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Motorcyclist Critically Injured in Omaha Crash

ambulance-lightsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A motorcyclist is in critical condition after a car collision in Omaha caused him to crash through a van window.

Police say 21-year-old John R. Neal, of Omaha, was traveling northbound Friday when his motorcycle collided with a southbound van making a left turn. The force of the collision caused Neal to go through the side window of the van.

Neal, who was wearing a helmet, was taken to a local hospital and remains in critical condition.

The driver of the van, 75-year-old Robert J. Tedford, also of Omaha, was not injured.

Omaha Native Named as Chicago Archbishop

Pope Francis
Pope Francis

Pope Francis has chosen a bishop known as a moderate to replace retiring Cardinal Francis George as head of the high-profile Chicago archdiocese.

The Vatican said Saturday that the pontiff had appointed Monsignor Blase Cupich, 65, a native of Nebraska, for the post that had been held by George, a leading church conservative who is 77 and battling cancer.

Nebraska Troopers to Conduct Festival Enforcement

state-patrol-logoNEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol will conduct a special enforcement effort this weekend in southeastern Nebraska to coincide with Nebraska City’s popular annual AppleJack Festival.

The festival, which began Friday and runs through Sunday, is expected to draw as many as 80,000 to Otoe County.

During the enforcement effort, state troopers will have an increased presence in Otoe County on Saturday and Sunday.

Patrol Capt. Lance Rogers says there will be a lot of vehicles on the roads in Otoe County this weekend, and the patrol wants everyone to “enjoy themselves in a safe, responsible manner and to abide by all traffic safety laws.”

The special enforcement will be paid for, in part, through a $3,100 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety.

Lincoln Attorney’s License Suspended for 2 Years

gavel-moreLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has suspended the law license of a Lincoln attorney for two years over his mishandling of an immigration case.

The high court said Keith Prettyman’s suspension follows his work in 2010 for a Lincoln marketing company that asked him to handle immigration paperwork for an Indonesian man it wanted to hire. Records show Prettyman falsely told the company that he had filed a petition for worker status for the man. Because of Prettyman’s actions, the man was forced to return to Indonesia.

The court said Prettyman admitted in June to violating his oath of office as an attorney and state conduct rules.

High Court Orders New Trial for Nebraska Man Convicted of Rape

ne-supreme-courtOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Lincoln man convicted of attempted sexual assault, saying the trial judge wrongly applied Nebraska’s rape shield law when he refused to allow the alleged victim to be questioned about her relationship with another woman.

The decision Friday came in the case of Curtis Lavalleur, who appealed his 2013 conviction.

Lavalleur’s attorney sought to cross-examine the woman Lavalleur was accused of assaulting about her relationship, saying he wanted to establish a motive for her to falsely report that she had not consented to sexual activities with Lavalleur.

On appeal, Lavalleur argued that evidence of an intimate relationship, by itself, is not within the scope of Nebraska’s rape shield law.

The high court agreed and ordered a new trial.

Officials Remove 20 Persian Cats from Omaha Home

nebhumaneOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — More than 20 Persian cats have been removed from an Omaha home.

The Nebraska Humane Society says the cats were taken from the property on Sept. 12. They have been sent to the group’s facility for treatment.

A search warrant filed in Douglas County District Court indicates neighbors had been complaining about a foul smell coming from the home.

Animal control officers reported seeing mashed feces covering the home’s floor. Many of the cats were covered in matted fur.

The owners of the home have been cited on counts of cruelty to animals, unsanitary conditions and harboring too many animals.

Contractor to Again Face Lawsuit Over 2008 Nebraska Death

lawsuit-settlementLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has revived a lawsuit against a general contractor over the 2008 death of a worker.

Jose Sanchez Dominguez was attaching roof panels to a Wal-Mart under construction in Omaha when one gave way. He was not wearing a required safety harness and fell 40 feet. Dominguez died at a hospital.

Dominguez’s estate sued. A Douglas County District Court judge later dismissed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Graham Construction Inc. from the lawsuit, saying neither retained control over the work Dominguez performed for a subcontractor.

On Friday, the state’s high court agreed that Wal-Mart could not be held liable, but said a jury should decide whether Graham Construction had knowledge that Dominguez was not using his safety harness, and could therefore be found liable for his death.

Omaha Projects Multi-Million Dollar Budget Excess

omahaOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say the city of Omaha will have about $6.1 million more than originally projected by the year’s end due in part to an increase in sales tax revenue.

The mayor’s office said on Thursday that the projections are based on figures from the first half of the year.

The sales tax revenue is expected to be $2 million over budget and motor vehicle taxes are up $1 million. Spending is estimated to end at $3.8 million under budget, with nearly half of that coming from unspent funds by the police department.

Grand Island Airport Awarded $9.8 Million Grant

central-nebraska-regional-airportGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Federal authorities have awarded $9.8 million to the Central Nebraska Regional Airport to create a passenger terminal.

The Federal Aviation Administration awarded the grant for the $14.2 million terminal. The airport’s executive director made the announcement on Thursday.

Construction crews will break ground next month and the nearly 34,000-square-foot building is expected to be completed in 2016. The administration office and covered parking area will be demolished to make room for the terminal.

An airport board chairwoman says the terminal is the biggest project at the site since the airport’s construction. It will replace a 60-year-old terminal.

Columbus High School Students Get Laptops

macbook-airCOLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — The Columbus Public School District has decided to disband its high school computer labs and equip every student with a MacBook Air laptop.

Superintendent Troy Loeffelholz says the nearly 1,200 Columbus High School students should be outfitted by the end of the semester due to a digital initiative district officials approved this week. The computer labs only hold about 120 students.

He says the technology will help students control their own learning pace.

The district will purchase the laptops from Apple over a four-year period at a total cost of $1.2 million. The technology director says the budget will not increase partly because the district discontinued an iPad lease agreement.

The district is expected to also consider providing laptops or iPads to elementary students.

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