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DEVELOPING:
ADDS: ROYALS-GORDON DEMOTED, SAFE HAVEN, ACT SCORES-NEBRASKA
SAFE HAVEN
OMAHA—The first infant left at a Nebraska hospital since the state revised its safe-haven law has been permanently returned to his parents, a state official said Tuesday. The baby boy was dropped off at an Alliance hospital July 20. His mother hadn’t realized she was pregnant until she gave birth in a water-filled bathtub, according to court documents. By Jean Ortiz.
ACT SCORES-NEBRASKA, HFR. EDS: HOLD FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1:01 A.M. CDT WEDNESDAY. THIS STORY MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST OR POSTED ONLINE BEFORE 1:01 A.M. CDT WEDNESDAY.
OMAHA—The average ACT score for Nebraska’s high school graduates exceeded the national average this year and ranked first among the 15 states that use the college entrance exam most, according to an annual report released Wednesday. The ACT Education Division report showed that 72 percent of the state’s 2009 graduates took the exam. Of the states in which 70 percent or more took the ACT, Nebraska’s average score was the highest at 22.1. The state average has remained the same since 2007. By Margery A. Gibbs.
With:
— BC-US–ACT SCORES MOVING NATIONALLY
ENDANGERED SPECIES
SALT LAKE CITY—Twenty-nine species in more than 20 states—from a rare beach-dwelling plant in Yellowstone National Park to a caddis fly in Nebraska—may need federal protections to avoid extinction, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency said Tuesday that 20 plants, six snails, two insects and a fish may warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act but in-depth studies are needed first. By Mike Stark. Eds: Also moving on national lines.
With:
— BC-US–ENDANGERED SPECIES-GLANCE
BUSINESS:
— CROP REPORT—The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Nebraska’s two biggest crops appear to be in good shape following last week’s rain across most of the state. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
SPORTS:
ROYALS-GORDON DEMOTED
CHICAGO—Alex Gordon, regarded in spring training as one of baseball’s top prospects, was demoted to the minor leagues Tuesday by the Kansas City Royals. The 25-year-old third baseman, the No. 2 choice in the 2005 draft, batted .198 and committed five errors in 29 games this season. He was sent to Triple-A Omaha to make room for reliever Kyle Farnsworth, who was activated from the disabled list after missing 48 games with a groin strain.
ALSO:
— NEBRASKA TRAINER—Nebraska’s offensive line is shaping up well even though several players have missed practices because of injuries this month.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— ABORTION CLINIC COMPLAINT—The anti-abortion group Operation Rescue is putting pressure on a Nebraska abortion provider.
— ADMINISTRATOR REPRIMANDED—A Norfolk school administrator has been reprimanded by the Nebraska Education Department for breaking the rules on a statewide writing test.
— TWO DEAD-TRIAL—A trial is under way for a Texas man accused of killing two Grand Island men.
— NEB CHILD ASSAULT—A 43-year-old York man faces two counts of sexually assaulting a child when he goes to trial as scheduled in December.
— FUGITIVE CAUGHT—A Wisconsin man wanted in connection with a robbery and slaying in Kenosha, Wis., has been captured in Grand Island.
— POSTAL CLOSURES-NEBRASKA—Postal authorities have rethought their plans and now intend to close only one office in Lincoln and three in Omaha.
— SHERIFF ROLLS—A western Nebraska sheriff lost concentration while driving on a rural highway and rolled his department’s new cruiser.
— GIRL KILLED—A Sioux City, Iowa, man accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a 3-year-old girl in her home as her family slept is set to be arraignment next week.
— BLUE HILL RECALL—Never mind how the recall vote on Blue Hill City Councilman Andy Alber turns out.
— BOIL ORDER—City officials say it’s safe to drink the water in Cozad.
— NEBRASKAN KILLED—A Nebraska man has died in a crash in southwestern Iowa.
— MISSING NEBRASKA FAMILY—A Nebraska woman accused of helping her husband steal a fire department truck in South Dakota’s Pennington County has had her bond reduced on a grand theft charge.
— I-80 FATALITY—An Iowa woman has died in a rollover crash in south-central Nebraska.
— BUS DRIVER ARREST—A former Lincoln Public Schools bus driver faces up to a year in jail at his sentencing in October for inappropriately touching a 17-year-old special-needs student.
— PORK PRODUCERS PLEA—Nebraska pork producers have joined a national organization in calling for the U.S. Agriculture Department to give assistance to pork producers to help them weather a nearly two-year economic crisis.
— MINITRUCK QUESTION—State senators will be holding a hearing next month on minitrucks and other off-road vehicles to see whether they should be allowed on more roadways.
— CONSERVATION PROGRAM—More than 100 public meetings will be held across Nebraska by the end of August to present information about a new conservation program offered by the federal government.
— NELSON-HEALTH OVERHAUL—U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson has announced he will hold a series of town hall meetings to discuss health care reform.
The AP, Omaha.
