(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced that he has appointed Randy Peters of Lincoln to be the Director and State Engineer of the Nebraska Department of Roads. Peters, 57, a registered professional engineer, has served as the Deputy Director of Engineering since 2009.  He will officially take over on August 4.

“I’m pleased Randy will be the new Director of the Department of Roads,” Gov. Heineman said. “Randy has served as an excellent Deputy Director. He understands the various aspects of the Department. He works closely with federal officials and other partners across the state.  Randy has the knowledge, professionalism and experience to be a strong director.”

Peters went to work for the Nebraska Department of Roads in 1977 as a Photolog Technician in the Transportation Planning Division and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1987 from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He worked ten years in Planning, ten years in Roadway Design, ten years as the State Traffic Engineer and two years as the Planning and Project Development Engineer before being named Deputy Director – Engineering in 2009. His salary will be $140,000.

Peters was born and raised in Bloomfield. He is married and has two children. Peters will succeed retiring Director Monty Fredrickson, 65.

Gering, Neb. (NSP)- In an effort to reduce the potential for fatality crashes by removing impaired drivers from Nebraska roadways the Nebraska State Patrol Troop E Headquarters-Scottsbluff with assistance from local law enforcement will hold special enforcement activities during upcoming summer celebrations.

High visibility patrols and DUI checkpoints will be carried out in conjunction with both the Oregon Trail Days celebration in Gering and the Scotts Bluff County Fair in Mitchell.

“Both of these events draw large crowds,” said Captain Mike Gaudreault, Commander Troop E. “That means an increase in traffic volume on area roads. Our goal is to help ensure the roads are safe and the folks traveling them are doing so in a responsible manner.”

The special enforcement efforts will be conducted July 13-14 in Gering and August 3-4 in Mitchell.  Motorists are reminded to always wear their seat belt, obey the posted speed limit and never drive impaired or distracted.

Troopers will be vigilant in identifying individuals under age 21, who may consume alcoholic beverages in violation of state statute.

The special enforcement efforts are paid for thanks in part to a $10,000 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A Gage County judge has ordered the owners of a defunct outdoor wood furnace company to repay part of a loan given the company by the village of Filley.

Local media reports that District Judge Daniel Bryan Jr. issued partial summary judgment in the case on Tuesday, ordering Mark and Kathy Setzer to repay part of the nearly $116,500 loan. The order does not say how much of that loan the Setzers must repay.

The Setzers had owned HeatSource1, which stopped operating in August and filed for bankruptcy in September.

The village of Filley sued in November, saying it delivered a signed promissory note to the company for $236,440. The lawsuit says HeatSource1 failed to make the mandatory scheduled payments and still owes the $116,500, plus interest.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Sport Parachute Club will offer tandem skydives later this month to benefit the American Cancer Society.

The Redemption Skydiving Boogie will be held from July 19-22, when people can skydive from one of two Twin Otter airplanes from Arizona that can hold up to 23 skydivers at one time, and achieve higher altitude than the normal jump planes in Nebraska.

That will allow first-time skydivers making a tandem jump to experience a longer, more exciting skydive from 13,000 feet above the ground.

At last year’s event, more than 2,200 skydives were made, including 260 first time jumpers.

More information on the fundraiser may be found online at www.redemptionboogie.com.

MINDEN, Neb. (AP) — One person has died in a rollover crash near Minden in south-central Nebraska.

Local media reports that the crash happened early Wednesday on a rural road seven miles west of Minden.

The Kearney County Sheriff’s office says the person was driving a sport utility vehicle when the SUV left the road, went into a ditch and rolled.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators have not released the victim’s name. The crash remains under investigation.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Tim McCoy has been named the new deputy director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

McCoy, a native of Arapahoe, begins his new duties immediately.

McCoy came to the agency in 2002, and has been administrator of the wildlife division since March 2011. He has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and master’s degree and doctorate in fish and wildlife from the University of Missouri.

Scott Taylor, the wildlife division assistant administrator for research and analysis, has been named the interim wildlife division administrator.

Levi Krause, a conservation officer from Louisville, has been named the southeast district law enforcement supervisor, and Christy Rasmussen has been selected as the new information and education division administrator.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Lilly Ledbetter, the Alabama woman whose lawsuit led to the federal pay equity law that bears her name, will lead discussion and hold a book-signing at a forum in Omaha.

Ledbetter will be in Omaha on Tuesday for the forum sponsored by the Nebraska Coalition for Constitutional Values.

Ledbetter sued Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. after learning near the end of her 19-year career that she was being paid less than her male colleagues. A jury awarded her more than $3 million in back pay and punitive damages, but a judge later reduced that to $300,000.

In 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, effectively overturning a Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter’s case that had strictly limited workers’ ability to file lawsuits over pay inequity.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha man is accused of impersonating an airline employee at Eppley Airfield.

Local media says Timothy Foster faces federal charges for allegedly using false pretenses to enter secured or restricted areas of an airport.

According to the criminal complaint, Foster pretended to be a United Airlines employee for six weeks starting in April. The complaint says he accessed restricted areas and a computer system of United Airlines and displayed a security badge.

Foster’s alleged scheme started in March after he was offered a voucher for an oversold United Airlines flight. He interacted with a gate agent, saying he was part-time employee for United Airlines who lived in Omaha and commuted to work in Portland, Ore.

Foster’s attorney, Joshua Weir, says the case is blown out of proportion.