Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 12

I EBRASKA Journal Star Thursday, May 29, 2008 1 meet NEOC, Bruning reach mew agree Deal outlines working relationship for housing discrimination cases. READ MORE SEE MORE HEAR MORE JournalStar.com See: Learn more about this story's background and the people involved. marital status. The NEOC and Bruning's office have been negotiating an agreement for more than a month. At least once they had appeared to reach an agreement, only to have it collapse when Bruning reiterated his office would not file cases on behalf of illegal immigrants.

Nesbitt said the most recent agreement is "fully acceptable" but would not discuss the details sion at a special meeting. We look forward to working with the NEOC and continuing our fight against discrimination." The need for an agreement came to a head last month, when Bruning's office refused to handle a case of housing discrimination involving an undocumented resident. The NEOC had charged that for several years the attorney general also failed to file civil suits on housing cases in which immigration status was not an issue. Nearly half of those cases related to alleged discrimination against people with disabilities. Eighteen percent were based on national origin and 14 percent on family or ported the latest version of an agreement.

The agreement outlines a working relationship between the attorney general's office and the NEOC for the investigation and prosecution of housing discrimination cases. "The attorney general's office was fully prepared to sign the document today," Chief Deputy Attorney General David Cookson said in a statement. "The NEOC informed our office that the approval of the agreement needs to be taken up by the entire commis BY JoANNE YOUNG Lincoln Journal Star The Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission and state Attorney General Jon Bruning's office say they have reached a working agreement on how to handle housing discrimination cases. But it will be at least 1 0 days before the commission can meet and make it official, Chairman Arnold Nesbitt said. Both Nesbitt and the attorney general's office said the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development reviewed and sup Death row inmate's brother gets parole Diabetic woman hopes for transplant, normalcy 1 i 1 "lis np 1 If ik. -'wB i'Ii'ii'H nt.J I Fire destroys home of Aiance man ALLIANCE A state investigator says a fire that cost an Alliance man his home started in a wall furnace. Alliance Fire Chief Troy Shoemaker said the two-alarm blaze late Tuesday afternoon destroyed the home of Alan Rask, who was not inside the house when the fire began. The Alliance department fought the fire with 26 people and several pieces of equipment. No injuries were reported.

Sterling man killed in traffic accident SIDNEY Alcohol may have been a factor in a Cheyenne County auto accident that claimed the life of a Sterling man, according to local authorities. County Attorney Paul Schaub said 34-year-old Chad Chanchola died Friday evening after being thrown from his pickup. His truck had gone through the intersection of state Highway 19 and County Road southwest of Sidney and rolled into a ditch. A passenger in the vehicle was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Three headed to trial in Omaha death OMAHA Three people have been ordered to stand trial in the death of an Omaha man killed during a home invasion.

Authorities have said 31-year-old Telio Wynne was fatally shot by armed men who broke into his south Omaha home in October. Aran Boyd and Emanuel Wynn are charged with first-degree murder in Wynne's death. Antonio Finn is charged with assault, robbery and a weapons violation. All three men were bound over for trial during a court appearance Tuesday. They're being held with-.

out bond. Speed, alcohol factors in fatal one-car crash KIMBALL Both speed and alcohol may have been factors in a one-car crash that killed one man and left two others with in-; juries, the Kimball County Sheriffs Office said. Sheriff Harry Gillway said 22-' year-old Joshua Cooley of Pine Bluffs, was thrown from a car he was riding in after it rolled over Saturday night on County Road 49 northeast of Kimball. He was taken to a Denver hospital, where he died. The driver, 2(year-old Kyle Anderson of Kimball, and another passenger were treated at a local hospital and released.

Ballot blunder costs western fire districts RUSHVILLE A misplaced decimal point on a couple of ballot measures amounts to big losses for a couple of Nebraska Panhandle volunteer fire districts. The Hay Springs and Rushville fire districts are reviewing their op-: tions after the mistake on primary election ballots left them with just a fraction of the tax revenue they had expected. The Hay Springs fire levy was intended to be 3 cents for every $100 of assessed value. The ballot blunder changed that to three-one-hundredths of a cent. The Rushville fire levy was to be 6- cents per $100 of value, but came out as .06 cents.

VA outpatient clinic to open in Holdrege HOLDREGE A new Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic years in the making is set to open Morv day in Holdrege. new clinic is expected to serve 3,500 veterans a year. The clinic will mean easier medical access for many veterans in south-central Nebraska who have had to travel to Grand Island or North Platte for routine appointments. Veterans Affairs representa- tives will host a town hall meeting Thursday at the Phelps County Center for Performing Arts to an- -swer questions about the new clinic. From wife reports STEVE JACOBSENFremont Tribune Four generations (back from left): Terri McGhghy of Lincoln, Evelyn Niles of Fremont and Bev Mielke of Lincoln.

In front is Taylor Hernandez of Lincoln. until the commission reviewed it. He is trying to arrange a commission meeting for June 9 or 10, he said. The NEOC already has missed out on more than $100,000 from discrimination cases it has been forced to forward to HUD, rather than investigate itself, Nesbitt said. Until the agreement can be signed by the commission, it stands to lose more cases.

In mid-April, HUD suspended all complaint referrals and federal funding to the state agency and gave the NEOC 30 days to improve its relationship with the attorney general's office. Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoungjournalstar.com. According to a report by the Omaha World-Herald on Wednesday, the board voted 4-0 to parole Moore, but he was warned: "I will tell you on the record and to your face, if you come back (to prison), I will not support you again," board Chairwoman Esther Casmer said. DONALD MOORE CAREY DEAN MOORE Moore's brother, Carey Dean, was scheduled to be executed in May of last year, but the Nebraska Supreme Court halted it so the court could rule on the electric chair. It ruled against the chair in February, saying that electrocution inflicts "intense pain and agonizing suffering." That leaves Nebraska with a death penalty but with no legal means to carry it out.

cause worries The restriction does not include cars but essentially prohibits semis from using the double-deck bridge, which was built in 1924. Officials explained the action was necessary because of corrosion on metal plates that connect the bridge's steel beams. Although calculations showed that the bridge should be able to handle heavy loads, there was some doubt. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been cooperative, Viereck said.

The original load limit the corps considered was 7 tons, he said. "They agreed they thought they're not worried about structural damage with a 10-ton (load limit), so they did agree to go up to that," Viereck said. Last week, the Nebraska Department of Roads said Jensen Construction, contractor for the new Discovery Bridge that will replace the Meridian Bridge, has declined to do repair work on the older span. The department says a new contractor is being sought for that work. I hi' mi 1 i Friends, family organize fund-rciscr The Associated Press The 43-year-old brother of death row inmate Carey Dean Moore was paroled Wednesday and warned not to fail again.

Donald Moore originally had been found guilty of second-degree murder for his role in a 1979 slaying. Donald was 14 at the time. He had agreed to help his brother, Carey Dean, rob cabbie Reuel Van Ness. Carey Dean Moore, now 50, fatally shot Van Ness and later killed Maynard Helgeland during a robbery. Donald Moore was given a sentence of 10 years to life and became eligible for parole in 1907.

State records say he has been paroled three previous times, only to be returned to prison for violations that included drug use. The previous paroles were granted in August 1994, March 1996 and April 1998. His last parole was revoked after he left the state without telling his parole officer. Moore was turned down for parole in November 2007. He told the board then that he regretted his past and that he wanted another chance.

"I have been clean and sober five years now," he said. Bridge limits The Associated Press YANKTON, S.D. A 10-ton load limit on the 84-year-old Meridian Bridge over the Missouri River has forced truck traffic to take long detours, and the entire span will be closed for several weeks during the summer so repairs can be finished. All of this is cosdng truckers money and hurting business in Yankton, said Al Viereck, acting city manager. "Well, there's definitely some concern.

Obviously, even the load limits curtailsomebusiness to our community. (It's) extremely expensive to truckers to have to go 30 to 40 miles out of their way and double that to come back again. "Plus the idea of a total closure for a while, that is going to affect sales tax (revenue), which is obviously one of our livelihoods for funding our governmental system," Viereck said. He said the city and local Chamber of Commerce were working on some ideas, including coordination of car pooling and bus pooling. Wheelin' Dealin', chances and dances.

It's all part of the fun and fundraiser for Terri (Reuter) McGhghy. '4 Bev Mielke of Lincoln, McGhghy's mother, and Kristen Beiermann of Fremont are organizing the events. A poker run will be held June 7. Registration is a.m. at the Fremont Eagles Club, 649 N.

Main St. All vehicles are accepted motorcycles, cars or trucks. Cost is $10 per person or $15 for two on a motorcycle. Card pickup stops are North Bend, Columbus, Leigh, Dodge, Scribn-er then back to Fremont, The top three hands will receive cash prizes. Following the poker run, food will be available for purchase at the Eagles Club from p.m.

A dance, for a $10 donation, will feature Bloom, Collins McMa hon, members of the Music Hall of Fame, playing vintage rock, blues and country from 8 p.m. to midnight. A benefit also will be held June 8 at the Eagles Club from 1-9 p.m., featuring a silent auction and drawings that will include a cash prize. Admission is a $10 donation. Sloppy joes, hot dogs, nachos, chips and baked beans will be available for $5 per person.

Musical groups for all tastes will provide entertainment throughout the day: 1 p.m.: Misty Winds Stiletto Band (variety) 4 p.m.: Pathfinder Quartet Seventh Avenue Revue 5 p.m.: Dallas Huston (country) 6 p.m.: John CooperFried Pickle Project (variety) 7 p.m.: Wheelin' Dealin' (classic rock) A fund has been set up at The Cattle National Bank Trust 1550 S. Coddington in Lincoln; (402) 434-7400. Medication not enough to deal with unpredictable blood sugar levels. BY DEBRA JACOBSEN Fremont Tribune Terri McGhghy has highs and lows. But the lowest point came last 1 February.

"It was rough. I can usually get her out of it. I got her (blood sugar level) from 17 to 21 then it dropped. There was nothing I could do," said Don McGhghy, Terri 's husband. "She was in a diabetic coma.

We almost lost her," said her mother, Bev Mielke of Lincoln. "It's been an emotional roller coaster," said Steve Reuter, Terri's brother. This month, Terri, who lives in Lincoln, was placed on a waiting list for a pancreas transplant. The surgery is typically for patients who have very difficult blood sugar control, said Dr. David Mercer, transplant surgeon at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

"They can go from very high to very low in a short amount of time minutes to an hour," Mercer said. Terri said she's hoping to have a normal life. But for the last 31 years, life hasn't been normal. Mielke recalled the diagnosis in 1977. Her daughter, then 7, was attending Washington Elementary School in Fremont.

An urgent call from school nurse Peggy Morris led to a diabetes diagnosis and immediate hospitalization. "The kids made fun of her," Mielke said. "But she went to the library and made a report (about diabetes) and took it back to the classroom." Once classmates understood her disease, they helped her. She is considered a brittle diabetic because of the extreme fluctuations of her blood sugar levels. "My endocrinologist said out of his 6,000 patients, I'm the worst," Terri said.

Family members help, including Terri's 15-year-old daughter, Taylor Hernandez. In October 2000, she was even given an award by city personnel for her actions. "We were driving from Fremont to Lincoln, and she was going low. 1 unbuckled and jumped up front. I pulled over and put it in park before we went into a ditch," Taylor said.

"Patients with hypoglycemic unawareness can't tell when blood sugars are low and they lose consciousness without perceiving it is low," Mercer said. "Diabetes becomes immediately life threatening they can go to sleep and not wake up." cfs at Kearney on Wednesday. A year ago, the same gauge station measured a flow of just 44 1 cfs. At Grand Island, the Platte was flowing at nearly 9,000 cfs Wednesday, compared with 435 a year ago. "Some of the staff who've been here for a long time say it's looking as good as it has looked for several years," said Brad Mellema, director of the Audubon Rowe Sanctuary near Gibbon.

The heavy flows will help improve habitat for threatened and endangered birds that rely on the Platte, Mellema said. That's because the high flows scour vegetation from sandbars, making them more attractive to many bird species. Farther upstream, the irrigation district reported water flowing from the North Platte River It's Hie BIG ME! TTT' T- A T- I IJ I vi lii I 1 jTill Recent rainfall helps Fremont Tribune "In June 2000 in Texas, Terri ended up in a coma for five days," Mielke said. Even medication can't stop the unpredictable blood sugar levels. "I spend $380 on my monthly medicines now," Terri said.

After the transplant, which costs about $250,000, the rejection medicines will run $3,500 per month, she added. Terri looks forward to not having to take daily insulin injections and count carbohydrates. She's counting the days until life can be normal again. the Platte This marks the fourth straight year urigators will receive restricted water allotments. Meanwhile, heavy rains in south-central and southwest Nebraska also helped drought-afflicted rivers and reservoirs, said Daryl Bauer, reservoir and lake program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Precipitation swelled the Republican River to flood stage earlier this week, and it helped 1 liuian County Reservoir reach full pool for the first time in years. Other reservoirs in the southwestern region, however, remain well below capacity. For example, F.nders Reservoir is at 40 percent of capacity, Swan son is about half full, and Red Willow is about 78 percent of capacity, Bauer said. Reach Joe DiiRgan at 473-7239 or jdugganjournalstar.com. "When her mom went into low sugar, Taylor knew what to do call 91 1 and give her orange juice with sugar," Mielke said.

In the last 30 years, Terri has been hospitalized more than 300 times. She has had 30 laser treatments at the Lincoln Eye Laser Institute. She has diabetic neuropathy in her feet. "The doctor checked with a pin. I have no feeling in my feet," Terri said.

There was no vacation from the effects. replenish into Lake McConaughy at a rate of 1,100 cfs, compared with 235 last year on the same date. The increased flows will help the state's largest reservoir gain water after seven years of drought. They also could help Save the fishery at Elwood Reservoir south of lxington, which is 47 feet below full pool, said Tim Anderson, spokesman for CNPPID. But the higher (lows will be temporary unless rain continues to fall, Anderson said.

For example, the water volume at Kearney dropped by about 4,000 cfs between Tuesday and Wednesday. And McConaughy still remains at less than half of full capacity. For that reason, irrigators wiio receive water from the lake will get 6.7 indies this year, down from 10 inches when the lake is full. 17 Deals of the Year! JL BY JOE DUGGAN Lincoln Journal Star Heavy rains in western and central Nebraska last week created what has been a rare sight in recent years die Platte River full to its banks. At the Ashland gauge station on Wednesday, the river flowed a a rate of 48,600 cubic feet per second, according to the U.S.

Geological Survey Web site. The median flow for the date is 6,500 cfs, based on 19 years of data. The How at Ashland reflects water the Platte picks up from the Loup and Elkhorn rivers. Farther west, storm runoff caused the Platte to leave its banks for the first time since a widespread drought started in 2000. The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District reported the river flowing at 5,100 Home Innovations Spas 1-800-899-8827 spasonline.com 421-2922 20th Hwy 2 Lincoln.