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Meteorologist says steam from plants helped generate snow

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — A meteorologist says steam from one or more plants on the east side of Norfolk helped generate snow that blew south to Seward and Lincoln.

Brian Barjenbruch works for the National Weather Service office in Valley, and he says the conditions were just right for the phenomenon Monday. He says the steam interacted with ice already in the clouds, allowing more snow to form.

He says it’s like lake-effect snow in which cold, dry air passes over warmer water.

The narrow snow band dropped about 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow east of Madison by Monday afternoon, and Barjenbruch says it was separate from the intermittent precipitation that fell on other parts of eastern Nebraska.

Man pleads not guilty in fatal shooting of man

HEBRON, Neb. (AP) — A man accused of shooting two brothers — one fatally — has pleaded not guilty in southeast Nebraska.

Thayer County District Court records say 21-year-old Michael Lewis entered the pleas Tuesday to charges of assault and use of a weapon.

Authorities say the shooting occurred Oct. 27 after 28-year-old Remington Elting, of Davenport, and his 33-year-old brother, Reuben Elting, also of Davenport, broke into Lewis’ home in Hebron. Remington Elting died and Reuben Elting was hospitalized.

Lewis’ attorney says Lewis acted in self-defense.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Man charged with hit-run crash death in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have charged a driver with several crimes following the Omaha crash death of a 14-year-old boy.

The Douglas County attorney’s office said in a Tuesday news release that Jeffrey Eggeling is charged with vehicular homicide with a prior conviction for driving under the influence, driving under the influence and causing serious injury, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. County court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for Eggeling, who remains in jail.

Police say Eggeling ran a red light at a west Omaha intersection on Saturday and collided with a vehicle driven by Clifford Canaday, who was accompanied by his son, Trevor. Police say Eggeling fled but was later found by officers.

Authorities say Trevor Canaday died from his crash injuries. His father was hospitalized.

Sheriff releases name of passenger killed in collision

MEAD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a woman who was fatally injured in a collision with a semitrailer in eastern Nebraska’s Saunders County.

The accident occurred around 7 p.m. Sunday on Nebraska Highway 92 about a mile and a half west of Mead. The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office says the eastbound pickup went out of control and was struck broadside by the westbound semi, which was being driven by 53-year-old James Cooler, of Smithland, Iowa.

The sheriff’s office says the passenger was pronounced dead at a hospital in Wahoo. She’s been identified as 52-year-old Peggy Havener. She lived in Fremont. The pickup driver was identified as her husband, 58-year-old Scott Havener. He was taken to a Lincoln hospital.

Another eastbound pickup sustained minor damage when it collided with the other pickup.

Nebraska law license of Iowa-based attorney suspended

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has suspended the law license of an Omaha attorney whose office is located in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Frank Robak Sr.’s Nebraska license was suspended for at least a year on Friday after a client complained that Robak refused to refund his $5,000 retainer after inadequate work on a case.

Robak told the Nebraska Counsel for Discipline that he had told the client he was “not in a position” to refund the $5,000 because he had been hospitalized and was on Social Security disability.

After initially answering questions about the complaint, Robak failed to file answers to the formal complaint and charges.

Robak can apply for reinstatement after one year if he shows that he is fit to practice and submits to monitoring for two years.

Santa’s Playing the Hits on 98.1 FM and 1410

This morning, listeners to ESPN 1410 and 98.1 FM were treated to a wonderful holiday treat! Reindeer Radio 1410 and 98.1 is playing Christmas music 24 hours a day through the holidays. Management of the radio station is tight lipped on what will happen on December 26th but they are assuring listeners and clients that local sports, Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Royals will still be a big part of what goes on the air.

Officials: Nebraska farmer died in weekend blizzard

TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 78-year-old Tecumseh farmer whose truck got stuck in the midst of a blizzard last weekend died of exposure.

The Beatrice Daily Sun reports that LeRoy Holthus was reported missing Sunday after a neighbor found his unoccupied pickup truck stuck in a ditch.

Johnson County Attorney Rick Smith said Friday that law enforcement and a police dog tried to find Holthus on Sunday night, but blowing snow and darkness thwarted their efforts. The area received as much as 9 inches of snow by Monday morning.

Road crews helped deputies clear snow drifts in their search Monday morning. Holthus’ body was found at 8:30 a.m. about 150 yards northeast of his truck at a grain bin site. Preliminary autopsy results indicate Holthus died of hypothermia.

Man seen on video sexually assaulting drunken woman is imprisoned 

Moses Childs, Jr.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A man caught on security video sexually assaulting a drunken woman at a Lincoln bar has been sent to prison.

Judge Lori Maret gave 47-year-old Moses Childs Jr. 19 years and 10 months to 20 years in prison at his sentencing Thursday. She told him that what she saw on the video was horrifying.

Authorities say employees at JJ Hooligan’s bar found the bar office in disarray when they arrived on Aug. 30 last year. They soon contacted police after seeing what they thought was sexual assault on the video.

Childs initially told police the encounter was consensual and that he had been drinking. His attorney, Stephen Kraft, told the judge that when Childs saw the video he realized he’d crossed a line. Childs pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree sexual assault.

School goes into lockdown after report of student with gun 

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) – An eastern Nebraska high school went into a lockdown after a student reported another student walk into the building carrying what looked like a gun.

Fremont police said Thursday the weapon turned out to be a BB pistol. Officers took the student who’d been carrying it and another student into custody about two blocks from Fremont High School. The two students’ names haven’t been released.

Police say no shots were fired and no one was injured. Classes had ended for the day, but some students and staff members were still in the building. Officers sent to the school cleared the building room by room as other officers surrounded it.

The lockout ended about two hours after it began.

Woman charged in death, dismemberment pleads not guilty

Bailey Boswell

WILBER, Neb. (AP) — A woman accused of helping kill and dismember a Lincoln woman has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and unlawful disposal of human remains.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the pleas for 24-year-old Bailey Boswell were entered Thursday in Saline County Court.

Prosecutors say Boswell and 52-year-old Aubrey Trail strangled Sydney Loofe, and Boswell helped Trail cut up Loofe’s body and stuff the remains into trash bags. The remains were found Dec. 4 in Clay County, weeks after Loofe was reported missing.

Both Boswell and Trail face the death penalty if convicted.

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