All times Central
The supervisor in Omaha is Josh Funk. Anna Jo Bratton takes over at 3:30 p.m. If you have a news tip or questions about the report, call (800) 642-9920 or (402) 391-0031.
AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, can also be obtained from . Reruns are also available from the Service Desk (877-836-9477).
Please send stories of state or regional interest by electronic carbon, by fax at (402) 391-1412 or e-mail to omahane(at)ap.org. Technical problems may be reported to (800) 822-9921.
DEVELOPING: RAIKES LECTURE, SAFE HAVEN, MUSLIM PRAYER COMPLAINT, VIRGINIA TECH-NEBRASKA
ADDS: RAIKES LECTURE, COLLINS ARREST, SAFE HAVEN, MUSLIM PRAYER COMPLAINT, VIRGINIA TECH-NEBRASKA
SAFE HAVEN
OMAHA—A widower who left nine of his 10 children at a hospital under Nebraska’s safe haven law was overwhelmed by his family responsibilities, and now lawmakers are starting to feel overwhelmed by problems with the law. The incident and others like it has raised concern about Nebraska’s weeks-old safe haven law and seems to have shed light on the anguishing struggles some parents face in raising their children. At least 16 children, mostly teens and preteens, have been abandoned since the new law took effect in July, and state officials say they’re worried more parents will do the same. By Timberly Ross.
COLLINS ARREST
OMAHA—On Friday, a Douglas County judge ordered a former Nebraska football player facing murder charges held without bail in connection with a fatal shooting. Thunder Collins, 29, is facing first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and weapons charges. The charges stem from a shooting Tuesday in midtown Omaha that killed Timothy Thomas, 38, and left Marshall Turner, 26, critically injured. Both men are from California. By By Jean Ortiz.
RAIKES LECTURE
LINCOLN—Nebraska native Jeff Raikes, chief executive of the largest charitable foundation in the world, is coming home to speak about business and leadership. Raikes retired recently as president of Microsoft Corp.’s business division after 27 years with the company. This month he took over as chief executive of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the foundation is to help reduce inequities in the U.S. and around the world.
MUSLIM PRAYER COMPLAINT
OMAHA—The union representing workers at a Grand Island meatpacking plant involved in a prayer dispute has filed 81 grievances on behalf of employees terminated earlier this month. The filings were done to “cover all bases” and so the workers would have representation if it’s proven they were fired without cause from the JBS Swift & Co. plant, local union President Dan Hoppes said Friday.
SPORTS:
VIRGINIA TECH-NEBRASKA
LINCOLN—No one expected anything less than Nebraska’s 3-0 start. Now comes Saturday night’s game against Virginia Tech, which should represent the first true measure of the Cornhuskers’ progress under first-year coach Bo Pelini. “We,” defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said, “have to prove ourselves to everybody.” By Sports Writer Eric Olson.
With:
— BC-FBC–VIRGINIA TECH-NEBRASKA CAPSULE
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— MARIJUANA SQUATTER—Lincoln police report the rare occurrence of arresting a man who called them for help.
— INMATE DIES—A Hall County grand jury will convene Monday to review evidence in the death of a county jail inmate.
— IRRIGATION DISPUTE—The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that state officials aren’t handcuffed by water-district boundaries when making irrigation decisions.
— TROOPER-PROSTITUTION—A Nebraska State Patrol trooper faces trial in November on a prostitution charge.
— POLICE SHOOTING—Scotts Bluff County Attorney Derek Weimer and deputy attorney John Childress have been named special prosecutors in a shooting death case involving Kimball police.
— THEFT SENTENCE—A judge has sentenced a Lincoln man to prison for embezzling thousands of dollars from the U-Stop convenience store chain where he worked.
— TWO DEAD-TRIAL—The first-degree murder trial of a Texas man accused of killing two Grand Island men has been delayed until early 2009.
— CHLORINE SPILL—Officials say no one was hurt, but some people were evacuated after a chlorine spill near Elkhorn High School on the west side of Omaha.
— EMERGENCY LOANS—Family farmers in five Nebraska counties can now apply for low-interest emergency loans to help them recover from damages caused by severe weather.
— REPORTERS SHUNNED—The chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and editors of the school’s student newspaper are resolving a dispute over public records requests.
The AP, Omaha.
