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DEVELOPING: SAFE HAVEN,
ADDS: XGR–ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, SINKING MISSOURI RIVER, HEPATITIS SYRINGES
XGR–ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
OMAHA—Susan Smith has seen her words draw furrowed looks and even accusations of racism from those with a different view of how Nebraska should address illegal immigration. But the retiree-turned founder of the Nebraskans Advisory Group—or NAG—also sees more positive responses to her Web postings, letters and testimony before policymakers. By Jean Ortiz.
With:
— ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION-GLANCE
XGR–SAFE HAVEN
LINCOLN—In the wake of the safe haven controversy, some Nebraska lawmakers think they have an answer for desperate parents struggling to find help for their children: a hot line. On Thursday, a hearing was scheduled in the Legislature to gather opinions on whether it would actually work. By Nate Jenkins
With:
— XGR–DITCH TRAPPING—Nebraska lawmakers have voted on the most time-consuming and contentious measure so far this legislative session: allowing animal trapping in road ditches.
SINKING MISSOURI RIVER
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Missouri River is sinking. As engineers try to figure out why, the phenomenon threatens to damage billions of dollars in property, weaken levees and bridges, and expose navigation hazards such as sunken piers and underwater pipelines. By Chris Blank. Eds: Note Nebraska mentions. Also moving on national lines.
AP Photos FLCR101, FLCR102.
HEPATITIS SYRINGES
CHICAGO—Patients who got hepatitis from contaminated syringes and medicine vials are joining infection control advocates to warn Americans about a problem they say is more common than people think. A recent federal report suggests they are right. By Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner. Eds: Note Nebraska mentions. Also moving on national lines.
BUSINESS:
SWITZERLAND-SWISS RE-BUFFETT
ZURICH—Swiss Reinsurance Co. said Thursday it will get a capital injection of 3 billion Swiss francs ($2.6 billion) from U.S. investor Warren Buffett’s Omaha-based company after warning investors it expects to lose 1 billion francs ($869 million) for the full year. Swiss Re, which based its expected net loss on preliminary figures, said it will seek a further 2 billion francs on the capital markets. By Frank Jordans. Eds: Also moving on national lines.
ALSO:
— AG RISK—Farmers looking to better manage their risk may find help at a free workshop Wednesday in Beatrice.
SPORTS:
— NEBRASKA-IN-STATE RECRUITS—Nebraska coach Bo Pelini signed just two homegrown football players to letters of intent but said he’s committed to scouring the state in search of talent.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— POLICE CHIEF HIRED—There’s a new sheriff in town—or in this case, a new police chief.
— REMAINS FOUND—York County Attorney Timothy Sieh says officials are investigating what appears to be human remains found in a southeast Nebraska landfill.
— CHILD LABOR VIOLATIONS—An Iowa-based grocer has paid nearly $33,000 in penalties for violating child labor laws at some Nebraska stores. Eds: Moving on state news and financial lines.
— TRAIN ACCIDENT—Police say a man who was hit by a train in the south-central Nebraska town of Ravenna may have jumped from the train.
— HASTINGS FIRE—A young man accused in a fire that destroyed a building in downtown Hastings has pleaded no contest to arson and burglary charges.
— POLICE CHASE—Bellevue police say one person was injured after a car involved in a chase with police hit a house. By Ketvmsw.
— STUDENT EDITOR NAMED—The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Publications Board has named a new top editor to replace the one who resigned last week because of academic problems.
— AMBER HARRIS—An Omaha sex offender convicted of killing a 12-year-old girl is set to learn his fate on Friday.
— TRIBE EMBEZZLEMENT—A former director of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s community development agency has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for embezzling more than $80,000 from the agency.
— FORGERY-THEFT—A 39-year-old woman is expected to face theft and forgery charges at a hearing later this month in Columbus.
— ECONOMIC STIMULUS-NEBRASKA—Nebraska Sen. Mike Johanns says he’ll vote against the economic stimulus bill if it’s not dramatically changed. By Anna Jo Bratton.
— EXECUTIVE PAY-FORTENBERRY—Nebraska U.S. Rep Jeff Fortenberry is applauding President Barack Obama for imposing a $500,000 cap on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving federal bailout money.
— COURT CLERK RESIGNS—Hamilton County’s clerk of the district court has resigned as she’s being investigated by the State Patrol.
— SCHOOL BOARD-STING—The president of the Conestoga Public Schools Board in Murray has resigned after being arrested in a prostitution sting in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
— EDITORIAL RDP—Excerpts from recent Nebraska daily newspaper editorials on topics of statewide interest.
The AP, Omaha.
