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DEVELOPING: STERICYCLE-ACQUISITION, PRAIRIE DOGS, FBC–BIG 12 PLAYERS, BKC–TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN-NEBRASKA
STERICYCLE-ACQUISITION
OMAHA—Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning is lauding an agreement reached with a medical waste services company seeking to merge with a rival. On Monday, Stericycle Inc. received approval for its purchase of smaller rival MedServe, but will have to sell some of MedServe’s businesses as part of a deal with regulators. By Margery A. Beck. Eds: Moving on state news and financial lines.
PRAIRIE DOGS
BILLINGS, Mont.—Black-tailed prairie dogs have been denied protection under the Endangered Species Act after federal officials said the once-ubiquitous ground squirrels show signs of rebounding from decades of habitat loss, casual shootings and other pressures. WildEarth Guardians, a New Mexico-based environmental activist group, had petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the animal as threatened or endangered. The group’s request was denied Wednesday. By Matthew Brown. Eds: Note Nebraska interest.
BUSINESS:
— BLACK HILLS RATE HIKE—Black Hills Energy wants to raise natural gas rates for its 197,000 customers in Nebraska. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
SPORTS:
FBC–BIG 12 PLAYERS
AUSTIN, Texas—Texas quarterback Colt McCoy? has been selected as The Associated Press Big 12 offensive player of the year for the second year in a row. Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is the defensive player of the year. The two will square off Saturday for the Big 12 championship. By Jim Vertuno.
AP Photos.
With:
— NEBRASKA-SUH-WALTER CAMP—Nebraska nose tackle Ndamukong Suh is one of five finalists for the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award. Eds: Version also moving on national lines.
BKC–TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN-NEBRASKA
LINCOLN—The Huskers face Texas-Pan American at the Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Game time 7 p.m.
ALSO:
— NEBRASKA-TELEVISION—NET Television will televise Nebraska’s NCAA volleyball tournament games this weekend.
— NEBRASKA PREP RANKINGS—The final 2009 Associated Press Nebraska High School Football Rankings in Classes A through D2.
— NEBRASKA SIGNINGS—Two Nebraska high school seniors are among 11 players from seven states to sign letters of intent to play baseball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers beginning in 2011.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION:
— INDIANOLA FATALITY—The Nebraska State Patrol says a 27-year-old Indianola man is dead following a single-vehicle crash in western Nebraska.
— PRESCRIPTION FORGERIES—A 28-year-old registered nurse has pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs while working at the Fremont Area Medical Center.
— SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED—A Kentucky sex offender has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for failing to register with authorities in Nebraska.
— RAPE CHARGE—A 24-year-old Lincoln man has been charged with first-degree sexual assault, accused of raping a woman he’d known for about two weeks.
— KOSHER SLAUGHTERHOUSE-PAYMENTS—Hundreds of companies that were paid by a bankrupt kosher slaughterhouse last year have been told to give back much of the money they received 90 days before the bankruptcy announcement. Eds: Note Nebraska interest.
— NEB CHRISTMAS TREES—Nebraska officials are encouraging people to buy Christmas trees that were grown in the state to help support the economy.
— IRRIGATION USE-NEBRASKA—A survey taken last year suggests that Nebraska irrigators used less water from wells and off-farm sources than they used five years earlier. Eds: Moved on state news and financial lines.
— CLINICAL TRIALS-COVERAGE—Nebraska has become the 27th state to require insurance carriers to cover routine medical costs of those who participate in clinical trials where new drugs and treatments are tested.
The AP, Omaha.
