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Mental health services still a challenge in Nebraska prisons

jailLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s prison system is struggling to deliver mental health services to inmates who need it.

Corrections officials told a legislative committee Wednesday that they’re still trying to fill nursing, psychology and psychiatry positions and face the same turnover problems that have plagued other parts of the department.

Assistant State Ombudsman Jerall Moreland says inmates are having difficulty getting access to treatment they need before completing their sentences.

Former state Sen. Steve Lathrop, an attorney for the committee, says roughly 1,100 of the 5,300 prisoners in Nebraska suffer from a serious mental illness, and many also have developmental disabilities. State law requires the corrections department to provide the same standard of care available outside of prison.

Study questions value of mammograms, breast cancer screening

Medical-ChartA new study questions the value of mammograms for breast cancer screening. It concludes that a woman is more likely to be diagnosed with a small tumor that is not destined to grow than she is to have a true problem spotted early.

Mammograms do catch deadly cancers and save lives. But they also find many early cancers that will never threaten health. Treatment has improved so much over the years that finding cancer early has become less important.

The study tracked tumor sizes before and after mammograms came into wide use, and what effect screening had on death rates. They conclude that two-thirds of the drop in mortality was due to better treatments, not early detection.

The study was published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Bass Pro CEO talks to Cabela’s workers about future

cabelasSIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — Bass Pro Shops’ CEO has told Cabela’s employees that he won’t plant false hopes about their jobs after his company completes its purchase of Cabela’s but repeated earlier statements that some operations will stay in Sidney.

Last week’s $4.5 billion deal to sell Cabela’s has raised questions about the roughly 2,000 people the company employs at its Sidney headquarters. The combined headquarters will be in Springfield, Missouri.

Bass Pro CEO Johnny Morris told about Cabela’s 250 employees at a Sidney meeting Tuesday that there will be some “slimming down” but also said “important, significant jobs” will remain there. He didn’t provide details. A company spokesman said Wednesday that he couldn’t provide any either.

The company has committed to keeping open Cabela’s call centers in Grand Island, Kearney and North Platte.

Small Iowa town a window into hunger problem in rural US

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STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — The small northwest Iowa city of Storm Lake has a low unemployment rate, vibrant downtown and tree-lined neighborhoods, but it’s also facing a surge in hunger that’s familiar to rural communities across the country.

The community is struggling to respond as thousands of working families and elderly residents seek help feeding themselves or their children. The issue persists even as national poverty rates have declined and food prices are down.

In Storm Lake, residents are helping their neighbors with a large, mostly volunteer effort to hand out free food at a half-dozen pantries, along a city street and in an empty building.

Hermelinda Gonzalez relies on a monthly drive-up pantry to feed her seven children despite her husband’s construction job. She says, “I don’t know what we’d do without this.”

US says air bag parts maker is stonewalling, threatens fines

airbagDETROIT (AP) — The federal government is accusing an air bag parts maker of stonewalling an investigation into a fatal car crash, and is threatening a large fine over the lack of cooperation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents made public this week that ARC Automotive Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee, has missed deadlines and failed to report crash information and test results as required by law.

Email and telephone messages left for ARC were not immediately returned.

The agency began seeking information in August after an ARC air bag inflator ruptured and killed a woman in Newfoundland, Canada. As many as 8 million ARC inflators are under scrutiny.

The investigation is separate from one that resulted in the recall of 69 million inflators in the U.S. made by Takata Corp.

Death penalty hearing in Omaha draws supporters, opponents

lethal-injectionOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska residents have weighed in on a referendum aimed at repealing a 2015 state law that abolished the sentence, with supporters saying it’s necessary for harsh crimes and opponents saying it’s expensive and immoral.

Ten people testified Tuesday night in Omaha at the first of three public hearings.

Nebraska residents already have begun voting on the referendum ahead of the Nov. 8 election. The question on the ballot asks voters to choose whether to retain or repeal the law.

Marylyn Felion, who witnessed a Nebraska execution in 1997, said the death penalty is no longer needed to protect society.

Vivian Tuttle testified that only an execution would’ve held those who killed her daughter and four others at a Norfolk bank accountable.

Glenn Lee Nelson, Sr.

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Glenn Lee Nelson, Sr., age 78, of Gering, NE, formerly of North Platte, passed away at the Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff on Wednesday, October 12, 2016, after a nine year battle with cancer.

Glenn was born April 27, 1938, to Owen Tielman and June Violet (Stoddard) Nelson in North Platte where he grew up. Glenn was united in marriage to Beverly Quinn. They had four children and had been married 46 years when she passed away in 2007.

Glenn worked several jobs in the North Platte and Cozad area before hiring on with the Union Pacific Railroad as a Carmen in 1968. While on the railroad, he also worked as a mechanic for Time and Tool, the Honda Shop and Camperland. He retired from the railroad in 2000 after 32 years.

On May 27, 2009, Glenn married Berta Lineback Joy at Gering. They lived in Gering and enjoyed dancing, traveling and going to auctions together. He also liked camping, riding motorcycles, and belonged to a remote airplane club in the ’90’s. Glenn loved fixing things and was good with tools, he was Mr. Fix It. He enjoyed working on cars and could make anything work, and was a member of the High Plains Auto Club until he became too ill to continue.

Glenn was a Deacon in the Community of Christ Church and was active in youth groups and other church activities. Glenn was also involved with the Boy Scouts for 42 years, being a Cub Scout Leader, an Eagle Scout Dad, and as an adult received Order of the Arrow. He was very proud of helping young boys get a good start in life. He loved kids and never missed an opportunity to coax a smile from a baby or chat with a toddler. Glenn was a kind man who was always willing to help others. He will be missed.

He is survived by his wife, Berta, of Gering; children, Lori Edwards, of Gothenburg, Glenn Nelson, Jr., of Wakefield, KS, Mark (April) Nelson, of Lincoln, NE, and Brad Nelson, of Sutherland, NE; grandchildren, Amber (Jason) Block and Kenny Johnston, of Gothenburg, Chad (Kristina) Nelson, of Long Beach, MS, Christopher Nelson, of Salina, KS, and Cory Nelson, of Manhattan, KS, Calysta and Decon Nelson, of Lincoln; great-grandchildren, James Swanson, twins, Mason and Connor Block, Elliott Block, and Halley, Alyssa and Jace Nelson; two sisters, Pat Chittenden, of North Platte and Ann Mobley, of Maricopa, AZ; five brothers, Jim (Kathy) Nelson, of Franklin, NE, Richard Nelson, of Illinois, Dan (Sandra) Nelson, of Sutherland, NE, Harold Nelson, of Lincoln, NE, and Albert Nelson, of Omaha, NE; as well as many nieces, nephews and other family.

Along with his first wife, Beverly, Glenn was preceded in death by his parents, Owen and June; brothers, Ray and Will Nelson; and grandson, Kyle Johnston.

Funeral Service will be 2 p.m. Monday, October 17, 2016, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Burial will follow in Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorials are to the Boy Scout Buffalo Bill District. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com.

Lincoln math specialist named Nebraska Teacher of the Year

schoolLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln math teacher has been named this year’s Nebraska Teacher of the Year.

State Education Department officials surprised Amber Vlasnik with the award Tuesday at Lincoln High School, where she also coaches other teachers.

The 30-year-old was awarded her education degree at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2008, did her student teaching in Houston, Texas, and then taught math at Lincoln’s Southeast High School before joining the Lincoln High staff.,

She’ll be eligible for the National Teacher of the Year Award and will participate in several national professional development programs.

Former store employee pleads guilty to on-the-job thefts

gavel-and-scaleCOUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A former cellphone store employee in Council Bluffs has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $30,000 while on the job.

21-year-old Sayeg Moreno Padilla, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced Monday to five years of probation and ordered to pay back what he stole.

Prosecutors say Moreno Padilla opened fraudulent accounts using 44 cellphones and took $1,500 in gift cards between May 6 and June 16 last year.

Amazon launches for-pay streaming music service

amazonNEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is launching a paid streaming music service, the latest entry in an increasingly crowded field.

Amazon Music Unlimited is being positioned to compete against existing services such as Spotify and Apple Music. It will cost $8 per month, or $80 a year, for members of Amazon’s $99-a-year Prime loyalty program. Non-Prime members will pay $10 a month, the same monthly fee charged by Spotify and Apple Music.

Owners of Amazon’s Echo smart speaker, meanwhile, will be able to get the unlimited music service on one device for $4 per month.

The steaming service is one more perk — like two-day free shipping and Amazon Video — that the Seattle-based company hopes will attract people to its Prime program and thus encourage them to spend more on its flagship site.

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