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DEVELOPING:
ADDS: HARVEST GLUT, ROAD WORLDS,
DATA DISPUTE
OMAHA—A Nebraska natural resources district has sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Farm Service Agency, alleging they have wrongly denied the district access to data. The Central Platte Natural Resources District has spent four years trying to gain access to the geographic information system data. Better known as GIS data, the information is used to map out and track things like irrigation practices and cropland; it can also be used to help guide district decisions. By Jean Ortiz.
BUSINESS:
HARVEST GLUT
WICHITA, Kan.—Amid a global glut of wheat stockpiles, grain elevators across parts of the Great Plains are still crammed with unsold winter wheat as facilities brace for expected bumper fall harvests of corn, sorghum and soybeans. “This is going to be putting a lot of pressure on storage facilities and the transportation system. Overseas buyers are sitting on their hands seeing these prices continue to fall,” said Mike Woolverton, a grain marketing economist at Kansas State University. By Roxana Hegeman.
EARNS-CONAGRA
PORTLAND, Ore.—ConAgra Foods Inc. said Tuesday that its first-quarter profit dropped 63 percent compared with a year earlier—when it sold a business—but its adjusted profit beat estimates, and it raised its outlook. The Omaha, Neb.-based food maker said strong performance of its Healthy Choice, Marie Callender and Orville Redenbacher consumer lines meant its results for the year would be solid. But investors were unimpressed by the company’s performance in commercial foods and sent shares down slightly in morning trading. By Food Industry Writer Sarah Skidmore.
AP Photo NYBZ140.
ALSO:
— TENNECO CLOSURE-NEBRASKA—Tenneco says it will be closing its plant in Cozad, eliminating about 500 jobs in the south-central Nebraska city by the end of next year. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
— MEATPACKER FURLOUGHS—About 400 Premium Protein Products workers will remain on unpaid furloughs for at least another two weeks.
SPORTS:
T25-NEBRASKA-PELINI
LINCOLN—Except for a few unguarded moments, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini refused to let his weekly news conference turn into a pity party. Pelini said Tuesday that he and his 25th-ranked Cornhuskers are going to turn the fallout from last week’s crushing 16-15 loss to No. 12 Virginia Tech into positive energy. He did, however, acknowledge the hurt that came from the last-minute meltdown that led to a 21st straight loss to a team ranked higher than No. 20. By Sports Writer Eric Olson.
AP Photos NENH105, NENH103, NENH104.
With:
— T25-NEBRASKA-TERROR ALERT—University of Nebraska-Lincoln athletic officials are planning no extra security measures in response to federal officials’ bulletins about terrorist interest in attacking sports stadiums. Eds: Moved on state news and sports lines.
— T25-LA LAFAYETTE-NEBRASKA—Louisiana-Lafayette coach Rickey Bustle says he expects Nebraska to flex its muscle and take out its frustration over its 16-15 loss to Virginia Tech on his Ragin’ Cajuns.
ROAD WORLDS
MENDRISIO, Switzerland—Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara will attempt to go for double gold at the road world championships when he returns to his native Switzerland for the first time in 13 years. Cancellara is the favorite in Thursday’s time trial, which he won in 2006 and ’07. He also has Sunday’s grueling road race in his sights. By Sports Writer Graham Dunbar. EDS: NOTE mention of University of Nebraska-Lincoln alum.
AP Photos AP Photos NENH105, NENH103, NENH104.MEN106, MEN103.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— HOSPITAL DEFRAUDED—An Omaha woman has been sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for taking $468,000 for overtime she never worked at the Nebraska Medical Center.
— OSHA FINE—Omaha asphalt surfacing and paving company Monarch Oil has been fined $52,000 by the federal government for an accident that badly burned a worker.
— KANGAROO TWIN DIES—One of the rare tree kangaroos at Lincoln Children’s Zoo died after a fall from a high perch in his exhibit.
— MARTINI-BAR BABY—An Iowa couple were cited for misdemeanor child neglect after they left their 4-month-old baby girl in their car while they were downing drinks in an Omaha martini bar.
— NEB SEX PHOTOS—A 45-year-old Omaha man who had sexually assaulted his stepdaughter since she was 8 is going to prison for 26-40 years.
— IN-CUSTODY DEATH—The Morrill County attorney says natural causes killed a 31-year-old Bayard man who died after being arrested.
— LINCOLN TRACK—Gambling opponents say more details are needed about a new horse track proposed in east Lincoln before any taxpayer money is committed to the project.
— NSIC EXPANSION —The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference board has voted to consider adding two teams.
The AP, Omaha.
