OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska federal judge is again drawing attention because of his personal blog, this time for using an obscene reference to suggest that the U.S. Supreme Court should not have heard the Hobby Lobby case.

The high court’s June 30 ruling found that some businesses can, because of their religious beliefs, choose not to comply with the federal health care law’s requirement that contraception coverage be provided to workers at no extra charge.

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf weighed in Saturday on the ruling on his online blog, “Hercules and the Umpire.” In it, he references profanity in saying that the Supreme Court should shut up.

The post has drawn more than 250 comments on the judge’s site, many of them critical.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling 100,566 vehicles in North America for various safety defects.

The company announced the six separate recalls Tuesday. No injuries related to the defects have been reported.

The largest recall, of 92,022 vehicles, affects the 2013 and 2014 Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and Police Interceptor sedans, the Flex and Lincoln MKT crossovers, the 2012-2014 Edge and 2014 Lincoln MKX. Ford says the right-hand halfshaft, which is part of the axle, may disengage over time, making the vehicles inoperable.

Ford is recalling 5,264 2011-2014 F59 commercial stripped chassis because corrosion could lead to a fire risk. It’s also recalling 2,124 Escape SUVs from the 2014 model year because their panoramic glass roofs might leak or fall out.

Ford will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles for free.

In 2013, there were 26,944 reported cases of child abuse in the United States, but one Lincoln County organization wants to see that number decrease.

The Lincoln County Child Abuse Prevention Council is preparing for the 2015 Dresses for a Cause Prom Boutique.

The Council will kick-off their donation drive this Saturday, July 12, from 10:00-2:00 at the Bride of Hope “It Sale,” 410 West 5th Street.

Volunteers will be on hand to accept dresses, and the Council will also have games and prizes for children.

The Boutique provides new and gently used dresses for $20.00 or less in time for Prom 2015.  The proceeds benefit the Lincoln County Child Abuse Prevention Council and the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center.

For more information, visit the Council’s website, www.lincolncountychildren.com or call Matt at (308) 534-4064.

An early morning fire in Cozad has killed one person.

Fire crews responded to the blaze at 103 Birch Lane at around 1:00 a.m., on Tuesday.

Firefighters were able to get the fire under control in less than an hour, but unfortunately, one person was found deceased inside the residence, and three were injured, including a child who was flown by helicopter to an Omaha hospital.

Officials say the investigation by the State Fire Marshal  is ongoing.  The name of the deceased has not been released.

 

 

• Today: Sunny, with a high near 83. North northwest wind 7 to 9 mph.
• Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. North wind around 6 mph becoming southeast after midnight.
• Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. South southeast wind 6 to 11 mph increasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
• Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southeast wind 11 to 13 mph.
• Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. South southeast wind 9 to 11 mph.
• Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.

More than seven million people in the United States are living with an artificial hip or knee according to a report given at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons this year.

“Americans are living longer, more active lifestyles and seek out ways to continue to do so when faced with joint problems that a hip or knee implant can solve,” said Curtis Hartman, M.D., associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation in the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine.

In order to ensure the best clinical outcomes for patients, national implant registries have sprung up around the world to track surgical techniques, which implants work and which ones don’t, Dr. Hartman said.

UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, is in the process of joining the American Joint Replacement Registry to begin tracking how well implants placed in patients are performing.

There are new implants coming onto the market all the time, Dr. Hartman said. The advantage of a registry is in knowing as soon as possible which product performs the best or has the highest failure rates.

“They all sound good and have promising preliminary data or the FDA wouldn’t approve them, but sometimes the best ideas don’t always work,” Dr. Hartman said. “This really will help orthopedic surgeons and patients understand which implant is best for them on an individual basis.”

The most common causes for implant failure, Dr. Hartman said, are loosening, infections, dislocation and soft tissue damage due to an immune reaction by the body to the materials used to make the implant.

“In one case of a metal on metal hip implant, it took ten years to figure out before a trend emerged that led surgeons to cease using that particular type of implant,” he said. “If we had a registry we would have seen this happen sooner and responded much more quickly.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A group that represents Nebraska state troopers has withdrawn its grievance over a statewide radio system that was criticized as unreliable.

The State Troopers Association of Nebraska pulled its grievance after problems with the service became public and state officials moved to address them.

Brian Petersen, president of the association and the State Law Enforcement Bargaining Council, says members still have concerns about radio communications in an emergency.

The system is used by the Nebraska State Patrol, the State Fire Marshal’s office, the Game and Parks Commission and other agencies. It failed during a June 2012 police standoff in Alliance, forcing Nebraska troopers to use personal cellphones to communicate.

Brenda Decker, the state’s chief information officer, says officials have made upgrades intended to help law enforcement.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s new 531 area code will soon be used for new lines in the eastern third of the state.

The state Public Service Commission said Monday that phone companies are running out of numbers in the 402 area code.

Regulators began planning for the new area code roughly a decade ago.

Cullen Robbins with the state Public Service Commission says a number of the last 402 prefixes were assigned this spring when a phone company started offering new services.

The new 531 area code will be overlaid on top of the 402 area, so current 402 customers won’t be forced to switch phone numbers.

But all calls in the area will require the area code plus the seven-digit telephone number.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia has entered into a concealed handgun reciprocity agreement with Nebraska.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey made the announcement Monday. Under the agreement, each state will honor a valid concealed carry permit issued by the other.

Morrisey says Nebraska previously recognized concealed handgun licenses issued by West Virginia.

West Virginia now has full reciprocity agreements with 31 states. Seven states have been added since July 2013.

Five additional states honor West Virginia permits, but concealed carry licenses issued by those states are not currently recognized by West Virginia.

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested 12 motorists for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) over the July 4^th holiday weekend.

In addition to the 12 DWI’s, 192 speeding citations were issued during the special enforcement effort which took place Thursday, July 3 through Saturday, July 5. An $18,960 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS), helped to pay for overtime hours worked by troopers and communication specialist during the enforcement time period.

The following statistics reflect statewide activity by the Nebraska State Patrol from July 3-5.