News

Student "Branded" In Welding Class
A 15-year-old North Platte student has been arrested, accused of branding another teenager during a welding class. The incident occurred Tuesday at North Platte High School. Lt. Rich Hoagland says one boy touched a hot welding rod to the neck of a 15-year-old classmate. The injured teen was treated. The other boy was taken into custody and was released on Wednesday. He's due back in court on Feb.

Bill Promotes Pledge Of Allegiance
Patriotism and the value of U.S. citizenship would be recognized first thing in the morning in all Nebraska public schools, under a bill up for debate next week in the state Legislature. Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln says a United States flag should be posted in every public school classroom and students should be led in the Pledge of Allegiance during the first class of every school day. Starting

More Room For Flood Water
The unusually warm winter weather allowed the Army Corps of Engineers to clear out some additional flood-storage space in the Missouri River's reservoirs. The corps said Friday it has about 16.8 million acre-feet of space for floodwater in the reservoirs. That's about 500,000 acre-feet more than normal. Jody Farhat, who oversees the six dams along the river, says the corps was able to release

Supreme Court: "Learning Community OK"
The Nebraska Supreme Court says the taxing authority used by a board that oversees nearly a dozen Omaha-area school districts is constitutional. In a decision released Friday, the high court overturned a Sarpy County ruling that said taxes levied by the Learning Community board were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court says it's clear that the taxes serve a mostly local purpose. Plus the court

Judge Clears Way For Moore Execution
A Douglas County judge has rejected an appeal by death row inmate Carey Dean Moore. Moore challenged the state's intention to use lethal injections. District Judge Thomas Otepka ruled that the process of execution is not the same as the death sentence itself, so any errors in the steps toward the execution don't void the sentence. Moore was convicted of killing two Omaha cab drivers in 1979. He

Death Row Inmate Loses Appeal
The Nebraska Supreme Court has rejected appeals filed by a Texas man on Nebraska's death row for killing two men in 2007. Marco Torres Jr., formerly of Pasadena, Texas, was convicted of first-degree murder and other charges for shooting to death two Grand Island residents, 48-year-old Timothy Donohue and 60-year-old Edward Hall. Torres says some evidence shouldn't have been allowed at his trial

Lotter Appeals To U.S. Supreme Court
A Nebraska death row inmate whose murder case inspired the 1999 film "Boys Don't Cry" has filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. John Lotter and a co-defendant were convicted in the 1993 slaying of a 21-year-old woman who lived briefly as a man and two witnesses to the killing. Lotter has maintained his innocence. In August, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of

Chief Reviewing Cops Seat Belt Use
Lincoln Police Chief Jim Peschong says seatbelt use among officers will be discussed following an officer's death in a traffic accident. Tony Howe, of York, died his way to work at the Lincoln Police Department when his car veered off Interstate 80 on Jan. 25. The accident investigator says Howe was not wearing a seat belt - and that he rarely did, at least in his own car. Peschong says he's

10 Or More Inches Of Snow Likely
The National Weather Service this morning (Friday) is saying Lincoln can expect 10 or more inches of snow from a storm that will start today (Friday) as rain. Meteorologist, Beck Kern, tells KFOR NEWS snow starts around Midnight or so, then changes to wet, heavy snow. Deepest amounts will fall along the I-80 corridor and between Lincoln and Columbus. Wind will blow between 15 and 25 mph, but

New Library Looks To Have A New Feel
A new library downtown could look nothing like you've ever seen...it could have downloading stations and sound-proof booths where you can talk on your cell phone. It could have a coffee shop/cafe where people can have lunch. It could have plenty of meeting rooms and quiet spaces...places for public computer use and places you can use your own computer. It could have art and office space. Oh

New Bill For Film Production Advances
Lights...camera...action for Lincoln Senator, Colby Coash's bill making film, commercial and television production eligible for local economic development incentives. It advanced unanimously from the legislature's Urban Affairs Committee onto the floor for full debate.

Haar Filing For Re-Election
A legislative incumbent is running again.  Senator Ken Haar of Malcolm kicked off his re-election campaign for the 21st district seat Thursday night. Haar is just finishing his first term in the legislature, after serving eight years on the Lincoln City Council. One Challenger, Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, has also filed for that seat so far.

Johanns Prediction on STOCK Act
Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns predicts that congress will pass the STOCK act. The name stands for "Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge." It prohibits members of congress, or the administration, from buying or selling stocks based on knowledge they receive privately while doing their job. Johanns saying the core values like honesty, integrity and discipline are embodied in the

Hearings Postponed Due To Winter Weather
The Nebraska Legislature is postponing hearings because a severe winter storm is expected to blow across the state beginning Friday and running through Sunday.All committee hearings scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday will be moved to Feb. 13 at 9:30 a.m. Lawmakers will end their Friday floor session at 11 a.m. to let senators get a head start on their drives back home. Speaker Mike Flood announced

Text Message and Nude Photo Scandal
A Spanish teacher has been accused of sending inappropriate text messages and a nude photo to a student at his Council Bluffs high school. A news release sent Thursday by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office says the Lewis Central student told investigators Daniel Pantoja, of Omaha, Neb., started texting her in December. She says he once took her cellphone, found a picture of her wearing

325 Pounds of Marijuana Seized
Almost 325 pounds of marijuana was seized in a single traffic stop along Interstate 80. The Nebraska State Patrol says a trooper discovered the illegal drugs in a pickup truck's tool box on Wednesday. The trooper stopped an eastbound Ford truck near Bradshaw, Neb., for failing to use a turn signal. The trooper obtained consent to search the truck and found the marijuana hidden in a false

University of Nebraska Foundation CEO Quits
The president and chief executive officer of the University of Nebraska Foundation has quit unexpectedly after seven years of helping to raise and dole out money to the university. The foundation board of directors' chairman, Dr. Peter Whitted, announced in a news release Wednesday that Clarence Castner was leaving. The release didn't say why. He told the Omaha World-Herald he had philosophical

Lots of Potholes Filled, Street Data Being Collected
More than 7,200 potholes on Lincoln streets were repaired during December and January, tripled the amount during the same time last year. It's mainly due to the mild weather we've had lately. Scott Opfer from the city's Street and Traffic Operations department says crews have been able to continue to fix potholes like what they would do in the summertime.  He says they purchased recycled

Winter Headed to Lincoln
A record breaking temperature of 70 degrees on Monday...6 to 12 inches of wet, heavy snow by Saturday. That's Nebraska weather !!! National Weather Service meteorologist, Cathy Zapotocny  tells KFOR NEWS this snow maker is barreling out of the Rockies into the Plains, starting as rain, turning to heavy snow with strong winds. For southeast Nebraska, a Winter Storm Watch is in

LPD Cruisers Looking Back at Ford
Since Ford stopped making Crown Victoria police cruisers, Lincoln Police have tried Chevy Impalas and Dodge Chargers. Now LPD is looking at Ford's Taurus SHO. They cost $25,000...PLUS $20,000 equipment. LPD has $743,000 to spend this spring on new cruisers to gradually replace the 110 Crown Vic cruisers still on the street.

Duncan Aviation Expands for Larger Planes
Looks like times are better for the private aviation industry. Duncan Aviation thought it might have to wait 3 to 5 years to build a new maintenance hangar for larger planes, which seems to be the trend these days in private aviation, but the economy has improved faster than expected, so Duncan is looking at building next year, adding about 200 jobs. When it's done, Duncan will occupy most of the

Black Hills Energy Repairing Broken Gas Line
Today (Thursday), Black Hills Energy will repair a ruptured gas line which was broken yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon by construction crews working on a bridge at 14th Street, south of Highway 2. That stretch of 14th street is a mess anyway with construction half way to Old Cheney Road. It took crews about 3 hours to pinch off the leaking line...traffic wasn't allowed to flow again until about 7.

Pelini, Involved in Wednesday Night Fender Bender
Husker head coach, Bo Pelini, got into a little fender bender last night (Wednesday). Police Capt. Jason Stille (STILL-ee) tells KFOR NEWS the coach was heading east on Old Cheney Road when another vehicle coming in the other direction turned in front of Pelini, causing a few thousand dollars damage to each vehicle. No one was hurt. The driver of the other car was cited for failing to yield.

Lincoln SWAT Arrests Two Men for Possession with Intent to Deliver
Two Lincoln men are in jail this morning (Thursday) after being caught by Lincoln Police Department SWAT. While serving a search warrant last night (Wednesday) on a house in the 800 block of ,"A" Street, SWAT found about 1 1/2 pounds of marijuana. 19 year old, Christopher Morey and 20 year old, Depreece Payne were arrested for possession with intent to deliver.

Man Accused of Stealing Over $600,000 from His Uncle
A southeast Nebraska man is accused of stealing over $600,000 from his elderly uncle. The State Patrol says 55-year-old Lewis Rakosnik was arrested at his uncle's home in Pawnee City on felony charges of knowing and intentional abuse of a vulnerable adult. The patrol says Rakosnik is suspected of liquidating over $600,000 of his uncle's assets over an 11-month period. Authorities say Rakosnik

NCAA Puts Neb. on a Two Year Probation
The NCAA has put Nebraska on two years' probation and agreed to a self-imposed fine of $38,000 as part of an impermissible benefits case involving textbooks and school supplies. The NCAA announced the penalty Wednesday, sparing Nebraska a stiffer punishment for what were determined to be major infractions across multiple sports over multiple years. Nebraska reported the problem. Last July, the

Bill Advancing: Tighter Rules on Dog Breeders
Tighter rules on dog breeders are also advancing........... Lawmakers today voted 36-0 to send the bill to the next level of debate. The bill would require that dog breeders keep individual animal health records, give their dogs physical and dental exams once every three years, provide exercise areas for dogs and require that all have identification with traditional methods and microchips.

Bedbug Problems Continue at UNL
Bedbugs have now turned up in three University of Nebraska-Lincoln residence halls. Abel-Sandoz, Selleck, and The Village all have infected rooms. During a news conference Wednesday morning, Vice-Chancellor Juan Franco says UNL is committed to solving the problem quickly. Franco says a bug-sniffing dog is going thru all UNL Housing room-by-room, and affected areas are being treated with heat and chemicals. The UNL newspaper, Daily Nebraskan, is calling for the resignation of Campus

Lincoln Robbery Suspect Captured In Omaha
An arrest has been made in connection to a January 10th armed robbery in the 100 block of South 28th Street. Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood says the victim was able to get a license plate number of the car that 22-year-old Absolom Scott apparently used to get away. Investigators tracked down the owner, who told them she let him borrow her car.  An arrest warrant was then issued and Omaha

Two In Jail for Stealing Electronics from Apartment
Two people are in jail, after they allegedly burglarized an apartment in the 400 block of South 24th Street during the noon hour Tuesday. Police Officer Katie Flood says an hour later, a K-9 unit tracked down 19-year-old Amber Brecks and 20-year-old Caejuan Collier with the goods at a friend's home just a block away. About $5,000 worth of electronics and video games


Even Longer Before Lincoln's Novartis Plant Starts Shipping Again
 It could be mid-year before Lincoln's Novartis plant is shipping products again. Novartis has been closed since January 8th when federal inspectors found products contaminated with foreign tablets and foreign objects, missing labels and chipped or broken tablets. The Feds also scolded Novartis for not addressing hundreds and hundreds of consume complaints. The Journal Star also reports the

Lincoln Senator Wants the Movies to Come to Nebraska
40 states offer incentives to attract film companies...Nebraska is not one of them. Lincoln Senator, Colby Coash wants to make film, commercial and television production eligible for economic development incentives. Award winning Omaha-native, Alexander Payne, testified yesterday (Tuesday) before the Legislature's Urban Affairs Committee he wants to shoot his next film in Nebraska, but he's being

Possible Arrest for the Beating and Sexual Assault of a 52 Yr. Old Woman
Police tell us this morning (Wednesday) an arrest is possible in the beating and sexual assault of a 52 year old woman. The victim says she was sexually assaulted early Monday afternoon by a man she knows. 4 hours later, the woman says she got into an argument with another man inside her downtown apartment. The man hit her on the head with a metal shelf, then stomped on her as she lay on the

Can't Sell Switchblades at a Gun Show
69 year old, Edward Ebert of Omaha man and 66 year old, Barry Johnson from Oakland, Nebraska, were ticketed for selling switchblades at a weekend gunshow inside the Lancaster Event Center. Selling switchblades is illegal in Nebraska. 74 were seized Saturday.

LPD Looking for Suspects Connected to Vehicle Fire
Police this morning (Wednesday) are looking for 2 people connected to a vehicle fire. A man living in the 3800 block of Castle Circle looked out his window early yesterday (Tuesday) morning and saw to people dressed in black hanging around his neighbor's 2002 GMC Envoy SUV. They ran off, but not before starting a small fire inside the vehicle. Damage was about $400.

Debate that Could Place Hunting, Fishing and Trapping in Neb. Constitution
A proposal that could place hunting, fishing and trapping rights in the Nebraska constitution has advanced to a final vote in the Legislature. Lawmakers on Tuesday gave second-round approval to a constitutional amendment proposal (LR40CA) for voters in the 2012 election. Omaha Sen. Pete Pirsch argued in floor debate that the measure would protect the state from future political attacks on

Bed Bath and Beyond Fire Not Suspicious
After further investigation, Saturday's fire at Bed Bath and Beyond on North 27th Street has been determined NOT to be suspicious. Battalion Chief, Pat Borer, says an overhead heater malfunctioned, causing the $50,000 fire.

Probation for Omaha Woman in the Drowing of a 4 Yr Old Girl
An Omaha woman has been given a year's probation in the drowning of a 4-year-old girl at a hotel swimming pool. Deshayla Neal pleaded no contest to misdemeanor child abuse last October. She had faced a manslaughter charge in the February 2010 death of Iyana Allen. Neal was the girl's caregiver.

New Proposed Amendment Gives Voters Opportunity to Expand Terms Limits
Nebraska lawmakers could serve 3 consecutive terms in office under a proposed constitutional amendment giving voters the opportunity to expand term limits. Holdrege Senator, Tom Carlson, presents his measure today (Wednesday) before the Legislature's Executive Board. Senators now can serve no more than 2 consecutive 4-year terms, but allows them to run again if they sit out for one term.

Suicide May Be Behind Death of Ralston Fire Chief
Omaha police are investigating the death of Ralston's fire chief, but they say it appears Kyle Ienn committed suicide. Ienn's body was found hanging from a bridge in an Omaha park Tuesday morning. A fire department vehicle was parked nearby. Ienn had been Ralston's fire chief since 2000, and he had served on the board of the National Council on Fireworks Safety. Ienn was a 22-year veteran of the

Occupy Lincoln Goes Before City Council
A March 1 deadline has been set, but according to Occupy Lincoln members no contracts have been signed to begin renovation work on Centennial Mall. It's also when the Occupy group has been told to leave. Dana Garrison with Occupy Lincoln told City Council members Monday night the purpose of the movement is to educate people about the effects of corporations on politics. She pointed out

Police Arrest Man For Theft From Home
A Saturday morning burglary is quickly solved, after police link a home burglary at 23rd and "T" to a man who took several electronic items to a downtown shop. Police Officer Katie Flood says 27-year-old Malachi Walker knew the person living at the home and spent the night. The residents left the house some time before 10am Saturday, while Walker stayed behind and apparently rounded up

Dog Bite, Warrants and Pot Put Pitbull Owner In Jail
The owner of a pitbull is in jail, after his loose dog bit a 51-year-old woman and her dog while she was getting ready for a walk Saturday morning near 53rd and Walker. Police Officer Katie Flood says the loose pit bull had its jaws around the throat of her leashed retriever. The woman tried to pull the pit bull off her dog and was bitten on her left hand and left thigh. She was treated at a

Fatal West 'O' accident leaves one dead
One person is dead after a collision between a compact car and a semi-truck in the 900 block of West “O” Street shortly after 11am Thursday. The driver of the car was killed and the semi-truck driver was not hurt. The investigation continues and the name of the victim has not been released.

New Bill For Film Production Advances
Lights...camera...action for Lincoln Senator, Colby Coash's bill making film, commercial and television production eligible for local economic development incentives. It advanced unanimously from the legislature's Urban Affairs Committee onto the floor for full debate.