Officials of the Nebraska State Fair continue to improve procedures for fairgoer safety.

One way in particular is a partnership with Grand Island/Hall County Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, and safety providers Midwest Medical Transport, Nebraska State Patrol, Grand Island Police and Fire, Double Locked Security, among others.

According to state fair executive director, Joseph McDermott, “2014 was the first year in many that weather was such a factor with rain seven out of 11 days, and the potential for severe weather. We’ve been fortunate that we haven’t had weather events like other State Fairs, where there has been storms that have resulted in loss of life and property.”

Jon Rosenlund, director of emergency management for Grand Island and Hall County says, “We plan to have an Emergency Operations Center on the fairgrounds each of the 11 days of the State Fair. With a direct line to the National Weather Service, and a meteorologist on site if needed, we’ll be able to monitor the potential for hazardous weather and inform the fair going public of a potential weather threat so that they can respond accordingly.”

“There’s no question that weather has a daily impact on the Nebraska State Fair,” according to Michael Moritz, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hastings, “Certainly severe weather is possible during the State Fair, but fair guests are also impacted from heat, humidity, high wind and of course rain. Heavy rain can impact a visit and can create soupy parking lots like we saw in 2014.”

“All supporting groups and agencies meet before the fair begins to outline weather expectations and those same groups meet daily, during the fair, to stay abreast of any anticipated changes in weather or any other safety concerns for fair guests,” Rosenlund said.

“In addition to weather preparedness, the Nebraska State Fair has also taken steps to better inform fairgoers if there’s an emergency,” McDermott said, “We have completed grounds wide speaker systems in the East Entertainment Area and the Family Fun Zone so that any type of emergency announcement can be made. This includes weather related information, lost parents or children, or other information deemed appropriate that may require a fairgoer response.”

The Nebraska State Fair is also adding emergency signage to the sides and backs of the livestock facilities so that emergency responders can better locate fairgoers who require medical help. The signs, bright yellow with black letters, will allow those calling for medical assistance to pinpoint their location.

“Our 911 dispatchers would often hear of a medical emergency behind the “red barn” which in the case of the facilities at the state fair, could be anywhere. These new signs will alleviate a lot of confusion when reporting and locating individuals who need medical attention,” Rosenlund says.

O’NEILL, Neb. (AP) — A judge has scheduled an Oct. 19 trial date on a Holt County lawsuit aimed at keeping TransCanada Corp. from seizing land to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

District Judge Mark Kozisek set the date during a hearing on Monday in O’Neill.

In January TransCanada filed legal papers in nine Nebraska counties to invoke eminent domain for the land that’s needed to construct, operate and maintain the pipeline. It would go from Canada through Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska, where it would connect with existing pipelines to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Pipeline opponents also want to overturn a state law that allowed then-Gov. Dave Heineman to approve the pipeline’s route through the state in 2013.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says more groups than ever are turning to lobbyists to try to exert influence in the Nebraska Legislature, but spending on specific lawmakers remains difficult to track.

Common Cause Nebraska said in a report Tuesday that the number of groups hiring lobbyists rose to a record-high 527 this year, up from 506 in 2014.

The report says groups spent nearly $14.1 million last year, most of which went to lobbyists.

Common Cause Nebraska says tracking perks such as food, golf outings and event tickets is difficult because they’re all categorized as entertainment. Jack Gould, the group’s issues chairman, says money spent by the groups can’t be tracked to specific events or recipients.

The report was compiled from lobbyist disclosures filed with the Legislature.