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DEVELOPING: STEM CELLS-NEBRASKA
ADDS: NEBRASKA BUDGET WOES, HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL, BANKERS SURVEY, NEBRASKA UNEMPLOYMENT, KANSAS ST-NEBRASKA
STEM CELLS-NEBRASKA
LINCOLN—The University of Nebraska’s governing board has failed to further limit embryonic stem-cell research at the university. The NU Board of Regents voted 4-4 Friday on a resolution that would have limited such research at the university system’s facilities to existing stem-cell lines, as approved under former President George W. Bush. Under a tie vote, the measure fails. By Margery A. Beck.
NEBRASKA BUDGET WOES
LINCOLN—Gov. Dave Heineman signed into law $334 million in budget reductions on Friday, after lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the cuts during an emergency session in which there was little disagreement over how to close the largest budget gap in recent memory. The plan hinges on across-the-board cuts to most state-agency budgets of 2.5 percent this fiscal year and 5 percent next year, although the details of what gets cut was left up to the individual agencies. State officials, lawmakers, and rank-and-file state employees may not know until January, when agencies will report on how they plan to slash spending. By Nate Jenkins.
HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL
WASHINGTON—With no margin for rebellion, Senate Democrats pushed toward a crucial weekend test vote on their sweeping health care bill Friday, and wavering moderates appeared to be falling in line on President Barack Obama’s signature issue. One of three uncommitted centrists, Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, announced he’d vote with his party’s leaders on Saturday’s must-pass procedural measure allowing debate to go forward. By Erica Werner.
AP Photos DCMC106, DCMC105, DCMC104.
With:
— HEALTH OVERHAUL-NELSON—Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson says he will use his key centrist vote to support a debate on the health care reform bill. Eds: Note some material is repeated in BC-US–Health Care Overhaul moving on state and national lines.
BUSINESS:
BANKERS SURVEY
OMAHA—Business appears to be slowly improving in rural areas of 11 Midwest and Plains states, but the economy there remains weak, according to a new survey of bankers. “The decline in farm income related to pullbacks in agricultural commodities from last year continues to weigh on the rural, agriculturally dependent economy,” Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said.
NEBRASKA UNEMPLOYMENT
LINCOLN—Nebraska’s unemployment rate held steady at 4.9 percent in October, even as the national rate crept up to 10.2 percent. The figures released Friday show the Nebraska unemployment rate is the second-lowest in the nation after North Dakota’s 4.2 percent.
SPORTS:
KANSAS ST-NEBRASKA
LINCOLN—The North Division representative in the Big 12 championship game will be decided in a back-to-the-future matchup Saturday night. Nebraska (7-3, 4-2 Big 12) and Kansas State (6-5, 4-3) will play their most meaningful game against each other in a decade, since their days as the dominant teams in the division. By Sports Writer Eric Olson.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— SEMITRAILER FATALITY—The Nebraska State Patrol is identifying a 38-year-old semitrailer driver from Manitoba, Canada, as the person killed in a three-vehicle crash on a southeast Nebraska highway.
— ETHANOL PLANT-FIRE—The owners of a Lexington ethanol plant and their insurer are suing a subsidiary of a Houston-based natural gas provider they say is responsible for an explosion and fire that shut down the plant for weeks. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
— I-80 BUSTS—Three people have been arrested and 141 pounds of marijuana seized in separate incidents along Interstate 80 in Nebraska.
— CONGRESS-3RD DISTRICT—A Columbus Republican plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith in next year’s 3rd District primary.
— KOSHER SLAUGHTERHOUSE-TRIAL—A former Iowa kosher slaughterhouse manager convicted of financial fraud is asking for an acquittal or a new trial. Eds: Note Nebraska interest.
— CLERK SLAIN—Omaha police have arrested a man wanted for the murder of a convenience store clerk.
— SYRACUSE CRASH—Authorities in southeast Nebraska say a 26-year-old man is dead following a crash near Syracuse.
— CHILD KILLING-RULING—The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a juvenile who was sentenced to 60 years in prison for murdering a 6-year-old Omaha girl.
— METRO LAWSUIT—Metropolitan Community College has sued Nebraska’s five other community colleges in an effort to collect millions in state aid dollars.
— NEW GAME COMMISSIONER—A Kearney manufacturing executive has been selected to represent part of south-central Nebraska on the state Game and Parks Commission board. Eds: Moved on state news and sports lines.
— NEB PROFESSOR HONORED—A Nebraska professor has been honored as one of the best undergraduate professors in the country.
— HOT LINE ANNIVERSARY—Over the past 20 years, Boys Town’s crisis hot line has offered advice to more than 8 million callers.
— NEB HOLIDAY ENFORCEMENT—The Nebraska State Patrol will be stepping up enforcement as part of a national campaign emphasizing seat belt use and keeping holiday travelers safe.
— BROWNVILLE BRIDGE CLOSING—The Missouri River bridge at Brownville in southeast Nebraska again will be closed for repairs.
The AP, Omaha.
