KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska parents and childcare providers say it’s difficult to find caregivers for infants because of the state’s tough regulations.
Some parents say they have an easier time securing care for older children. Some child development centers have long waiting lists.
State laws require providers to have one staff member for every four babies, and infant care rooms can have no more than 12 children at a time. Children younger than a year may sleep only in federally approved cribs or playpens.
A Department of Health and Human Services official says the regulations ensure adequate and appropriate care for all children. The state defines an infant as a child between 6 weeks and 18 months old.
Two brothers, one from Ogallala and one from Hershey, are accused of assaulting a man while he was holding his two infant children.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the report of an assault at 334 Sunset Street, in Hershey.
Deputies arrived and met with a male victim who claimed that he had been assaulted, as he was holding his two infant children.
The man identified his attackers as 34-year-old Clemente Carrizales, of Hershey, and his brother, 37-year-old Domingo Carrizales, of Ogallala.
He alleged that the brothers had approached him and kicked and punched him in the face.
Chief Deputy Roland Kramer says witnesses reported that the Carrizales brothers had left in a vehicle, and headed westbound on US Highway 30.
Later on, an Ogallala police officer on patrol observed the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.
Police say the two brothers were in the vehicle, along with a 16-year-old intoxicated male who was driving.
The Carrizales were arrested and charged with two counts of felony child abuse, 3rd-degree assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Lincoln County Deputies met with Keith County law enforcement and transported both men to the Lincoln County Detention Center.
The juvenile driver was arrested for driving under the influence of liquor by Ogallala police.
The investigation is ongoing, according to Kramer. No injuries were reported to the children, the male victim had injuries that were described as minor.
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Light east southeast wind becoming south southeast 9 to 14 mph in the morning.
Tonight
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southeast wind 7 to 11 mph.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. South southeast wind 5 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night
A slight chance of thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southeast wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.
Sunday Night
A slight chance of thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night
A slight chance of thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.
TRENTON, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old southwestern Nebraska man has died in a crash with a semitrailer in Hitchcock County.
Zachery Schnabel, of Brule, Nebraska, was driving a pickup when it collided with the semitrailer around 6 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of rural roads near Trenton.
Nebraska State Patrol investigators say Schnabel failed to stop at the intersection.
Investigators say Schnabel, who was not wearing a seat belt, was flown to a McCook hospital, where he died of his injuries.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Mega Millions jackpot has increased to $540 million, as brisk ticket sales fuel the estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing.
Paula Otto is executive director of the Virginia Lottery and lead director for Mega Millions. She says sales leading up to Friday’s drawing have exceeded expectations resulting in the jackpot adjustment.
Friday’s drawing will be the 35th since Mega Millions had a winner — the longest rollover stretch in the game’s history. Otto says that since the last winner in March, Mega Millions ticket sales have exceeded $1 billion.
Sales prior to the last drawing on Tuesday night also were higher than expected, at around $107 million. Sales were anticipated to hit $80 million.
Tickets are sold in 45 jurisdictions including 43 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
DEADWOOD, S.D. (AP) — Authorities in western South Dakota have charged a woman who delivered a baby at a Deadwood hospital with child abuse and drug-related counts after the boy tested positive for opiates and methamphetamine.
The 28-year-old woman from Minatare, Nebraska, gave birth to the boy in mid-June.
Court records show staff at a Spearfish hospital told law enforcement that the baby had exhibited drug-withdrawal symptoms, including jitteriness, poor feeding, unhealthy sucking and swallowing, and uncontrolled sneezing.
The woman told hospital staff that she had used marijuana during her pregnancy. Records show the woman tested positive for marijuana and meth.
The Associated Press is not naming the woman so as not to identify the baby. Her attorney declined to comment on the case Thursday.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A group that wants to legalize casino gambling in Nebraska is one step closer to placing the issue before voters in November, but opponents are preparing challenges in court and on the campaign trail.
The petition drive’s organizers said Thursday that they’ve gathered more than enough signatures to qualify, with more than 310,000 signatures across the three petitions.
Anti-gambling activist Pat Loontjer says her group will travel the state to urge a “no” vote on the measure and is strongly considering a lawsuit to keep it off the ballot. Loontjer says her group is working with churches throughout the state.
The measure would allow gaming at Nebraska’s licensed horse racing tracks. Petition circulators spent months at festivals, sporting events and concerts.
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff has opened its own dialysis unit after clashing with two outside providers earlier this year.
Hospital spokeswoman Joanne Krieg says the new dialysis unit opened earlier this week after two specialists were hired to oversee it.
Earlier this spring the hospital sued two dialysis providers after they moved to end their contracts early. The hospital later settled with Renal Treatment Center and DaVita Healthcare Partners.
The hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer Connie Rupp says the new dialysis unit will ensure high-quality service continues uninterrupted.
NEW YORK (AP) — Wendy’s says hackers were able to steal customer’s credit and debit card information at 1,025 of its U.S. restaurants, far more than it originally thought.
The hamburger chain says hackers were able to access card numbers, names, expiration dates and codes on the cards. Some customer’s cards were used to make fraudulent purchases at other stores.
In May, it said malware was found in fewer than 300 restaurants starting in the fall of 2015. About a month later, it said two types of malware were found and the number of restaurants affected was “considerably higher.”
There are more than 5,700 U.S. Wendy’s restaurants.
Wendy’s said Thursday it would post a list of affected restaurants on its website. As of Thursday morning, the list wasn’t posted because of “technical difficulties.”
KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska parents and childcare providers say it’s difficult to find caregivers for infants because of the state’s tough regulations.
