(AP) — Former state Sen. Brenda Council has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for misusing campaign money for casino gambling.
Council pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend probation for the Omaha attorney when she’s sentenced in December.
Last year, Council pleaded guilty to two state misdemeanor counts related to false campaign finance reports. State prosecutors said the reports concealed her misuse of more than $63,000 in campaign donations at a Kansas casino. She was fined $500.
State Sen. Ernie Chambers, who beat Council to regain the legislative seat he held for 38 years, filed a complaint last fall that prompted the U.S. Attorney’s investigation.
Chambers said in his complaint Council violated federal laws by improperly transferring money across state lines.
(AP) — Health officials say 2013 already is one of the worst years for measles in more than 15 years.
Before a vaccine became available about 50 years ago, nearly all children got measles by their 15th birthday. In those days, nearly 500 Americans died from measles each year.
Now, the nation has about 60 cases each year. But so far this year, officials have seen 159 cases. The highest count since the mid-1990s was 222 in 2011.
Most young children are vaccinated against measles. But outbreaks still occur, usually when travelers pick up the measles virus abroad and then spread it among unvaccinated people here.
Nearly all of this year’s cases have been traced to travelers.
(AP) — Nebraska’s corn crop is forecast at 1.61 billion bushels for 2013, up 24 percent from last year
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a news release Thursday that the area harvested for grain is estimated at 9.8 million acres, up 8 percent from a year ago. The USDA says that as of Sept. 1, the average yield is forecast at 164 bushels per acre, up 22 bushels from last year.
Soybean production is forecast at 223 million bushels, 8 percent above last year. The area for harvest is estimated at 4.75 million acres, which is down 5 percent from 2012. Yield is forecast at 47 bushels per acre, up 5.5 bushels from 2012.
Sorghum production is forecast at 4.96 million bushels, up 40 percent from a year ago.
MPCC Rodeo Team-2013: Members of the 2013 Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team are (back row, l-r) Clay Chittick, Dakota Rice, Eric Rasmussen, Nic Tenbrink, Cody Fritz. In front are Faculty Advisor Mike Janecek, Sage Faust, Julie Timmerman, Tyler Viers, Logan Lewis and Coach Dustin Elliott.
As the“2013 Railtown U.S.A. Collegiate Rodeo” presented by First National Bank draws near between 250-300 college cowboys and cowgirls representing 13 colleges in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Great Plains Region are preparing for the competition.
The NIRA Great Plains Region awarded the collegiate rodeo competition to Mid-Plains Community College earlier this summer. Members of MPCC’s 2013 Rodeo Team are Clay Chittick of Maywood, Sage Faust of Plattsmouth, Cody Fritz of Meriden, Matisyn Humphrey of Ogallala, Logan Lewis of Sutherland, Eric Rasmussen of Riverdale, Dakota Rice of Kellogg, Nic Tenbrink of North Platte, Julie Timmerman of Burwell and Tyler Viers of Comstock. Mike Janecek is their Faculty Advisor and they are coached by World Champion bull rider Dustin Elliott. For more information about the team, visit the “Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team” page on Facebook.
Other colleges in the Great Plains Region include Black Hills State University, Dickinson State University, Hastings College, Iowa Central Community College, Iowa State University, Mitchell Technical Institute, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, North Dakota State University, Northeast Iowa Community College, South Dakota State University, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The “2013 Railtown U.S.A. Collegiate Rodeo” will take place during Rail Fest, Sept. 20-21, at the Nebraskaland Days Wild West Arena in North Platte. It will begin at 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights.
(AP) — A trial has been pushed back again for a former Gering man charged with child abuse in the death of a 2-year-old girl.
An attorney for Dustin Chauncey filed a motion for a continuance to allow more time to prepare for the case. A Scotts Bluff County District judge granted it Thursday.
The trial has been scheduled to begin Dec. 16 instead of Oct. 21. A pre-trial hearing is now set for Nov. 20.
Chauncey has pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentional child abuse resulting in the death of Juliette Geurts in July 2008. His trial was originally scheduled to start in August.
(AP) — A 15-year-old girl has been cited with felony motor vehicle homicide in a fatal crash that killed a teenager in southeast Nebraska.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says the girl was also cited Wednesday with willful reckless driving, no operator’s license and no seat belt.
The girl was driving a car on a county road just north of Waverly with five other teenagers on board in late August. The car lost control and two of the six were ejected. A 15-year-old boy, Taylon Artman, was killed.
The county attorney will decide whether to charge the girl as an adult or as a juvenile. The Associated Press generally does not name juveniles charged with crimes.
Lincoln, Neb. – The University of Nebraska Athletic Department is opening its doors on the east side for self-guided tours of the new East Memorial Stadium Expansion. The public tour will be given one day only, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, from5 to 7 p.m.
The self-guided walking tour will include access to the following areas in the East Stadium:
· Level 600 general public seating
· Level 400 Club Seating
· The Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab (NAPL)
All fans are asked to enter through Gate 18 and to take the north escalator all the way to the top to begin the walking tour. Elevator access will be available for those needing accommodations. Fans will be able to go down to the Club Level and the NAPL via stairs or elevator at their own pace. Tour route information will be distributed at Gate 18. Suite and field levels will not be available.
(AP) — A 50-year-old Nebraska farmer who had 3 pounds of methamphetamine delivered to his home has been sentenced to federal prison.
Robert Bernt, of Phillips, on Wednesday was given 19 years behind bars. He must serve five years of supervised release when he leaves custody and must forfeit nearly $5,000 found in a search of his property.
Prosecutors say a box addressed to Bernt was noticed at a Grand Island parcel sorting center on June 6, 2012, and was taken to the Grand Island Police Department. A drug dog indicated the smell of drugs was present. Court records say investigators found meth inside the box.
Officers arrested Bernt after the package was delivered to his home.
He eventually pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy.
(AP) — Former state Sen. Brenda Council has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for misusing campaign money for casino gambling.
