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Council Bluffs man says he was ‘not himself’ when he threatened shooting at Omaha Islamic center
LINCOLN — A Council Bluffs, Iowa, man has been ordered to be placed at a mental health treatment center as part of his sentence for threatening to shoot members of the Islamic Center of Omaha with an AK-47. Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon also sentenced the man to time served in detention (about 30 […]
Contaminants from AltEn plant found in more homes, streams and soil
MEAD, Nebraska — Residents near the closed AltEn ethanol plant were told Monday night that contaminants found in area homes were “significantly higher” than those found in houses in Omaha and another rural community, Kennard. But investigators with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Creighton University said that more research is […]
Mirch appointed to fill Omaha-area vacancy on Public Service Commission
LINCOLN — Omaha attorney Christian Mirch has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Nebraska Public Service Commission. Mirch, a former Omaha police officer, fills the opening left when Crystal Rhoades, an Omaha Democrat, was elected in November to serve as the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court. Gov. Jim Pillen, who made […]
Bankers say proposal on ‘environmental, social and governance’ too broad, amendments needed
LINCOLN — A proposal aimed at preventing a Nebraska State Treasurer from using state funds for “social and political” goals ran into complaints Monday that it was too vague and meddled too much in banking decisions. Robert Hallstrom of the Nebraska Bankers Association said that banks have traditionally been free to “lend to, invest in […]
Proposal slammed to transfer $14 million from Environmental Trust to water fund
LINCOLN — Deep inside Gov. Jim Pillen’s budget proposal is a plan to divert $14 million from the Nebraska Environmental Trust to a state agency’s water resources fund, a transfer condemned as a “mockery” of the intent of the Trust. W. Don Nelson, a former official who served three Nebraska governors, said Thursday that the […]
Prosecutors dispute Fortenberry’s appeal claims, including that he was wrongly tried in L.A.
LINCOLN — Federal prosecutors in California pushed back Friday on appeals from former U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry that he was wrongly convicted of lying to federal agents and that he was wrongly tried in Los Angeles, instead of Nebraska. In a 73-page filing, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in L.A. argued that at least […]
Nebraska attorney general joins 24 other states in effort to block rule on ESG investing
LINCOLN — Nebraska has joined 24 other red states in a lawsuit seeking to block a new rule they claim frees up 401K managers to invest in so-called “environmental, social and governance” funds. The states argue that the U.S. Department of Labor is exceeding its authority by adopting a rule that allows fiduciaries to consider […]
Omaha, Lincoln police chiefs call ‘constitutional carry’ of concealed weapons dangerous
LINCOLN — Police chiefs from Omaha and Lincoln opposed the latest proposal to allow Nebraskans to carry concealed weapons without obtaining a state permit and required training, saying Thursday that it was dangerous. “This bill jeopardizes the safety of our city,” said Lincoln Police Chief Teresa Ewins. Omaha Chief Todd Schmaderer told members of the […]
Judge tells parties seeking funds from Marshbanks estate to ‘work it out’
LINCOLN — As claims against the estate of deceased Lincoln businessman Aaron Marshbanks grew to more than $50 million, a judge told some parties seeking funds Wednesday to work out their differences outside court. Marshbanks, who was found dead Nov. 2 in a downtown Lincoln parking garage, has been implicated in one of the biggest […]
Pillen touts his tax cut and education initiatives in State of the State speech
LINCOLN — New Gov. Jim Pillen plans to hold the line on state agency spending, while devoting the state’s massive revenue surplus for tax cuts, increased state aid to K-12 schools and building the Perkins County Canal. The Republican governor’s budget only provides spending growth of 1.3% over the next two years — including only […]
Omaha man who sexually assaulted a minor to ‘break her in’ for sex trafficking found guilty after four-day trial
LINCOLN — After a four-day trial, 25-year-old Dalonte Foard of Omaha was found guilty Monday by federal jury of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of a minor. Foard faces up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years. In September 2020, two girls, ages 16 and 17, had gone […]
New governor fires back at ‘cheap stunts’ attacking his hog farms
LINCOLN — Newly sworn-in Gov. Jim Pillen is firing back at billboards in Lincoln and Columbus that went up recently attacking the governor’s hog operations, calling the billboards “cheap stunts.” Pillen, in a press release Tuesday, said the aim of the billboards was to “destroy Nebraska’s way of life by shutting down our state’s largest industry […]