LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The State Capitol administrator is defending the cost of restoring 46 antique statehouse chairs at a cost of nearly $2,000 each.

The wood-and-leather chairs are the original furniture used when the State Capitol opened in 1932. State Capitol administrator Bob Ripley says the $87,400 spent for the chairs will save money in the long run.

Two members of the Capitol Commission also defended the refurbished chairs. State Sen. Greg Adams says the furniture will last a long time. Former state Sen. Jim Cudaback says the chairs should be preserved in its original state as much as possible.

But Gov. Dave Heineman, who heads the commission, said in an emailed statement that Ripley should’ve been more sensitive to the cost.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A Scottsbluff man convicted of sexually assaulting a child has been sentenced to at least 60 years in prison.

A Nebraska judge sentenced 47-year-old Michael Sessions on Tuesday. He was convicted on two counts of felony sexual assault and sentenced to 30 to 40 years for each charge.

A 19-year-old man tells deputies that Sessions had sexually assaulted him since he was 6 years old. Deputies arranged for the victim to wear a concealed microphone when he met with Sessions. They say he admitted to the sex acts in the recordings.

CALLAWAY, Neb. (AP) — Callaway residents have formed a public safety task force to examine policing alternatives after their only officer was laid off.

Officer Ivan Phelps was released in the summer after two years on the job. He says the village board members said they couldn’t pay his salary.

Village Board President Dwight Osterhoudt says if another officer is hired, it would be a part-time position.

Task force participants plan to next meet in January. Custer County Sheriff Daniel Osmond says he hopes the task force will help find law enforcement solutions.

Phelps has taken a job with the county sheriff’s department.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A leading state business group says Nebraska needs more skilled workers to fill its manufacturing jobs.

The president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Wednesday that the shortage is the greatest challenge that its manufacturing members face.

Barry Kennedy, the group’s president, says many Nebraska businesses would hire more people if they could find ones with adequate training to work with technology. His remarks came during an appearance with Gov. Dave Heineman, who proclaimed October as Nebraska Manufacturing Month.

Heineman says the shortage demonstrates the need to boost enrollment in Nebraska’s community colleges and universities.

Chris Roth, president of Reinke Manufacturing Company in Deshler, says his company needs workers with specific training in computer technology, math and science.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — A judge has postponed an annual review hearing for a man who killed six members of a western Nebraska family in 1975.

Lincoln County District Judge Donald Rowlands rescheduled the hearing for Erwin Simants to Nov. 18.

Simants has lived at the Lincoln Regional Center since 1979, the year he was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the shooting deaths of six in the Kellie family of Sutherland. Prosecutors say Simants shot and killed Henry and Audrey Kellie; their son David; and three of their grandchildren in 1975.

Doctors testified last year that Simants is no longer mentally ill, but the judge ruled that he still would pose a threat to the public if released.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Three trains loaded with at least 1 million gallons of crude oil routinely cross eastern Nebraska each week.

Nebraska officials released the information Tuesday after earlier refusing to disclose it when The Associated Press and others requested the details.

BNSF railroad says the trains enter northeast Nebraska from Iowa and are carried across Dakota, Thursday, Burt, Dodge, Saunders, Cass, Lancaster, Gage, Johnson, Pawnee and Richardson counties.

Federal transportation officials ordered the railroads this spring to notify states about trains carrying at least 1 million gallons of crude oil.

Railroads are under pressure to improve safety after several fiery derailments involving crude oil, including one in a small Canadian city in eastern Quebec where 47 people died last July when 60 cars derailed and exploded.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans who helped their communities prepare for and respond to natural disasters were recognized for their work at the Capitol.

Gov. Dave Heineman on Tuesday presented volunteers and community groups with this year’s “Be Prepared” awards.

The awards program is in its seventh year. It’s sponsored by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.

This year’s recipients included the Beaver Crossing and Cordova Fire Departments, which responded to tornadoes that struck earlier this year, and Wayne County’s Emergency Manager, who worked in the aftermath of several devastating tornadoes.

2014 “Be Prepared” Award Recipients:

The Beaver Crossing and Cordova Fire Departments were presented with an Excellence in Community Preparedness Award,for creating a stronger community through preparedness planning and disaster preparation to enhance community readiness and resilience. The Beaver Crossing and Cordova Fire Departments were instrumental in making sure residents in and around their communities were prepared and informed during the severe weather and tornadoes that took place on May 11, 2014. Both fire departments utilized their volunteer storm spotters to monitor the weather throughout the storms and activate the sirens for Beaver Crossing and Cordova. Throughout the evening, these storm spotters continued to relay information about the weather which was by the National Weather Service and media outlets to alert residents of the impending tornadoes. Their efforts made a difference in making sure their communities were well-informed and safe as the storms passed through.

Ron Pughes of Edgar was presented with an Excellence in Community Preparedness Award, for creating a stronger community through preparedness planning and disaster preparation to enhance community readiness and resilience. Pughes, Unit Coordinator for the Central Nebraska Medical Reserve Corps, has made it his mission to have a prepared and resilient region in Central Nebraska. In order to build partnerships and strengthen resilience, Pughes regularly trains volunteers on activation and deployment protocols. He invites community partners such as emergency management personnel to observe and participate in exercises that demonstrate their level of preparedness. Pughes has also coordinated additional volunteer opportunities by such as providing medical first aid at various community events. In addition to providing a needed service, volunteers have the opportunity to interact with community members to promote preparedness.

Nicholas Kemnitz, Wayne County Emergency Manager, received the 2014 Local Hero Award, which recognizes extraordinary service and leadership in helping residents in an emergency situation.Kemnitz has faced numerous challenges over the past year. In October 2013, a tornado touched down in Wayne and caused damage to a number of businesses and the airport. Working closely with other response agencies, Kemnitz was able to manage the incident effectively. Earlier this summer, severe weather and tornadoes came through northeast Nebraska again, this time causing extensive damage to a large area including the towns of Pilger and Wakefield. Kemnitz drew on his recent experience to assist with the response efforts across northeast Nebraska, providing much needed resources to a number of agencies that were called in to respond.

The Nebraska Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster also received the 2014 Local Hero Award, recognizing extraordinary service and leadership in helping residents in an emergency situation.The Nebraska Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, or Nebraska VOAD, is a membership-based organization that adheres to the principles of cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration in order to foster resiliency in communities statewide. These principles serve as the foundation for the Nebraska VOAD as it collaborates with local, regional, and national partners to coordinate disaster relief, response, and recovery efforts in times of disaster. Nebraska VOAD was an essential partner following both the May 16th and June 16-17 tornadoes through the implementation of its rapid notification and communication system. Once notified of the situations, member organizations quickly came together to discuss the needs of the communities and identify who could provide the resources to fill those needs. Nebraska VOAD was also essential in facilitating long-term recovery efforts in communities impacted by the severe storms and tornadoes.

The Citizen Corps Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Ken Hermsen of Omaha for his outstanding commitment and contribution to the Medical Reserve Corps, one of the Partner Programs of the Citizen Corps. Dr. Hermsen is a member of the Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Medical Reserve Corps, where he serves on the decontamination team as one of its co-leaders. He is also very active in a number of other volunteer positions. Dr. Hermsen is a founding member of the Nebraska Forensic Dental Identification Team, has been deployed as a forensic dentist to numerous disasters including the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. He also helped found the Nebraska Mission of Mercy, an annual free dental clinic for underserved communities throughout the state. As a professor at Creighton University, Dr. Hermsen is working with his students to encourage a spirit of giving back by developing a Disaster Response elective for those wish to become involved in their communities’ disaster response efforts. Dr. Hermsen’s volunteer efforts have had an impact not only on Nebraskans, but in communities across the nation.

Mark Robertson, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator University of Nebraska – Lincoln Police Department, received the Excellence in Risk Communication Award recognizing his efforts in raising awareness of risks and hazards, and highlighting the need for all Nebraskans to be prepared. Robertson takes an innovative approach to delivering traditional emergency preparedness information to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln community. Robertson uses social media to keep students, faculty, and staff informed of potential emergencies. He has also developed a series of humorous yet informative videos on YouTube called the “Really Obvious Preparedness Facts” series. These videos deliver preparedness information such as how to create a disaster plan, staying safe on campus, and understanding what to do in case of a fire or severe weather. Robertson recognizes that in order to reach students, he must do so in an engaging way. He has embraced social media as a way to interact with the UNL community and provide important emergency preparedness information.

Tom McMahon of Omaha was recognized with the Excellence in Preparedness Education and Outreach Award for demonstrating acommitment and dedication to the safety of the public by volunteering to train, educate and promote preparedness to Nebraskans. McMahon recently retired from the position as the Unit Coordinator for the Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Medical Reserve Corps. In his time as the Unit Coordinator, McMahon developed strong relationships with partners throughout the Omaha metro area including emergency management, public health officials, hospital administrators and other volunteer organizations. These relationships allowed him to bring in highly qualified individuals to provide training and educational opportunities to the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers. Once trained, the volunteers were utilized by these same agencies to assist with public health screenings, provide first aid at large-scale events like the College World Series, and assist with large-scale disaster drills and exercises. McMahon recognized the value of building relationships in order to have an effective corps of volunteers. His work has made the Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Medical Reserve Corps a valuable asset to the Omaha metro community.

• Today: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. West southwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming north northeast in the afternoon.
• Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Breezy, with a northeast wind 9 to 14 mph becoming north northwest 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
• Thursday: A slight chance of showers before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. North northwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 9 to 14 mph increasing to 16 to 21 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 59. Breezy, with a northwest wind 17 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.
• Friday Night: Areas of frost after 1am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 31.
• Saturday: Areas of frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 70.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A legislative committee will investigate Nebraska’s newest prison sentencing snafu, which took place while officials were rounding up inmates who were released too early.

Sen. Steve Lathrop, the committee’s chairman, said Tuesday that members will look into the issue during an Oct. 10 hearing.

The committee is already reviewing problems in the Department of Correctional Services, including the premature release of hundreds of inmates. The Omaha World-Herald reported Sunday that the department failed to follow a 2008 Nebraska Supreme Court ruling while rounding up those prisoners.

Lathrop says that ruling made clear that prisoners who committed crimes after their early release should have to serve the time that they originally owed. It also said those prisoners are accountable for time owed if they were aware a mistake had been made.

A traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Lincoln County led to the seizure of nearly 36 pounds of marijuana and two arrests.

Just before 1:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 29, a trooper stopped an eastbound 2014 Nissan Maxima for Driving Left of Center and Failing to Signal on I-80 near the Hershey exit.  During contact with the driver the trooper smelled the odor of marijuana. A probable cause search led to the seizure of 35.7 pounds of marijuana, located in two large bags in the trunk of the vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle, Eric Johnson, 28, of Kenosha, Wis., and a passenger in the vehicle Melissa Williams, 40, of Sturtevant, Wis., were both lodged in the Lincoln County Jail, each on a charge of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver.