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DEVELOPING: HAGEL-BAILOUT,
ADDS: ALUMNI LAWSUIT, SLAUGHTERHOUSE-MANAGER PLEA
HAGEL-BAILOUT
OMAHA—Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel says he’s inclined to support a $14 billion bailout for U.S. automakers, even though the Senate’s top Republican says he’s against it. The bailout is a compromise between President George W. Bush and Democrats. It passed Wednesday evening in the House but faces strong opposition from Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. By Anna Jo Bratton.
With:
— HAGEL FAREWELL—Chuck Hagel intends to travel through Nebraska saying thanks for his 12 years in the U.S. Senate.
ALUMNI LAWSUIT
LINCOLN—The Nebraska Alumni Association is hitting back in a legal fight by alleging the group’s former executive director both took and spent alumni dollars inappropriately. The counterclaim filed in Lancaster County District Court recently is a response to a lawsuit filed by former executive director Ed Paquette in October. He sued the association for more money, saying association directors made disparaging comments about him, which violated terms of his separation agreement. By Nate Jenkins.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-MANAGER PLEA
DES MOINES, Iowa—A former human resources employee at a northeast Iowa kosher slaughterhouse pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a federal charge for helping hire illegal immigrants to work at the plant. Karina Pilar Freund, who worked in the human resources department at Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville, had faced charges of conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants and harboring and aiding and abetting the harboring of undocumented immigrants for profit. By Amy Lorentzen. Eds: NOTE Nebraska mention.
BUSINESS:
— NEBRASKA LAYOFFS—Nearly 70 Nebraska workers have been laid off in Nebraska City, Norfolk and Lincoln by three different companies. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
SPORTS:
— NEBRASKA ALL-STATE—Here is The Associated Press All-State Football Team for classes A through D-2 as selected by the sportswriters and sportscasters throughout the state.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— DOG DONATION—The family of a former Nebraska judge is contesting the man’s will, which left millions of dollars to an organization that spays and neuters dogs.
— ONE-HORSE TOWN—The Hickman flap over Peter Rabbit the horse appears headed to court.
— HUFFING DEATHS—Lincoln police say huffing, or getting high by inhaling vapors from aerosol cans, is to blame for two deaths in the past month.
— MOTHER’S DEATH—A Lincoln man accused of killing his mother has pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge.
— SIGN OF THE TIMES—A laid-off financial engineer who got worldwide press attention after he walked around midtown Manhattan wearing a sign that said “MIT Graduate for Hire” has landed a job. Eds: NOTE Nebraska mention.
— FARM BUREAU LEADERS—Keith Olsen has been re-elected president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau.
— FIREFIGHTER MUSEUM—Ground will be broken this week on the Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center at Kearney.
— MANAGER CHARGED—The former manager of a Scottsbluff Taco Bell is suspected of embezzling $17,000 from the restaurant.
— SALES TAX CHANGES—Three more Nebraska cities will increase their local sales tax rate to 1 percent on January 1st.
— CAR IN LAKE—Lincoln authorities have pulled a car discovered submerged in Holmes Lake from the water.
— EDITORIAL RDP—Excerpts from recent Nebraska daily newspaper editorials on topics of statewide interest.
The AP, Omaha.
