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Girls Suspected in Omaha Assault Found in Lincoln

uta-halee-girls-campLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two teenagers missing since an assault on a staff member at an Omaha home for troubled girls have been found in Lincoln.

The 16-year-old and 15-year-old girls were arrested Monday morning. The Associated Press generally doesn’t name juveniles accused of crimes.

The two are suspected of attacking the staff member at Uta Halee Girls Village on July 25. The worker told investigators that her credit cards and keys were taken and that the girls punched her, tried to strangle her and struck her on the head with a clothing iron. Police say the worker has returned to work.

The girls face charges of robbery and use of a weapon.

Montana Toddler Drowns in Mop Bucket

police-lights-redKALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — A northwestern Montana toddler drowned after tipping headfirst into a 5-gallon mop bucket.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry says there’s nothing to indicate the death of Marielle Dalimata of Creston was anything but an accident. The girl died Saturday night, 10 days before her first birthday.

Curry says the girl’s body was taken to the state crime lab in Missoula for an autopsy.

Brook Schwab, the girl’s aunt, tells the Daily Inter Lake (https://bit.ly/1sqdFho) that the family is devastated. She says the baby’s parents, Mark and Kayla Dalimata, wanted to remind all parents of young children how quickly a drowning can happen and to not leave children alone around water, even momentarily.

The parents and first responders tried to resuscitate Marielle. She was pronounced dead at the hospital in Kalispell.

Jury to Examine Inmate Death at Tecumseh Prison

tecumseh-correctionalTECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — A grand jury will look into the prison death of a Nebraska inmate who attacked a state caseworker in 2011.

A Nebraska Department of Correctional Services news release says a prison worker found 42-year-old Patrick Howley unresponsive in his cell at Tecumseh state prison just before 7 a.m. on July 27. Howley was pronounced dead less than an hour later at Johnson County Hospital in Tecumseh. Officials suspect that Howley killed himself.

Johnson County Attorney Julie Smith on Tuesday told The Associated Press that autopsy results have not yet returned. Under Nebraska law, a grand jury investigates whenever someone dies in custody or while being taken into custody.

Howley was serving a sentence of 116 to 162 years for trying to kill a Lincoln Correctional Center caseworker.

Omaha Jury Convicts Woman for Filing False Tax Liens

dept.-of-justiceOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal jurors in Omaha have convicted a woman for filing false liens against several authorities.

The U.S. Justice Department says Donna Marie Kozak was found guilty of filing false liens against two federal judges, Nebraska’s U.S. Attorney and two of her deputies. She was also found guilty of filing false liens against an IRS special agent.

Kozak was also convicted of filing a false claim against the U.S. for $660,000 and for obstructing the administration of IRS laws.

The Justice Department says Kozak once belonged to a group called the “Republic for the United States of America.” Her associates were convicted of tax crimes in 2012.

Department officials say Kozak filed a false lien against the judge who presided over their trial.

Lincoln Man Gets Prison for Drugs, Bomb in Car

Cash Ryba
Cash Ryba

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has been sentenced to prison for keeping drugs and a homemade bomb in his car.

24-year-old Cash Ryba was sentenced Tuesday to eight to 16 years in prison on drug charges stemming from an October 2013 traffic stop.

A search of the vehicle turned up cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, brass knuckles and a homemade bomb.

Ryba agreed to plead guilty to cocaine and methamphetamine possession charges as part of a plea deal.

Ryba also was sentenced to a concurrent six-month sentence on a separate misdemeanor conviction.

Plea Deal Made in Omaha Hells Angels Club Slaying

hells-angelsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 48-year-old Scottsbluff man has made a plea deal in the slaying of another man at the Hells Angels’ club building in Omaha.

Jay Witt on Monday pleaded guilty to manslaughter and related charges after prosecutors dropped a charge of second-degree murder. Prosecutors say Witt fatally shot 48-year-old William Furlong, of Omaha. Furlong’s body was found at the club building on July 14 last year.

Witt’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 22.

Nebraska Men Charged in Convenience Store Robbery

Grand-Island-PoliceGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Two Grand Island men have been charged with felonies in connection to a convenience store robbery last month.

Grand Island police on Monday charged 22-year-olds Daniel Left Hand and Eduardo Santos.

Left Hand is charged with robbery, using a handgun to commit a felony and possession of a handgun by a prohibited person. Santos is charged with aiding and abetting a robbery.

Court documents indicate that Left Hand admitted to police he was responsible for the armed robbery at the area Snac Shac in July. They indicate Santos admitted to driving Left Hand to and from the robbery.

Both men are being held at the Hall County Jail. Left Hand’s bond is set at $100,000 and Santos’ at $25,000.

Online jail records did not indicate an attorney for either man.

Federal Agency Orders Changes at Nebraska Hospital

Winnebago-TribeWINNEBAGO, Neb. (AP) — Federal authorities are giving a northeast Nebraska hospital less than three months to make corrections before they pull Medicare funding.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave Winnebago Indian Health Service Hospital a 14-page list of mandatory corrections on Monday.

A hospital official says CMS launched an investigation after patient complaints. It warned the hospital in a May letter it could lose its Medicare funding if it failed to correct a series of alleged deficiencies.

The hospital official says the list includes equipment changes and modifications to staff training.

He says the hospital staff will discuss the changes next week.

Motorcyclist Dies After Lincoln Collision

fatal-motorcycle-crashLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A motorcyclist has died after a collision with a car in central Lincoln.

Police Capt. David Beggs says the motorcycle was eastbound on O Street a little before 7 p.m. Monday when it struck the westbound car as the car turned left onto 52nd Street. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead later at a Lincoln hospital.

The motorcyclist was identified on Tuesday as 24-year-old Jaclyn Kehling, of Lincoln.

Mom Accused of Killing Daughter to Be Arraigned

Jessica Smith
Jessica Smith

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — A woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter at an Oregon coastal inn goes to court Monday.

Authorities arrested 40-year-old Jessica Smith of Goldendale, Washington, on Sunday in the woods east of Cannon Beach. She’s accused of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder.

On Friday, a housekeeper found Smith’s 2-year-old daughter dead in a room at a Cannon Beach resort. Authorities said Smith’s 13-year-old daughter was badly cut, but is expected to recover.

Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis (mahr-kee) says Smith’s arraignment is scheduled for Monday afternoon. He says she’ll appear by a video feed from jail and is not expected to enter a plea.

He says a defense lawyer may be appointed, and the county grand jury is expected to hear the case this week.

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