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Ex-Omaha weatherman accused of targeting health director takes plea deal

Wayne Hudson
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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former Omaha TV weatherman and mayoral spokesman has taken a plea deal months after being accused of emailing death threats to a local health department director over her handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ronald Penzkowski pleaded no contest Friday to two misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault. He initially had been charged with a felony count of making terroristic threats. Penzkowski was arrested March 31 after investigators said he sent several emails to Dr. Adi Pour, threatening to “lynch” her and slit her throat.

Penzkowski once worked as a spokesman for former Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle and as a weatherman for Omaha television stations under the name Ron Gerard.