News

All Eyes on the Elkhorn and Platte River Junction for Ice Jams


First responders are heading back up to where the Platte and Elkhorn rivers meet in northwest Sarpy County where Ice Jams caused overflows and evacuations Wednesday. Sarpy County Sheriff's Lt. Russ Zeeb took time to tell KFOR news it was a little nerve wrecking to watch the water breach the shoreline.

UNMC Lymphoma Expert: Avoid Unnecessary CT, PET Scans


At the same time a national study reveals too many unnecessary tests are being ordered by doctors for their patients, a UNMC lymphoma expert warns against unnecessary CT or PET scans. Dr. Julie Vose MD says unnecessary tests expose patients to low-dose radiation from the medical imaging.

Legislature Blocks Proposal to Raise Teachers Salaries


A plan to boost the pay of high-performing teachers in Nebraska hits a wall of opposition despite support from major educational groups in the state. The bill would create a teacher-pay fund with money from wind and solar energy leases on land owned by the state Board of Educational Lands and Funds. Holdrege Senator Tom Carlson supports the concept .

Woman Jailed for Designating 14 Year Old Son as Driver


A 37-year-old Walthill woman has been accused of putting her 14-year-old behind the wheel because she was too drunk to drive. Like something you'd see in a sit com, Victoria Valentino is arrested after Washington County Sheriff's deputies stopped her car on U.S. Highway 75 near Blair because of erratic driving. Turns out Valentino's 14-year-old son was driving.

Neighbors Praised for Saving Four Who Fall Thorugh Pond Ice


A happy ending for two young Omaha boys who fell through thin ice Tuesday.   Authorities say two young boys were on a pond near 183rd and Harrison chasing geese when both fell through the ice. A woman and her teenage daughter were walking in the area saw the ice give and the boys plunge into the freezing cold water. 

Nebraska's Pioneering Female Pilot Honored with Comrades in Washington DC


Nebraska's pioneer female WW2 flying ace Evelyn Sharp of Ord receives a posthumous congressional medal today in Washington DC. Accepting her medal is Lincoln educator and Sharp Biographer Diane Bartels. "She taught men to fly prior to World War II, then she received a telegram from the Army Air Force, asking her and other women with 500 hours of flying time to come east," sayd Bartels.

Soil testing coming along with difficulties


Union Pacific is playing hard ball. It will not allow the EPA to test soil on property proposed for a new arena in the Haymarket. Burlington Northern Santa Fe is cooperating, but UP says it won't allow EPA testing until the city buys the property...and the city won't buy the land until it sees whether you approve an arena on May 11th. The EPA will have soil contamination results available by

Negotiations going smoothly for new LPS superintendent


Lincoln's newly named superintendent of public schools will make $255,000 a year. That's more than the base salary paid retiring Superintendent Susan Gourley, but Steve Joel's benefits package is less. Gourley negotiated controversy into her benefits package last year, including 90 days of emergency leave and an annual stipend which reimbursed Gourley for her contribution to the Nebraska Public

UNL Budget Cut, State Cuts Pondered


$3.5 Million in budget cuts have been announced for the University of Nebraska's Lincoln campus. Chancellor Harvey Perlman says the cuts are part of the $9.5 Million the University will be forced to make in the current two year period. Today's cuts include $1.4 Million from the Communications and Technology unit on East Campus, $2 Million from the Office of University Research, $73 Thousand from

Flood, Fog Warnings Issued


Spring seems to be busting out all over.  Emergency Management Officials hope it doesn't bust out too quickly.  Rivers throughout eastern, Central, and Southwest Nebraska are mostly full to overflowing already, with more rain forecast.  Flood advisories are out for the Platte, Elkhorn, Loup, and Big Blue Basins including all tributaries.  Melting snow, new rainfall, and ice

Woman dead in Fremont Crash


A woman is dead after a collision between a semi and a car on Highway 77 south of Fremont today.... it happened just before 8 a.m. this morning (Tuesday), about a mile south of Fremont. Cedar Bluffs Fire Chief Rob Benke says the woman was driving a southbound car that collided with the northbound truck. Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz says fog was heavy at the scene, but he could not

College Funding Dispute Resolved


Nebraska's six community colleges are resolving their funding dispute, and Metropolitan Community College is dropping its lawsuit against the other colleges. State Sen. Greg Adams of York announced the agreement Tuesday afternoon. Omaha-based Metro said in its lawsuit that it has lost more than $10.8 million because of the state's miscalculations and the other colleges' misrepresentations. Adams

Veto overturned, Bills Advanced


Nebraska lawmakers have easily overturned Gov. Dave Heineman's first veto of the legislative session. 38 state senators voted to override Heineman's veto of a bill (LB867) that will increase to $1,000 the cost of licenses that liquor manufacturers must have to ship liquor into the state. Thirty votes were needed. The current fee of $200 hasn't been changed in nearly 30 years. Sen. Russ Karpisek

Task Force Shuts Down Massive Marijuana Operation


 Five men are in jail, after members of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Drug Task Force seize three massive marijuana growing sites in a single operation across the city. Police Chief Tom Casady says search warrants were served at 5210 North 11th, 3260 Dudley and 2620 Norman Circle last weekend. 

Pet food recall being expanded


Lincoln-based  Nature's Variety is expanding its recall of chicken-flavored pet food. The company says raw, frozen food is being recalled because it could be contaminated with salmonella. Bring back to the store from where you bought it...3-pound packages of chicken medallions, 6-pound packages of chicken patties and 2-pound packages of chicken chubs. Initially, the company recalled only

Lincoln Police Investigate Toddler Death as Suspicious


A 23 month old Lincoln boy is dead and Police are saying he didn't die of natural causes. Lincoln police say right now, they're still trying to piece together the events that lead to the death.  Police aren't releasing much information at this point about the death of a young boy in Lincoln earlier this week. What we do know at this point is that they do not believe he died of natural

Armon Dixon Found Guilty of Rape


Armon Dixon is guilty. The jury reached its verdict soon after closing arguments were made. On March 21st of last year, Dixon raped a Casey's convenience store clerk and robbed the store. He's also accused of raping another woman in her Lincoln apartment and holding her hostage for several hours on April 26th. That case will be heard in a different trial.