LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol is still investigating five “concerning calls” to legislative offices in the heat of a debate over the death penalty, but the calls haven’t been deemed a criminal matter.

Spokeswoman Deb Collins said Thursday that three state senators reported calls to their legislative offices in recent days. Lawmakers voted Wednesday to abolish capital punishment, overriding Gov. Pete Ricketts’ veto.

Collins says investigators have concluded so far that the calls do not rise to a criminal matter.

One of the phone messages was left at the office of Sen. Heath Mello, a death penalty opponent. Mello, of Omaha, says the caller didn’t explicitly make a threat but suggested that he should be harmed because of his vote.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature has overridden the governor’s veto and ended the nation’s last ban on driving privileges for young people brought into the United States illegally as children.

Senators in the one-house Legislature voted 34-10 to override Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, who has backed the strict policy of his GOP predecessor to deny the licenses.

President Barack Obama announced an executive action in 2012 that gives the youths a Social Security number, a two-year work permit and protection from deportation. Although a few states initially announced that they would deny licenses to those youth, only Arizona and Nebraska ultimately adopted policies to exclude them. A court blocked Arizona’s law in July.

Supporters of the plan in Nebraska say the youth shouldn’t be penalized for their parents’ actions.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Death penalty supporters in Nebraska are looking to challenge the Legislature’s landmark repeal vote in court and on the ballot.

The Nebraska attorney general’s office said Thursday that it plans to challenge part of the law that changed the sentences of the 10 current death row prisoners to life in prison.

Attorneys plan to argue that the law violates the state constitution, which gives the Board of Pardons exclusive power to change final sentences.

Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha announced the formation Wednesday of a new group, Nebraskans for Justice, which will look into a citizen-led ballot initiative to reinstate capital punishment.

McCoy says the group may push to suspend the new law before it takes effect or could seek a constitutional amendment.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Nebraska man has been identified as a BNSF Railway employee killed in a rail yard accident in Minneapolis.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office identified the man Wednesday as 29-year-old Tyrell Anderson of Gering, Nebraska. According to the office, Anderson died of “multiple blunt force injuries” sustained while unloading track material Monday morning.

BNSF spokeswoman Amy McBeth has said a locomotive passing on another track hit the material, causing it to fall on top of the worker. Deputy Fire Chief Todd White said he was part of an eight-person crew working in the area.

The medical examiner’s office says the accident is being investigated by BNSF, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration.

Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. South southeast wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Breezy, with a west southwest wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west southwest 8 to 13 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. North wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. North northeast wind around 8 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has abolished the death penalty in a landmark veto-override vote backed by a coalition of conservatives who oppose capital punishment.

Senators in the one-house Legislature voted 30-19 on Wednesday to override Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican who supports the death penalty. The vote makes Nebraska the first traditionally conservative state to eliminate the punishment since North Dakota in 1973.

Nebraska joins 18 other states and Washington, D.C., in banning the ultimate punishment.

Some senators say they philosophically support the death penalty but are convinced the state will never carry out another execution because of legal hurdles. Nebraska hasn’t executed an inmate since a 1997 electrocution.

The bill was introduced by independent Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has fought for four decades to repeal the death penalty.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An effort to lift Nebraska’s ban on hogs owned by meatpackers has failed to advance in the Legislature.

Supporters fell two votes short Wednesday of the support they needed to break a filibuster on a second-round vote. Opponents argued that the ban protects small and independent producers.

Opponents say the bill would allow major corporations, such as the Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods, to squeeze out small and independent farmers and control the supply chain. They pointed to the poultry industry, where consolidations have given a handful of processors substantial leverage over producers because of their market dominance.

Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogallala says the bill would have kept the hog industry growing as fast as in neighboring states that have outpaced Nebraska.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska will not legalize medical marijuana this year in light of other controversial measures dominating the final days of the legislative session.

Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue asked Wednesday to hold his bill until June 15, ensuring senators will not revisit the debate until next year.

The bill made it through first-round debate with a 27-12 vote. But Garrett says the Speaker of the Legislature approached him Tuesday saying there was no longer enough support to guarantee its success.

Garrett says senators have been bombarded with criticism about their votes to repeal the death penalty and have to prioritize tough choices.

A bill to study a low-potency cannabis derivative for treating seizures passed last week and awaits action by Gov. Pete Ricketts.

__

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling nearly 423,000 cars and SUVs in North America because the power-assisted steering can fail while they’re being driven.

The recall covers certain Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles, as well as the Lincoln MKS and MKT from 2011 through 2013. Also covered are the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ from 2011 through 2012 and some 2011 Mercury Milans.

Ford says an intermittent electrical connection can cause the power steering to stop. That sends the steering into manual mode, making the vehicles harder to control.

Dealers will either update power steering software or replace the steering gear.

The company also is recalling 19,500 2015 Mustangs with 2.3-Liter engines due to high underbody temperatures that could degrade the fuel tank. Dealers will replace a heat shield and add insulation.

One of America’s great rock & roll bands, Huey Lewis & The News performs on Friday, September 4th at the Nebraska State Fair.

Tickets are available right now at Etix.com and at the Heartland Events Center Box office for $20 plus gate and fees.

Huey Lewis & The News are Grammy Award Winners who have written and performed such classic Top Ten Hits as “Heart of Rock & Roll”, “Stuck With You”, “I Want a New Drug”, If This Is It”, Working’ For A Livin” and more.  “The Power of Love”, nominated for an Academy Award, went to Number One on the Billboard’s singles chart and was a smash hit worldwide.

According to Chelsey Jungck, events and entertainment director for the Nebraska State Fair, “As great a recording career as Huey Lewis & The News has had, there is still something special about a Huey Lewis & The News live show.  They incorporate a variety of musical influences including R&B and soul to create their own unique sound.”

Known as the band with “Heart and soul”, front man Huey Lewis’ unmistakable voice has a rich, textured quality that lends itself well to not just their hits, but a variety of other songs featured in the live show.

“The Nebraska State Fair makes it a priority to include a classic rock concert during the entertainment series line-up every year.  Huey Lewis & The News is a concert that not only will evoke many memories, but provide a lot of fun too.” Jungck said.

Huey Lewis & The News

Friday, September 4, 2015

Heartland Events Center

$20 plus gate and fees—Available at Etix.com or HEC Box Office