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SCHOOL AID-STIMULUS
LINCOLN—Gov. Dave Heineman on Wednesday proposed using $234 million in federal stimulus money to shore up state aid to public schools for the next two years, but some lawmakers say the plan just delays tough budget decisions. The money would replace the $100 million increase in state aid currently budgeted to come from state tax dollars. On top of the $234 million, $80 million would go to special-education programs, and $61 million would be for schools with large numbers of children from low-income families. By Anna Jo Bratton.
REPUBLICAN PARTY SUED
OMAHA—A former candidate for the Legislature has sued the Nebraska Republican Party, saying it distributed false and misleading publications that contributed to his defeat. Rex Moats of Omaha, a Democrat, lost the District 39 seat to Beau McCoy of Omaha, a Republican, in November. Legislative races are officially nonpartisan. By Anna Jo Bratton And Timberly Ross.
FREMONT-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
OMAHA—Voters in Fremont might get the chance to vote on a contentious proposal seeking to curb illegal immigration, now that a county official has verified some 3,300 petition signatures. A letter released Wednesday from Dodge County Clerk Fred Mytty to Fremont Mayor Skip Edwards said Mytty stopped the process after verifying 3,343 of the more than 4,100 signatures turned in. About 3,000 valid signatures were needed to force a special election, which would take place this summer. By Jean Ortiz.
SPORTS:
NEBRASKA-WASHINGTON
LINCOLN—There was a guy from Bradenton, Fla., in a No. 15 jersey practicing with the Nebraska football team on Wednesday. Nope. This wasn’t a flashback to Tommie Frazier, the iconic quarterback who led the Cornhuskers to national titles in 1994-95. By Sports Writer Eric Olson.
With AP Photos NENH106-107
ALSO:
— FBC–NEBRASKA TRAINER—Nebraska coach Bo Pelini says the first day of spring football practice saw a lot of good, bad and ugly.
With AP Photos
— BBC–N COLORADO-NEBRASKA—Jarod Berggren went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Northern Colorado pounced on Nebraska pitching for 14 hits in a 10-7 victory on Wednesday.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— LINCOLN ROBBERIES-SENTENCE—A Lincoln man who targeted older men in two robberies was sentenced Wednesday in Lancaster County District Court to 20 to 30 years in prison.
— ERRATIC DRIVER—Omaha police are trying to figure out why a Kennard man intentionally crashed his car into three other vehicles during an erratic spree.
— SENATOR’S DAUGHTER DIES—A Democratic activist and adult daughter of state Sen. Gwen Howard of Omaha has died and police say they don’t believe the death is suspicious.
— SON STABBED—An Omaha man is recovering after police say his mother stabbed him after an argument turned violent.
— NELSON EARMARKS-STIMULUS—U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska says he will seek fewer congressional earmarks this year for Nebraska projects because of the availability of federal stimulus money.
— STORE EMBEZZLEMENT—An employee at Husker Headquarters in Lincoln has been arrested for charging more than $25,000 to the company’s credit card for personal use.
— FIREFIGHTER FIRED—A fire captain who had headed the state’s largest firefighters union until his arrest in a prostitution sting has been fired from the Omaha Fire Department.
— HIGH-VOLTAGE LINE—Rocky Mountain Power has awarded a $600 million contract to three construction companies to build a high-voltage transmission line to bring more coal-fired and wind-powered electricity to Utah’s urban Wasatch Front corridor.
— CENTENARY SERGEANT-AT-ARMS—Sally Gordon has no big plans for her 100th birthday—mostly just work.AP Photo NENH101-102.
— JENKINS APPOINTMENT—Nate Jenkins has been named Associated Press correspondent in the Lincoln bureau, where he covers state government and issues of general interest.
The AP, Omaha.
