OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Amtrak is getting ready to resume part of its service between California and Chicago after last week’s derailment in southwest Nebraska. The railroad said Thursday that it would restart service between Denver and Emeryville, Calif., on Saturday, but Amtrak won’t resume carrying passengers across Nebraska and Iowa until sometime later this month. Amtrak says its California Zephyr will depart California on Saturday, and a westbound train will leave Denver on Sunday. Amtrak suspended service after last Friday’s derailment near Benkelman, Neb. Two locomotives and three passenger cars were forced after the rails when the train struck a crane but no major injuries were reported. Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, which owns the tracks Amtrak uses in Nebraska, is still repairing flood damage near Omaha that forced long detours for Amtrak.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Energy Secretary Steven Chu says Canada’s status as a close U.S. ally may help win approval of a plan to pipe oil from Canada across the U.S. to the Gulf of Mexico. Chu says that importing oil from Canada “is much more comforting than to have other countries supply our oil.” Chu’s comments are the latest signal that the Obama administration appears likely to back the 1,700-mile pipeline. It would carry crude oil that’s extracted from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, and bring it to refineries in Texas. The pipeline would travel through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. Chu says the project “is not perfect, but it’s a trade-off.” The interview with the “energyNOW!” TV show is set to air in mid-September on Bloomberg Television.

Courtesy National Weather Service

After another very warm day today, a strong front will plunge through Nebraska today. As it goes through, scattered thunderstorms can be expected this evening and overnight.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 96. North northwest wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Northeast wind between 7 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind between 9 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A state senator says Gov. Dave Heineman’s  opposition to an oil pipeline route – but not the pipeline itself – reflects the opinions of most Nebraskans. The senator, Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm, is among those calling for a special session to address the pipeline route. On Wednesday the governor announced that he’d sent a letter to President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, urging them to deny a permit for the pipeline because it would run over the precious water resources of the Ogallala aquifer. Jane Kleeb is executive director of Bold Nebraska, which opposes the project. She hailed the governor’s letter as a sign of growing opposition to the pipeline. It would carry Canadian oil south to Texas’ Gulf Coast refineries.