(AP) — Newborns in Nebraska will have to get screened for a potentially fatal heart disease, under a new state law.

Gov. Dave Heineman approved a measure Monday that will require screenings for critical congenital heart disease, a leading cause of death in newborns.

Newborns sent home with undetected heart defects can go into cardiac shock, and are at a greater risk of brain damage, developmental disabilities or death.

The current screening standard for congenital heart disease is a non-invasive procedure, in which a sticky strip is placed on a newborn’s hand or foot.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Jim Smith, of Papillion. Smith says the screenings are easy and inexpensive, and will save lives.

(AP) — Nebraska regulators are warning consumers to avoid an online escrow company that isn’t licensed to handle money transfers.

The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance said Monday it ordered Lincoln Closing and Escrow Services to stop acting as a money transmitter.

Regulators also say the online company improperly claims it is based in downtown Lincoln. No such company is based at the address Lincoln Closing lists on its website.

Company officials weren’t immediately available Monday to comment.

Regulators say they learned about Lincoln Closing after a consumer complained that the escrow company insisted the consumer wire money to a Mexican bank account to pay taxes before selling two timeshares.

Regulators say consumers should avoid doing business online with financial companies they don’t know.

(AP) — Nebraska corn farmers have 99 percent of their crop in the ground meeting the five-year average and 84 percent of the crop has emerged, lagging behind the 90 percent average.

The corn crop is faring well according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first condition report of the year with just 1 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 64 percent good and 10 percent excellent.

The USDA says 81 percent of soybean seeds are in the ground slightly behind the 89 percent average but just 47 percent has emerged. Normally about 63 percent of the plants would be above ground by now.

More than half of the wheat crop is rated very poor or poor while a third is fair, 13 percent is good, and 1 percent excellent.

(AP) — A monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy in nine Midwest and Plains states will continue growing steadily over the next few months.

The overall economic index for the region declined slightly to 56.2 in May from April’s 56.8, but any score above 50 suggests growth.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says the stronger dollar is hurting prices for farm and energy products, but that has only slowed the growth in those businesses.

The survey of business leaders and supply managers uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

 

Burglary charges continue to mount for two North Platte men.

Authorities arrested Cody Jolliffe and Jacob Moser and charged them with the theft of a safe and several other items from Kohler Trailer sales in North Platte.

The duo was arrested Saturday after a traffic stop.

Kohler’s was burglarized on May 22 where the suspects stole a safe and other items.

Both men are already facing charges for thieving from Ideal Linen and a Lincoln County residence.  Jolliffe was also charged with burglarizing the Westfield Car Wash.

Both men are being held without bond at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

(AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court says parents who homeschool are not under a deadline to begin that schooling, as long as the minimum instruction hours for the year are met by June 30.

The case stems from the 2011 convictions of Eric Thacker and his wife, Gail Morgan-Thacker, of violating Nebraska’s school truancy laws.

The Thackers moved to western Nebraska with their five children in March 2011. They were charged and convicted of the misdemeanors later that year when authorities said their children were not homeschooled or enrolled in public school from Aug. 17 through Oct. 4.

The Thackers appealed, saying they planned to begin homeschooling in November. A Dawson County District Court judge reversed their convictions, saying state law doesn’t require parents to begin homeschooling when public school classes begin.

(AP) — The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider the first tuition freeze in more than two decades when members meet in June.

President James B. Milliken says the two-year freeze is possible because of a 4 percent funding increase approved by the Legislature. The last tuition freeze was in 1990.

Officials say the freeze would save undergraduates at the four University of Nebraska campuses about $1,000.

The board will meet June 7.

(AP) — Companies remain interested in acquiring the right to drill for oil in Nebraska even though production in the state remains stable.

The prices bidders paid last month at an auction of mineral rights shattered the old record of $39.35 per acre.

The bidders paid an average of $58.83 per acre for the right to drill on 16,171 acres, but a couple parcels in Dundy County drew more than $200 an acre.

Officials say land in southwest Nebraska has drawn considerable interest from oil companies recently.

Last year, Nebraska wells produced about 2.5 million barrels of oil, up about 10,000 barrels over 2011. So far this year production is down slightly.

(AP) — A 22-year-old Panhandle man has been sent to prison for the crash death of his best friend.

Drew Schmaltz was given two to three years for manslaughter. Court records say Schmaltz pleaded no contest after prosecutors dropped related charges. He was sentenced on Friday in Scotts Bluff County District Court.

Judge Randy Lippstreu says Schmaltz had a drunken-driving conviction on his record and should have known better than to drive drunk in a pickup loaded with friends last July.

Schmaltz said in court that he’d been going through the toughest time of his life after losing his best friend. He said he was sorry for all the pain and suffering he’d caused.

(AP) — A Scottsbluff man and his wife are set for trial on child abuse charges.

The trial for 35-year-old Carlos Herrera and 29-year-old Jennifer Herrera will begin Monday and is expected to last through Friday. Both are charged with child abuse resulting in serious injury.

Prosecutors say police and child services officials began investigating in October 2011, when the child missed school after showing up with injuries.

Police say when they tried to check on the child, the Herreras tried to conceal the boy’s whereabouts. When the boy was found, he had the imprint of a shoe across his face, a black eye, bruising to the center of his forehead and a severe rash.

Prosecutors also say the boy suffered extreme neglect and malnutrition.