option sales tax rates, as long as they secure voter approval.
The law gives cities the power to ask voters for an increase to as high as 2 percent, up from the current 1.5 percent lid imposed by the state. Lawmakers voted Monday not to reconsider a measure filed by
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Nebraska ban on synthetic designer drugs advances
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Chemicals that are used in the newest generation of designer drugs would become illegal in Nebraska, under a measure advancing in the Legislature.
Lawmakers gave first-round approval Monday to a bill that would restrict key ingredients in the synthetic drugs, which can mimic the effects of methamphetamine, marijuana and LSD.
Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha says he
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Nebraska officials kick off seat belt campaign
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska officials have kicked off their annual seat belt campaign to promote roadway safety.
The "Click It or Ticket" campaign began on Monday and will run through June 2.
Nebraska recorded 212 roadway deaths last year, marking the first time the fatality count has increased in the last three years. Gov. Dave Heineman says the number of roadway
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Family of slain Omaha prof, wife ask for privacy
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The family of a slain Creighton University professor and his wife are asking for privacy amid the ongoing investigation into the deaths.
The university issued a statement Monday on behalf of the family of Dr. Roger Brumback and his wife, Mary. The couple was found slain May 14 in their Omaha home. The statement called the couple a devoted mother and beloved
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Neb. officials use website to encourage fishing
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska officials are using a new website to encourage more people to fish in the state.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says the user-friendly website allows visitors to buy a fishing permit. It also provides blogs, stocking reports and instructional videos on fishing.
The website offers maps for trip planning, as well as information about family
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Frankfort Square monument in Columbus struck by tree
COLUMBUS, Neb – Clean-up crews are working to clear some of the debris from a tree that fell in Frankfort Square Saturday night, toppling the monument at the center of the square.
The tree reportedly fell around 10pm as strong storms with gusting winds moved through the area. The Union Veterans of the Civil War Memorial statue was struck by the tree as it fell, along with one of the
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Nebraska lawmakers push toward session's end
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are forging ahead slowly this year with the state budget, a new school funding formula, and an overhaul of juvenile services, but some of the most contentious priorities will likely have to wait.
With three weeks left in the session, supporters of a Medicaid expansion bill are still short of the votes they need to return it to the floor
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Nebraska landowners can enroll in flood program
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Eligible landowners are being urged to enroll cropland affected by the 2011 Missouri River flood into two federal land conservation programs to take advantage of flood habitat recovery funds.
The Missouri River Post Flood Habitat Recovery Program provides eligible landowners incentives for enrolling cropland into the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
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Application deadline set for 5th District judgeship
YORK, Neb. (AP) — June 19 is the deadline to apply for an open county court judgeship in eastern Nebraska.
The Judicial Nominating Commission for county judge in the 5th Judicial District will hold a public hearing on July 10 to consider the qualifications of those who apply.
The judgeship will be based either in Merrick County's Central City or York in York County. The
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Nebraska Attorney General's Office worker arrested
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Investigators say more than 130 marijuana plants have been found at the home of a woman who worked as a litigation assistant in the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.
38-year-old Kimberly Meidell was arrested Wednesday at the home she shares with 38-year-old Eric Trost, who also was arrested.
An arrest warrant affidavit says that in addition to the
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Nebraska's April jobless rate drops to 3.7 percent
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say Nebraska's preliminary unemployment rate dipped to 3.7 percent in April after registering 3.8 percent for four straight months.
The Nebraska Labor Department says in a report released Friday that the rate was three-tenths of a point lower than in April 2012 and less than half the national April rate of 7.5 percent for this year.
The 3.7
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Fort Calhoun nuke plant hopes to restart by June 30
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The utility that owns the troubled Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant in eastern Nebraska says it hopes to have the plant ready to operate by the end of June. But on Friday it was reported that federal regulators are far from allowing it to restart.
The plant that sits on the Missouri River north of Omaha has been closed since April 2011. It initially went offline
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Quail Run to use plastic coyotes on golf course
COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — Columbus has a wily plan to keep raccoons, skunks and other critters off its Quail Run Golf Course.
City workers reportedly will put two plastic coyote decoys on the course in an attempt to scare away pests that tear up the 18-hole course at night looking for grubs and insects to eat.
Public Property Director Doug Moore says the plastic canines have shiny
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Neb. lawmakers to review school breakfast programs
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lawmakers are planning to review why few Nebraska students who receive free and reduced-price lunches also participate in the federal funded breakfast program.
Of students who take part in the lunch program, the Food Research and Action Center finds only two states have fewer students who also eat free or reduced-price breakfasts. The group finds that four out of
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Shuttered Hastings ethanol plant closing permanent
HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A Hastings ethanol plant that announced in February that it would temporarily shut down will not reopen.
The Ag Processing Incorporated cooperative said Friday that it is permanently shutting down the 55-million-gallon-a-year plant, citing the plant's age and high utility costs associated with running it.
Officials had cited a slowdown in the economy,
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