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NE Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy Fraud

dept.-of-justiceAn eastern Nebraska man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of bankruptcy fraud and faces up to five years in prison when he’s sentenced this summer.

U.S. Attorney Deb Gilg says 57-year-old Ross Boydston, of Creston, pleaded guilty Tuesday.

Gilg says Boydston sold livestock which had been pledged as collateral to American Mortgage Company without notifying the company of the sales and without remitting the proceeds to AMC. Gilg says Boydston also lied about the sales after filing for bankruptcy.

Boydston is set to be sentenced on June 24.

Plane Lands at York Municipal Airport with No Landing Gear

york-municipal-airportThree people aboard a private plane were unhurt when it landed in eastern Nebraska without the benefit of its front landing gear.

The incident occurred Tuesday morning at York Municipal Airport.

York Police Officer Shawn McKillip says the plane had taken off from Minneapolis and was bound for York. As the plane neared Omaha the pilot noticed that some of the plane’s electronics weren’t working, including its radio.

McKillip says the pilot continued flying to York. As the plane neared the airport, the pilot pushed the control lever for the front gear, but the gear wouldn’t come down.

McKillip says the pilot landed the plane safely, although it sustained some damage to its propeller when it stopped nose down.

Former Voice of Elmo Sued for Luring 16-Year-Old into Drugs and Sex

elmoThe former voice of the “Sesame Street” character Elmo is being sued by a man who claims the entertainer lured him into drug-fueled sex when he was 16.

Sheldon Stephens, who’s now 24, says he met Kevin Clash at a networking event. He says he was brought by limousine from Pennsylvania to a New York apartment. There, Clash allegedly smoked crystal meth while giving the teenager another recreational drug.

Stephens first made the allegations last year, but recanted after failed efforts to reach a settlement. He renewed the accusations in a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Pennsylvania.

Clash’s attorney Michael Berger says his client denies any wrongdoing. He says Stephens already admitted he had an adult consensual relationship with Clash.

Three other men also are suing Clash, alleging underage sex.

U.S. Government Won’t Force Tobacco Companies to Put Graphic Images on Cigarette Packages

graphic-cigsThe U.S. government won’t appeal a court decision blocking it from requiring tobacco companies to put large graphic health warnings on cigarette packages.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Attorney General Eric Holder says the Food and Drug Administration will go back to the drawing board and propose new labels.

The government had until Monday to ask for a U.S. Supreme Court review.

A judge ruled last year that the requirement violated First Amendment free speech protections. An appeals court upheld that ruling.

Some of the largest tobacco companies sued to block the mandate to include warnings depicting the dangers of smoking and encouraging smokers to quit. They argued the warnings amounted to anti-smoking advocacy. The government argued the photos of dead and diseased smokers were factual.

PETA Urges Charges After Death of Dog in Iditarod Race

PETAThe asphyxiation death of a dog dropped from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has outraged animal rights activists who have long criticized the 1,000-mile race as cruel.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is urging Alaska prosecutors to file cruelty charges for those responsible for the death of 5-year-old Dorado, who died after being buried by drifting snow at a checkpoint.

The dog was found dead Friday morning in Unalakleet, 260 miles from the finish line in Nome.

Race spokeswoman Erin McLarnon referred questions to race officials, who did not immediately return request for comment.

The dog belonged to the team of rookie musher Paige Drobny. Her husband, Cody Strathe, said

Seven Marines Killed After Mortar Explodes During Training Exercise

marine-corpsA Marine commander says an accident that killed seven Marines and injured seven other service members in Nevada happened when a mortar round exploded inside its firing tube during mountain training exercises.

Brigadier General Jim Lukeman spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon from Camp Lejeune, N.C. The Marines are part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force.

Lukeman says seven service members were injured, including three with serious injuries.

Marine Corps officials say the accident happened about 10 p.m. Monday at the Hawthorne Army Depot in rural Nevada about 130 miles southeast of Reno.

The identities of those killed won’t be released until 24 hours after their families are notified.

US Civilian Defense Contractor Charged with Espionage

top-secretThe civilian defense contractor accused of giving his Chinese girlfriend military secrets on war plans, nuclear weapons and missile defense started working at the U.S. Pacific Command about three years ago.

Benjamin Bishop’s LinkedIn profile says he worked on cybersecurity starting last May.

It says the 59-year-old was a strategic planner working on deterrence for two years before that. This includes the time when federal authorities allege he began a romantic relationship with a 27-year-old woman from China living in the U.S. on a student visa.

Bishop is a Special Forces lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

His Army biography lists several honors including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

Bishop is being charged with willfully communicating national defense information to a person not entitled to receive it

NE Company Settles Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

EEOCA Nebraska-based company accused of refusing to hire an Oklahoma man because of his religious beliefs has settled a discrimination lawsuit in the case.

Voss Lighting agreed to pay $82,500 to former job candidate Edward Wolfe. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says Voss will also institute company wide actions to prevent further religious discrimination.

The EEOC sued the Lincoln company over the allegations last year in federal court in Oklahoma.

The EEOC says Voss appeared to have a corporate culture requiring employees to adhere to certain religious beliefs that had no bearing on the business of selling lighting products.

Voss has denied the accusations and did not acknowledge any wrongdoing in the settlement, saying it wanted to avoid a long, expensive legal fight.

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NE Inmates Wife Charged with Smuggling Pot Into Prison

ne-state-penA Lincoln prison inmate’s wife has been accused of trying to smuggle pot to him.

20-year-old Lakeisha Davis, of Omaha, is charged with delivering or attempting to deliver contraband.

An arrest warrant affidavit says prison guards interrupted a January visit by Davis to Michael Benson and took Benson into a room for a strip search. The affidavit says Benson threw a bag of marijuana onto the floor. The guards suspected Davis had passed the bag to Benson.

Davis was allowed to leave, but an arrest warrant was issued earlier this month.

Benson is in prison on drug and theft convictions out of Douglas County.

NE Based Natura Pet Products Issues Recall

natura-pet-foodNatura Pet Products is recalling an assortment of its dog, cat and ferret foods because they may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

The Fremont, Neb.-based company said Tuesday that no illnesses have been linked to its products, but the tests by Michigan officials confirmed salmonella in its products.

Salmonella can affect both pets and their owners, especially if people don’t thoroughly wash their hands after handling pet food.

The recall covers a variety of products sold in the United States, Canada, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Costa Rica under the California Natural, Evo, Healthwise and Innova brands that were made at the same facility.

A complete list of the recalled foods is available online at https://www.naturapet.com/recall . Customers can call (800) 224-6123 for more information.

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