LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has abolished the death penalty in a landmark veto-override vote backed by a coalition of conservatives who oppose capital punishment.
Senators in the one-house Legislature voted 30-19 on Wednesday to override Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican who supports the death penalty. The vote makes Nebraska the first traditionally conservative state to eliminate the punishment since North Dakota in 1973.
Nebraska joins 18 other states and Washington, D.C., in banning the ultimate punishment.
Some senators say they philosophically support the death penalty but are convinced the state will never carry out another execution because of legal hurdles. Nebraska hasn’t executed an inmate since a 1997 electrocution.
The bill was introduced by independent Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has fought for four decades to repeal the death penalty.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A fourth case of bird flu has been confirmed on a northeast Nebraska farm.
The state Agriculture Department said Wednesday the latest case involves 3 million hens on a farm in Knox County.
The new case of contagious bird flu was found 50 miles away from three cases in Dixon County that involved 4 million birds. All four of the infected farms are owned by the same company.
The Knox County farm has been quarantined, and nearby farms with birds will be tested.
Agriculture Director Greg Ibach says poultry farmers should restrict how many people and vehicles enter their farms.
Officials say the bird flu doesn’t represent a significant health risk for humans, but more than 40 million birds have been killed nationwide to limit the spread of the disease.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former prosecutor who worked under the U.S. attorney for Nebraska has filed a lawsuit, claiming she was discriminated against because she’s a woman.
Jill Finken says in a federal lawsuit filed Friday that supervisors harassed her and she was treated differently than male colleagues. She says she experienced retaliation for complaining about it.
The lawsuit names the U.S. Justice Department, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the U.S. attorney’s office in Nebraska. The newspaper says Deborah Gilg, U.S. attorney for Nebraska, declined to comment.
Finken worked for the federal office in Nebraska for two years beginning in October 2012. She is seeking lost earnings, lost benefits and compensation for anguish and humiliation, among other damages.
CHICAGO (AP) — A judge has acquitted a Chicago man of animal cruelty charges filed after the man posted a video of himself smoking marijuana with a chameleon.
After viewing the video and hearing the arguments of prosecutors and defense attorneys, Cook County Circuit Judge Robert Kuzas ruled Wednesday that Bruce Blunt’s behavior was “uncalled for and immature” but didn’t rise to criminal behavior.
Blunt posted a Facebook video of himself smoking marijuana with the chameleon, Binna, earlier this year. That prompted a complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
After his acquittal, Blunt said he blew smoke into the chameleon’s mouth because it seemed to calm the aggressive reptile.
Blunt said he hopes to get the chameleon back from Chicago Animal Care and Control.
Kiki Stokes set three school records this season, including the most runs (66) and highest on-base percentage (.532). (Photo Courtesy Stephanie Carpenter/NU Media Relations)
Kiki Stokes was recognized for an outstanding junior season on Wednesday, May 27, when she was named a third-team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
The 15th Nebraska softball player to be recognized as an NFCA All-American, Stokes is the first Husker outfielder to earn All-America accolades since Kim Ogee in 2002. Twelve Huskers have combined to earn 19 All-America honors under Head Coach Rhonda Revelle, including three players in the last two seasons.
“Kiki is very deserving of this honor,” Revelle said. “The coaching staff knew she had the potential to be an All-American, and we challenged her to meet that potential. Kiki worked extremely hard and put in a tremendous amount of preparation for this season. As a coach, nothing is more rewarding than seeing a student-athlete reach her potential and be rewarded and recognized for her efforts.”
Stokes’ hard work and dedication certainly paid off, as she earned the first all-conference, all-region and All-America accolades of her career. Stokes hit .407 as a junior with nine doubles, five triples, 11 homers and 51 RBIs, matching or exceeding her career totals entering the year in each of those categories.
A native of Olathe, Kan., Stokes was one of the nation’s most dynamic offensive threats in 2015. Boasting a potent combination of power and speed, Stokes did it all as the Huskers’ leadoff hitter for all 58 games. In addition to posting the sixth-highest batting average in school history, Stokes set school records with 66 runs scored and 17 hit-by-pitches. She also drew 34 walks to post a .532 on-base percentage, the highest single-season mark in the history of Nebraska softball. In addition to setting three school records, Stokes ranked seventh in Husker history in triples, ninth in hits (72) and 12th in RBIs.
One of only five Division I players to record 10 home runs and five triples in 2015, Stokes ranks 13th nationally in runs scored and 38th in on-base percentage. In a testament to her versatility, Stokes produced 50 hits, 50 runs, 50 RBIs and 50 free passes (combined walks and hit-by-pitches) this season, one of only seven players nationally to accomplish that feat.
A team tri-captain, Stokes helped Nebraska to a strong finish. The Huskers posted 35 victories and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, before being eliminated in the regional round with a 10-inning loss at No. 5 LSU, which advanced to the Women’s College World Series. Stokes went 4-for-7 in two games against the Tigers this season, highlighting her success against top competition. Stokes hit .475 (19-for-40) with three doubles, one triple, four homers and nine RBIs in 12 games against ranked teams, including a .478 average (11-for-23) with one double, one triple, three homers and five RBIs in six contests against top-10 opponents.
Stokes will look to lead Nebraska to even greater success in 2016, when she looks to bookend her career with Women’s College World Series appearances after helping the Huskers make it to Oklahoma City as a freshman in 2013.
The opening round of the Class A State Golf Tournament is complete from Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln. Jack Minnick (Lincoln Southwest) is the leader following round one at 5-under par, 67. There are five golfers under par through the first round.
North Platte Sophomore Kort Steele opened with a 4-over par 76. Steele is currently tied for 18th place.
Day two of the 36-hole championship will begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run homer to break Lou Gehrig’s American League record for RBIs, and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 Wednesday to finish a three-game sweep.
Michael Pineda (6-2) rebounded from consecutive losses and Brian McCann hit a solo shot for the Yankees, who outscored the AL champions 18-4 in their first home sweep of at least three games against Kansas City since August 2007.
Coming into the series, New York had lost six in a row and 10 of 11.
Chris Young (4-1) gave up both Yankees home runs, and the slumping Royals have dropped four straight for the first time since Aug. 28-31. They’ve managed only five runs during the slide.
Nebraska fans will have their first opportunity to meet Coach Mike Riley’s 2015 Husker football team at the annual Nebraska Football Fan Day presented by U.S. Cellular. This year Husker fans will have the opportunity to spend an evening at Memorial Stadium with Fan Day scheduled from 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Fan Day will help kick off Nebraska’s fall camp which will begin later that week. The event is the best opportunity to meet Nebraska players and coaches before the start of the 2015 season. All players that will be part of preseason camp will be in attendance and available to Husker fans.
More details on Fan Day will be available on Huskers.com as the event draws near.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Nolan Arenado hit a three-run homer on Wednesday, extending his hitting tear, and Kyle Kendrick pitched into the eighth inning for his first win since opening day, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 6-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The Rockies won for the fourth time in five games, taking two of three in the series. The Reds have lost 10 of 11, a streak that started when one of the home run smokestacks at Great American Ball Park caught fire during a loss to the Giants on May 15.
Arenado hit his 10th homer in the first inning off Mike Leake (2-4) and added a single. In the past four games, the third baseman is 9 for 16 with three homers, one triple and 10 RBIs.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An effort to lift Nebraska’s ban on hogs owned by meatpackers has failed to advance in the Legislature.
Supporters fell two votes short Wednesday of the support they needed to break a filibuster on a second-round vote. Opponents argued that the ban protects small and independent producers.
Opponents say the bill would allow major corporations, such as the Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods, to squeeze out small and independent farmers and control the supply chain. They pointed to the poultry industry, where consolidations have given a handful of processors substantial leverage over producers because of their market dominance.
Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogallala says the bill would have kept the hog industry growing as fast as in neighboring states that have outpaced Nebraska.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has abolished the death penalty in a landmark veto-override vote backed by a coalition of conservatives who oppose capital punishment.
