OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha will lay off 38 workers by the end of the year and won’t fill vacant positions as it adjusts to health care reforms.

The hospital announced the decision Tuesday, citing reducing costs, changes in the marketplace and a reduction in the growth of Medicare spending.

The center has about 5,200 employees. Spokesman Paul Baltes says it’s the first time in 10 years that it has cut jobs.

He says the hospital has been working for years to reduce costs. With a slowing of the increase in Medicare funding, the efforts are “being accelerated.”

A few staff members will see their hours reduced. Hospital officials say they’ll work to place workers in spots within the system and at partner organizations.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Relatives of a family killed in a fiery chain-reaction crash in western Nebraska are suing the trucker who crashed into them and five other transportation companies for negligence.

The wrongful death lawsuit in U.S. District Court of Nebraska was filed by the parents of Christopher and Diana Schmidt, a Gaithersburg, Md., couple killed in September with their two young children and unborn son. The Schmidts were originally from California and were returning to live in Sacramento.

Authorities say Illinois truck driver Josef Slezak failed to stop for traffic at a standstill on Interstate 80 because of another truck crash. The lawsuit accuses those truckers of negligence, including Keith Johnson, of Big Lake, Minn., who was killed.

Slezak is charged with four counts of manslaughter and five counts of vehicular homicide.

CHAPPELL, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a Sidney woman died in a car accident in rural Deuel County in western Nebraska.

KSID radio says the sheriff’s office says 22-year-old Gabrielle Palmore died of injuries suffered in the accident near Chappell Monday afternoon.

Officials say Palmore’s SUV went off the highway, and investigators are trying to determine what happened. Palmore was thrown from the vehicle. Her two young children, who were in car seats, were not seriously injured.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska environmental regulators have released a preliminary 600-page report on the oil pipeline a Canadian company wants to build across the state.

The report released Tuesday doesn’t include a recommendation about whether TransCanada should be allowed to build the Keystone XL pipeline to ship crude oil to Gulf Coast refineries.

The state report says TransCanada’s new route avoids the environmental sensitive Sandhills region and addresses a number of concerns Nebraskans raised.

TransCanada spokesman Shawn Howard says the company appreciates the state’s attention to detail and hopes the project will be approved.

A public hearing will be held in Albion Dec. 4.

Pipeline opponent Jane Kleeb of Bold Nebraska says she remains concerned, and she’s disappointed the state won’t require disclosure of exactly what chemicals will be carried in the pipeline.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican-leaning outside group is investing in Nebraska’s suddenly tighter Senate race.

American Crossroads, the group organized by Republican operative Karl Rove, is spending $420,000 on the race between Republican Deb Fischer and former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey.

The race has been considered a clear Republican pickup after Sen. Ben Nelson announced that he would not seek another term, but recent polls have showed a closer contest.

Nate Hodson, a spokesman for American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, said they will unveil the ad on Wednesday.

Crossroads GPS also is investing $512,000 in New Mexico, where Democrat Martin Heinrich has held a lead in polls over former Rep. Heather Wilson.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 17-year-old student at Omaha’s Westside High School has been charged as an adult after police say they found explosive materials and drugs in his backpack.

Dakota Parsons faces possession of explosive materials, possession of an explosive device and possession of marijuana.

Police say a staff member at the school saw an explosive device detonated on school grounds last Thursday and Parsons was in the area. Police say he had explosive materials and marijuana in his backpack. A search of his home turned up more explosive materials.

Parsons was in Douglas County court on Monday where bond was set at $50,000. His case is not on the online court system, and it’s unclear if he has an attorney.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The head of Nebraska’s Republican Party didn’t waste any time in responding to Democrat Bob Kerrey’s call for a fourth debate with Republican Deb Fischer.

State GOP Chairman Mark Fahleson attended Kerrey’s news conference in Omaha Monday, so that he could immediately offer his response.

Fahleson says there’s no reason for another debate at this point in the U.S. Senate race. Fahleson challenged Kerrey to promise to a list of policies that he says reflect Nebraska values, including opposing any tax increases, budget earmarks and cap-and-trade environmental regulations.

Both Kerrey’s news conference and Fahleson’s reply happened in the lobby outside Kerrey’s campaign headquarters.

Kerrey spokesman Chris Triebsch says Fahleson’s appearance shows just how desperate the state Republican Party is. The Kerrey campaign dismissed the idea of signing the GOP pledge.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle is asking state officials to keep inmates convicted of violent or gang-related crimes from getting a chance at furlough programs.

The Omaha World Herald says the mayor wants the Omaha City Council to make recommendations for a bill when the Legislature convenes in January. Suttle says he’s concerned because of recent high-profile incidents involving furloughed inmates.

Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford says lawmakers have already requested input from the city’s police chief, the Department of Corrections and county attorneys. A corrective action plan is due to lawmakers by Dec. 6.

Ashford says the concerns will be addressed, but he wants to avoid a kneejerk reaction based on individual, high-profile cases. Ashford serves as chairman of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, and is also running for mayor.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has been sentenced to prison for a string of break-ins at area churches in 2010.

The Lincoln Journal Star says a Lancaster County judge sentenced 22-year-old Treven Bruce on Monday to up to four years and four months in prison. Bruce pleaded guilty last year to three counts of attempted burglary and one count of burglary.

Police say Bruce and another man broke into the churches to steal money and other valuables.

The case against the other man is pending.

WINNEBAGO, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man whose body was found in the Missouri River near Winnebago last week.

The Thurston County sheriff’s office on Monday identified him as 56-year-old David Deaton. The sheriff’s office did not list his hometown. Officials say the cause of death was an accidental drowning and no foul play is suspected.

Deaton’s body was found last Wednesday near Big Bear Park, east of Winnebago.