Omaha, Neb. (NSP)- In an effort to reduce the potential for alcohol related crashes and take impaired drivers off our roads, the Nebraska State Patrol Troop A Headquarters-Omaha will hold a series of high visibility enforcements efforts in Douglas & Sarpy Counties

The special enforcement will concentrate on weekends during the months of July, August & September. Troopers will work overtime hours during the enforcement period thanks in part to a $ 12,650 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS).

During a similar enforcement in 2011, troopers made 613 contacts with motorists, arrested 29 drivers for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), cited 19 drivers for Driving Under Suspension (DUS), and issued 72 speeding citations & warnings.  Thirty-three seat belt citations were also issued.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is scheduled to attend the Nebraska Republican convention in Grand Island.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports  that Republican State Chairman Mark Fahleson confirmed on Monday that Jindal would be at the convention on Saturday.

Jindal is among several prominent Republicans mentioned as potential running mates for Mitt Romney this fall.

Nebraska delegates to the Republican national convention will be elected this weekend.

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 4-year-old boy who was rescued from a pool by his father has returned to his Lincoln home.

Charlie Everman nearly drowned in a family friend’s pool during a party on Sunday afternoon.

The boy had taken off his life jacket to go down a slide. His dad, Brian Everman, lost sight of him for a minute or two and then spotted him face down in the water.

Brian Everman jumped in and pulled out his son. A doctor who also was at the party started CPR and revived the boy. Charlie was taken to a hospital, where he stayed overnight.

Update: The the victim was a 21-year-old Omaha resident, Kayla Linn

 

 

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 21-year-old woman has been killed in a boating accident on a private lake in eastern Nebraska.

The accident occurred about 7 p.m. Monday on the water at the Woodcliff Lakes development about two miles south of Fremont.

Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz  says the woman was riding an inner tube being towed by a boat when the tube struck a parked boat.

She was pronounced dead at a Fremont hospital.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says the man driving the boat was cited on suspicion of negligent boat operation.

Other details, including the names of those involved, haven’t been released.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 39-year-old man has been given 121 months in federal prison for helping sell methamphetamine in the Lincoln area.

A news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg  says Vitaly Revenkov was sentenced on Monday. Revenkov must serve five years of supervised release after he leaves prison.

Prosecutors say Revenkov was part of a conspiracy to sell meth in the Lincoln area between May 2010 and July 2011.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol says it intends to boost enforcement efforts in conjunction with two events in the Panhandle.

High visibility patrols and drunken-driving checkpoints will be set up during the Oregon Trail Days celebration in Gering this coming weekend and during the Scotts Bluff County Fair in Mitchell, Aug. 3-4.

A $10,000 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety is helping pay for the extra enforcement.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors say the case against a former worker at a Nebraska center for developmentally disabled adults is about “fundamental rights” of the residents.

Matthew Pangborn is charged with six counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult and four counts of strangulation. He was charged after an investigation last year at the Beatrice State Development Center.

His trial began Monday in Gage County District Court. Prosecutors agreed to drop one count of strangulation prior to the trial getting started.

In opening statements, County Attorney Roger Harris said residents were trusted to the care of the state, which in turn trusted them to care workers.

Defense attorney Brett McArthur says he’ll try to discredit witnesses he says have something to gain by Pangborn’s conviction.

Testimony, which began Monday afternoon, continues on Tuesday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a father and son died and another son was wounded in a shooting at an apartment in southeast Omaha.

Police say 44-year-old Miguel Avalos and his 16-year-old son, Jose Avalos, were killed early Monday. His 18-year-old son, Miguel Avalos Jr., was wounded. Police say he was in critical condition Monday afternoon.

Police were called to the apartment around 3:45 a.m. They found one person dead. Police say two others were taken to Nebraska Medical Center, and one of them died at the hospital.

Homicide investigators are on the scene. No arrests have been reported.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State public health officials say West Nile virus has shown up in four Nebraska counties.

Nebraska Health and Human Services says mosquitoes in Adams and Sheridan counties have tested positive for the virus. So have birds in Madison and Phelps counties.

West Nile virus is transmitted to people through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus from feeding on an infected bird.

Officials urge people to take precautions, including using an insect repellant, wearing long sleeves and pants while outside, especially at dusk and dawn, and draining standing water where mosquitoes can breed.

West Nile virus has flu-like symptoms. Symptoms of the more serious West Nile encephalitis include inflammation of the brain and paralysis.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The quality of Nebraska’s corn and soybean crops is suffering because of the recent warm, dry weather.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that crop conditions continued to decline in the state last week when temperatures were several degrees above normal.

About 47 percent of Nebraska’s corn crop is in good or excellent condition. That’s much lower than the average of 81 percent good or excellent that’s typical at this time of year.

The soybean crop is also in bad shape. About 41 percent of Nebraska’s soybeans are in good or excellent shape. Normally, about 79 percent of the soybean crop is good or excellent.

The wheat harvest is nearly complete in Nebraska, which is about three weeks ahead of schedule.