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GM Adds 218,000 Subcompacts to Growing Recall List

general-motorsDETROIT (AP) — General Motors is adding 218,000 subcompact cars to its growing list of recalled vehicles.

The new recall covers certain Chevrolet Aveo cars from the 2004 through 2008 model years. GM says the daytime running light module in the dashboard center stack can overheat, melt and cause fires.

The recall posted Wednesday on a U.S. government website is GM’s 30th this year. It brings the total number of vehicles recalled by the company since January to 13.8 million, breaking its own annual record.

Recall documents didn’t say if the problem has caused any fires or injuries. GM says it will provide a plan to fix the problem as soon as possible.

The high number of recalls is fallout from a deadly ignition switch problem that is responsible for at least 13 deaths.

2 Accused of Hacking Nebraska Site Plead Guilty

uofnhackerpicLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two men accused of conspiring to hack into the computer systems of the Navy have each pleaded guilty in an Oklahoma federal court.

Sentencing is set Aug. 27 for 27-year-old Nicholas Paul Knight of Chantilly, Virginia, and 20-year-old Daniel Trenton Krueger of Dix, Illinois. Federal prosecutors said Tuesday the men could each face up to five years in prison.

Federal prosecutors say the men hacked a system that stores personal information for 220,000 service members. The two also accused of hacking more than 30 other websites for public and private organizations, including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The case was prosecuted in Tulsa because the Navy servers that were hacked are situated there.

Nebraska Truck Stop Renamed to Honor Driver

York Petro Truck StopYORK, Neb. (AP) — An eastern Nebraska truck stop has been renamed to honor a driver who sets a positive example for other truck drivers.

The Petro truck stop at the York exit on Interstate 80 is now known as the Charley Endorf York Stopping Center.

Werner Enterprises says Endorf received the honor because the company that runs the York truck stop gave him named him one of its citizen drivers of the year. Endorf’s name is featured on the building in two places.

The company says Endorf has logged more than 5 million miles without an accident in his career, and he’s a leader in his profession.

Special Operations Forces may get ‘Iron Man’ Suit

Military Iron Man SuitTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — In the 2008 movie “Iron Man,” the main character becomes a superhero after building a suit of armor with an exoskeleton that gives him incredible strength.

Now, US special operations forces may be a few years away from donning a similar suit, one that can monitor the user’s vital signs, give him real-time battlefield information and be bulletproof from head to toe. It might eventually have other capabilities unheard of only a few years ago, including an exoskeleton made of liquid armor and smart fabrics that could help stop hemorrhaging.

The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) project is coordinated through the Special Operations Command headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

Some companies working on TALOS are in Tampa this week for the International Special Operations Forces conference.

Millions of Bees Swarm, Close Del. Highway Ramp

odd-newsNEWARK, Del. (AP) — Delaware State Police say as many as 20 million swarming bees released after a tractor-trailer carrying them overturned near Newark have shut down a highway ramp. Troopers are telling travelers to stay away from the area.

Sgt. Paul Shavack says the tractor-trailer fell on its side about 6:10 p.m. Tuesday on a curve on the ramp from Route 896 to Interstate 95.

Troopers say the driver and two passengers were able to get out of the vehicle, but were stung 50 to 100 times each and were taken to a hospital. Shavack says there were reports of passers-by being stung.

Shavack says troopers called three bee handlers to the scene, who are working with firefighters to spray water to disperse the insects.

Fremont Man gets Prison in Sexual Assault Case

fremont-policeFREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A Fremont man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

20-year-old Nathan Hancock was given eight to 10 years in prison Monday for first-degree sexual assault. He must register with the state as a sex offender.

Hancock was accused of assaulting 14- and 15-year-old girls.

Hancock’s attorney had asked for probation for his client and argued that he had no criminal history prior to the case. Deputy Dodge County Attorney Tim Sopinski said Hancock’s case represents a pattern of behavior that would fit the description of a sexual predator.

Convict in Torture-Murder Case Wins Commutation

Timothy Haverkamp
Timothy Haverkamp

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State officials have commuted the lifetime parole sentence of a Nebraska man who participated in two cult-related murders in 1985.

The Nebraska Board of Pardons voted unanimously Tuesday to grant 52-year-old Timothy Haverkamp’s request to end his parole supervision. Haverkamp was paroled in 2009, after serving 23 years in prison.

Haverkamp was convicted of second-degree murder for his role in the torture and murder of James Thimm, a fellow cult member, at a farm near Rulo. He pleaded guilty and testified against cult leader Michael Ryan, who remains on death row.

Esther Casmer, chairwoman of the state parole board, says Haverkamp has shown exemplary behavior and earned the rare privilege of only having to check in with his parole officer every six months.

Haverkamp’s parole will end later this year.

Mining Firm Resumes Drilling at Rare Mineral Site

NioCorp DevelopmentsELK CREEK, Neb. (AP) — Drilling is set to resume in southeast Nebraska this week as a Canadian mining firm looks for more evidence of a sizable deposit of a valuable and rare heat-resistant element used in steel.

NioCorp Developments said Tuesday it has hired West-Core Drilling of Elko, Nevada, to collect more core samples from the niobium deposit near Elk Creek.

This summer’s drilling will be the first since 2011 at the site. The company is trying to determine whether it would be profitable to build a mine to harvest the niobium from several hundred feet underground.

The U.S. currently imports nearly all the niobium that’s used in this country to harden steel and make it more heat-resistant for industrial uses.

3 Killed in Fiery Northeast Nebraska Crash

fatal-crashWEST POINT, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say at least three people have been killed in a fiery three-vehicle crash in northeast Nebraska.

The crash happened just after 9 a.m. Tuesday in Stanton County at the intersection of Highways 15 and 32. Witnesses say a sport utility vehicle ran a stop sign and struck a tanker truck, which was then hit by a semitrailer. All three vehicles erupted in flames.

Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger says the victims were burned beyond recognition, so it will take time to identify them and notify their families. Authorities did not say in which vehicle or vehicles the fatality victims were.

Witnesses say a roads department crew was at the intersection at the time of the crash replacing a stop sign.

GM Recalls 2.4 Million More Vehicles

general-motorsDETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling 2.4 million vehicles in the U.S. as part of a broader effort to resolve outstanding safety issues more quickly.

The latest action brings to 13.6 million the number of vehicles GM has recalled this year, a new record for the automaker.

The recalls announced Tuesday include 1.3 million older-model crossovers with defective front seat belts and 1 million sedans with a shift cable that can wear out.

GM is also recalling 1,400 new Cadillac Escalade SUVs with faulty air bags.

No fatalities related to the defects have been reported, GM says

It expects to take a $400 million charge in the second quarter to repair the vehicles.

GM agreed to a $35 million federal fine last week for delays in reporting a deadly ignition switch defect.

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