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Nebraska Woman Who Testified Home Was ‘Temple of Drugs’ Sentenced

judgeshipYORK, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge has sentenced a woman to prison for distributing marijuana and prescription drugs at her home, which she called a temple for religious drug use.

Brenda Hines, of York, was convicted in May of four drug charges, including one for maintaining a place for drug trafficking.

She had testified that what she called her Temple of Zion reflected her religious beliefs and that God provided the marijuana she sold to temple members.

Hines was sentenced Monday to a term of two to four years on three counts and three months on a fourth count. The sentences will be served concurrently, meaning that Hines’ total sentence will be two to four years, with credit for the 33 days she already spent in custody.

City of Lincoln to Build Greenhouse to Store Plants

city-of-lincolnLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln city officials want to build a nearly $115,000 greenhouse to store plants during the fall and winter months.

Plans call for the more than 4,000-square-foot greenhouse to be built on the west end of Antelope Park.

A Parks and Recreation Department official says that the city has received nearly $40,000 in grants to build the structure, with city funds to cover the rest of the project’s costs.

The city now pays two private nurseries to store the plants during the colder months.

One of the nurseries will continue to store the plants for Sunken Gardens. City officials say flooding in May damaged the other nursery’s greenhouses, and it won’t be able to store city plants this fall.

Driver’s Ed Car Collides with Tractor-Trailer; 2 Teens Dead

ambulance-lightsWARWICK, N.Y. (AP) — Police say a driver’s ed car collided with a tractor-trailer at a New York intersection, killing two teenage passengers and sending two other teens in the car and the driving instructor to hospitals with serious injuries.

Warwick police say the accident happened Tuesday morning when a teenage girl behind the wheel of the car apparently crossed into the path of the truck.

Goshen School Superintendent Daniele Connor says all four teens were students at the district high school, which contracts with Decat Driving School in Middletown to provide driver’s training to students.

Officials say the two boys who died were in the back seat of the car. The girl and another male teen and the instructor were taken to hospitals, as was the truck driver.

Their names were not released.

21-Year-Old Omaha Woman Dies in Early Morning Crash

omaha-policeOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 21-year-old woman has died in a single-vehicle, early morning crash in Omaha.

Police say Terrianna Cole of Omaha died at the scene after she was thrown from her car around 1:30 a.m. Monday. The vehicle struck a wooden pole, chain-link fence and a tree before spinning through a yard near North 90th and Sprague streets.

Police say they’re investigating speed and alcohol as contributing factors in the crash.

Police say they had to shut down the area for a few hours, but roads were reopened just before 5 a.m.

Excessive Heat Warning Issued for Central US

heatwaveKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for parts of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.

Temperatures reached into the upper 90s in some areas Monday, with heat indices of up to 116 degrees because of high humidity.

Strong storms are also forecast for parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley.

Forecasters say there could be a strong tornado or two, along with large hail, as storms begin to form later Monday in eastern Iowa and northwestern and central Illinois.

In Cincinnati, the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby is under the threat of being washed out by mother nature because of heavy rain.

Illinois and Indiana also had a squall line go through, with more rain expected later.

Nebraska Doctor Helps Create Device Used in Shoulder Surgeries

Medical-ChartCOLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A new medical invention that’s helping shoulder surgery patients has roots in Nebraska, thanks to an orthopedic surgeon from Columbus.

Dr. Edward Fehringer wanted to have a device that was small, simple to implant and able to preserve bone better than the options already on the market.

He and a team of other surgeons and engineers came up with a shoulder replacement prosthesis called the Tornier Simpliciti Shoulder System. It has been used in around 100 patients nationwide.

The titanium device is different from other devices mainly because of its shorter stem, or the part that’s inserted into the bone of the upper arm during shoulder replacement surgery. The stem is only 2 centimeters.

Lincoln Airport Traffic on Pace to Increase for 3rd Straight Year

lincoln-airportLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials at the Lincoln Airport say passenger traffic is on pace to increase for the third consecutive year.

Airport officials announced Monday that passenger numbers on commercial airlines were up 15 percent through the first six months of 2015.

One reason for the increase is the addition of daily flights to Atlanta in September 2014. Delta Airlines agreed to offer the flights for one year, but airport Executive Director David Haring says the strong performance could encourage the airline to continue its service.

Iowa Man Killed in Early Morning Crash in Northeast Nebraska

dakota-county-sheriffHOMER, Neb. (AP) — A 42-year-old Iowa man has died in a head-on crash in northeast Nebraska.

The Dakota County sheriff’s office says Marvin Wayne Bird Jr. of Sioux City died in the collision around 2:15 a.m. on U.S. Highway 77 north of Homer. Bird was pronounced dead at the scene.

The sheriff’s office says 69-year-old Ed Tryon, also of Sioux City, was traveling north on the highway at the time of the crash.

Tryon was taken by medical helicopter to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City for treatment. He was in fair condition Monday.

The sheriff’s office and the Nebraska State Patrol were investigating the crash.

3rd Fire Reported at Lincoln Trailer in Less Than a Month

Lincoln Fire DptLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in Lincoln are investigating three fires at the same trailer home in less than a month.

Firefighters were called to the third blaze shortly before 12:30 a.m. Monday. The cause of Monday’s fire hadn’t been determined, but the previous incidents have already triggered an arson investigation.

Authorities say the first fire was on the trailer’s porch. The second blaze engulfed the trailer. The latest fire started in a garbage can, and the flames spread to the home.

Lincoln Fire Capt. Jeremy Gegg says firefighters were able to extinguish the flames without any damage to adjacent homes.

Fire Inspector Ken Hilger says no damage estimates were available for the third fire because the trailer was already considered a total loss.

Omaha Police: 9 Taken to Hospital After Driver Makes Illegal Turn

ambulance-lightsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say nine people were taken to the hospital after an SUV driver tried to make an illegal left turn onto U.S. Highway 75.

Police say a 2000 Isuzu Rodeo with eight occupants was driving eastbound on Sorensen Parkway Sunday around 3 p.m. when it struck a 2006 Kia Spectra. Police say the Spectra with two occupants was traveling west on U.S. Highway 75 under a green traffic signal.

Police say all of the people who were treated have non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Rodeo, 42-year-old Kellie Y. Hughes, has been charged with second-offense driving under the influence of alcohol and other driver infractions.

Police say Hughes was uninjured. An attorney for Hughes could not be found.

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