CHADRON, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska State College System board of trustees has approved the selection of a Chadron State College vice president to temporarily lead the campus.
Vice president for enrollment management and student services Randy Rhine will become the interim president of the school, which has nearly 3,000 students. He’ll serve until a new president has been hired and can begin work.
Earlier this month College President Janie Park announced her intention to retire in May.
The 65-year-old Park has led the campus since August 2005.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Copper thieves have targeted the birthplace of President Gerald R. Ford in Omaha.
Police are investigating missing copper from a fountain at the Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Garden.
Police say the fountain was shut off for the winter in November.
When a city employee went to open the fountain on Tuesday, she removed the cover and discovered the copper water lines had been cut and removed. A water meter and water pump were also stolen.
No arrests have been reported.
The site marks the house where Ford was born in 1913. According to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum website, Ford, the 38th president, lived in the house for two weeks. His parents separated and he and his mother settled in Michigan.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A month-old giraffe calf at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo has died.
A zoo news release says the female giraffe born on March 25 died early Wednesday morning, despite round-the-clock care by zoo veterinarians and staff.
The calf had been under veterinary care for about 10 days for multiple problems, including a bacterial infection. She appeared to have recovered, but relapsed last weekend. Staff said the still-nursing calf was not gaining weight and had become less active. Staff began bottle-feeding the calf, but it grew increasingly weaker and died around 1 a.m. Wednesday.
It’s hoped a necropsy will determine the cause of death, although zoo staff say it will take weeks to receive the results.
The zoo says another giraffe born on March 16 is doing well and is on display.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A 29-year-old who used a BB gun to threaten another man has been sentenced to a year in jail.
Arthur Richardson, a transient, was sentenced on Wednesday. He’d pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault. Prosecutors had lowered the charge from felony threats and dropped a felony charge of strangulation, in return for Richardson’s plea.
Police say Richardson was walking with another man on Nov. 29 when the other man made a comment that upset Richardson. Police say Richardson pulled out what looked like a handgun and pointed it at the man’s face. The man and another struggled with Richardson for control of the weapon, but he fended them off and left. The weapon turned out to be a BB gun.

PLEASANTON, Neb. (AP) – A 53-year-old man hired as a live-in caregiver for a 71-year-old south-central Nebraska woman has been accused of abusing and threatening her.
Authorities say Gary Buchanan is charged with felony abuse of a vulnerable adult and felony terroristic threats. Buchanan was arrested last week.
Authorities say Buchanan was hired to help the woman and moved into her home about nine months ago. On April 17 she reported that he was physically and verbally abusing her. She also told Buffalo County deputies that in the past, Buchanan put a gun to his head and said he was going to kill her and himself.
A Buffalo County jailer said Buchanan remained in custody on Wednesday, pending $50,000 bail. His attorney didn’t immediately return a call from The Associated Press.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) – A man killed in an accident involving trucks at a railroad crossing in Hastings was the safety officer for the Wood River Volunteer Fire Department.
A pickup driven by 52-year-old Neal Sahling was struck by a truck that crossed over into his lane Tuesday morning. The Nebraska State Patrol says a truck had stopped at the railroad crossing. It was hit in the rear by a semitrailer, pushing it into Sahling’s pickup.
Wood River Fire Chief Todd King says the department is shocked and grieving the loss of Sahling, whose first concern was always safety.
Wood River is 30 about miles northwest of Hastings in south-central Nebraska.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Lincoln authorities say an autopsy has been scheduled on the body of a toddler.
Lincoln Police Capt. Jim Davidsaver said that police and firefighters were called to a Lincoln residence around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday. They found the body of a child who appeared to be under 3 years old.
Police have not characterized the nature of the subsequent investigation. No arrests have been reported, and the names of those involved have not been released.
The autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.