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ADDS: CAPITOL AWARD, SEVERE WEATHER, LEAPING WIZARDS, ECONOMY, CONSTELLATION ENERGY-BUYOUT
CAPITOL AWARD
LINCOLN—The decade-long effort to restore the Nebraska Capitol has earned national recognition from the group that oversees the country’s historic landmarks. The National Park Service on Thursday presented the Nebraska Capitol Commission with an award in appreciation of the multimillion-dollar restoration project. By Nate Jenkins.
SEVERE WEATHER
SCOTTSBLUFF—The powerful storm that flew out of Wyoming into Nebraska’s Panhandle left behind piles of hail and some waterlogged buildings, but apparently caused no injuries. Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff canceled classes Thursday because of water damage.
LEAPING WIZARDS
LINCOLN—When a 78-year-old skydiver dares you to set a record for jumping out of an airplane, you either fire up the Cessna or go home. Last January, David and Marcia Clark were having breakfast with fellow members of the Lincoln Sport Parachute Club when they got to talking about the Nebraska record of 60 skydives in one day. The record was set in 2005 by Jerry Eddens of Lincoln. A Nebraskaland Feature by Joe Duggan of the Lincoln Journal Star.
BUSINESS:
ECONOMY
WASHINGTON—The number of newly laid-off Americans filing jobless claims fell more than expected last week and retail sales grew in May for the first time in three months. But a rise in the number of people continuing to receive jobless aid signaled that an economic recovery is still far off. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for unemployment benefits fell last week by 24,000 to a seasonally adjusted 601,000. That’s below analysts’ estimates of 615,000. By Economics Writer Christopher S. Rugaber. Eds: Note Nebraska mention. Also moving on national lines.
AP Photos PD202, ORDR203, ARAB206, GFX112, GFX113.
CONSTELLATION ENERGY-BUYOUT
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Maryland regulators ruled Thursday that they have the right to sign off on French nuclear power company EdF’s plan to buy half of Constellation Energy’s nuclear power business for $4.5 billion, rejecting the companies’ arguments that approval by the regulators was not necessary. Constellation Energy immediately appealed the decision. In the ruling, the Public Service Commission said the deal would give Electricite de France SA a substantial influence over Constellation Energy subsidiary Baltimore Gas and Electric and requires regulatory approval. By Energy Writer Mark Williams. Eds: Note Nebraska mention. Also moving on national lines.
ALSO:
— MEATPACKER FURLOUGHS—Some meat workers in Lincoln and Hastings have begun two weeks of unpaid days off.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— STADIUM LAWSUIT—A York contractor says the University of Nebraska owes it nearly $64,000 for work on Memorial Stadium and has filed a lawsuit to get paid.
— SOY DIESEL LAWSUIT—Lincoln has sued an Indiana company, alleging that a fouled batch of soy diesel damaged about two dozen city transit buses.
— FAMILY FEUD—You may not be able to choose your family, but in Nebraska, you can try to deselect your local city councilman—even if he’s your son.
— DRUG BUST—A 60-year-old California man has been arrested on suspicion of trafficking drugs after an Omaha traffic stop.
— BOMB ARREST—Lincoln police have arrested a man they say had items to make a bomb.
— SALES-TAX ELECTIONS—People in Osceola and Stromsburg will be paying more sales tax on local purchases.
— SEBELIUS-HEALTH OVERHAUL—A few Nebraskans will get the chance to influence the debate over health-care reforms when U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius visits Omaha on Friday.
— DISASTER EXERCISE—Four Midwestern states are collaborating this month to improve their response to natural disasters, terrorism and foreign animal disease.
— FILM STREAMS FUNDRAISER—Oscar-nominated actress Debra Winger has agreed to help Omaha’s Film Streams raise money for its two-screen movie theater.
— VET HOME—One of Nebraska’s four veterans’ homes has a new administrator.
— STIMULUS-TRADE ADJUSTMENT—Nebraska’s share of Trade Adjustment Assistance funding in the federal stimulus program is nearly $1.1 million.
— ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND—The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Child Care Center will host an Alex’s Lemonade Stand later this week to help raise money for cancer research.
The AP, Omaha.
