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DEVELOPING: XGR–STATE BUDGET, ETHANOL-CLIMATE,
ADDS: BEATRICE PROBLEMS-LAWSUIT, HOUSING LAWSUIT, FASHION-HAWAIIAN SHIRTS,
SWINE FLU-NEBRASKA
OMAHA—Federal officials have confirmed three more swine flu cases in Nebraska, bringing the total to six, including four Nebraskans. The three involve children ages 5 to 18 from Madison, Pierce and Sarpy counties. State authorities say all three have recovered or are recovering. By Eric Olson.
XGR–STATE BUDGET
LINCOLN—Nebraska lawmakers began debating a two-year, $7 billion spending plan on Tuesday as they try to fend off a budget crisis amid one of the worst economic climates in years. If projections from an economic forecasting board come true, state tax revenue will decrease two straight years for the first time in more than two decades. By Nate Jenkins
BEATRICE PROBLEMS-LAWSUIT
LINCOLN—Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and high-ranking state officials have tried to shut down a troubled center for the mentally disabled by allowing it to deteriorate to the point it is unsafe, a lawsuit alleges. In the suit filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Omaha, the guardians of six former residents of the center say Heineman and others want to shut down the Beatrice State Developmental Center. And, the suit says, Heineman and the others “chose, as a method to accomplish this goal, the deterioration of the facility, and its rampant, recurrent, abusive violations of federal and state law. …” By Nate Jenkins.
HOUSING LAWSUIT
OMAHA—The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office has filed its first housing-discrimination lawsuit since last year’s dispute with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission over cases involving illegal immigrants. The new Douglas County lawsuit filed last month accuses an Omaha landlord of discriminating against Mexicans. By Josh Funk.
ETHANOL-CLIMATE
WASHINGTON—The Environmental Protection Agency says that corn ethanol—as made today—wouldn’t meet a congressional requirement that ethanol produce 20 percent less greenhouse gas than gasoline. But the agency said it is still more climate friendly than gasoline. By H. Josef Hebert. Eds: NOTE Nebraska interest. Also moving on national lines.
FASHION-HAWAIIAN SHIRTS
SPOKANE, Wash.—Spring is here, and that means the season has arrived for tropical print camp shirts, better known as Hawaiian shirts. After a harsh winter, a change of attire can spark a change of attitude. By Nicholas K. Geranios. Eds: Note Nebraska mentions. Also moving on national lines.
AP Photos NYLS208, NYLS210, NYLS209, NYLS212, NYLS211, NYLS207, NYLS206.
BUSINESS:
KOSHER SLAUGHTERHOUSE-COURT
DES MOINES, Iowa—A federal judge Tuesday granted a motion allowing a former human resources employee at the Agriprocessors kosher slaughterhouse in Postville to withdraw her guilty plea to identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Linda Reade granted the motion filed by an attorney for Laura Althouse after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against a 2004 law designed to get tough on identity thieves. By Michael J. Crumb. Eds: Note Nebraska mention. Moved on state news and financial lines.
ALSO:
— WILKINSON MERGER—A Nebraska company that makes containers for the food service industry and a South Carolina company that makes disposable cutlery and straws have merged. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
— INTERPUBLIC DATA CENTER—A New York-based advertising and market services group plans to consolidate its information technology operations and data center in Omaha. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— COOK ROLLOVER—A 25-year-old Lincoln man has been given 18-36 months for being drunk when his car rolled on a county road, killing one of his passengers and injuring the other.
— INFANT KILLED—A 35-year-old Scottsbluff man charged in the death of his 3-month-old daughter is set to go to trial.
— DOG KILLED—An Omaha man accused of slamming a rat terrier dog to the ground, causing it to be euthanized later, has been arrested on a felony charge of animal cruelty.
— COLUMBUS SHOOTING—A 16-year-old boy is headed to a Nebraska prison for 30-48 months, convicted of a drive-by shotgun shooting in Columbus last summer.
— UNIVERSITY HAZING—The father of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student has sued a fraternity and nine of its members over an alleged hazing incident.
— SIOUX CITY STABBING—A Nebraska man is charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a Sioux City man.
— UNL COMMENCEMENT—The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is set to distribute degrees to about 2,400 students during ceremonies Friday and Saturday.
— BEAN OVERSUPPLY—The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced its Agricultural Marketing Service will purchase up to $25 million of dry beans, most of which come from Nebraska.
— PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS—A student from Lincoln and one from Omaha are among 141 selected from across the country as 2009 Presidential Scholars.
The AP, Omaha.
