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Nebraska seeks innovation in next set of student tests

testingOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials say they’re looking for an innovative approach to student assessment from six bidders that want the job.

State officials are poring over the six proposals for a contract to be awarded in May. The bids range from almost $3.6 million to $7.7 million for the first year.

The officials want assessments that test the state standards “at higher depth of knowledge” and include rigorous questions. They’re also seeking adaptive test items in which the computer selects questions in response to a student’s answers. A correct answer means the next question is tougher. Adaptive testing is viewed as more accurate.

The department expects most tests to be taken online.

Man convicted in hit-and-run death of co-worker

Orling Carrasco-Zelaya
Orling Carrasco-Zelaya

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 27-year-old Honduran man has been convicted of the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian in west Omaha.

Orling Carrasco-Zelaya was found guilty Friday of motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of a deadly accident following a five-day trial.

Carrasco-Zelaya, who was in the country illegally, drove drunk and hit and fatally wounded 34-year-old Margarito Nava-Luna on April 17. Police say the two were co-workers and had been drinking at a west Omaha bar before Nava-Luna was hit. Police, who stopped Carrasco-Zelaya shortly after Nava-Luna was hit, said Carrasco-Zelaya’s blood alcohol content measured nearly three times the legal limit to drive.

Carrasco-Zelaya faces up to 70 years in prison when he is sentenced in May.

Nebraska senator aims to eliminate daylight saving time

timeLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A state senator says Nebraska should eliminate daylight saving time to help families and farmers and prevent health problems.

Sen. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft told a legislative committee on Friday that daylight saving time has been linked to increased risk of strokes, heart attacks and sleep-related accidents.

A teenage boy with epilepsy says he has more seizures the week after daylight saving time takes effect in spring. Parents and farmers say young children and animals have trouble adjusting to the change.

Opponents contend daylight saving time brings economic benefits. David Honnens of the Nebraska Golf Alliance says eliminating daylight saving time could cost Nebraska golf courses hundreds of thousands of dollars a year because many courses rely on golfers who play between 4 p.m. and sundown.

Nebraska Supreme Court denies appeal in Norfolk murder case

Leodan Alarcon-Chavez
Leodan Alarcon-Chavez

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has denied the post-conviction appeal of a Norfolk man sentenced to life in prison for the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend.

Leodan Alarcon-Chavez was convicted of first-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony and tampering with a witness in the March 2010 death of 30-year-old Maria Villareal.

Prosecutors say Alarcon-Chavez stabbed Villareal in her apartment while he was awaiting trial for allegedly threatening to kill her several months earlier.

On Friday, the state’s high court agreed with a lower court’s finding that denied Alarcon-Chavez’s arguments that his trial lawyer was ineffective.

Lincoln County Marriage Licenses (Week of 2.27.17)

marriage-licenses

  • Dale Wesley Stackhouse, 87, North Platte and Cynthia Gail Melcher, 55, Brady

 

  • Matthew Cody La Rue, 25. North Platte and Annah Elizabeth Wesslund, 24, North Platte

 

  • Tyler Michael Otzel, 26, Hershey and Brittany Nicole Retzlaff, 22, Hershey

 

  • Zachary Thomas Walker, 27, Maywood and Emma Elizabeth Sutton, 26, Maywood,

 

  • James Christopher Klopfenstein, 24, North Platte and Jessica Lyn Parker, 19, North Platte

 

  • James Lynn Branam, 45, North Platte and Tina Marie Piper, 55, North Platte

 

  • Jeramy Brant Chandler, 29, North Platte and Brett Alan Bancroft, 23, North Platte

 

  • Joshua Allan Hall, 36, Halsey NE and Hannah Sigred Daly, 25, Halsey NE

Douglas County grand jurors: Officers should have cameras

Image from pixabay.com
Image from pixabay.com

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Douglas County grand jury is recommending all law enforcement officers be equipped with body cameras.

The grand jurors issued the recommendation Thursday after reviewing the deaths of seven people who died while in the presence of police.

The 16 grand jurors opted not to issue any indictments in connection with the deaths but offered the camera recommendation after reviewing some cases where there was video and others without video.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says having video “makes everybody’s job easier.”

Omaha police have more than 100 body cameras and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and other city police use cameras, but not all officers have them.

Nebraska Crane Trust prepares for 2 migrations

sandhill-craneGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The Grand Island area is preparing for the annual migration of about 600,000 cranes through central Nebraska — and thousands of bird-gazing tourists.

Chuck Cooper is president and chief executive officer of Crane Trust, a nonprofit that works to protect crane habitat. He says there are actually two migrations, with people coming from around the world to see the cranes.

Cooper says Crane Trust guests have included people from China. He says workers from Houston, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, are also planning to visit this year.

Anne Winkel with Rowe Sanctuary says the quantity of cranes is what makes viewing them popular in central Nebraska.

Cooper says that at one point last year, there were 430,000 cranes on Crane Trust’s land.

Nebraska passes bill extending military plates to reservists

ne-legislature-13LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force Reserves will qualify for military honor license plates under a bill passed by the Nebraska Legislature.

Senators voted 46-1 Friday on the bill sponsored by Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse. It would create five new license plate designs.

Watermeier says the bill will honor reservists who have served their country.

Officers of the United States Public Health Service or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also could apply for the plates.

Veterans and active members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and National Guard already qualify for military honor plates. The plates cost the same as standard license plates.

Nebraska councilman fined after profiting from contracts

Google Maps
Google Maps

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Sutton city councilman has been fined $2,000 after a construction company he owns did work on several city projects.

The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission said Friday that Sutton City Councilman Jeff Schelkopf erred in not making sure three contracts between his company and the city had public discussion and action at city council meetings.

Schelkopf’s company, Quality Builders, built a concession stand at the city’s baseball field complex, repaired a city building’s roof and fixed a community center door. In all, the city of Sutton paid Quality Builders more than $100,000 for the projects.

Schelkopf did file disclosure reports noting he owned the business and says he did not intend to break the law. He has agreed to pay the fine.

Grand jury clears York officers involved in shooting death

officer-involved-shootingYORK, Neb. (AP) — A grand jury has cleared officers involved in the shooting death of a 53-year-old York man during a confrontation as a hospital.

The grand jury found no criminal conduct in the Dec. 10 shooting death of Timothy Case at York General Hospital.

Police have said officers were called to the hospital because Case was threatening staff and an emergency room doctor with a knife. Police say that when Officers Roger Wolfe Jr. and Christopher Jespen arrived, Case refused orders to drop his knife. Authorities say Case was shot once as he advanced on Wolfe while holding the knife.

State law requires a grand jury investigation any time a person is killed in custody or while being arrested.

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