NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union says the Army has agreed to “fully recognize” the new legal names of two New Jersey-based transgender military veterans.

The group’s New Jersey chapter announced Tuesday that the Army Board for Correction of Military Records recently notified the two veterans about its decision. The board initially recommended that the request be rejected, but the Army Review Boards’ deputy assistant secretary overrode the decision.

The veterans, whose full names were not disclosed, were seeking to change their names on the principal document that a military veteran uses to prove a veteran’s status. One of them was a sergeant major who served in the Army for 29 years, while the other was a New Jersey National Guardsman who served for nine.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Asarco is appealing to federal regulators in its dispute with Union Pacific over lead pollution along railroad lines because it wants to make sure the $1.8 billion it has paid for cleanups is effective.

The Tuscon, Arizona, based lead and copper mining company said Monday it filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board seeking to reevaluate a 2001 decision allowing Union Pacific to abandon certain rail lines in southeast Missouri.

Asarco lawyer Gregory Evans says the railroad used rock from lead mines in ballast for its rail lines and some ore fell out of trains.

Union Pacific officials didn’t immediately respond Tuesday, but they have fought Asarco’s previous pollution allegations.

Asarco and Union Pacific are engaged in lawsuits related to lead contamination concerns in southeast Missouri, Omaha and Idaho.

If you’re one of the many Americans using e-cigarettes to try to kick the habit, you won’t be able to vape on the property of any school in Lincoln County.

New “Tobacco-Free School” signs are being placed at schools throughout Lincoln County.

The signs state that,”school policy prohibits the use of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes and tobacco lookalikes, on any school property.”

The new signs were provided by Community Connections-Tobacco-Free Lincoln County.

According to Community Connections TFLC coalition coordinator, George Haws, “Tobacco look-alike products glamorize tobacco use, and can be appealing to youth.”

“When e-cigarettes are used in public, the similarity with conventional cigarettes can normalize smoking behavior,” said Haws.

Tobacco lookalikes include candy that is shaped like cigarettes, or jerky or bubble gum that is packaged to look like chewing tobacco.

Haws noted that many schools already have tobacco-free policies in place, but said those policies only address combustible tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars, and chewing tobacco.

He said the new signs capture the changes that have been made to the policies.

 

 

McCOOK, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man whose body was found in the basement of his McCook home killed himself.

The county attorney said 35-year-old Darrick Carlson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday. His body was found the next day by officials who responded to the report of a buildup of natural gas at the house. County attorney Paul Wood says Carlson had dismantled the natural gas connection to his basement furnace.

Police officers removed two dogs from an enclosed porch. They also evacuated neighbors until natural gas and electrical power to the house could be shut off, a burning candle in the house extinguished and the gas dissipated.

• Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Southwest wind 6 to 13 mph becoming north northeast in the afternoon.
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 13. North northeast wind 3 to 7 mph.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.
• Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. South southeast wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 50. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a fire at an apartment in Kearney started in an oven.

The Kearney Volunteer Fire Department says a fire Friday afternoon started in the oven and spread into the kitchen. Heavy smoke was reported coming out of a second-story window.

The blaze was quickly contained but a ground floor apartment sustained water damage and two other units received smoke damage.

No injuries were reported. Firefighters estimate damage to the apartment complex is $25,000.

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) issued 200 citations and warnings for seat belt violations and 35 child restraint citations and warnings during the nationwide “Click It Or Ticket” campaign, Nov. 24-30.

There were five fatalities recorded over the Thanksgiving holiday. The fatal crashes occurred in Douglas (2), Cuming, Lancaster, and Lincoln Counties and were worked by local authorities. Authorities were able to determine, only one of the five people killed was wearing a seat belt.  According to the Nebraska Department of Roads, Department of Records, the five fatalities recorded during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2014, compare with one fatality in 2013 and four fatalities in 2012.

Troopers and communication specialists worked overtime hours during the “Click It Or Ticket” campaign thanks in part to an $18,000 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS).

The following statistics are a reflection of statewide activity by the Nebraska State Patrol during the “Click It Or Ticket” enforcement period, Nov. 24-30.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly economic survey index for nine Midwestern and Plains states has dipped again.

A survey report issued Monday says the overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index fell in November to 51.3 from 51.8 in October. September’s figure was 54.3.

After rising in June to its highest level in more than three years, the overall reading has hovered in a range pointing to much slower growth for the overall regional economy over the next three to six months.

The survey results from supply managers are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth, while a score below that suggests decline.

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

MINDEN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a cigarette caused a grassfire near the south-central Nebraska community of Minden.

The Minden Volunteer Fire Department and Kenesaw Volunteer Fire Department responded to the Saturday afternoon fire. No one was injured.

Authorities say a man raking leaves in his yard discarded a cigarette. That caused a fire to start in a pile of leaves.

The fire burned a part of the man’s yard, five acres of grassland across the street and several trees. The man’s home also sustained minor damage.

The fire was extinguished in 20 minutes.

A North Platte man is facing felony assault charges after he allegedly tried to smother his girlfriend with a pillow and held her against her will.

At around 1:30 a.m., on November 29, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to Casey’s, 2421 Rodeo Road, on the report of an assault.

Officers met with a 43-year-old female, who alleged that her boyfriend, Matthew Silversmith, had assaulted her earlier at a residence in the 2800 block of Rodeo Road.

According to the victim, at around 10:00 p.m. the prior evening, she awoke to find Silversmith trying to get her out of bed.

She told officers that Silversmith then began to break personal items in the residence, before grabbing a pillow, pulling her to the floor and attempting to smother her with the pillow.

She stated that Silversmith followed her around the house, preventing her from leaving.

At around 1:30 a.m., the woman was able to escape, as Silversmith used the restroom, and flee to Casey’s, where she called 911.

Officers located Silversmith at the residence on Rodeo Road, and took him into custody.

He was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center, and charged with felony 3rd degree domestic assault and 2nd degree false imprisonment.