(AP) — A western Omaha man spent his Labor Day working for free, repairing a street near his home.

Frank Basilico said the cracks, ruts and potholes in the Elkhorn neighborhood roadway posed a danger to his son, who likes to skateboard.

Basilico says his calls to the city didn’t induce any repairs, so he decided to wait no longer. He cleaned out the problem areas in the asphalt pavement, especially along the curb. He’d bought 18 bags of concrete mix, which he moistened and turned over in a wheelbarrow, and worked his way down the street.

 

(AP) — Diesel fuel has ended up in some vehicle gasoline tanks in northeast Nebraska.

Six gas stations in Norfolk, O’Neill and Columbus mistakenly received diesel in their gasoline tanks after an error at the NuStar Energy pipeline terminal.

NuStar spokeswoman Joanna Weidman says the company is removing the contaminated fuel from the gas stations and replacing it with gasoline.

NuStar also plans to cover the cost of any repairs to vehicles affected by the mix-up.

Brian Johnson of Casey’s General Store told the Norfolk Daily News that NuStar contacted Casey’s after it realized the problem, but some customers had already pumped contaminated gas into their vehicles. Two Casey’s locations in Norfolk and one in O’Neill were affected.

Weidman says NuStar is investigating what happened to prevent a recurrence.

Activity was light during two weekends of special enforcement activities held in Hall County in connection with the Nebraska State Fair.

In an effort to reduce the potential for serious injury and fatality crashes, the Nebraska State Patrol conducted high visibility patrols during the evening and early morning hours on Saturday August 24, and Saturday August 31.

“With the increased traffic volume during the State Fair the potential for crashes increases,” said Captain Chris Kolb, Commander Troop C-Grand Island. “The fact we had very few issues during this busy time can be attributed to the public’s voluntary compliance with motor vehicle laws”.

During the enforcement effort, troopers made 48 contacts with motorists. Four juveniles were cited for being minors in possession of alcohol and four open container citations were issued.  A $1,450 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS) helped to pay for the extra enforcement.

Five students from School District 145 in Waverly were transported to a Lincoln Hospital with minor injuries after the school bus they were riding in was struck from behind.

The crash occurred just after 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 3, at the intersection of North 176^th Street and Fletcher Avenue. A Waverly District school bus had stopped at a stop sign at the intersection and was beginning to proceed, when it was struck from behind by a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix. The driver of the car indicated she could not see the bus due to dust from the road.

Of the 45 students on the bus, five students ranging in age from 11-14 were transported to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Lincoln with minor injuries. The driver of the car, Tiffany L. Wiley, 23, Lincoln, was not transported. She was cited for following too close and no seat belt. The driver of the school bus, Joel Armstrong, 55, Lincoln, was not injured.

The Nebraska State Patrol was assisted by Waverly Fire & Rescue, and rescue units from Eagle, Alvo and Southeast Rural. The investigation into the crash continues.

(AP) — A man who threatened officers in Cleveland is making a court-ordered public apology by standing near a police station with a sign describing himself as an idiot.

A judge had ordered 58-year-old Richard Dameron to stand outside a local police station with a sign bearing an apology. He began the vigil Monday and must stand outside for three hours each day for the rest of the week.

Dameron was convicted of threatening officers in 911 calls.

His public shaming isn’t the first of its kind in the city. The Cleveland judge who sentenced Dameron previously made a woman wear an “idiot” sign in public for driving around a school bus.

(AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is hosting a series of speakers for talks about global competition, social progress, and the United States’ influence abroad.

The university announced its schedule for the 2013-14 season of the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. The first presentation is scheduled for Sept. 24.

This year’s theme is “U.S. & Them,” with speakers who will focus on how the United States measures up in terms of international influence, economic competitiveness and social progress. Discussions will focus on foreign policy, the national and global economy, education, American military policy and the weakening of the middle class.

The lectures will take place at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, starting at 7 p.m. A full schedule is available online.

(AP) — Four accidents in just over an hour have been reported on Interstate 80 near Gretna in eastern Nebraska.

The accidents were reported by Sarpy County authorities between 1:45 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Authorities say most of the accidents were caused by people following too close.

Crews are continuing to clean up the wrecks, but recurring accidents are slowing the process.

Dispatchers say only one accident had a personal injury. The person was taken to an Omaha hospital. It isn’t immediately clear how severe the injury is.

(AP) — A Denton man and his son are recovering after pellets from a shotgun blast struck them in the face while they were hunting doves.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says 27-year-old Francisco Barbosa Almazan, and his 8-year-old son were hurt while hunting doves at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Yankee Hill Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County.

The commission says in a statement 23-year-old Arturo Garcia of Omaha, who was hunting in the same area turned quickly to shoot at a dove when pellets from his shot struck Almazan and his son.

Almazan was treated and released from a hospital. His son was held overnight for observation. A third member of their hunting party was not injured.

Denton is 13 miles southwest of Lincoln.

(AP) — Nebraskans can have their well water screened for nitrates during Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island on Sept. 10, 11, and 12.

People can take a cup of water in a clean bottle to the Natural Resources Building on the southeast side of the Husker Harvest grounds, East Avenue and Second Street. Samples will be accepted Sept. 10 and 11 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and on Sept. 12 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

There is no charge for the screening. Results will be available within minutes.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services recommends that well water be tested yearly for nitrate concentrations. Experts say nitrates pose health hazards, especially to infants.

Nitrates can occur naturally, but they also are byproducts of fertilizer and manure.

(AP) — Voters are deciding on whether to issue up to $33 million in bonds for a new high school and renovations at the elementary and middle schools in Crete.

The projects would help Crete Public Schools with its overcrowding problem. Steady enrollment growth during the past nine years brought 320 more students to the district. The district now has nearly 1,900 students.

Superintendent Kyle McGowan says passing a big bond issue now will let the district take advantage of a 4 percent interest rate for all of the district building needs rather than trying to take care of them piecemeal.

Ballots mailed out Friday for the all-mail election must be returned to the Saline County Clerk’s Office by Sept. 10.