COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — An 11-year-old boy who was struck by a van while trying to cross a Council Bluffs street has died.
Blake Smith’s family says he died at a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday.
Police say Blake Smith ran in front of the van while trying to cross a street in Council Bluffs last Wednesday.
Authorities have not announced whether the driver will face any charges.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A special $3,195 rifle is being designed to mark Nebraska’s 150th birthday.
150 of the Henry Big Boy .45-caliber colt rifles will be sold.
The rifles will feature 24-karat gold and polished nickel engravings of images associated with Nebraska. The engraving will include a sod house, the state capitol, chimney rock and the state bird and tree.
All the rifles commissioned for Nebraska’s Sesquicentennial will come with a display case.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican senator helped his constituents get around this weekend by moonlighting as a driver for the ride-sharing service Uber.
In a series of tweets, Ben Sasse of Nebraska explained his decision to get behind the wheel by saying he works “alongside and for” the people of the Cornhusker state.
Sasse says the money he earned is going to charity. As a senator, he’s not allowed to make any money outside his congressional service.
Sasse worked late Saturday night and found that at least a few of his fares had been partying a little too much.
He quipped, “if you throw up in an Uber, the surcharge can be substantial.” But the risk has rewards. He says it’s a “market incentive to get drivers to agree to” Saturday night shifts.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A group of neighborhood advocates are opposing a proposal to reduce the required distance between businesses that sell packaged liquor and nearby churches, homes and schools.
Lincoln attorney Mark Hunzeker is asking the city to reduce the distance from 100 feet to 50 feet. He is representing Walgreens, which can’t get an off-sale liquor license because it has a store 60 feet from a residential property.
Shawn Ryba of NeighborWorks Lincoln wrote a letter to Lincoln City Council, saying that a coalition of more than 25 neighborhood associations endorsed the current spacing requirement and believes it helps protect the quality of life in neighborhoods.
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission will take up the issue Nov. 30. It’ll eventually go to the City Council.
ATLANTA (AP) — The FBI says the number of hate crimes reported to police increased by about 6.7 percent last year, led largely by a 67 percent surge in crimes against Muslims.
The reporting period covers the calendar year 2015, and includes the terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California. Civil rights groups had raised concerns about an anti-Muslim backlash in the U.S. even before the attacks.
According to the data released Monday, there were 257 incidents of anti-Muslim bias in 2015, compared to 154 incidents in 2014. The number is second only to the surge in hate crimes following the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.
A portion of the increase could be due to an increase in reporting by victims as well as better reporting and tracking by law enforcement agencies.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha man convicted of killing four people in 2013 is arguing with his own lawyer and one of the judges who will determine whether he will face the death penalty.
A three-judge panel is scheduled to spend most of the week hearing evidence about whether Nikko Jenkins’ crimes warrant execution.
But Jenkins objected Monday to his lawyer presenting an IQ test that might disqualify him from execution.
The case will be the first opportunity for Nebraska’s death penalty to be imposed since voters voted to reinstate it last week.
Jenkins was convicted of four counts of first-degree murder for the August 2013 shooting deaths in and around Omaha of Juan Uribe-Pena, Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz, Curtis Bradford and Andrea Kruger. Jenkins pleaded no contest to the charges.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A trade delegation led by Gov. Pete Ricketts is looking for ways to place more Nebraska beef and pork in Asia.
The delegation on Monday visited a food service training institute in Macau. The governor’s office says the group is working on a potential agreement in which cooking classes would use Nebraska meat products.
Later in the day, Ricketts and the trade delegation hosted an annual Nebraska barbecue event in Macau. More than 300 Macau food industry representatives attended the event to learn about the benefits of Nebraska pork and beef. The governor’s office says Ricketts signed several letters of intent with Macau-based restaurants to purchase Nebraska beef.
Ricketts also visited Tongji University in Shanghai, China, to discuss a partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Henrietta Bell Jenkins 61, passed away on November 12, 2016 at Ashland, Nebraska. She was born on July 6th, 1955 to Carl and Anna (Bersley) Cook at Arnold, Nebraska. She graduated from Stapleton in 1976. She married Gene Jenkins on October 11, 1980 in North Platte.
She resided in Gorden, Nebraska were she worked as a cook at Gorden Countryside Care Center. She moved to Ashland, Nebraska in 2013.
Henrietta enjoyed fishing, prospecting and doing crafts.
She is survived by her daughter, Lois Noleaf of Ashland; son, Leroy Jenkins of Rapid City , South Dakota; Brothers, Richard (Donna) Cook of Gandy, and David (Kathy) Cook of Lamar; Sisters, Carleene (Kenneth) Jividen of Gandy, Phyllis (Raymond Olson) McEntee of North Platte, and Glenda (Tina) Cook of Elmwood; and many nieces and nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Anna Cook; and sister-in-law LaDonna Cook.
Services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, November 17, 2016 at the Gandy Community Bible Church in Gandy with Pastor Frank Scott officiating. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. with family receiving friends 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.
Virginia Vivian (Voss) Schlueter, 86, passed away peacefully in the early morning of November 12, 2016, while surrounded by her loved ones. She died from pneumonia, a complication of MDS. She was born July 12, 1930 to William and Lydia (Scherbarth) Voss, in their house located ½ mile east of Ravenna Nebraska. Virginia grew up doing chores, delivering milk and spent many hours working with her dad on the farm.
On Sept. 26, 1948, she married Lester Albert Schlueter at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ravenna. Lester passed away on April 15, 1992. They lived in Hazard, Kearney and Grand Island before moving to North Platte in 1956. To this union they were blessed with three sons. Virginia focused her time as a devoted wife and loving mother. She also was a den mother, podiatrist assistant, church secretary and volunteered many hours at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Virginia’s family, song birds and roses were her passion and brought her much delight. She was known to chase a few pesky rabbits and squirrels out. She also took pride in her gardening and home and enjoyed making family dinners. Virginia was meticulous in notes and records, for which her family is very grateful.
Survivors include: her sister Pauline May Moon, 96, of Ravenna, NE; Sons; Glen (Joan) of Loveland, CO, Bill (Sharon) of Kahului, HI (Maui) and Ken (Vickie Jo) of Johnstown, CO; six grandchildren, two great grandchildren; numerous extended family; and very dear and kind neighbors Johnny and Debbie Navarrete and Tommy and Alice Vieyra.
Memorials are suggested in her name and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 18, 2016 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church with the Reverend Robert Wiest officiating. Cremation will follow and inurnment will be at a later date at Westlawn Memorial Park in Grand Island. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. with family receiving friends 6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. Thursday, November 17, 2016 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.
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