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3rd US Ebola Victim Released from Omaha Hospital

Dr. Rick Sacra
Dr. Rick Sacra

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The third American aid worker who contracted Ebola in Africa has been released from a Nebraska hospital.

Dr. Rick Sacra said he has been released from the Nebraska Medical Center at Thursday’s news conference.

The 51-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts, began improving shortly after he arrived in Omaha on Sept. 5. He contracted Ebola while working at a hospital in Liberia.

Two other American missionaries who contracted Ebola were treated at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, and released after recovering. A fourth American with Ebola is still being treated in Atlanta.

Patrol: Seward County Homicide Victim Had Been Beaten

state-patrol-logoBEAVER CROSSING, Neb. (AP) — State records say a man whose body was found on a riverbank in Seward County had been beaten and strangled.

Nebraska State Patrol spokeswoman Deb Collins said investigators are still following leads in the slaying of Hai Sinh Nguyen (heye sihn wihn). His battered body was found on a bank of the west fork of the Big Blue River on June 25, a day after his 34th birthday.

Investigators have not said publicly when Nguyen was last seen alive, where he was killed or how long his body lay on the riverbank.

No arrests have been reported.

Nebraska Man Takes Plea Deal in Drunk Driving Case

gavel-and-scaleCOLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man who authorities say fired a BB rifle into a neighbor’s cornfield while driving drunk on an ATV has taken a plea deal.

34-year-old Matthew Jacobsen has pleaded no contest to a felony count of fourth-offense DUI and to operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license. The Platte Center man avoided a jury trial set to begin Monday by pleading.

The Platte County Attorney’s Office reduced the severity of a fifth-offense DUI and dropped another violation. Jacobsen faces up to 20 years in prison.

Authorities say workers in the field on July first reported a shirtless man was riding around and shooting. They say he was intoxicated when he was arrested. He had four previous DUI convictions dating back to July 2005.

Omaha Crash Victim Identified as Iowa Man

fatal-motorcycle-crashOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of an Iowa motorcyclist who died after a collision with a truck in east-central Omaha.

An Omaha Police Department news release identified the motorcyclist as 30-year-old Jeffrey Vosler, of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Police say Vosler was headed east on Grover Street around 2 p.m. Wednesday when he crashed into the side of a truck that was turning into the westbound lanes of Grover.

No injuries to the truck driver have been reported.

The accident is being investigated.

Nebraska Tailgate Spot Bans Alcohol After Violence

lincoln-policeLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials who operate a popular Nebraska football tailgating spot have temporarily banned alcohol following last weekend’s violent incident that left a police officer hospitalized.

The Indian Center said Wednesday it will enforce the policy with security guards during the homecoming game this week against Illinois. The policy change is only for Saturday.

Officer Jessica Stake was treated and released after being hit in the head with a full beer can on Sept. 20, and two police cars were damaged.

Police say a 27-year-old man faces a second-degree assault charge and 16 people were ticketed for failure to disperse.

The center’s board of directors met with the Lincoln police chief Tuesday to discuss safety improvements. Potential long-term changes will be discussed at the board’s October meeting.

Omaha Teen Fatally Shot After Leaving School Bus

crime-scene-police-shootOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot minutes after he got off of his school bus.

Burke High School junior Johntavious Swift was shot Wednesday on his way home from school. He was taken to an area hospital where he later died.

Witness Mindy Burns tells the Omaha World-Herald she heard at least 10 gunshots. She says she applied pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding while waiting on first responders.

No arrests have been announced.

Police are investigating and have asked for the public’s help. They say witnesses at the scene provided conflicting information.

More Tickets Available for Anti-Pipeline Concert

Keystone_construction_ND1-306x204NELIGH, Neb. (AP) — Several hundred additional tickets are available for this weekend’s Willie Nelson and Neil Young concert organized by opponents of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

Organizers said Thursday that 500 additional $50 tickets would be sold on their www.BoldNebraska.org website and 200 more will be offered in Antelope County near where the concert will be held Saturday.

Previously ticket sales were capped at 7,000, but the farmer hosting the event cleared more space in his corn field.

The TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline would carry oil from Canada south to the Gulf Coast.

Pipeline critics worry it could contribute to pollution and contaminate groundwater.

TransCanada says the pipeline would be built with advanced safety features. The southern leg of the pipeline between Oklahoma and Texas is already operational.

Hall County Board Approves Courthouse Project

hall-county-courthouseGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The Hall County Board of Supervisors has voted to make heating, air-conditioning and other improvements at the courthouse in Grand Island.

The board voted unanimously on Tuesday to proceed with the project. Construction is expected to begin in March.

A new soundproof door between the county court jury deliberation room and the mental health hearing room were approved on Tuesday as part of the project. The board also agreed to replace all the bathroom fixtures and to make all bathrooms handicapped accessible.

Engineer Jon Jackson said the bathroom work will add $87,500 to the cost of the $1.7 million heating and air-conditioning project.

Crash Kills Motorcyclist in Southeastern Nebraska

fatal-motorcycle-crashWAVERLY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 21-year-old man has died in a crash after losing control of his motorcycle in the southeastern Nebraska town of Waverly.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says the accident occurred a little before 11 p.m. Tuesday just south of Jamestown Street in Waverly. The office says Benjamin White, of Waverly, was speeding north on Canongate Road when he lost control of his motorcycle on a curve and struck a guardrail.

The office says White died at the scene.

NaturePalooza Set for Tuesday in Lincoln

naturepaloozaLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Kids will be able to explore a snake pit, hold giant insects and learn how to make fishing lures and more during NaturePalooza in Lincoln on Tuesday.

The free annual event is designed to teach kids and families about nature through a variety of hands-on activities. This year’s NaturePalooza is scheduled to run from 3 to 8 p.m. at Hardin Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus.

There also will be demonstrations on bats, bicycle repair, composting, recycling, owls and tree rings.

More information is available online at go.unl.edu/naturepalooza.

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