Rural car dealerships credit homespun public relations campaigns for GM’s change of heart

BROKEN BOW, Neb. — Thomas McCaslin might never know for sure why General Motors called two weeks ago to say his 80-year-old dealership in the heart of Nebraska cattle country wouldn’t close after all. He has a feeling that a hamburger cookout and an old-fashioned brand of political lobbying had something to do with it.

Warren Buffett’s cartoon financial advice hits the Web this fall _ 3 years later than planned

OMAHA, Neb. — Kids will finally have a chance to learn financial lessons from billionaire Warren Buffett when his cartoon is released this fall — three years later than planned.

Union Pacific 2Q net income slips 12 percent but beats expectations on lower costs, land sale

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Corp. reported a 12 percent drop in its second-quarter net income Thursday as shipping demand remained weak, but the railroad beat expectations by keeping expenses 30 percent lower and selling some land in Colorado.

Union Pacific 2nd-qtr profit falls 12 percent, as tight cost cuts offset major demand declines

OMAHA, Neb. — Railroad Union Pacific says its second-quarter earnings fell 12 percent, as stringent cost cutting partially offset major shipping declines across its business.

Brokerage TD Ameritrade says 3Q net income down 17 percent but still ahead of expectations

OMAHA, Neb. — Online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. said Tuesday its third-quarter net income fell nearly 17 percent as low interest rates continued to restrict its revenue, but the results exceeded Wall Street expectations.

Werner Enterprises 2nd-quarter profit drops 30 percent; results meet Wall Street’s forecast

OMAHA, Neb. — Trucking and logistics company Werner Enterprises Inc. said Monday its second-quarter profit fell 30 percent as economic weakness continued to eat into demand for shipping.

Nebraska police say man lied and said he was robbed to explain being naked

LINCOLN, Neb. — Lincoln police arrested a man who they said made up a story about being robbed to explain why he was walking around a city park naked. Police spokeswoman Katie Flood said the man was arrested and jailed Wednesday night on suspicion of indecent exposure and making a false statement to police.

Charity says Canadian investment firm paid $1.68M for lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett

OMAHA, Neb. — The Canadian investment managers who paid $1.68 million in a charity auction to win lunch with investor Warren Buffett believe the meal will be worth it because of what they might learn from the billionaire.

Nebraska regulators order Omaha investment manager to quit violating law with improper fees

OMAHA, Neb. — Nebraska regulators have ordered an Omaha investment adviser to quit violating state securities laws and appear at a hearing to defend his practices.

Economist: Midwest, Plains survey suggests economic improvement, but job losses persist

OMAHA, Neb. — A survey of business leaders in nine Midwestern and Plains states suggests that the region’s economy continues to show signs of improvement, but job losses persist.

Even in down economy, charity auction nets $1.68M for lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett

OMAHA, Neb. — The winner of this year’s charity auction to dine with billionaire Warren Buffett gets a slight discount over last year, but will still plunk down more than $1.68 million dollars for lunch.

Bids on lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett approach $500,000 as charity auction winds down

OMAHA, Neb. — Whoever wins the charity auction to dine with billionaire Warren Buffett this year may get a bargain compared to the $2.1 million a Chinese investor paid last year.

Merchants in York, Neb., tired of finding urine-filled soda cans with catheter in can opening

YORK, Neb. — Police are keeping an eye on a downtown York parking lot where merchants are complaining about soda cans filled with urine. The merchants say that for the past couple months, they’ve been finding a discarded can three or four times a week. A catheter is placed in each can opening. The urine inside spills out when the can is placed or tossed on its side.

ConAgra Foods 4th-quarter profit falls as prior-year period benefits from unit sale

OMAHA, Neb. — ConAgra Foods Inc. said Thursday that its fiscal fourth-quarter profit fell 13 percent as the prior-year period benefited from the sale of its commodity-trading unit.

Buffett praises Bernanke, government, saying right steps were taken to help economy

OMAHA, Neb. — Billionaire Warren Buffett says the United States has a good team leading the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve as it fights what he’s called an economic war.

Billionaire Buffett says economy has shown no bounce and will take quite some time to recover

OMAHA, Neb. — Billionaire Warren Buffett says the economy has not yet had any bounce and will take some time to recover.

Buffett auctions off another charity lunch but bids may not top last year’s $2.1M winner

OMAHA, Neb. — Last year’s winning bid for lunch with legendary investor Warren Buffett topped $2.1 million, but given the economic turmoil, it’s questionable this year’s bidding will approach that level.

Former Kansas Gov. Sebelius: K-State coach Bill Snyder once considered for political post

OMAHA, Neb. — Kansas State coach Bill Snyder prefers football to politics.

HHS’ Sebelius says proposed public health insurance no substitute for private plans

OMAHA, Neb. — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Friday that Americans need a new government-sponsored insurance plan to guarantee choice and competition — especially in rural America.

TD Ameritrade completes $606 million acquisition of thinkorswim Group

OMAHA, Neb. — Online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. has completed its $606 million acquisition of thinkorswim Group Inc.

Nebraska officials propose insurance fund to protect farmers when grain elevators fail

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska officials are moving forward with a plan to establish a multimillion-dollar insurance fund to protect farmers when grain warehouses go broke, following the financial collapse of an elevator last year.

AP NewsBreak: Neb. doctor says he’ll offer 3rd-term abortions in Kansas despite clinic closing

OMAHA, Neb. — A Nebraska doctor said Wednesday that he will perform third-term abortions in Kansas after the slaying of abortion provider George Tiller, but would not say whether he will open a new facility or offer the procedure at an existing practice.

TD Ameritrade says average client trades per day grew 38 percent in April

OMAHA, Neb. — Online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. said Monday its average client trades per day grew 38 percent in May from the same month a year earlier, to 408,000.

Buffett lunch auction starts June 21; charity will try to top last year’s $2.1M winning bid

OMAHA, Neb. — One of the most expensive steak lunches you can bid for goes online later this month, courtesy of billionaire Warren Buffett.

Nebraska woman arrested for allegedly placing fake ads in newspaper to boost her salary

LINCOLN, Neb. — A woman has been arrested on suspicion of theft after police say she placed fake ads in a newspaper she worked for to boost her salary. Officer Katie Flood said the woman was hired as an advertising salesperson for the Lincoln Weekly, a newspaper started in January.

Neb. doctor, 1 of a few to perform 3rd-term abortions, wants to carry on Tiller’s mission

OMAHA, Neb. — Physician LeRoy Carhart wants to continue providing third-term abortions after the brazen slaying of his friend and colleague George Tiller, but the Nebraska doctor doesn’t have anywhere to perform them — and he’s one of only a handful of providers who will.

Berkshire Hathaway sells 2.4M more shares of Constellation Energy obtained in failed takeover

OMAHA, Neb. — Billionaire Warren Buffett’s company sold more of the 20 million shares of Constellation Energy Group Inc. it received when Constellation rejected a takeover bid.

Police say intoxicated Nebraska man broke into house, thinking he was home

LINCOLN, Neb. — Police said an intoxicated 21-year-old broke into a house, apparently thinking he was at his own home. Police arrested the man in the basement of the house Saturday morning. He told them he was in his home.

Nebraska research may help reveal weak rails before derailments happen

OMAHA, Neb. — In the midst of the miles-long coal trains crossing the Plains, scientific researchers are measuring how much the rails bend as fully loaded Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe cars pass.

Buffett’s Berkshire reports 1st loss since 2001 attacks, writes down ConocoPhillips stake

OMAHA, Neb. — Warren Buffett’s company reported a $1.5 billion first-quarter loss as it wrote down its ConocoPhillips investment and mostly unrealized derivative losses helped drag Berkshire Hathaway’s results below last year’s $940 million profit.