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Grand Island Unveils Deal for Outsourcing Ambulance Billing

grand-island-fire-departmentGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Grand Island has removed a veil over its deal with a company contracted to handle ambulance billings.

The city said in a news release Friday that it will pay PST Services, a McKesson Corp., company, 4 percent of the net amount collected. That would be around $48,000 on the $1.2 million collected in a typical year.

The City Council approved the contract last week but wouldn’t say what the city will pay PST. City Attorney Bob Sivick said the cost was confidential because the company’s billing formula is considered a trade secret, which is protected under Nebraska’s public records law. The Grand Island Independent submitted an open records request.

The city’s news release said “it was determined releasing the information was in the best interest of the community.”

Family of Slain Yankton Woman Makes Push to Find Killer

Tammy Haas (Facebook)
Tammy Haas (Facebook)

YANKTON, S.D. (AP) — The family of a Yankton woman slain nearly a quarter century ago is making a renewed effort to find her killer.

The body of Tammy Haas was found 23 years ago in a ravine along a Nebraska highway just across the South Dakota border. Nineteen years ago, a jury found her boyfriend not guilty of manslaughter.

Haas’ family last month hired private detectives to work on the case, using $24,000 raised through social media. The Facebook page “Justice for Tammy Haas” has grown to more than 5,000 followers. Also in April, “Dateline NBC” listed the slaying in its “Cold Case Spotlight.”

Mother Nancy Haas says the family hopes someone with knowledge of the case will come forward with information.

Nebraska Man Gets Probation Revoked, Gets Prison in Fatal Crash

jailCOLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — Probation has been revoked for a 32-year-old man convicted of vehicular homicide in the crash death of a Columbus woman.

Brian Browning was sentenced last week to two to three years in prison.

Judge Robert Steinke said in court that Browning, who now lives in Wolbach, began taking terms of his original sentence seriously only when prosecutors sought to revoke his four-year probation. In mid-March Brown admitted failing to report for drug testing, not participating in substance abuse counseling, not completing any community service and driving under suspension.

Authorities say Browning was speeding and driving recklessly on July 21, 2012, when he lost control of his pickup and it rolled, ejecting Browning, another passenger and 20-year-old Toni Krumland, who died days later.

Pentagon Accused of Hiding Sex Crimes Info

the-pentagon-2WASHINGTON (AP) — A senator leading a push to tighten policy on military sex assaults says the number of sex-related crimes in military communities is far greater than the Defense Department has publicly reported.

In a report released Monday, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand (KEER’-sten JIHL’-uh-brand) says the spouses of service members and civilian women who live or work near military facilities are especially vulnerable to sexual assault.

The New York senator says they “remain in the shadows” because neither is counted in surveys conducted by the Defense Department to determine the prevalence of sexual assaults within the ranks.

The Defense Department says it is making progress against sexual assaults. It estimates sex crimes are decreasing and victims are more confident offenders will be held accountable.

Supreme Court Rejects Inmate’s Appeal for Sex-Change Surgery

supreme-courtWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a convicted murderer in Massachusetts who has been seeking taxpayer-funded sex-reassignment surgery in prison.

The justices did not comment Monday in letting stand a lower-court ruling against Michelle Kosilek. The prison inmate was born Robert Kosilek and is serving a life sentence for killing spouse Cheryl Kosilek in 1990.

The inmate has waged a lengthy fight for the surgery she says is necessary to relieve the mental anguish caused by gender-identity disorder.

Last year, a divided federal appeals court in Boston overturned a first-in-the-nation court order for the state to provide the sex-reassignment surgery. Courts around the country have found that prisons must evaluate transgender inmates to determine their health care needs, but most have ordered hormone treatments and psychotherapy, not surgery.

Tornado, Hail Reported in Southeast Nebraska

severe-weatherBEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — Two tornado sightings have been reported in southeast Nebraska but remain unconfirmed.

The National Weather Service says a member of law enforcement reported a twister crossing U.S. Highway 77 north of Cortland around 8:25 p.m. Sunday. No injuries were reported.

A storm chaser reported a tornado about two miles northeast of Adams in Gage County 10 minutes later. It’s not clear whether the reports were about the same tornado. The weather service says the sightings have not been confirmed.

The service also says Sunday’s storms brought 2-inch hail to Lancaster, Gage and Johnson counties. Barn roofs were dented and fields of strawberries were damaged at Roca Berry Farm, southwest of Roca.

Forecasters say storms capable of producing large hail and damaging winds are expected to hit the area Monday evening.

Arizona Girl Dies After Swing Set Breaks Suddenly

ambulance-lightsGILBERT, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities in a Phoenix suburb say a 7-year-old girl is dead and a 14-year-old girl is hospitalized after a backyard swing set broke apart.

Gilbert polices Sgt. Jesse Sanger says firefighters responded to a home around 9:30 a.m. Sunday and found both girls with head injuries.

Sanger says the 14-year-old was on the wooden swing and the younger girl was standing nearby when it snapped at the base. He says both were knocked into a swimming pool.

The 7-year-old died while being airlifted to a hospital. Sanger did not know the 14-year-old’s condition but said she also suffered damage to her shoulder.

Neither girl lived at the home nor were they related.

Sanger says there were adults present and so far, it appears to be a very unfortunate accident.

 

2 Dead, Several Hurt After 2 Crashes in Butler County

state-patrol-logo

RISING CITY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say two people died and at least four others were hurt in two weekend crashes in Butler County.

The fatal accident happened Saturday evening on U.S. Highway 81, north of where it meets Nebraska 64.

The Nebraska State Patrol says alcohol was a factor in that crash when a motorcycle and car collided. The name of the deceased person wasn’t immediately released.

Earlier Saturday, a Ford F-150 pickup rear-ended a minivan as it tried to turn off of Nebraska Highway 92 east of Rising City.

The Butler County Sheriff’s office says one of four people in the minivan — 8-year-old Calleb Prellwitz of Rising City — died.

Three others in the minivan and the woman driving the truck were also taken to hospitals.

Omaha Crash Kills Berkshire Hathaway Investor from India

fatal-accidentOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An investor from India who attended Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting Saturday has died in a two-vehicle crash, and three other people were hospitalized with injuries.

The crash happened before 7 a.m. Sunday in midtown Omaha. A 2014 Volkswagen Jetta was struck by a 2011 Chevrolet pickup.

Omaha Police said 60-year-old Parag Parikh of Mumbai, India, died at a local hospital. His wife, 59-year-old Geeta Parikh was in critical condition with head and chest injuries.

Two others in the Volkswagen — 42-year-old Rajeev Thakkar of Mumbai and 29-year-old Raunak Onkar of Maharastra, India — sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Shailesh Shah says Parag Parikh was a stockbroker and his brother-in-law. Shah told the World-Herald that all four were in Omaha to attend Berkshire’s shareholder meeting.

Lincoln Police Officer Cleared in Fatal Dog Shooting

lincoln-policeLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police say the officer who fatally shot a dog charging at him earlier this year didn’t violate the department’s rules.

Lincoln Police Chief Jim Peschong said an internal investigation determined that Officer Jason Papke didn’t use excessive force in the March 21 incident.

Papke was looking for a teen involved in a disturbance when he encountered the 9-year-old pit bull named Opie. The dog was on a leash, but Peschong says the officer couldn’t see the leash in the dark when the dog charged.

Peschong says Papke had not had department training on handling aggressive dogs because he was hired after the most recent session.

Two Lincoln police officers have shot and killed dogs this year.

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