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Nebraska Felon Loses Court Bid But Remains Free

ne-department-of-correctionsLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska felon who had been released early has lost a court fight to avoid being returned to prison, but he will remain free because he’s been granted parole.

Fifty-seven-year-old Bruce Caton is among dozens of prisoners released early because of miscalculations discovered during a monthlong investigation by the Omaha World-Herald. He argued in his July filing that the Department of Correctional Services had determined that he’d served his full sentence and released him. So, he said, returning him to prison would unfairly apply a new interpretation of the state’s “good time” sentencing provision.

Judge Steven Burns said Tuesday that the correct calculation of the good time law hasn’t changed, so he granted the state’s motion to dismiss the case.

Caton was granted parole in September.

Lincoln Board Gets Earful on Gender Training

lincoln-public-schoolsLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Board of Education has received a mixed response from parents about the district’s gender identity training.

About 200 people, including parents, ministers and former students, packed into the board room on Tuesday and filled two other rooms where the meeting was live-streamed on screens.

Before the academic year began, district officials spoke with school leaders to help them better understand issues transgender students face. Handouts were given to teachers that suggested words to replace gendered terms like “girls” and “boys.” School officials have stressed that they were suggestions and not mandates.

Some parents said they felt the training amounted to the district pushing a political agenda. Others said they supported the district’s efforts in informing teachers about issues of gender identity.

Lincoln Zoo Announces Names of Red Pandas

lincoln-childrens-zooLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Children’s Zoo has announced the names of its red panda twins after a nationwide contest.

The zoo has named the cubs Carson and Willa after famous Nebraskans Johnny Carson and Willa Cather. More than 2,000 suggestions were submitted from across the nation in a Facebook contest hosted by the zoo. A Lincoln resident submitted the winning suggestions.

The pandas were born at the zoo in July and now weigh about four pounds. Zoo officials say there are about 200 of the endangered pandas living in captivity in North America.

The zoo closes for the season on Sunday and Carson and Willa likely won’t be on display until the spring.

Man Says He Hit Dentist to Get Prison Dental Care

dentistERIE, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man says he assaulted his dentist with a tire iron because he couldn’t afford dental treatment and knew he’d get it in prison.

30-year-old Philip Kienholz offered the explanation Tuesday when he was sentenced to 16 months to four years in state prison.

The Erie man had pleaded guilty but mentally ill in September to charges of aggravated assault and possessing an instrument of crime.

Erie police say Kienholz cornered the dentist while he was treating a juvenile patient, then hit the doctor in the wrist with the tire iron before running away. At the time, police said Kienholz indicated he attacked the dentist because he was angry that the dentist wanted to prescribe antibiotics rather than pull an infected tooth.

Carbon Monoxide at Colorado Rec Center Sickens 12

carbon-monoxideGREELEY, Colo. (AP) — A faulty boiler used to heat the swimming pool at a recreation center in northern Colorado is believed to be the source of carbon monoxide that sickened 12 people, including at least one child who was hospitalized.

The Greeley Tribune reports that they were exposed to the deadly odorless gas Monday night during an archery practice in the Greeley Recreation Center’s basement.

The wife of an archery club leader, Jim Flores, didn’t feel well and went out to get some fresh air. When she returned, she noticed she barely had the strength to climb stairs. Around the same time, others complained of headaches and nausea, so Flores asked everyone to evacuate.

The Flores’ son, who suffers from asthma, was admitted to the hospital. The others were treated and released.

Woman Sent to Jail Over Overgrown Yard

odd-newsLENOIR CITY, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee woman who fell behind on her yard work was cited by code enforcers and has served a stint in jail over her overgrown yard.

Karen Holloway said the issue started in the summer, when the city sent a citation. She admits she didn’t properly maintain her yard in Lenoir City in East Tennessee and says it had overgrown trees and bushes, but she says she didn’t deserve jail time. She says she fell behind because of personal family issues.

The station reports that Judge Terry Vann heard the case last week and handed down a five-day jail sentence but amended it Tuesday to six hours.

Holloway turned herself in Tuesday at the jail.

WVLT says neither Vann nor police Chief Don White could be reached for comment.

CDC Says It Missed Opportunities to Contain Ebola

CDC Photo
CDC Photo

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — In the days after the first diagnosis of Ebola in the U.S., the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was resolute in his confidence about hospitals’ ability to manage the virus.

Dr. Tom Frieden said almost every hospital in the country can take care of Ebola, provided health care workers have the right training and materials.

Now Frieden says the government wasn’t aggressive enough in containing the virus as it spread from an infected patient to a Dallas nurse. He says the CDC could have sent a more robust team and been more hands-on with hospital staff once Ebola was diagnosed here.

Frieden also has outlined new steps designed to stop the spread of the disease, including the creation of an Ebola response team.

School Officials Studying Omaha Learning Community

omaha-learning-communityOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Superintendents in the Omaha area are studying the effectiveness of the Learning Community and have released a draft of their first joint report.

In 2007, the Legislature created the Learning Community, comprised of 11 school districts, to improve minority and low-income student achievement.

The report called “Learning Community: Time for Change?” says an open-enrollment student transfer system is more costly than before and hasn’t done much to improve socioeconomic diversity in schools. It also questions whether school districts alone can bring about the blending of poor and more affluent students.

But the report also shows strong support to expand early childhood education for students from low-income backgrounds.

The draft doesn’t include concrete recommendations, which officials say will be a part of the final report.

Troopers Seize 75 Pounds of Pot in Lincoln Traffic Stop

POT-BUSTA traffic stop for speeding in a construction zone on I-80 in Lincoln leads to the arrest of an Indiana man and the seizure of 75 lbs. of marijuana.

Just after 6:30 p.m., Monday, October 13, a trooper stopped an eastbound Ford F350 for speeding near the I-80/Highway 77 exit on Interstate 80 in Lincoln. The truck was pulling a trailer loaded with a car.  An NSP canine alerted to the odor of drugs coming from the trailer. A search of the car on the trailer led to the seizure of 75.7 lbs. of marijuana.

The marijuana was concealed in three duffel bags in the passenger compartment and trunk of the car.

The driver of the pickup, Anthony D. Woodruff, 42, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was lodged in the Lancaster County Corrections for Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver

Nebraska Court Uphold Iowa Man’s Conviction in Omaha Shooting

ne-court-of-appealsLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Court of Appeals has upheld the manslaughter, weapons and drug-dealing convictions of an Iowa man.

Corey Brooks, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced last year to a minimum of 56 years in prison for the convictions, including his role in the September 2011 shooting death of 50-year-old James Asmus.

Asmus was found shot to death in a south Omaha garage. Prosecutors say a plan by Asmus to rob Brooks prompted the shooting.

Brooks appealed, arguing that the trial judge should not have allowed his statements to police to be admitted into evidence. He also argued that his trial attorney was ineffective.

The appeals court found Tuesday that Brooks’ arguments were without merit.

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