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Bellevue father arrested in death of infant daughter

bellevue-police-patchBELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — A 21-year-old Bellevue man has been arrested on suspicion of causing the death of his 5-month-old daughter.

Police say Cameron Ludi was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of child abuse resulting in death.

Bellevue police say an autopsy and investigation into the July 3 death of his infant daughter, Cassidy Kennedy, showed the baby girl died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Ludi told police at the time of the baby’s death that she had fallen off a bed where he had placed her before going outside to smoke. He told police that when he returned, he found the baby face down on the floor.

Ludi remained jailed Wednesday and could not be reached for comment. Online court records do not indicate whether Ludi had an attorney Wednesday.

Nebraska fire truck company to be sold

firedptSNYDER, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska company that specializes in making fire trucks is being sold to a publicly traded Michigan company for $36.3 million.

It’s not immediately clear how the deal announced Tuesday will affect Smeal Fire Apparatus’ 400 employees in Nebraska, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Spartan Motors of Charlotte, Michigan, says the deal is set to close in January.

Smeal currently buys about $30 million worth of structural framework from Spartan.

Spartan marketing director Samara Hamilton says the Michigan company would determine what would happen to Smeal’s manufacturing locations and employees.

About 230 people work at the Smeal’s headquarters in Snyder. Smeal also has operations in Neligh.

Huff, puff and explode: E-cigarette fires, injuries on rise

ecigaretteMINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — The popularity of e-cigarettes has been accompanied by a climbing number explosions or fires in the decade since their debut.

The devices simulate tobacco smoking. Because they operate on lithium batteries, they appear to be suffering mishaps similar to some smartphones, hover boards and other products.

Elected officials, personal injury attorneys and victims are demanding action.

This year alone a teenager at a Florida amusement park was burned. A man was chatting with co-workers in New York’s Grand Central Terminal when his pants erupted in flames. And a Brooklyn boy was partially blinded.

The Food and Drug Administration started regulating the devices in May. It is reporting increasing numbers of injuries in the past 18 months from exploding e-cigarettes.

Air Force airman charged in August death of fellow airman

offutt-air-force-baseOFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — Officials with Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha say an airman has been charged with premeditated murder in the August death of a fellow airman.

Offutt officials say Airman 1st Class Timothy Wilsey, of Valdosta, Georgia, has been charged in military court in the death of Airman 1st Class Rhianda Dillard. The body of Dillard, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was found Aug. 1 in her base dormitory.

Base officials say Wilsey disappeared from Offutt a few days before Dillard’s body was found. He was picked up Aug. 11 in Virginia and has been held at Offutt since. A news release Tuesday from the Air Force’s 55th Wing says Wilsey has also been charged with desertion. He will next face a preliminary hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

South City residents continue to worry about horrible odor

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SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) — South Sioux City residents forced to leave their homes by a horrible odor say they’re concerned a resident was recently sent back to his home before hydrogen sulfide gas levels were deemed safe by Nebraska standards.

Chris Cornell was displaced from his home Oct. 28 due to the odor from the nearby Big Ox Energy plant. City administrator Lance Hedquist told Cornell he could return to his home last week. Cornell says he was shocked.

Gas levels should be lower than 7.17 parts per billion before residents can safely return to their homes. The first batch of test results hadn’t been processed at the time of Hedquist’s call. Hedquist says he thought the home was safe based on discussion with other people working on the home.

The city has resumed paying for Cornell’s hotel accommodations.

Fire in downtown Omaha injures 1, disrupts cellphone service

fireOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A fire in downtown Omaha injured one person and damaged some equipment involved in providing cell phone service to Sprint customers.

The fire was reported early Tuesday before 5 a.m. in the basement of a building near 7th and Leavenworth streets.

Firefighters extinguished the fire in about 20 minutes and took one person to the hospital.

The building, which houses wirelines for Sprint, was operating on limited power Tuesday because the fire damaged electrical equipment.

Sprint says it is working to restore service to the area.

Officials say Grand Island woman killed in Sunday crash

fatal-accidentGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Police in Grand Island have identified a woman killed in a two-vehicle crash at an intersection in the southwest corner of the city.

41-year-old Melissa Brown, of Grand Island, died in the Sunday morning crash.

Police say Brown was driving a large SUV on Husker Highway when she was broadsided by another SUV traveling south on Engleman Road. Police Capt. Jim Duering says the driver of the southbound vehicle, 35-year-old Sheri Jindra, of Lincoln, failed to yield at a stop sign, causing the crash. She suffered minor injuries.

Brown was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her husband and passenger, Roger Brown, received minor injuries.

Authorities ID man who died at Beatrice auto parts plant

beatrice-policeBEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have identified a person who died after collapsing at a Beatrice auto parts manufacturing company as a member of a cleaning crew.

67-year-old Michael Robertson, a Mosaic resident, was cleaning the Neapco facility Monday morning when he and another worker became ill. Workers reported a bad smell in the break room of the facility, and officials are investigating a possible chemical incident.

Mosaic is a faith-based organization that treats people with intellectual disabilities.

Both Robertson and the other worker were taken to hospitals. Officials say Robertson died at the Nebraska Heart Institute in Lincoln.

Police have not identified the other man, but say he was treated and released form Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center.

Worker at auto parts plant dies after strange odor reported

ambulance-lightsBEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — One worker has died after collapsing at an auto parts manufacturing company in southeast Nebraska, and another worker remains hospitalized.

Beatrice firefighters were called to the Neapco Components plant Monday morning, and a suspicious smell was reported. Before firefighters arrived, one worker needed CPR.

Both workers were taken to hospitals, and one man later died at the Nebraska Heart Institute in Lincoln. The workers’ names weren’t immediately released.

Deputy Fire Chief Jake Carrel says a hazardous materials crews investigated the odor into the afternoon and identified the likely source.

But Carrel wouldn’t identify what caused the odor until it is confirmed. He says the smell was only in one room of the Neapco plant and didn’t affect the rest of the facility.

Lincoln approves $16 million expansion plan for its zoo

lincoln-childrens-zooLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln’s City Council has approved a $16 million expansion project at its zoo.

Construction could begin as soon as next spring at the Lincoln Children’s zoo.

The project will build a new education and conservation center that Lincoln schools will use for classes.

And additional parking will be added in Woods Park.

About $12 million of the project’s cost will be covered by private donations.

Zoo executive director John Chapo says the timing of the project will depend on fundraising.

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