OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Court of Appeals has ruled that a man in prison for molesting his 6-year-old daughter should not have his parental rights terminated under the state law used to sever those rights.

The decision Tuesday came as part of a case in which the girl’s stepfather seeks to adopt her and her two younger brothers.

The appeals court faulted the termination by a court judge, instead of a juvenile court judge, under a state adoption law that allows the termination of parental rights if the parent has abandoned the child for at least six months prior to the adoption filing.

The appeals court said the imprisoned father had sent the children letters and cards in the six months before the adoption action was filed.

BURWELL, Neb. (AP) — Divers have recovered the body of a man who is believed to have drowned at Calamus (KAL’-uh-muhs) Reservoir in central Nebraska.

Capt. John Hogmire of the Burwell Volunteer Fire Department says the body of 38-year-old Wesley Sell, of Arcadia, was found shortly before 9 p.m. Monday. Hogmire says the body was found in 39 feet of water, about 100 feet from where his boat was found.

He and three family members were fishing on Oct. 11 when the boat sank near Virginia Smith Dam. Other anglers rescued Sell’s two teenage children and an adult relative.

Boats, planes and a drone were deployed on and over the water as authorities searched the shoreline. Windy weather and rough water hampered searchers.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A motorcycle stolen more than 30 years ago has turned up in Lancaster County spring flooding debris.

Authorities say crew members with the Lancaster County engineer’s office found the mud-encrusted motorcycle on Saturday. It’s unclear how long the motorcycle had been stuck in the spot below one of the bridges over Salt Creek.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office contacted the registered owner, Bradley Krutz. He says the motorcycle was stolen in 1983 when he was 16, but he never reported the theft.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 43-year-old Lincoln man accused by a woman of sexually assaulting her has been acquitted by a jury.

Online court records say the jury deliberated less than four hours on Monday before returning a verdict of not guilty on Ricky Lee Jackson. He’d been charged with sexual assault.

Police say Jackson allowed the acquaintance to stay at his apartment in November after she had gone out drinking with her friends. The woman told police she fell asleep several times and continuously woke up to Jackson performing sexual acts on her.

She had said she told him to stop. He told police that she didn’t tell him that.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 15-year-old high school student has been arrested after an Omaha teacher reported that the teen inappropriately touched her.

According to police, the boy was arrested Monday on suspicion of third-degree sexual assault. Police say the 28-year-old teacher at North High School reported that she told a group of students in the hall to move along on Wednesday, when the suspect approached her. According to the teacher, the student placed one of his hands in her back pocket while his other hand brushed against her breasts.

The Omaha Police Department investigated the incident, and the student has been referred to the juvenile justice system.

An Omaha Public Schools spokesman said district officials are not allowed by federal law to comment on student disciplinary matters.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha schools are finding different uses for the extra 20 to 25 minutes added to the school day this fall.

The Omaha Public Schools board voted in June to extend the school day, which was previously shorter than in surrounding districts. Officials said Omaha students, who score lower on state tests than peers, could benefit from more classroom time.

Uses for the added time include silent reading, longer recess, and more of a focus on science and social studies. Many elementary schools are using it to devote extra attention to math, reading and writing.

The decision to extend the school day rankled parents and teachers. School board president Lou Ann Goding says much of the outcry over the decision seems to have dissipated.

CORTLAND, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have released the names of two men who died in the crash of a small plane in southeast Nebraska.

Gage County authorities on Monday identified the men as 68-year-old Jerry Allder and 52-year-old David Schneider. Both men were from Lincoln.

The crash occurred around 8:45 a.m. Saturday, in a farm field about three miles west-southwest of Cortland.

The crash of the single-engine Van’s RV-4 aircraft is being investigated.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska authorities say the woman killed in a second accident after her car struck a deer has been identified as a Colorado resident.

Gage County authorities identified the woman as 59-year-old Bonnie Goings, of Colorado Springs. The accident was reported around 6: 45 a.m. Sunday on U.S. Highway 136, about six miles east of Beatrice.

The Sheriff’s Office says Goings was driving east when her vehicle struck the deer. The release says Goings had left her vehicle but was standing near it when it was struck by a westbound car. The impact knocked Goings’ vehicle into a roadside ditch, trapping her beneath it.

Goings was pronounced dead at the scene. Five people traveling with her were treated at a hospital. The other driver was not injured.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha high school social studies instructor has been named Nebraska 2016 Teacher of the Year.

On Monday the state Education Department announced the selection of Tim Royers. He graduated from Millard West High School in 2003 and returned to teach there in 2007.

The four other finalists were Lori Boudreau, of Papillion-La Vista High School in Papillion; Lynn Hill, of Millard South High School in Omaha; Daniel Schaben, of Arapahoe Public School in Arapahoe’ and Jayson Stoddard, of Hastings Middle School in Hastings.

A panel of Nebraska educators tapped Royers for the honor. He will participate in the national Teacher of the Year competition later this year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Jury selection is scheduled to begin Wednesday in the fraud and conspiracy trial of TierOne Bank’s former CEO and chairman.

74-year-old Gilbert “Gil” Lundstrom and other bank officers hid million-dollar losses from regulators and shareholders. Regulators took over Lincoln-based TierOne in 2010, saying the bank had too many bad loans on its books and lacked sufficient capital to cushion losses. The bank’s assets were sold to South Dakota-based Great Western Bank.

Former TierOne President James Laphen has pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud. TierOne’s former chief credit officer, Don Langford, has pleaded guilty to similar charges.