OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The main sponsor of a failed proposal to allow casino gambling in Nebraska is suing the polling company that failed to gather enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot last year for $1.3 million.

Ho-Chunk Inc. has sued Omaha-based Northstar Campaign Systems over the failed petition drive.

Ho-Chunk, which runs a casino near Sloan, Iowa, is the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s economic development corporation.

Northstar officials say the company didn’t do anything wrong and will fight the lawsuit.

Last summer, organizers of the casino petition submitted 119,666 signatures for the proposed constitutional amendment, but more than 41,000 signatures were rejected either as duplicates or because petition signers weren’t registered voters in the county listed.

BUFFALO COUNTY, Neb. (AP) — Officials believe icy conditions contributed to a fiery crash involving two semitrailer trucks on Interstate 80 in central Nebraska.

The Nebraska Roads Department closed 15 miles of I-80 after the trucks crashed shortly before 9 a.m. Sunday. The crash happened about nine miles west of Kearney.

Pictures of the crash show the trucks on fire along the road, but the Nebraska State Patrol says no one was hurt.

I-80 reopened by in the area by noon Sunday, but officials still urged caution.

Highways in central Nebraska were covered by ice. Most of the ice accumulation is expected in eastern Nebraska and Iowa later Sunday into Monday.

Ice accumulations of one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch appear likely, making driving dangerous and threatening to bring down tree limbs and power lines.

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Goodbye to death-defying feats — daring young men (and women) on the flying trapeze, whip-wielding lion tamers, human cannonballs. Goodbye to the scent of peanuts and popcorn, the thrill of three rings, circus music.

Send out the clowns. The Big Top is coming down — for good.

On Saturday, officials of the company that owns the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced that it will close in May, ending a 146-year run that dates back to a time before automobiles or airplanes or movies, when Ulysses S. Grant was president and minstrel shows were popular entertainment.

What killed the circus? Mostly, the “Greatest Show on Earth” doesn’t seem so great in an era of Pokemon Go, online role-playing games and YouTube celebrities.

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ELLENTON, Fla. (AP) — From New York to Wisconsin to London and beyond, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has performed for millions of fans during its 146-year reign as one of the world’s biggest big tops.

The show, which is closing down permanently because of declining ticket sales, has its roots in a spectacle that began two decades before the U.S. Civil War — equal parts freak show, zoo and museum. In 1881 it officially became the circus that generations grew up watching and saw many evolutions over the years, most recently with its decision to retire its elephant acts.

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— 1841 — Phineas Taylor Barnum buys Scudder’s American Museum in New York City and renames it Barnum’s American Museum, which was something of a zoo, museum, lecture hall and freak show. It was filled with artifacts and items from around the world. The museum later burned down. Barnum also took his show on the road as “P.T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling American Museum.”

— 1881 — Barnum partners with James A. Bailey and James L. Hutchinson for “P.T. Barnum’s Greatest Show On Earth, And The Great London Circus, Sanger’s Royal British Menagerie and The Grand International Allied Shows United,” later shortened to the “Barnum & London Circus.”

— 1882 — The Ringling Brothers — Alf, Al, Charles, John and Otto — performed their first vaudeville-style show in Mazomanie, Wisconsin.

— 1884 — The Ringling Brothers Circus begins as a traveling performance.

— 1887 — The official Ringling touring show became the “Ringling Bros. United Monster Shows, Great Double Circus, Royal European Menagerie, Museum, Caravan, and Congress of Trained Animals.”

— 1895 — The Ringlings decided to branch out to New England, which was already the territory of P.T. Barnum. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, the two circuses “agreed to divide the U.S. rather than compete head-to-head. The Ringlings established their headquarters in Chicago while Barnum and Bailey stayed in New York.”

— 1907 — After the death of James Bailey, the Ringlings buy Barnum and Bailey. They keep the circuses separate, and the Wisconsin Historical Society wrote that by the 1910s the Ringling Bros. Circus had more than 1,000 employees, 335 horses, 26 elephants, 16 camels and other assorted animals that traveled on 92 railcars. The Barnum and Bailey Circus was roughly the same size.

— 1919 — The two circuses merged and became known as “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows.”

— 1927 — John Ringling moves circus headquarters to Sarasota, Florida.

— 1967 — Irvin Feld, a music and entertainment promoter, buys The Ringling circus and formally acquires it in a ceremony held at the Colosseum in Rome.

— 1985 — Kenneth Feld, Irvin’s son, becomes the owner of Feld Entertainment and the circus after his father dies.

— 2016 — Feld Entertainment announces it will retire elephants from its circus shows. The animals are moved to its Center for Elephant Conservation in Polk County, Florida.

— 2017 — Feld Entertainment announces that it will close the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds says more cuts to state aid and salary and benefits increases over the next two years will require NU to cut more than $50 million from its budget by 2019.

Bounds says the university system is already convening committees on the matter and plans to look at potential cuts and tuition increases at the Jan. 27 NU Board of Regents meeting.

On Thursday, Gov. Pete Ricketts proposed a more than $12 million cut to the university system next year. Bounds says NU is also looking at a 10 percent increase in health insurance costs in each of the next two years. He says collective bargaining negotiations could add another $28 million in costs.

The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) is urging motorists to be prepared and keep up-to-date on the latest weather and road conditions, as a winter storm expected to impact travel is forecast for the Cornhusker State. A wintry mix with ice is expected this weekend through Monday.

“This storm as forecasted would make travel difficult and dangerous across a good portion of the state,” said Colonel Brad Rice, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We encourage all motorists to stay up-to-date by monitoring the weather and road
conditions closely and be prepared to change travel plans if need be.”

Travelers can check on road closures and conditions by using 511, Nebraska’s Advanced Traveler Information System. The system
can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, by dialing 511, or online at < www.511.nebraska.gov >. A
Nebraska 511 mobile app is also available to download at no cost for smartphone users. Simply search your app provider for
Nebraska 511.

The Nebraska State Patrol issues the following reminders for motorists traveling in extreme weather conditions:

• Blowing and drifting snow can reduce visibility. Travel only when absolutely necessary. Always wear your seat belt and
  never drive faster than conditions allow.
• If you must travel, use well-traveled routes and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.
• Let others know when you are going, when you will arrive, and what route you are taking.
• If you do become stranded while traveling, stay with your vehicle until help arrives. Wind chill and freezing temperatures
  can be life threatening.
• If your vehicle does become stuck, run your motor sparingly and keep a window cracked to prevent the buildup of carbon
  monoxide.
• Carry a red flag or bandana in your car and attach it to the outside to signal you are in trouble.

Be sure to include a winter weather survival kit in your vehicle as your travel. The following are some basic items to keep in your
car in case you become stranded in wintry weather.

Emergency first aid kit	Ice scraper, shovel, small bag of sand
Mobile phone, charger, batteries	High energy or dehydrated foods, bottled water
Blankets or sleeping bag, extra set of clothing and winter accessories	Flashlight- included extra batteries (cold weather reduces battery strength)
Jumper cables, tow rope, tool kit	Both large and small can
Matches and candles	Red flag or bandana.

Motorists in need of emergency roadside assistance can call the Nebraska State Patrol Highway Helpline when safe to do so by
dialing *55 from any cell phone or 1-800-525-5555 from any landline, report emergencies to 911.

Col. Rice said, “Let’s all do our part to stay safe by being prepared and planning ahead.”