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US Honors Veterans Over Memorial Day Weekend

20th-century-vets-memorial(AP) — The nation is marking Memorial Day weekend with somber ceremonies, flag planting at cemeteries and parades.

In New York, a Marines Corps chaplain will give a sermon Sunday at the Marble Collegiate College in Manhattan.

Afterward, sailors, marines and Coast Guard members in town for Fleet Week will tie memorial ribbons on the church’s fence.

There will be gold ribbons for service members killed in Afghanistan, green ribbons representing prayers for peace and blue ribbons for the people of Afghanistan.

On Saturday, Democratic congresswoman Tammy Duckworth served as grand marshal of Chicago’s Memorial Day Parade. She lost her legs while serving her country in the Iraq War.

In Massachusetts, a Boston Marathon survivor and his rescuer helped plant tens of thousands of flags at a ceremony to honor veterans.

Can US Eliminate Invasive Species by Eating Them?

Asian Carp
Asian Carp

(AP) — It seems simple: American lakes, rivers and offshore waters are filling up with destructive fish and crustaceans originally from other parts of the world, so why not control these populations by getting people to eat them?

The idea gained momentum recently from the lionfish, which invaded the Gulf of Mexico but was successfully marketed to restaurants and today appears to be in decline.

Businesses and scientists have struggled to repeat this apparent triumph with other species. Some, such as Asian carp, are not appetizing to Americans. Others, like feral hogs, reproduce too quickly.

Laura Huffman is the Nature Conservancy’s director in Texas. She says eating invasive species “is not a silver bullet,” but the idea can still “get people engaged in the topic and in the solution.”

University of Nebraska Regents to Increase Budget

university-of-nebraskaLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider next week a 3.5 percent increase to the university’s operating budget for the upcoming academic year, while keeping tuition from rising for Nebraska residents.

The increase will bring NU’s total operating budget to $2.4 billion. Regents will consider the budget during their regular meeting, which begins at 8 a.m. on Friday in Varner Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus.

Interim NU President James Linder said freezing tuition reflects the university’s highest priority of keeping college affordable. Nonresidents will see a small increase in tuition costs.

Lawsuit Says Omaha Inspector Sought Sexual Favors

omaha(AP) — An Omaha property owner is suing the city of Omaha and one of its code inspectors, alleging the inspector offered leniency on her code violations in exchange for sexual favors.

The woman claims in the federal lawsuit that her north Omaha rental properties were targeted for code violations and excessive fines by the inspector when she refused his advances.

The inspector is also named in a separate lawsuit by Omaha property owners who make similar allegations. Omaha attorney Jason Bruno represents the property owners in both lawsuits. He says his clients have been in negotiations with the city to fix the problems outlined in the claims.

Shooter Kills 7 in California Drive-By after Making Disturbing Video

crime-scene-police-shootGOLETA, Calif. (AP) — Police investigating last night’s deadly drive-by shootings in Southern California are studying a video posted on YouTube of a young man describing plans to shoot women.

They’re not saying whether the person in the video is a suspect in the shootings, which left seven people dead, including the suspected gunman. But Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown says investigators are analyzing written and videotaped evidence that suggests it was “a premeditated mass murder.”

Seven others were wounded in the attack near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus in the beachside community of Isla Vista.

The sheriff says the gunman got into two gun battles with deputies before crashing his black BMW into a parked car. The suspect was found dead inside the car with a gunshot wound to the head, but it wasn’t clear whether he was killed by gunfire or if he committed suicide.

A semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the scene.

Here is the video.  This video may not be suitable for people under the age of 18.

Commander: Navy Must Improve Female Retention Rate

navy(AP) — The Navy retains female sailors at half the rate it holds on to men. One result is it doesn’t have enough senior enlisted women on some ships stationed overseas.

The Navy’s top commander for personnel says the service has repeatedly learned problems develop if a ship has many junior enlisted females but no senior enlisted women on board to mentor them.

Vice Adm. William Moran told reporters during a visit to Pearl Harbor on Thursday he thinks the fundamental reason is that women want to start families and need more time to do so. He says this often makes women choose between staying in uniform and starting a family.

The Navy currently offers women six weeks of paid maternity leave.

Moran wants to improve the retention rate for all female sailors.

Bellevue Attorney’s License Suspended for 45 Days

ne-supreme-court(AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has suspended the license of a Bellevue attorney for 45 days and ordered him to serve two years of monitored probation.

The suspension stemmed from a case in which attorney Gregory Pivovar was appointed to represent inmate Danny Robinson in a motion for post-conviction relief.

The motion was denied, and Pivovar informed Robinson that he would need to be reappointed before he could represent Robinson on appeal. But Pivovar did not advise Robinson that he had 30 days to appeal, nor did Pivovar file an appeal himself.

Pivovar was reappointed days after the deadline for appeal, and the Nebraska Counsel for Discipline found that instead of contacting the court to discuss the problem, Pivovar “stuck his head in the sand” and refused to take Robinson’s calls.

Lincoln Woman Charged with Stealing from Former Employer

Katie Marie Dewald
Katie Marie Dewald

(AP) — Authorities say a Lincoln woman stole more than $11,000 from her employer over a 10-month period.

Lancaster County prosecutors charged 38-year-old Katie Marie Dewald Thursday with felony theft. Court records do not list an attorney.

Officer Katie Flood says Dewald managed the Stony Ridge Apartments from December 2012 to September. During that time, Flood says Dewald collected rent, fees and laundry money and made personal bank deposits. An internal audit shows Dewald took more than $11,000 while employed at the apartment complex.

Flood says when the building’s owner noticed a discrepancy in the amount of incoming money from tenants and confronted Dewald, she resigned and he called police. Dewald turned herself in to the Lancaster County jail in an agreement with investigators.

Police: Teen Killed Cabbie for Rejecting His Routes

police-lights-red(AP) — Police say a 16-year-old shot a Pennsylvania cabbie twice in the head because he believed the driver was trying to rip him off.

Aazis (ah-ZEES’) Richardson was charged with murder Friday night in the killing of 47-year-old Vincent Darbenzio (dar-BENZ’-ee-oh). The cab driver’s body was found in his vehicle shortly before 5 a.m. Friday near the entrance to a Scranton housing complex.

Investigators say Richardson told them he killed Darbenzio because the driver was taking a long way to his destination and ignoring his suggested shortcuts. Police say Richardson also stole $500 before fleeing.

While in police custody, Richardson told reporters he had killed the driver because he wouldn’t take his preferred route.

It’s not clear if Richardson has an attorney.

Darbenzio started working for the cab company last month.

Boys Town Marks Year Anniversary of Omaha Office

boys-town(AP) — A Boys Town office in north Omaha will hold a block party to celebrate its one-year anniversary.

The party on June 6 will be open to the public and free for all families. It will feature food, face painting, games and a bounce house.

Boys Town opened the new office on Ames Avenue in north Omaha last year in order to better serve the community.

Boys Town opened an office in south Omaha in February, as well. The new offices are the product of increased efforts to take Boys Town services into the communities that need them.

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