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Nebraska’s first human case of West Nile Virus reported in Scotts Bluff County

A man in the Scotts Bluff County Health Department jurisdiction tested positive for West Nile virus according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

“This is the first human case so far this season and there will be more,” said Dr. Tom Safranek, State Epidemiologist for DHHS. “West Nile virus can be a mild illness for some but serious for others. It’s important to get into the habit of protecting yourself from mosquito bites now because we’ve got a summer of warm weather and outdoor activities ahead of us.”

Preventive tips:

  • Wear mosquito repellent when you go outside. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and some lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products provide longer-lasting protection.
  • Dress in long-sleeved shirts, pants and socks when you’re outside.
  • Dusk and dawn are times when mosquitoes are most active. Limit outdoor activities.
  • Drain standing water around your home. Standing water and warmth breed mosquitoes.

West Nile virus is transmitted to people through the bite of a mosquito that picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people who are infected will have no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms.  Some people will develop a fever with other symptoms like headache, body aches, vomiting, fatigue and weakness. Fewer than 1 percent of people will develop a serious illness like encephalitis or meningitis (inflammation of the brain and surrounding tissues).  People over 50 and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to the disease and are more likely to experience serious consequences.Last year there were 68 human cases in Nebraska and two deaths.

DHHS started its West Nile virus surveillance at the beginning of June. A mosquito pool in Lancaster County and a mosquito pool in Phelps County tested positive early that month.

New Nebraska laws slated to go into effect on Thursday

By GRANT SCHULTE ,  Associated Press
 
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska will see a flurry of new state laws take effect this week, including safeguards to fight prescription painkiller abuse, looser gun regulations and a policy that will make it easier to massage horses for money.

The 117 laws will go into effect Thursday, three months after this year’s legislative session adjourned and the end of the normal grace period for new state statutes.

Here’s a look at some high-profile measures:

— ANIMAL MASSAGE: Massaging a horse, dog or cat will no longer require a state-sanctioned license. The law was originally aimed at horse massage, a common practice to relieve tension in high-performance horses, but was expanded to include other animals. Nebraska previously required so-called “equine massage therapists” to be a veterinarian or a licensed human massage therapist with special training. The law is LB596.

— LOOSENING GUN RESTRICTIONS: People who are released from mental health facilities will get the opportunity to ask a mental health board to reinstate their rights to buy a handgun or obtain a concealed-carry permit. The law requires boards to reinstate gun rights if petitioners show “clear and convincing evidence” that the restriction should be removed. The law is LB100.

Another new gun law would let university-sanctioned firearms teams possess rifles, pistols and shotguns on campus. Current law only lets them have rifles. The law is LB321.

Still another will prohibit local law enforcement from disclosing individual gun permit records to the public, a policy cheered by gun-rights advocates as a way to protect firearm owners from harassment. Open-government advocates say it’s unnecessary. The law is LB902.

— SERVICE MEMBERS RELOCATING: Active-duty military service members who are ordered to relocate will be able to cancel their cable, cellphone and internet service and gym memberships without penalties. Supporters say service members shouldn’t be punished with cancellation fees when they’re deployed.

“It’s really important that we do things to help relieve stress on our military families who are going in and out of Nebraska,” said Sen. Carol Blood, of Bellevue, who sponsored the law.

The law will also allow service members to terminate their leases without penalty if they’re ordered to move into government housing. Blood, who represents many service members at Offutt Air Force Base, said previous state and federal laws didn’t account for new technology. The law is LB682.

— TELEHEALTH: Doctors can now prescribe drugs and meet new patients through “telehealth” services that allow them to connect remotely through the internet or by phone. Lawmakers have moved in recent years to make the state more welcoming to the technology in hopes of addressing a shortage of rural health care providers. The law is LB701.

— PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Health care professionals will face new safety restrictions when prescribing opiates in an effort to prevent widespread abuse, a problem that has plagued other states. Doctors will now have to discuss the risks with younger patients and limit the amounts they prescribe to minors in most situations. Additionally, pharmacists now must request identification from customers of such products unless they already know the person. The law is LB931.

— PERSONAL DATA: Any company that stores consumers’ personal information will be legally required to enact “reasonable security procedures and practices” to prevent data breaches. Consumer reporting agencies will also be barred from charging any fees to place a temporary security freeze on a customer’s credit. The law was introduced in the wake of the 2017 Equifax Breach that affected nearly 148 million people.

The law “is critical after Equifax lost hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans’ financial data last year, such as Social Security numbers, birthdates and bank account information,” said Sen. Adam Morfeld, of Lincoln, the law’s sponsor. “No company should be able to profit off their mistakes.”

The law is LB757.

— THREATENING TEXTS: Threatening or harassing a person by text message will become a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The new law expands an existing state statute that only applied to threatening or harassing phone calls. The law is LB773.

— CERTIFICATES FOR NONVIABLE BIRTHS: Women who have a miscarriage will be able to request a commemorative certificate from the Department of Health and Human Services to recognize the pregnancy. Supporters said the certificates could help grieving parents cope with their loss.

“Each generation will have a history for their families, and they’ll know the loss was felt by many,” said Sen. Joni Albrecht, of Thurston, who introduced the law. “To me, it’s a privilege to help all the grieving families remember their loved ones.”

The law is LB1040.

— SEX TRAFFICKING: Sex trafficking victims with a prostitution conviction will be able to ask a judge to set aside their convictions if they were under a trafficker’s influence at the time. The law is part of an effort to rehabilitate victims and shift punishments onto traffickers and sex purchasers. The law is LB1132.

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Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte

North Platte woman killed in crash just west of Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police say a North Platte woman has been killed in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 just west of Lincoln.

The crash happened Friday evening when a sport utility vehicle went out of control while trying to pass a semitrailer and hit a guardrail before rolling on its side.

Lincoln police say the driver, 57-year-old Ladonna Schmidt, died at the scene.

An adult passenger in the SUV suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening. A small child buckled into a child safety seat in the back of the SUV was not injured.

Officials: Lincoln woman killed in crash at intersection

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Southeastern Nebraska law enforcement officials say a woman has died in a crash at an intersection just outside Lincoln.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Friday night when two pickup trucks collided at the intersection.

Investigators say the crash killed a passenger in a 1993 Chevrolet pickup, identified as 54-year-old Rhondi Lovelace of rural Lincoln. The driver of that truck was treated for minor injuries.

Investigators say the 25-year-old driver of the other truck, a 2015 Chevy Silverado, failed to stop at the intersection, causing the crash. Both that driver and his passenger declined medical treatment at the scene.

Deputies say the occupants of the newer truck were wearing seat belts, while the occupants of the older vehicle were not.

Nebraska city, county consolidate dispatch center

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A county sheriff’s office and a city’s police and fire departments are trying to improve services to eastern Nebraska residents by unifying their dispatch centers.

The Columbus City Council and the Platte County Board of Supervisors announced the new Joint Communications Center earlier this month, the Columbus Telegram reported.

“It’s to hopefully give better service to the entire area — not just in the city, but for the whole county,” Columbus City Council President Charlie Bahr said.

The city agreed to fund the initial costs of operation and provide the building. The county will supply equipment and reimburse the city for continuing operating costs.

Emergency calls incoming to the Columbus Police Department from outside city limits often experience a delay because callers need to be transferred to the county sheriff’s office, Bahr said. The joint center omits the middle person and will transfer emergency calls directly to the specific department in charge.

Platte County Sheriff Ed Wemhoff said its existing dispatchers will be transferred to the central center. “Nobody will be losing their jobs,” he said.

The Columbus Police Department will be training its dispatchers to respond to calls for the county sheriff’s office and to operate the center’s new equipment, said Police Capt. Todd Thalken.

“Consolidation is always a good word,” Thalken said. “It will be better sharing as far as making sure things get dispatched correctly and making sure the calls get to the right place.”

County Supervisor James Scow said the county will consider implementing a tax to cover the costs of ongoing expenses at the joint center. He said the issue will be discussed during an upcoming county budget meeting.

Toxic algae health alert issued for Holmes Lake in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials have issued a health alert warning of toxic algae blooms in Lincoln’s Holmes Lake.

Officials said in a news release Friday that the alerts were issued following tests of the lake’s water.

Skin exposed to the toxin from the algae can develop rashes and blisters. Someone who drinks water containing the toxin is at risk for headaches, nausea and muscular pain.

When a health alert is issued, signs are posted to advise the public to use caution, and designated swimming beaches are closed. Recreational boating and fishing are permitted, but the public is warned to use caution and avoid exposure to the water.

Toxic algae alerts also continue at Kirkman’s Cove in Richardson County and Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake in Colfax County.

TransCanada to move materials, prep sites for Keystone XL

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The Keystone XL oil pipeline developer said in a letter this week to a Native American tribal chairman that the company will start moving materials and preparing construction sites for the project in Montana and South Dakota.

TransCanada Corp. said in the letter to Cheyenne River Sioux Chairman Harold Frazier, of South Dakota, that the work would start in July and go through the fall. The chairman on Thursday tweeted copies of TransCanada’s message and his response on the tribe’s letterhead: “We will be waiting.”

Frazier wasn’t immediately available on Friday to comment to The Associated Press. Keystone XL faces intense resistance from environmental groups, Native American tribes and some landowners along the route.

The project would cost an estimated $8 billion. The 1,179-mile pipeline would transport up to 830,000 barrels a day of Canadian crude through Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska, where it would connect with lines to carry oil to Gulf Coast refineries.

TransCanada spokesman Terry Cunha said in an email that the preparatory work will ramp up over the year to position TransCanada for construction in 2019. He said it would include moving pipe and equipment to start clearing activities to prepare for getting final permits and approvals for construction.

But the project faces legal hurdles. Nebraska landowners have filed a lawsuit challenging the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s decision to approve a route through the state.

A separate federal lawsuit brought by Montana landowners and environmental groups seeks to overturn President Donald Trump’s decision to grant a presidential permit for the project, which was necessary because it would cross the U.S.-Canadian border.

South Dakota’s Supreme Court in June dismissed an appeal from pipeline opponents — including the Cheyenne River Sioux — of a judge’s decision last year upholding regulators’ approval for the pipeline to cross the state.

McDonald’s removing salads from 3,000 stores after illness

CHICAGO (AP) — McDonald’s is stopping the sale of salads at 3,000 restaurants after people became sick from a parasite causing intestinal illness.

The Chicago-based fast-food chain said Friday it’s acting “out of an abundance of caution” until switching to another supplier. Health officials in Illinois and Iowa say they’ve identified roughly 100 combined cases of cyclosporiasis apparently linked to consuming McDonald’s salads. The illness is caused by the Cyclospora parasite.

McDonald’s is removing the lettuce blend from identified restaurants and distribution centers. At least one of the affected restaurants is in each of the following states: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Missouri.

The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms could include appetite loss, intestinal pain, nausea and fatigue.

Ex-Nebraska Rep. Ashford says Russian agents hacked emails

Sen. Brad Ashford

By GRANT SCHULTE ,  Associated Press

 
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska Democratic congressman said Friday that Russian agents hacked into his campaign emails in 2016, a few months before he narrowly lost to a Republican challenger.

Former U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford announced the breach on his Facebook page after the Justice Department filed an indictment alleging that 12 Russian military intelligence officers stole information from Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.

Ashford, who lost his seat to Republican Don Bacon by 3,464 votes, said hackers obtained all of his campaign’s email correspondence with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He said he was notified of the breach in the summer of 2016 by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office and was told that the Russians were likely responsible.

“I wasn’t concerned about anything that would be untoward or inappropriate (in the emails), because I knew there wasn’t anything like that,” Ashford said in an Associated Press interview. “I was fearful that they would know things about our campaign’s strategy and focus, and that it would somehow get into the hands of a dark money group. It was stuff you don’t want the other side to get.”

U.S. intelligence agencies have said the Russian meddling was designed to help then-candidate Donald Trump’s campaign, and included bogus Facebook ads and social media postings. Prosecutors say the campaign was designed to influence public opinion and sharpen the nation’s political divide.

The indictment filed by special counsel Robert Mueller notes at one point that a U.S. congressional candidate, who was not named in the document, contacted Russian operatives who were posing as a hacker named “Guccifer 2.0” in August 2016 and requested stolen information related to the candidate’s opponent. The hackers sent the information using the “Guccifer 2.0” persona.

Ashford said he doesn’t believe any of the stolen information ever went to Bacon or the Republican Party, and he doesn’t know whether it made a difference in his race. He did face a series of anonymous political attacks on social media.

He said he chose not to disclose it during the campaign because he believed he was going to win and opted not to say anything afterward because he didn’t want to appear like he was making excuses for his loss. Bacon told the Omaha World-Herald on Friday that he didn’t know that hackers had targeted Ashford’s emails, but said it’s clear that Russians were trying to cause trouble in the 2016 election.

Ashford is the latest candidate to confirm Russian interference in his campaign. The Guccifer 2.0 blog posted a stolen DCCC memo in August 2016 that the noted possible weaknesses in the campaign of Democratic candidate Annette Taddeo, who lost her 2016 congressional primary in South Florida after her campaign’s documents were hacked and publicly released.

Taddeo said Friday she’s never been interviewed by the FBI or any other law enforcement agency about the incident. She said she doesn’t know if Friday’s indictment refers to her race.

Currently a Florida state senator, Taddeo said in an interview that the hackers obtained information including her polling, her strategy blueprint, the homes she was visiting and the amount of mail she was sending.

“It was our playbook, in essence. I have no better way to describe it,” she said. “So of course, it was detrimental.”

Ashford said his district was likely targeted because his race was viewed as competitive and because Nebraska has the ability to split its electoral votes in presidential races, making the Omaha-based 2nd District a potential pickup for Democrats.

“I’m not suggesting that it cost me the election,” he said. “But I do think it’s important for people in my district to know how close to home these Russians can get.”

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Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte

Man injured in Nebraska grain elevator blast dies

Google Maps

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man injured in an explosion at a northeast Nebraska grain elevator has died.

The Meyer Brothers Funeral Homes said Thursday that 55-year-old Maurice “Maury” Kellogg died Monday. He’d been injured May 29 when the blast blew a gaping hole in the Andersen Farms elevator in South Sioux City.

Residents of 26 houses nearby were evacuated. Fears of the elevator collapsing kept many away until June 11, when the elevator top was dismantled.

The cause of the explosion is being investigated.

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