LINCOLN, Neb. (North Platte Post)- Three people were killed in two separate crashes as wintry weather pushed across the state on Thursday.

A car-pickup crash on Highway 30 near Silver Creek in Merrick County claimed the life of two Madison teens. Just after 3:00 p.m., on Thursday, Dec. 8, the driver of a 2008 Dodge Avenger lost control of the car. The car slid sideways into the westbound lane where it was struck broadside by a 2012 Dodge Ram pickup.

The front seat passenger, David Romero, 17, and a backseat passenger, Juan Manuel, 18, were killed in the crash. The driver of the car, Trae Deeder, 17, and backseat passenger Juan Raynaga, 18, were transported to a Columbus hospital with non-life threatening injuries. All of the vehicle’s occupants were from Madison. The driver of the pickup, Luis Lasso, 43, of Columbus was taken to a Central City hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Weather is believed to have played a role in the crash. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

67 year old Olin B. Kicklighter of Sacramento, CA was killed in a crash involving his SUV and two semi trailer trucks on Interstate 80 near the Kearney interchange.

Around 11:16 p.m., Thursday, a 2001 Ford Expedition pulling a trailer was eastbound on Interstate 80 when it was struck from behind by an eastbound semi. The impact caused the SUV to jackknife. The SUV was then struck on the driver’s side by a second semi.

The driver of the semi that rear-ended the SUV, Martin R. Feeney, 63 of Bloomington, IL was lodged in the Buffalo County Detention Center on a charge of vehicular homicide.

The Nebraska State Patrol reminds all motorists to exercise caution during winter driving months. Motorists are encouraged to allow plenty of following distance between their vehicle and those around them, never drive faster than conditions allow and always wear your seat belt. Setting aside additional travel time is also advised during inclement weather.

Motorists can check the latest condition report by utilizing 511 the state’s Advanced Traveler Information System. The number is operational 24/7. The system can also be accessed via the internet at < www.511.nebraska.gov >. Travelers outside of Nebraska wanting to check weather and road conditions in our state can dial 1-800-906-9069.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – A federal appeals court agreed Wednesday
to take another look at whether a St. Louis suburb can enforce a
funeral protest ordinance drafted in response to the picketing of
an anti-gay Kansas church – a move that could push the issue closer
to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis will
meet Jan. 9 to reconsider a three-judge panel’s October ruling in
favor of members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. In the
now-vacated ruling, the panel upheld a district court ruling,
saying peaceful protests near funerals are protected by the First
Amendment’s right to free speech.

Tony Rothert, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties
Union, which represented Westboro members Shirley and Megan
Phelps-Roper, said the decision to rehear the case wasn’t
surprising given that the circuit courts have been divided over the
constitutionality of the funeral protest laws that have been
cropping up since Westboro members began protesting at military
funerals. The members often hold signs containing such messages as,
“Thank God for dead soldiers” and “Thank God for 9/11.” Church
members claim the deaths are God’s punishment for American
immorality and tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.

Last year, a federal judge in Kansas City, Mo., struck down
Missouri’s funeral protest statute as unconstitutional and an
appeal has been filed to the 8th Circuit. A ruling in the 6th
Circuit in Ohio favored the protest laws.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of
Westboro Baptist Church in a lawsuit filed by Albert Snyder, the
father of a fallen Marine who sued the church for the emotional
pain they caused by showing up at his son Matthew’s funeral.
However, the Supreme Court didn’t specifically address the funeral
protest laws.

The suburb of Manchester adopted its ordinance banning peaceful
funeral protests in 2007. The 8th Circuit panel’s October ruling
meant Manchester could no longer enforce the ordinance and stalled
a Nebraska funeral-picketing law. The 8th Circuit panel found a
district court should have blocked the Nebraska funeral picketing
law from being enforced.

Unless the full 8th Circuit reaches a different conclusion than
the three-judge panel and sides with the 6th Circuit, the issue
could be headed back to the Supreme Court, Rothert said. He said
the Supreme Court rehears cases when there are splits in circuits
or questions of exceptional importance.

“This revolves around the First Amendment, so both sides argue
that this is a case of exceptional importance,” he said.

The Lincoln Journal Star reported that
Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning hailed Wednesday’s
announcement that the federal appeals court will review the
Missouri case.

“We continue to believe the families of fallen soldiers should
be protected from the hateful protests of Westboro Baptist Church
members – they deserve to grieve in peace,” he said.

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) – A cow that has been roaming free near the eastern Nebraska city of Plattsmouth since September has been captured.
The roughly 1,500-pound cow was captured Wednesday afternoon.
She was loaded onto a trailer and taken to a farm near Louisville.
A trio of cowboys on horseback finally corralled the cow on Wednesday. Terry Grell of Louisville, Neil Johnson of Nehawka, and Greg Eisenbarth of Plattsmouth, succeeded where many others had failed.
The cow had been dubbed the “ninja cow” for her ability to appear and vanish like the elusive Japanese assassins. She was captured briefly on Tuesday before slipping away again.  It’s believed she originally fell off a cattle truck and began wandering around Plattsmouth, hiding in the woods on the north side of town.

A convicted felon decided to mug an MMA fighter on the Southwest Side of Chicago, police say, and ended up paying a steep price.

Police did not release the victim’s name but said he was able to ward off Anthony Miranda, 24, who ended up with two black eyes and a gunshot wound to the ankle after a tussle.

The victim was sitting in his parked car near 55th St. and Kenneth when Anthony Miranda, 24, walked up to the car asking for a lighter.

When the victim did not have one, Miranda pulled out a handgun and demanded money, police officials said. He then demanded the victim get out of the car.

At some point, the victim was able to grab control of the gun while Miranda’s attention was diverted. The two men wrestled on the ground and during the fight, Miranda accidentally discharged his gun, shooting himself in the ankle, police said.

The victim was able to pin down Miranda until police arrived and later told officials he was a martial arts expert and ultimate fighting champion.

Miranda was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with a face full of cuts and two black eyes, police said. He has been charged with armed robbery and aggravated discharge of a firearm, a class X felony.