St. Francis

Officer’s gun discharges, kills felony suspect

A western Kansas police officer shot and killed a suspect when the officer’s gun discharged as he tackled the suspect, authorities said.

Joseph Schwab, 43, of Oberlin, died at a hospital in St. Francis after he was shot late Sunday.

Cheyenne County Atty. Kevin Berens said Schwab was tackled when he attempted to flee during an undercover felony investigation by St. Francis police and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Berens wouldn’t disclose the nature of the investigation.

Berens said preliminary reports indicated the shooting was accidental. The KBI is investigating.

Lincoln, Neb.

City Council adopts amended smoking ban

Lincoln’s smoking ban was passed in a watered-down version Monday, after months of debate over the issue.

As originally proposed, the ordinance would have banned smoking in most workplaces and made Lincoln the first city in Nebraska to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

But the amended version, adopted by the Lincoln City Council on a 5-2 vote, will allow smoking inside bars where food makes up less than 60 percent of total sales.

Bar owners said they were pleased with the compromise. Health officials said they were not happy.

The ban will take effect in six months.