LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Gov. Dave Heineman has granted a request to lower state and U.S. flags to half-staff in honor of state Sen. Dennis Utter of Hastings, who died Tuesday.
Heineman granted the request from Hasting’s Mayor Vern Powers Wednesday.
Flags will be lowered to half-staff in Hastings on Friday, the day of Utter’s funeral.
Heineman also ordered flags to be lowered at the State Capitol and the governor’s residence on Friday in honor of Utter’s service to the state.
Utter, who was elected in 2008, had been suffering from lung disease. He was hospitalized Tuesday morning and died a few hours later.
He was 72.