TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalK-State cuts library hours, staff and subscriptions
MANHATTAN - Routine all night-access to Kansas State University's Hale Library has ended, with the building closing at midnight most nights to save money.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Kansas State said in an email that its libraries lost nearly $1 million over the past two years from a drop in general funds and lower enrollment. The email says the funding reductions come at a time when costs are rising.
Scaling back hours will save $110,000 annually, largely by paring back security and custodial needs. The library also is making staffing and subscription cuts.
A notable exception to the new hours for Hale will be finals season. Round-the-clock hours are planned for the week of and the week before exams.
Read more: http://www.hutchnews.com/news/local_state_news/k-state-cuts-library-hours-staff-and-subscriptions/article_b8beaaf6-fdbd-5046-9e8f-d9e25aa77ddb.html
Daniels Produce to pay $250K in back wages to workers
COLUMBUS — Daniels Produce will pay $250,000 in back wages to workers for violating the temporary work visa program.
The Columbus business will pay the wages to 89 Mexican and Guatemalan guest workers employed at the local produce farm. Daniels Produce was also fined $20,000 for the violation, according to a U.S. Department of Labor press release.
The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigated the business and alleged it falsified records to indicate it paid the legally required minimum wage for workers under the visa program, among other violations.
Daniels Produce employed the workers during the 2012 and 2013 seasons to pick and pack produce grown at its 500-acre field near Columbus.
Read more: http://columbustelegram.com/news/local/daniels-produce-to-pay-k-in-back-wages-to-workers/article_7afca884-a18b-5462-aeb0-482280b2145f.html
Cross-posted in the Nebraska Group.
Daniels Produce to pay $250K in back wages to workers
COLUMBUS — Daniels Produce will pay $250,000 in back wages to workers for violating the temporary work visa program.
The Columbus business will pay the wages to 89 Mexican and Guatemalan guest workers employed at the local produce farm. Daniels Produce was also fined $20,000 for the violation, according to a U.S. Department of Labor press release.
The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigated the business and alleged it falsified records to indicate it paid the legally required minimum wage for workers under the visa program, among other violations.
Daniels Produce employed the workers during the 2012 and 2013 seasons to pick and pack produce grown at its 500-acre field near Columbus.
Read more: http://columbustelegram.com/news/local/daniels-produce-to-pay-k-in-back-wages-to-workers/article_7afca884-a18b-5462-aeb0-482280b2145f.html
Cross-posted in Omaha Steve's Labor Group.
Woman gets jail time in 'driving while black' case
LINCOLN -- A judge on Monday sentenced a 27-year-old Illinois woman to seven days in jail for failing to obey a lawful order last year.
Alicia Campbell was driving near 91st Street and Nebraska 2 when Trooper Kyle Gress stopped her for going 79 mph in a 65 mph zone.
Campbell is the fiancée of Devin James, who wrote a book about unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, after the 2014 shooting of a young black man by police. James is the CEO of the Devin James Group and travels the country training law enforcement agencies on bias-free, colorblind and community-conscious policing.
James, a passenger in the car on Aug. 27, 2015, said they were stopped outside of Lincoln for “driving while black.”
Read more: http://journalstar.com/news/local/911/woman-gets-jail-time-in-driving-while-black-case/article_6018d42c-c89a-523a-9aed-becb0e04f171.html
Cross-posted in the Nebraska Group.
Woman gets jail time in 'driving while black' case
LINCOLN -- A judge on Monday sentenced a 27-year-old Illinois woman to seven days in jail for failing to obey a lawful order last year.
Alicia Campbell was driving near 91st Street and Nebraska 2 when Trooper Kyle Gress stopped her for going 79 mph in a 65 mph zone.
Campbell is the fiancée of Devin James, who wrote a book about unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, after the 2014 shooting of a young black man by police. James is the CEO of the Devin James Group and travels the country training law enforcement agencies on bias-free, colorblind and community-conscious policing.
James, a passenger in the car on Aug. 27, 2015, said they were stopped outside of Lincoln for “driving while black.”
Read more: http://journalstar.com/news/local/911/woman-gets-jail-time-in-driving-while-black-case/article_6018d42c-c89a-523a-9aed-becb0e04f171.html
Cross-posted in the African American Group.
Budget veto stands in Lincoln; Republicans fail to get fifth vote for override
Mayor Chris Beutler’s proposed budget, the one that will require a small property tax rate increase, will become the city’s two-year budget.
The Lincoln City Council Monday night failed 4-3 down party lines to override Beutler’s veto of a Republican budget plan, the one that made enough cuts to eliminate the need for a property tax rate hike.
The four Republicans on the council, who crafted the vetoed budget plan, needed at least one Democrat to agree with them on a veto override.
But the three Democrats said they support the mayor’s plan, which he offered in early July.
Read more: http://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/budget-veto-stands-republicans-fail-to-get-fifth-vote-for/article_5fe9b95d-bb4a-50d3-bcaa-9eb15c645fe8.html
Catholic Charities of Omaha looks for providers to take over some services after $1M in losses
LINCOLN — Losses approaching $1 million this year and regulations barring gay discrimination are driving major changes at Catholic Charities of Omaha.
The charitable arm of the Archdiocese of Omaha has announced plans to stop providing its substance abuse and mental health treatment services.
Tim McNeil, chancellor of the archdiocese, said Friday that the organization will not just walk away from the services.
“We will stay in the business until we can transition them to another provider,” he said. “We will fulfill our contracts.”
Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/facing-almost-million-in-losses-this-year-catholic-charities-looks/article_21b6d64b-e37c-5c49-a4ea-d3cc95984e85.html
Long-term-care insurance policyholders face sharp premium hikes
Donna and Robert Olesh bought a long-term-care policy from State Farm in 2002 for $2,970 per year.
If either one of them needs long-term care, the Omaha couple would pay the first month and then the policy would pay $125 a day, a figure since boosted to $260 by an automatic inflation factor.
The policy gave them a sense of affordable security, but now they say that’s evaporating because of sharp increases in premiums.
Such price jumps have changed the world of long-term care coverage, a type of insurance that is likely to become ever more necessary as the country’s population ages.
Read more: http://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/long-term-care-insurance-policyholders-face-sharp-premium-hikes-when/article_dbad0fe3-df40-5c4a-b6b5-688fa23e1f62.html
Board wants Kintner to resign by Friday due to his cybersex scandal using a state computer
LINCOLN — State Sen. Bill Kintner, who’s ensnared in a cybersex scandal, was given another opportunity to resign before the Legislature’s executive board determines possible action against him.
Monday, the committee voted unanimously to send Kintner a letter from its 10 members urging him to resign by Friday, or other action would be considered.
Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley, who suggested the letter, said it would represent a unified request by a panel of lawmakers of diverse backgrounds and political parties.
Hadley, who is a member of the committee, said he hopes the letter prompts Kintner to resign so that lawmakers don’t have to consider other options.
Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/board-wants-bill-kintner-to-resign-by-friday-kinter-says/article_2f093998-6df0-11e6-b216-37cd1b787c4a.html
Lawrence County residents to vote on controversial quarry
DEADWOOD, S.D. (AP) — Lawrence County residents are set to vote on whether a proposed rock quarry can proceed in scenic Centennial Valley.
Tuesday's election will decide whether Rapid City-based Mountain View Ranches LLC can develop a 192-acre sand, gravel and rock quarry off Crook City Road.
The County Commission in June narrowly approved the project. Area residents who oppose it then gathered enough petition signatures to force the public vote.
Mountain View Ranches sued to block the election, saying the county's approval was an administrative decision that can't be referred. But a judge earlier this month ruled that the issue is a legislative matter that can be subject to a public vote.
http://www.thepublicopinion.com/news/associated_press/south_dakota/lawrence-county-residents-to-vote-on-controversial-quarry/article_71f34a13-3d43-577d-8c7f-4b125bebeea5.html (short article)
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
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Current location: Bryan, Texas
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