We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Grand jury finds no crime involved in death of jail inmate

OSHKOSH, Neb. (AP) – A grand jury has determined that no crime was committed by anyone in the death of a jail inmate in western Nebraska.

The jury met to investigate the Sept. 18 death of 37-year-old Candy Flood, of Sidney, at the Garden County Jail in Oshkosh. Flood was being housed there for Cheyenne County after being arrested on suspicion of disturbing the peace.

The Sidney Sun-Telegraph reports that the jurors heard testimony from nine witnesses and reviewed 122 exhibits during their Jan. 30 session regarding Flood’s death. State law requires a grand jury investigation when someone dies in custody or being arrested.

The jury report says Flood’s death was caused by heart attack and high blood pressure.

Ice jam causing flooding in eastern Nebraska

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A lengthy ice jam is causing flooding in part of eastern Nebraska’s Platte County.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for southeastern Platte County, saying flooding is occurring on both sides of the Loup River. The warning runs through Monday morning.

Platte County emergency manager Tim Hofbauer told The Columbus Telegram that the jam is on the Platte River, “but it backs up into the Loup, which is causing the majority of the problems.”

1 driver fatally injured in Merrick County collision

CENTRAL CITY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say one driver was fatally injured and several other people were hurt in a collision on a state highway in eastern Nebraska’s Merrick County.

The collision occurred around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday on Nebraska Highway 92. The Merrick County Sheriff’s Office says a westbound car crossed the center line and rammed into an oncoming car.

The sheriff’s office says the 64-year-old man driving the westbound car was pronounced dead at Merrick Medical Center in Central City. His passenger and two people in the other car were hospitalized as well.

The names of those involved haven’t been released.

Nebraska senators advance employment leave bill for workers

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska workers who leave their job to care for a family member with a serious health condition could qualify for unemployment benefits under a bill advanced by lawmakers.

Senators gave the measure first-round approval Thursday with a 29-11 vote.

The proposal by Sen. Sue Crawford, of Bellevue, is aimed at workers who quit their job but are looking for other work that can accommodate their schedule. Workers would first have to make a reasonable effort with their employers to try to keep their jobs.

The Department of Labor says roughly 100 claimants left their jobs in 2018 to care for a family member, and received an average weekly benefit amount of $335. The department predicts it will pay out about $402,000 a year in additional benefits each year.

Nebraska judge to weigh speedy-trial rights in appeal

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge is deciding whether an inmate’s right to a speedy trial was violated as prosecutors scramble to keep him in prison for a 1995 slaying.

A hearing is scheduled Friday in the case of Jack Harris, the Omaha World-Herald reported. Harris was sentenced in 1999 to life in prison for the shooting death of Anthony Jones during a drug robbery.

Harris, 47, sought an appeal after a witness recanted, alleging that police intimidated him into testifying. Judge William Zastera granted Harris a new trial in September 2017. Zastera retired shortly after the decision.

The Nebraska attorney general’s office appealed, arguing that no evidentiary hearing was held. The case has been in limbo for months because no replacement judge was immediately appointed.

Judge Jodi Nelson took over the case in July. Nelson said Harris wasn’t tried within six months of Zastera’s order, in violation of his right to a speedy right. Nelson also criticized the state for failing to take steps to move the case forward.

“The state could have done several things,” Nelson wrote. “It could have asked for another district judge to be appointed, it could have begun preparing to retry Harris. … It could have done all of the above. … Instead the state apparently did nothing.”

The state argues that prosecutors filed a motion to reconsider and an appeal and that the time those motions were pending shouldn’t be counted as part of the speedy trial considerations.

“The Attorney General believes the significant and complicated issues should be reviewed by an appellate court before the defendant’s case is discharged,” Suzanne Gage, spokeswoman for Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, said in a statement.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said the situation is alarming.

“This is a big deal; the defendant was somebody we were very concerned about,” Kleine said. “Now, 20 years later, a judge grants a motion for absolute (dismissal). It’s a very troubling turn of events.”

Man pleads not guilty to fatal Lincoln shooting

Jesse “JJ” Wilson
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man accused of fatally shooting a Lincoln resident has pleaded not guilty.

Lancaster County District Court records say 32-year-old Jesse “JJ” Wilson entered pleas Wednesday to charges of second-degree murder, theft and two firearms counts. The records don’t show that a trial date has been set.

Prosecutors say he shot 42-year-old Stacy Talbot on Oct. 18 last year as they drove around Lincoln with two other people, 35-year-old Sherry Thomas and 28-year-old James Howard.

Thomas and Howard have been charged with being accessories to murder. Thomas has pleaded not guilty to the accessory charge and to theft. Howard hasn’t entered a plea yet. His attorney, Sandy Pollack, said Thursday that Howard would be pleading not guilty at his arraignment later this month.

Repeal of Nebraska slavery amendment advances in Legislature

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is one step closer to repealing a state constitutional amendment that allows people to be enslaved as punishment for a crime.

Lawmakers advanced the proposed repeal Thursday on a 44-0 vote. Two additional votes are required to place it on the 2020 general election ballot for voters to approve or reject.

The state constitution has banned slavery and involuntary servitude since 1875, except as punishment for a crime. Supporters say that provision hasn’t been used in recent history but was once invoked to force former slaves back into unpaid labor for private parties, a system known as convict leasing.

The measure’s sponsor, Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, says the amendment sends an important message about Nebraska’s values.

Nebraska man found dead in car in Kansas

Rick Kubes
CLAY CENTER, Kan. (AP) — Kansas authorities say a Nebraska man who was reported missing earlier this week was found dead in his car.

Clay County Sheriff Chuck Dunn says the body of 66-year-old Rick Kubes, of Auburn, Nebraska, was discovered Wednesday evening about 3 miles (4.83 kilometers) north of Clay Center on Kansas 15.

Dunn says an official cause of death hasn’t been determined but it appeared Kubes had a medical issue because his vehicle had drifted off the road.

The sheriff says Kubes left a home in Clay Center early Sunday to drive to a hospital in Auburn because he was suffering from back pain.

A statewide silver alert was issued on Monday when after he didn’t arrive at the hospital.

Native American missing women bill advances in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill to help Nebraska policymakers identify the number of missing-person cases involving Native American women has won first-round approval in the Legislature.

Lawmakers advanced the measure Thursday on a 40-0 vote.

The measure would require the Nebraska State Patrol to conduct a study on missing Native American women cases and identify what can be done to address the problem. The patrol would also work with tribal and local law enforcement, Native American tribes and American Indian organizations as well as the U.S. Department of Justice.

The bill is intended to help officials identify the scope of the problem and any barriers to fixing it. The patrol would submit a report to lawmakers by June 1, 2020, with data on the number of missing Native American women.

Senator pulls bill to deem conversion therapy child abuse

Sen. Megan Hunt

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska state lawmaker who introduced a bill to classify conversion therapy as child abuse says she will withdraw the measure amid concerns that it could punish parents who are misled.

Sen. Megan Hunt, of Omaha, made the announcement shortly before a legislative hearing Thursday on the proposal.

Conversion therapy is a pseudoscientific practice that attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Hunt says she decided to withdraw it after hearing from survivors that parents are often misled into placing their children in faith-based counseling without knowing that it includes conversion therapy.

Hunt, the state’s first openly bisexual senator, says she will continue to pursue a bill that would prohibit licensed medical professionals from performing conversion therapy.

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File