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ADDS: FARM SCENE-BOVINE TB, WIND FARMS-WEATHERMEN
FARM SCENE-BOVINE TB
OMAHA, Neb.—An old bacterial foe is creating problems for the nation’s multibillion-dollar cattle industry, but fears about bovine tuberculosis appear to be overblown in this era when e-coli and salmonella scares make consumers skittish. Currently, Texas and Nebraska are both investigating positive cases of the disease to determine if there is an outbreak. And the disease has been confirmed in California, Minnesota, Michigan and New Mexico. By Business Writer Josh Funk.
AP Photos.
FAN CANS-NEBRASKA
OMAHA—The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is one of about two dozen college communities that have objected to a nationwide beer promotion that dressed cans of Bud Light in college colors. Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne sent a letter to local Anheuser-Busch InBev distributors earlier this month asking them not to participate in the company’s “Fan Cans” promotion. By Margery A. Gibbs.
SWINE FLU-DEATH
OMAHA—An Adams County woman in her 50s has become the state’s second resident to die from the swine flu, Nebraska health officials said Wednesday. The woman, whose name was not released, died late last week, said Marla Augustine, a spokeswoman with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The woman also had chronic medical issues, including asthma, heart disease and diabetes. By Jean Ortiz.
MENTAL-HEALTH DISAGREEMENT
LINCOLN—A Nebraska state senator on Wednesday accused officials of breaking the law when they shut down a program for the mentally ill without telling the Legislature and said the closure could leave some of the state’s most difficult patients in limbo. “I find these actions … appalling,” said the senator, Bill Avery of Lincoln, during a legislative hearing. By Nate Jenkins.
WIND FARMS-WEATHERMEN
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—Wind farms have been blamed for disrupting the lives of birds, bats and, most recently, the land-bound sage grouse. Now the weather forecaster? By Energy Writer Dirk Lammers. Eds: Note Nebraska interest.
AP Photo NYBZ125.
BUSINESS:
— TOYOTA-RECALL—Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is launching a recall of roughly 95,700 Toyota and Scion-brand vehicles in the U.S. due to a possible brake malfunction.
— WINDSTREAM RETIREES—A judge says Windstream Corp. has the power to reduce retiree benefits and force retirees to share health insurance costs.
SPORTS:
— NEBRASKA TRAINER—The latest from Husker practice.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— TWO DEAD-TRIAL—The case of a Texas man accused of killing two Grand Island men has been handed over to a jury.
— CONTRACT SCRATCHED—Nebraska state government must pay nearly $500,000 to an Arizona-based company whose contract with the state was recently terminated.
— FIFTH DUI—A judge has sentenced a Lincoln man to three to eight years in prison for his fifth drunken-driving offense.
— NEB EMBEZZLER SENTENCED—A North Platte woman who embezzled from her boss has been given 180 days in jail and told to pay back about $107,000.
— COURTHOUSE HIDER—An Omaha man has secured himself an unintentional return to the Douglas County Courthouse.
The AP, Omaha.
