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Former Husker Tagge punished by financial industry watchdog

CASH_MONEYOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A financial industry watchdog organization has fined former Nebraska quarterback Jerry Tagge for breaking rules about borrowing money from clients.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fined Tagge $2,500 and suspended him for two months. He went on suspension July 19.

Tagge is executive vice president of Tagge Rutherford Financial Group, which has about $800 million in assets under management. He led the University of Nebraska to consecutive college football national championships in 1970 and 1971.

His attorney, John Shaw, issued a statement that said in part: “We are pleased to reach a settlement which places this matter behind us permanently.”

The authority says Tagge borrowed $125,000 from a customer in 2009, violating authority rules and those of his financial firm. The money’s been repaid.

North Platte Weather-August 18

forecast graphic august 18 2016Today
Sunny, with a high near 94. Light south southeast wind becoming south southwest 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind 7 to 11 mph becoming north northeast after midnight.
Friday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. North northeast wind 9 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Friday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind 7 to 11 mph.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 48.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 80.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 63.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.
Tuesday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.
Wednesday
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

7 of 9 ex-Winnebago Tribal Council members plead not guilty

Winnebago Indians LogoOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Seven of nine former Winnebago Tribal Council members charged in federal court with theft of tribal funds have pleaded not guilty.

The seven entered pleas in Omaha’s federal court on Monday. They include former council chairman John Blackhawk and former council members Darwin Snyder, Thomas Snowball Jr., Louis Houghton, Lawrence Payer, Charles Aldrich and Ramona Wolfe. Travis Mallory is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 24, and arraignment for Morgan Earth has not yet been set.

Prosecutors say they conspired to enrich themselves by siphoning $327,500 over two years from the tribe’s WinneVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa, in the form of gift certificates and pre-paid debit cards issued by the casino.

Report sets stage for Nebraska session’s tax debate

taxesLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says Nebraska could gain a competitive edge over nearby states by reducing its personal and corporate income tax rates while expanding its sales tax and eliminating some business tax credits.

The report released Wednesday at a tax policy summit in Lincoln sets the stage for a debate in next year’s legislative session. Gov. Pete Ricketts has said he will present a tax reform package to lawmakers when they convene in January.

The report was produced by the Washington-based Tax Foundation at the request of the Platte Institute, a Nebraska think tank that advocates for free markets and limited government. Its author argues that expanding the sales tax and reducing business tax credits would cover the cost of income tax cuts without creating a financial crisis.

Embattled senator urged to resign before election deadline

Sen. Bill Kintner
Sen. Bill Kintner

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley are urging an embattled state senator to resign before a key election deadline so that voters have a chance to pick a replacement.

Ricketts and Hadley sent a letter Wednesday to Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion, renewing their call for him to step down immediately. Kintner has admitted to having cybersex on a state computer with a woman he met online, but vowed to remain in office.

The letter says Kintner should resign before Sept. 8, which would allow Ricketts to appoint a replacement but give the voters a chance to pick their senator in November. If Kintner resigns after Sept. 8, Ricketts would still appoint a senator, but that person would not stand for election this year.

Demolition of Civic Auditorium in Omaha begins after delay

omaha-civic-auditoriumOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Demolition has begun on a 62-year-old auditorium in Omaha that has been the scene of political rallies, graduation ceremonies, concerts and sporting events.

Crews began tearing down the Civic Auditorium on Tuesday morning.

The Omaha City Council approved a $3.1 million contract with Illinois-based DeNovo Constructors Inc. in February to demolish the building.

The project was stalled in March after the contractor encountered financial issues. The city ended the contract and made a claim to the bonding company.

The company that holds the bond then chose St. Louis-based Spirtas Wrecking Co. to perform the demolition.

Omaha’s Parks and Recreation director, Brook Bench, says the building is expected to be completely demolished around the end of the year and that Spirtas will finish grading the ground in the spring.

Ex-Defense Secretary Hagel named visiting fellow at Harvard

Chuck Hagel
Chuck Hagel

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Former U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is heading to Harvard University this fall as one of two visiting fellows at the Ivy League school’s Institute of Politics.

Hagel is also a Republican former U.S. senator from Nebraska. He will join Jim Roosevelt at the institute at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Roosevelt is a Democratic Party Rules and Bylaws Committee co-chairman and former Tufts Health Plan CEO.

Along with six resident fellows, the visiting fellows meet with students, faculty, and staff as part of the institute’s efforts to encourage interest in public life and increase interaction between the academic and political communities.

Institute Director Maggie Williams says it’s an extraordinary class of fellows who are “perfect guides to lead our students through the fascinating terrain of this election year.”

Air Force probes airman’s death at base south of Omaha

offutt-air-force-baseOFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Air Force is investigating the death of an airman at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha.

Officials say the body of Airman 1st Class Rhianda Dillard was found Aug. 1 in her base dormitory. A preliminary autopsy report did not say what killed her, but toxicology testing has not been completed.

Offutt spokesman Drew Nystrom would not say Wednesday whether investigators suspect a crime led to Dillard’s death.

An airman suspected of desertion has been interviewed about Dillard. Air Force Office of Special investigations spokeswoman Linda Card said the airman has not been charged with anything related to Dillard’s death. Card says the man is only one of several people being questioned about Dillard.

Dillard had been at Offutt since March 14 and was from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Nebraska National Guard Museum honors role of paratroopers

nebraska-national-guardSEWARD, Neb. (AP) — A new exhibit at a museum in Seward highlights the role of paratroopers in the National Guard.

The Nebraska National Guard Museum formally unveiled its “Airborne!” exhibit Tuesday to celebrate National Airborne Day.

Mounted high on the wall, the exhibit includes a 30-by-10-foot replica of one soldier already plummeting, another waiting to jump and a foam model of a C-130 Hercules.

Museum historian Jerry Meyer says the model aircraft highly resembles an actual plane, but weighs a lot less.

It cost about $20,000 to create the exhibit.

The museum opened in the former armory on the edge of downtown Seward last year. The building was most recently used to pack parachutes for the Nebraska National Guard.

Omaha council OKs $250K contract to combat tree-killing bug

EmeraldOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha has committed $250,000 to continue its fight against a tree-killing insect.

The council approved the $250,000 contract Tuesday with an Underwood, Iowa, company, Holland & McKee, to treat the trees menaced by the emerald ash borer.

Parks director Brook Bench says the city will spend $4.67 per inch of tree up to $250,000. Bench estimated that several thousand trees will undergo the treatment. He says parks employees already have taken down about 1,000 other ash trees.

Officials hope to save up to 5,000 of 11,000 ash trees on city property, including parks and golf courses.

Emerald ash borers are native to Asia and were first spotted in the U.S. in 2002. They’ve killed millions of ash trees since.

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