Today's weather & top news

Today, not as cool. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid-50s. West winds up to 15 mph. Tonight, mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain and snow in the evening then snow likely after midnight. Snow accumulation around 1 inch. Lows in the mid-20s. North winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts to around 20 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Wednesday, much colder. Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of snow in the morning then scattered flurries in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 20s. North winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of snow 20 percent. ... LINCOLN (AP) �” A group promising to fix problems revealed by the drop-off of teenagers under the safe haven law will meet in Omaha today. The Task Force for Children in Crisis plans to meet three times before handing the Legislature recommendations on how to address what some say is a lack of mental health and other services for older kids. The task force made up of state senators plans to work with health care professionals, hospital administrators, legal experts and others.

Last month, lawmakers approved a 30-day age limit in the safe haven law that previously had no age limit. Most of the 36 children dropped off at hospitals under the old law were preteens and teenagers. ... WASHINGTON (AP) �” Detroit’s automakers, making a second bid for $25 billion in funding, are presenting Congress with plans today to restructure their ailing companies and provide assurances that the funding will help them survive and thrive. General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler LLC would refinance their companies’ debt, cut executive pay, seek concessions from workers and find other ways of reviving their staggering companies. U.S. automakers are struggling to stay afloat heading into 2009 under the weight of an economic meltdown, the worst auto sales in decades and a tight credit market. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler went through nearly $18 billion in cash reserves during the last quarter, and GM and Chrysler have said they could collapse in weeks. Top executives from the Big Three failed last month to convince a skeptical Congress that they were worthy of $25 billion in loans. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., ordered them to outline major changes, including the elimination of lavish executive pay packages and assurances that taxpayers would be reimbursed for the loans. All three companies are filing separate plans. Congressional hearings are planned for Thursday and Friday. “I believe the industry will make a compelling case for bridge loans that will allow the companies to return to firm financial footing,” said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. GM will outline efforts to negotiate swapping some of the company’s debt for equity stakes in the automaker, either shares or warrants for them, said two people briefed on the company’s plan. With eight separate brands, GM will also discuss efforts to shed brands but it would prefer to sell them instead of shutting down Pontiac, Saturn or Saab, said one of the people briefed on the plan. Killing off brands, like GM did with Oldsmobile in 2004, would require cash the company doesn’t have, the person said. The people briefed on GM’s preparations didn’t want to be identified because the plan hadn’t been completed. Some members of Congress have urged the Big Three executives to take major pay cuts as part of the deal. Chrsyler Chief Executive Robert Nardelli said he would work for $1 a year, and a similar commitment is expected from GM CEO Rick Wagoner. Ford plans to include a pay cut for Ford CEO Alan Mulally, although the size of the cut was not immediately available.