Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 10

B2 Thursday, July 9, 2009 NEBRASKALOCAL Lincoln Journal Star Health policy expert says fix Medicare What will be required, he said, is the political will to raise the eligibility age, now fixed at 65, and cut benefits. The only alter I Ti 'j center of the argument needs to be viewed as a sure step toward a single-payer government health care system, Sasse said. Government acting as "a privileged competitor in the insurance market is the slippery slope, he said. And health care rationing is the natural outcome in a single -payer system, Sasse said. At some point, treatment decisions begin to be made based on calculating the cost of an additional six months of life, he said.

How will this year's health care reform debate end? Sasse has a guess, and he calls it "skinny Baucus," a revised plan that would be engineered by Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, chair BY DON WALTON Lincoln Journal Star Fix Medicare. As Congress wrestles with comprehensive health care reform, it ignores the looming crisis of unsustainable Medicare costs, Ben Sasse warned this week. Sasse spearheaded policy and; strategic planning in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as assistant secretary from 2007 to 2009.

Congress is turning a blind eye to what essentially is "a bankrupt Medicare program" that's rapidly marching toward meltdown, beginning in 2017, Sasse said during an interview in Lincoln. "They're not dealing with the whole problem," he said. "They're ducking a core issue." approved without any changes or amendments. "It provides political cover," Sasse said. Sasse, who grew up in Fremont, is a public policy professor at the University of Texas and a private -sector consultant on health care strategy.

He is not a lobbyist. He said he's probably 80 percent policy analyst and consultant and 20 percent partisan. Tuesday night, he addressed a Nebraska Republican Party fundraising reception in Lincoln about health care. What Congress is tackling now in health care reform represents 17 percent of the nation's economy, Sasse said during the interview. A public option proposal at the man of the Senate Finance Committee.

It's a costly package that does not include a public option but creates "a national health exchange" with guaranteed insurance and government subsidies based on income. It gathers five to 10 Republican votes in the Senate. And it includes an implementation date of 2013 to provide time to write extensive rules and regulations and, more importantly, move it past the 2012 presidential election. But that's just "a 51 percent guess," Sasse cautioned. Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or dwaltonjournalstar.com.

native is to increase taxes, Sasse said. Probably the only way to resolve the politically explosive Medicare issue is to turn to the model that's used to close unneeded or low-priority military installations across the country, he said. A nonpartisan, independent base closure commission submits recommendations to the president and Congress, and the recommendations must be approved or dis Panel seeks transparency foundations from college Man pleads guilty in church scam OMAHA A 48-year-old Omaha man faces three years in federal prison when he's sentenced in September for his role in scamming a church out of nearly $300,000. A release from Omaha's U.S. attorney's office says Mark Mehner pleaded guilty Monday in exchange for a three-year prison term.

Authorities say Mehner was president of the Zion Lutheran Church congregation in 2004 when he told the church leadership that an anonymous church member wanted to donate $1.2 million to $2 million worth of land. In return, Mehner said, the donor wanted reimbursement for the original cost of the -land; $250,000. The church borrowed money for the deal, about $290,000 with fees and in- terest. But there was no donor and no land, and Mehner converted the loan to his personal use. Patrol goal: Make Saturday nights safe Nebraska state troopers soon will begin special patrols on Saturday nights to correct drivers' crash-causing behaviors.

The new initiative is called Safety Saturdays. A Nebraska State Patrol news release says that during the next six months, each of the six patrol troop areas in turn will change work schedules so extra troopers are available for the extra enforcement. HOMETOWN Registration open for Amazing Chase IV St. Monica's is looking for teams to participate in the Amazing Chase IV, a fundraiser, scavenger hunt and challenge race across the city. The goal is to raise $60,000 for St.

Monica's, which offers chemical dependency treatment and serves women of all ages. Each four-person team will raise money to determine their start time. The more teams raise, the better their start time. Space is limited to the first 30 teams. To register, go to www.stmonicas.com, fill out the online registration page and send in a $50 per person fee.

SASSE Agricultural Research and Development Center will include information on soybean cyst nematode management, corn troubleshooting and nitrogen management. The July 23 clinic topics include crop disasters, improving nutrient manage- ment and weather forecasts. The Aug. 20 clinic topics include soybean management for higher yield, corn growth and ear development and irrigation management. Man gets prison for standoff, arson NORTH PLATTE An 18-year-old who had held police at bay in a North Platte home could spend the next 11 years in On Monday, Jerry Kindle was sentenced to five to 10 years for arson and false imprisonment and an additional year for assault.

The sentences are to be served consecutively. He had pleaded no contest after a deal with prosecutors, who dropped robbery and other charges. The incident began with a 911 call from the home in December. Police arrived to find Kin- die and another man in the attic. The other man came down and was arrested.

Kindle remained, holding another person hostage, threatening to shoot officers. He set his hostage free, then set the attic on fire. The flames and smoke forced him down and into the arms of police. From wire reports Dog Continued from Page Bl Wednesday, he still was wearing a brown collar that someone secured with a plastic tie. The dog looks well-fed.

He knows how to sit. He welcomed attention and didn't bark when a little girl peered into a window at him. "Obviously, the dog's been pretty well cared for," Downey said. The witness at the Denton park didn't get much information about the man who turned a tennis ball into a symbol of betrayal. Downey said it's a good lesson in case anyone ever sees something like this taking place.

Try to get a good description, he said, and a license plate number if possible. And if you're aware that someone's about to go through with such a plan, Downey said, take the animal to a shelter or seek help from an animal rescue. Or put an ad out and see if anyone wants it, he said. Or talk to your veterinarian. But don't turn a dog's favorite pastime into a symbol of cruel Reach Cory Matteson at 473-7438 or cmattesonjournalstar.com.

be torn down. It will be replaced by a new 980-square-foot structure that will include an office, toilets and utilities. The old driveway will be replaced, and several trees will be taken out for safety reasons. NEBRASKA AT A GLANCE The first effort is scheduled for troopers in the Scottsbluff area this Satur-day. The patrol says there will be vehicle safety and drunken-driving checkpoints and high-visibility patrols.

Mom imprisoned for photos of daughter PAPILLION APapillion woman who took sexually explicit cell phone photos of her daughter has been given six years in prison. Authorities say Pamela Flege shared the photos with the girl's stepfather, Dana Flege. In Sarpy County District Court on Monday, Pamela Flege acknowledged that her judgment was horrible, influenced by a night of boozing. Prosecutors also said Flege bought a sex toy as a birthday present for her 13-year-old daughter. Flege now must register as a sex offender.

Her husband, Dana faces sentencing in August for sexually assaulting the girl and looking at the explicit pho- tOS. The girl's biological father now has full custody of her. He called police after finding X-rated text messages from the girl's stepfather on her phone. Crop clinics to cover several topics MEAD University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension experts are preparing three summer crop clinics at state facilities near Mead. The clinics will be held July 22 and 23 and Aug.

20. The July 22 clinic at the AT A GLANCE Registration deadline is Aug. 14; first challenges and further information will be distributed at a breakfast Aug. 20. The event day is Oct.

10. Bridge near Emerald to close temporarily Milling and asphalt overlay work is scheduled to begin July 14 on the Northwest 84th Street bridge, about a half-mile north of Emerald. Work is anticipated to be completed in two to three days, according to the Nebraska Department of Roads. Through traffic for the bridge will be detour'ed two miles west on U.S. 6 to Northwest 112th Street, one mile north, and then back east for two miles.

won't hit 10,000 this year because of the recession. Nelson said Wednesday during a conference call with reporters that even though he hasn't heard from the Transportation Department, he's optimistic the boarding threshold will be eased. Nelson made the request in March. Nelson says the boarding standardneedstobechanged because the economic circumstances have changed. On the Web Auburn: www.auburn.ne.gov index.html tion requires a local match to cover the full project cost of more than $620,000.

The current building will Ron Withem, a lobbyist representing NU, told senators that information is already public and accessible; When the money leaves the foundation, there are public records "and anyone can find out about them," he said. But Sen. Bill Avery of Lincoln countered that NU officials are often resistant to providing the information. "It took Herculean efforts" several years ago to get information about football tickets given to state senators, he said. "You are saying it is public information.

It should also be easily accessible to the public," he said. The issue extends beyond the university and colleges, now that many public schools are setting up foun- dations modeled after the NU foundation, Gould pointed out. Even if the money comes from private donations, spending by a public institution is the public's Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicksjournalstar.com. ety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Wednesday's action was believed to have been the largest simultaneous raid of multiple dogfighting operations in U.S. history.

According to the Humane Society, the raids by task forces involving federal, state and local law enforcement agencies were conducted across Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma and Arkansas after a nine-month investigation. Dogfighting is banned throughout the United States and is a felony in 48 states. After a long campaign by animal -welfare groups, President George W. Bush signed a law two years ago that increased penalties for activities that promote or encourage animal fight -ing. Bellevue mayor dies, officials say Staff and wire reports Bellevue Mayor Ed Babbitt has died, according to Bellevue city officials.

He was 70. "It is with a heavy heart that we announce a great loss for the city of Bellevue," Bellevue acting Mayor and council President Gary Mixan and City Administrator Gary Trout-man said in a joint statement Wednesday night. Their statement did not provide any medical details. It said Babbitt's family informed city officials Wednesday night about Babbitt's death. Babbitt's family said Tuesday he was in the hospital.

Several news reports had said he had a heart attack or some heart-related problem Sunday night. Babbitt won election to the post in November 2006. BY NANCY HICKS Lincoln Journal Star University of Nebraska officials may say that how they spend NU Foundation money is public information but getting that information can be a time-consuming hassle, said Jack Gould, who represents Common Cause Nebraska. The Legislature should require public colleges and schools to report, how they spend private foundation money in a way that is understandable to the public, Gould told senators on the Legislature's Education Committee at a public hearing Wednesday on higher education issues. Gould said he spent months getting information on specific, spending in 2003, finally learning the NU Foundation provides top administrators with expense accounts, retirement funds, housing allowances, country club memberships, travel money for spouses, cars, housekeepers, snow removal, lawn care even 19 percent salary increases.

But when he asked for similar information three Dogfighting Continued from Page Bl Nothing in the indictment says any of the dog fights took place outside of Missouri, and no search warrants had been served in Ne -braska as of Wednesday, Ledfordsaid. Johnson County (Neb.) Attorney Julie Smith Hogancamp declined comment on the federal investigation, but she told the Journal Star she has not prosecuted any dogfighting cases since she was elected in 2006. Wednesday's indictment isn't the first time Reyes has gotten in legal trouble over animals. In 2006, he was convicted of failing to restrain a dangerous dog after his pit bull Age Continued from Page Bl several solutions during the hearing, held as part of a summer study on the issue. The state could develop a waiver parents could use to redshirt kids and keep them in school preschool programs.

State law could allow children who turn 5 by the end of May or June to go to kindergarten in the fall. Then those children who turn 5 later in the summer could spend another year in preschool programs. State and federally funded preschool programs are used to help close the educational gap that occurs between 4-year-olds who get lots of help at home, have large vocabularies and know their letters and numbers, and 4-year-olds who get little stimulus at home. Redshirting kindergart ners is a fairly common practice, particularly among middle-class parents who can afford an extra year of private preschool or child care, according to a position years ago, he said, the NU attorney gave him the entire NU budget. Even an auditor who looked at that document couldn't figure out how the university was spending foundation funds, Gould said.

'v Foundation funds should be visible and traceable, he said. The foundation spending issue came up again last year when the Journal Star revealed a secret deal between Peru State President Ben Johnson and the college's foundation. The foundation promised Johnson $455,572 in deferred payments if he stayed on as president for five years, but neither Johnson nor the foundation reported the arrangement to the state college trustees or to the state's Accountability and Disclosure Commission. Johnson was fined $1,200 for his failure to disclose the income to the state. The fine might be small, but the news stories focused public attention on the larger issue, Gould said.

got loose in Tecumseh and attacked another dog, according to court records. The injured dog had to be euthanized, and a judge fined Reyes $100 and ordered his dog destroyed. In addition, he has been convicted since 2000 twice of misdemeanors for dogs running at large or barking. In 2002, Reyes also was convicted of attempted animal cruelty and fined $150 for failing to properly feed two horses he owned, said Steve Mercure, the former Johnson County attorney who prosecuted the case. In an e-mail, the Humane Society of the United States said it assisted "in the unprecedented rescue of hun-, dreds of dogs from multiple organized dogfighting operations." The Humane Society and the American Soci statement being developed by the state Department of Education.

But research also indicates giving a child an extra year to mature makes little difference educationally in the long run. Any achievement differences diminish by third grade. Parents want a choice in preschool, just as they have a choice in kindergarten, said Fred Hansen, Lyons- Decatur Northeast superintendent. "(And) parents speak loudly," he said. His district started a part-time kindergarten to accommodate parents who want to keep their kids in preschool but can't because of state law.

Parents of eight of the 19 kindergartners are opting for the part-time program, he told senators. But that isn't the best solution, he said. "I would like to fix the issue. I would like 5-year-olds to be able to go to preschool." "I like the option of letting the parents decide." Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks9journalstar.com. Sen.

Nelson awaiting answer on break for state's airports The Associated Press OMAHA Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson says he still hasn't heard whether federal officials will acknowledge the tough economy and give small airports abreak on boardings. Airports that board 10,000 passengers a year get $1 million in Airport Improvement Program funds. Officials at Western Nebraska Regional Airport in Scottsbluff already have predicted their airport Grant will help Auburn airport replace building The Associated Press AUBURN A federal grant of more than $489,000 will help Auburn authorities replace an aging airport office building at Farington Field. The grant from the Federal Aviation Administra-.