HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A state senator says renovating a building at the former state psychiatric hospital in Hastings could help the state house and treat up to 240 prison inmates who have mental health, addiction issues or both.

Hastings Sen. Les Seiler on Tuesday shared some details about the proposal during a Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce legislative forum. He says the new treatment programs would help inmates transition back into society and avoid reoffending.

The state prison system is at 157 percent of capacity with about 4,500 inmates, and officials say 31 percent of the prisoners need such treatment.

Seiler says architects and engineers will visit the Hastings Regional Center on Oct. 7 to examine the property.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Roads Department is reminding Nebraskans that political and other signs are barred from state highway rights of way.

The department says maintenance crews will remove the signs and briefly store them at maintenance yards, where they can be reclaimed by the owners.

State law says no physical or functional encroachments are allowed on highway rights of way.

A 28-year-old woman has been charged with a felony after she allegedly assaulted a woman with a lamp.

At around 1:45 a.m., on September 15, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the H&H Apartments, 1404 Rodeo Road, on the report of a disturbance.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with a 53-year-old female who alleged that Chrystle Kinlin was hanging out at the victim’s apartment, when she assaulted her.

The victim told officers that she observed Kinlin take some of her clothes and makeup, and confronted her.

According to the victim, Kinlin became upset and attacked her.  She alleged that Kinlin kicked her, punched her, and struck her in the head with a lamp.

She said Kinlin and a male friend then left the scene.

Following further investigation, officers determined that there was probable cause to arrest Kinlin and charge her with 2nd degree assault.

Two days later, officers responded to another disturbance, involving Kinlin, and took her into custody.

She was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim of a murder in North Platte.

LCSO Chief Deputy Roland Kramer says the victim has been identified as 43-year-old James Sanchez, of Hoehne, Colorado.

Police found Sanchez’ body on the North Bank of the South Platte River, after it was reported by two citizens.

Investigators say Sanchez was wrapped in a tarp, and had “non-accidental” facial lacerations.

Three suspects are in custody.  45-year-old David Saxton II and 30-year-old Randy Nevsimal have been charged with 2nd degree murder in the case, and 31-year-old Maybelle Collins has been charged with being an accessory to 2nd degree murder.

Kramer said an autopsy has been scheduled for next week, and the investigation is ongoing.

Saxton, Nevsimal and Collins are all being held at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A major Nebraska health insurer remains unable to come to terms with one of the state’s biggest medical networks, so thousands of people are either facing significantly higher costs or changing doctors.

No talks have been held since the contract between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska and Catholic Health Initiatives expired Sept. 1.

The expired contract covered all CHI Health hospitals in Omaha, Schuyler and Plainview. It also includes hospitals in Lincoln, Grand Island, Kearney and Nebraska City affiliated with Catholic Health Initiatives.

Blue Cross says CHI Health, which used to be Alegent Creighton Health, routinely charges 10 to 30 percent more than other Omaha hospitals. CHI Health says those figures are misleading and its total cost of treatment is lower even if certain services cost more.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Dave Heineman says he’s received budget requests from virtually every agency in state government, but he’s waiting for one straggler: the Nebraska Legislature.

Heineman criticized lawmakers Wednesday for missing Monday’s statutory deadline to submit a request for operating expenses, including salaries and benefits.

Heineman says his office hasn’t received anything from the Legislature’s Executive Board, which has scheduled a meeting Friday to approve its request.

Legislative staffers say it’s ready, but they needed time to convene committee members, and they notified Nebraska’s budget office that it would arrive late.

Heineman says he called attention to it because of recent criticism of Secretary of State John Gale. Gale allowed Republican Pete Ricketts to change his gubernatorial running mate after a Sept. 1 deadline. Sen. Ernie Chambers called the switch illegal.

• Today: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 76. South southeast wind 7 to 11 mph.
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southeast wind 7 to 11 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 8 to 13 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
• Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. South wind 6 to 13 mph becoming west after midnight.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. North northeast wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials have agreed to release an inmate who was sent back to prison amid questions about miscalculated sentences.

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office said Wednesday that David Amesbury qualified for time already served and should be released immediately.

Amesbury was originally released from prison in 2012 after serving more than 10 years. He was rounded up in June amid questions of whether hundreds of inmates were released early from prison.

Amesbury filed a lawsuit challenging his return to prison. His attorney argued that Amesbury was given an illegal sentence because a judge improperly gave him a separate sentence for a habitual criminal charge.

Amesbury’s release marks the second time state officials have released an inmate rounded up in June.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Department of Insurance has scheduled informational sessions across the state on the Affordable Care Act.

The two-hour sessions will cover several topics, including enrollment, tax credits, premiums and the individual mandate.

A session is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Grand Island Library. Another Tuesday session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Kearney Holiday Inn.

On Sept. 24 a session is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at the McCook Library. A session is set to begin at 6 p.m. at the North Platte Holiday Inn.

On Sept. 30 a session is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at the Sidney Library. One is set to begin at 8 p.m. at the Gering Civic Center.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Dentistry museum in Lincoln will open for public tours later this month.

The museum holds the largest public display of dental artifacts dating back to the 1850s.

Stan Harn, professor of oral biology and curator of the museum, says the museum has added a huge number of new items this year. The display will include six period dentist offices from the 1850s to the 1930s, several dental chairs dating from 1840 to 1880, and a collection of tooth extraction instruments dating from the 16th century.

The public tours will be held daily from Sept. 22 through Sept. 27. Free parking is available on the east side of the building in the patient parking lot.