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Dump truck driver charged in west Omaha fatal crash

omaha-policeOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say the driver of a dump truck involved in a fatal west Omaha crash last month has been charged with one count of misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide.

Police say 59-year-old Ronald Nootz, of Bellevue, was driving the truck the morning of July 22 when he ran a red light and hit a small SUV, killing its driver, 75-year-old Noel Lammers, of Omaha.

The maximum penalty for the misdemeanor charge is a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Nootz’s case was not yet listed in online court records Thursday. It is not known whether he has an attorney in the case.

Nebraska fish biologists investigating cause of fish die-off

Nebraska_game_and_parksLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska fisheries biologists are investigating the cause of a fish die-off in a central Nebraska reservoir.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said in a news release Thursday that dead carp have been reported at Davis Creek Reservoir south of North Loup.

The commission says a viral infection is the expected cause of the die-off, and samples have been taken to verify the cause.

The reservoir remains open to fishing, and no other species of fish have been impacted. Anglers should expect to see significant numbers of dead and decaying carp at the reservoir, with the possibility of more distressed fish dying in the coming days.

Weather service says weak tornado hits near Ashland

severe-weatherASHLAND, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service says a weak tornado briefly moved through a rural area between Lincoln and Omaha on Thursday.

The weather service in Valley, just west of Omaha, says the tornado hit just before 5 p.m. Thursday near Ashland as strong thunderstorms moved across the southeastern and eastern portions of Nebraska.

The Saunders County Sheriff’s Department says no injuries or damage have been reported from the tornado.

The weather service says it expects to gather more information on the tornado later Thursday or Friday.

Doris “Jeannie” Yonker

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Doris “Jeannie” Yonker, 81, of North Platte, passed away August 2, 2016 at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. She was born April 7, 1935 at Elm Creek, Nebraska to Benjamin and Jenny (Van Cleave) Hasbrouck. Jeannie grew up in the Elm Creek and North Platte area and was united in marriage to Eugene Yonker on May 15, 1954 at Broken Bow, NE and they made their home in North Platte. She was a loving mother and except for a short time that she was cleaning supervisor for Stockman Inn, Jeannie stayed at home and took care of their children. She was an avid bowler, enjoyed doing crafts and watching baseball and softball especially when her family played. She also was a great Husker fan. Her faith in Christ guided her life. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eugene; 10 brothers and 4 sisters, Sam, Marion, Fred, Harry, George, Benjamin (Jr) Edith, Kenneth (Tub ), Raymond, Dorothy( Dot), Betty, Roy, Kathryn ( Tuttie) and Billy; son-in-law, Danny Saner; and great granddaughter, Jocelynn. She is survived by her daughters, Debra Hilderbrand of North Platte, Dona Gleason-Kreutzer (Tim), Deanna Saner(Chuck Theis) both of Kearney; her son, Dale Yonker of North Platte; grandchildren, Jeromie, Melissa, Jason, Ryan, Justin, William, Matthew, Michael and Michelle; and 20 great grandchildren. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Services will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 6, 2016 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with Pastor Vaughn Fahrenbruck officiating. Burial will be in the North Platte Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, with family receiving friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the American Lung Association. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Nebraska no longer at risk of losing federal money

DHHSLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is no longer at risk of losing $17 million in federal funding because of delays in processing public benefit applications.

The state Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday that its processing rate improved to more than 95 percent for the period of October 2015 to March 2016.

Department CEO Courtney Phillips says applications in July were approved in an average of nine days, and one-third of the clients received same-day approval.

The department now allows clients to apply for assistance via telephone. Clients can also sign up to receive email notifications to check their online account for messages.

Nebraska now ranks 23rd nationally in its timely processing of applications. In August 2014, the state ranked last in the country.

Osceola man charged with 2 crash deaths to be sentenced Sept. 29

fatal-crashWAHOO, Neb. (AP) — An Osceola man is scheduled to be sentenced next month for his role in a Saunders County collision that killed an engaged couple.

Online court records say 43-year-old Douglas Cerny pleaded no contest Thursday to two misdemeanor counts of vehicular homicide. His sentencing is set for Sept. 29.

Authorities say Cerny ran a stop sign Jan. 24 at an intersection with U.S. Highway 77, west of Wahoo. Cerny’s vehicle collided with one being driven by 29-year-old Jessica Thomas. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Thirty-two-year-old Tanner Hauck, who was in the vehicle with Thomas, died several days later.

Zika vaccines work in monkeys, boosting hopes for people

mosquitoeNEW YORK (AP) — Three experimental Zika vaccines protected monkeys against infection from the virus, an encouraging sign as research moves into studies in people.

The experiment involved a traditional vaccine and two more cutting-edge ones. The traditional vaccine is expected to enter preliminary human studies this year. At least two other experimental Zika vaccines are in human studies already.

Researchers reported the success in monkey studies Thursday in a paper released by the journal Science. The traditional vaccine used a dead virus, while the other two used a single gene of the Zika virus to prime the monkeys’ immune systems to fight off the germ.

Efforts to develop a vaccine began after a massive Zika outbreak last year in Brazil.

Man accused of Winnebago casino theft pleads guilty

Winnebago-TribeOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A northeast Nebraska man has pleaded guilty to stealing from a casino in Winnebago.

Mark Hannan, of South Sioux City, entered the plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Omaha. He’d previously pleaded not guilty to the charge: theft by an employee of a gaming establishment on Indian lands. His sentencing is set for Oct. 31.

Court documents say that from Nov. 1 through Feb. 15, Hannan stole the money while working at the Native Star Casino, which is owned and operated by the Winnebago Indian Tribe of Nebraska.

Nebraskan died after tractor overturned, authorities say

madison-county-sheriffNEWMAN GROVE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man has died after the tractor he was driving overturned in northeast Nebraska.

The accident occurred Tuesday evening on private land just northeast of Newman Grove. Madison County deputies sent to the scene say Ronald Konz, of Lindsay, died after the tractor overturned into a creek. Investigators think he was moving hay bales at the time.

The accident is being investigated.

Gage County appeals verdict won by 6 exonerated inmates

gavel-and-scaleLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gage County has appealed a jury’s verdict awarding more than $28 million to six people who were wrongfully convicted in the 1985 slaying of a southeast Nebraska woman.

The appeal was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Lincoln. The county wants a judge to set aside the verdict or order another trial.

The appeal argues there wasn’t enough evidence to find for the six people who spent a combined 77 years in prison in the death of 68-year-old Helen Wilson before DNA testing cleared them in 2008. It also says the jury was tainted by statements that the six were innocent and says the $28.1 award was excessive.

The six have become known as the Beatrice Six. An attorney for them has declined to comment about the appeal.

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