COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — Members of Columbus’ park board are supporting an effort to snuff out smoking and tobacco use in areas where children gather to play.

The Board of Parks Commissioners voted 5-0 on Tuesday to endorse a ban that would prohibit people from using any tobacco products near playground areas at local parks.

The policy now heads to the Columbus City Council for consideration.

Rebecca Rayman, executive director of the East Central District Health Department in Columbus, says the proposed ban is a reasonable request. Rayman says 18 other Nebraska communities have enacted similar policies.

Rayman also encouraged city officials to consider applying the policy to youth athletic facilities, such as baseball and soccer fields.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha man has been sentenced to five to six years in prison for a punch that led to the death of another Omaha man.

35-year-old Willie M. McIntyre will spend at least two and a half years in prison for hitting 26-year-old Benjamin B. Moore outside a north Omaha home.

Moore died in May 2014 after he fell back and hit his head on concrete.

State law requires McIntyre to serve half of the lower term before he is eligible for parole. Without parole, he would be released after serving half of the upper term.

McIntyre faced up to 20 years for the manslaughter conviction.

McIntyre also served six months in prison in 2009 for being a felon in possession of a weapon.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — Federal labor officials say they’re investigating the circumstances of a worker’s fall at a construction site in Hastings.

The Omaha office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says it has opened an investigation into the Wednesday morning incident at a soy crush plant construction site owned by Ag Processing Inc.

A 31-year-old worker was on a ladder on a mezzanine for the installation of steel horizontal beams. At some point the worker fell about 10 feet and was transported to a local hospital with severe injuries.

A message left Wednesday for Ag Processing Inc. was not immediately returned.

The worker is employed by A-Lert Construction Services, of Fredonia, Kansas. A person who answered a call for the company Wednesday said A-Lert Construction Services has no comment on the incident.

WINNEBAGO, Neb. (AP) — The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska will again offer stimulus payments to enrolled members after canceling them in July because of budget constraints.

Tribal officials say the $250 payments will be issued Dec. 3 at the Blackhawk Community Center. Those with outstanding loans to tribal offices or child support will forfeit the checks to help cover the debt.

The tribe’s website says the payments are considered nontaxable gifts from the tribe.

In July, more than 5,000 enrolled members of the Winnebago Tribe did not get the checks — which would have totaled $1.3 million — due to budget problems.

BEAVER CITY, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado damaged a farmstead near Beaver City in southern Nebraska.

The service says Monday’s EF-1 tornado touched down around 7:30 p.m. and lifted about six minutes later, after roaring through nearly 13 miles of rural Furnas County.

The tornado damaged a barn and storage area northeast of Hollinger and damaged trees and power poles. No injuries have been reported.

The service estimated the twister’s maximum wind speed at 95 mph. Experts say EF-1 tornados have winds ranging from 86 to 110 mph.

 

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Hall County supervisors are backing efforts to combat what the county attorney says are violations by a Dannebrog cattle feeder who has too many animals at his location.

The board voted 7-0 on Tuesday to back Jack Zitterkopf as he demands that Ken Kohlhof reduce his herd at C & I Cattle Co. and comply with country regulations. Otherwise, Zitterkopf says, Kohlhof could be fined $500 a day and his business could be closed.

Zitterkopf says that under county regulations, Kohlhof has too many cattle too close to neighbors, who have complained about the smell and the growing size of the feedlot.

Kohlhof told the newspaper that he is working toward compliance.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An 18-year-old high school student in Lincoln has been suspended after a Muslim student told police he called her a terrorist.

Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood says the 16-year-old girl, who was wearing a headscarf known as a hijab, reportedly heard the Lincoln East High School student say, “Look, there’s a terrorist.” Flood says another witness also heard the comment.

The male student was identified, suspended and referred to student services after school officials contacted police.

East Principal Sue Cassata says this occurrence appears to be an isolated incident and that the school is looking into the issue.

The disturbance is the only anti-Muslim incident reported to Lincoln police so far this year.