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Nebraska Prisons Continue to Struggle to Retain Guards

nebraska-corrections-patch-LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials say they are working to hire enough guards to staff the state’s prisons, but it remains difficult to keep workers because of strong competition for them.

Retaining guards at the prisons in Tecumseh and Lincoln continues to be a challenge.

Low staffing levels and excessive overtime were factors in last spring’s riot at the Tecumseh prison on May 10.

Dawn Renee Smith with the state Department of Correctional Services says the state’s low unemployment and strong economy makes it hard to keep workers.

Last year the turnover rate among protective services staff increased two percentage points to nearly 31 percent.

Mike Marvin with the Nebraska public employees union says he doesn’t think staffing levels are adequate at the state’s biggest prisons.

Officials: Record Number of Bald Eagle Nests in Nebraska

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State wildlife officials say a record number of bald eagle nests were documented in Nebraska last year.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says 118 active bald eagle nests were found in the state in 2015 — the most since the raptor was listed on federal and state endangered species lists. The 2015 number is more than twice the number of nests recorded in 2007, when just 54 were found.

In 2014, officials recorded 111 active bald eagle nests.

The commission’s nongame bird program manager, Joel Jorgensen, says based on 2015’s documentation, it’s “reasonable to conclude the number of active nests in Nebraska exceeded 125” last year.

Nebraska Jail Guard Dies from Injuries in Weekend Crash

Saunders-County-SheriffWAHOO, Neb. (AP) — A Saunders County correctional officer has died of injuries he sustained in a crash near Wahoo last weekend.

The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office says 32-year-old Tanner Hauck died around 8 p.m. Friday at a Lincoln hospital.

Hauck had been a passenger in a car driven by his fiance, 29-year-old Jessica Thomas, when it collided with a pickup the morning of Jan. 24 just west of Wahoo at Highway 92 and U.S. 77. Thomas was killed in the crash.

The driver of the pickup received only minor injuries.

Authorities are investigating the crash.

Norfolk Woman Killed in Crash in Pierce County

fatal-accidentPIERCE, Neb. (AP) — A Norfolk woman has died following a crash near Pierce in northeastern Nebraska.

Pierce County Attorney Verlyn Luebbe said 70-year-old Faythe Ann Jaroska of Norfolk died shortly before 1 p.m. Friday when her car collided with a semitrailer.

Luebbe says Jaroska was pulling out of business parking lot onto southbound U.S. Highway 81 when her car was hit by the northbound truck, driven by a 33-year-old LeMars, Iowa, man.

Luebbe says Jaroska was the lone occupant of the car and died instantly. The truck driver did not sustain any serious injuries.

Omaha Police: Slain Man Lowered Gun in Direction of Officers

omaha-policeOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say a man fatally shot by officers this week was acting erratically, had yelled he would not return to prison and had pointed a gun at officers before he was shot.

A police account of the Thursday night encounter says 33-year-old William Adams repeatedly told officers to shoot him and put the barrel of a loaded handgun in his mouth, under his chin and to his head. Police say he was shot when he removed the gun from his mouth and lowered it in the direction of officers.

Police say Adams had barricaded himself inside an apartment late Thursday afternoon, when a vehicle he was suspected of stealing was spotted in south-central Omaha. The shooting occurred about 2 ½ hours later.

1 Dead, 7 Hurt in Shooting, Stabbing in Denver

denver-policeDENVER (AP) —Denver’s police chief says one person was fatally shot and seven others were wounded when a fight broke out a motorcycle expo on Saturday.

Police Chief Robert White tells reporters that it was unclear what prompted the incident at the National Western Complex, where the Colorado Motorcycle Expo was being held this weekend. He says other events associated with the expo have been canceled.

White says investigators believe there was an exchange of gunfire. In addition to the person who was shot and killed, three others were shot. White says another person was stabbed and three others suffered injuries from a fistfight.

Police were keeping a heavy presence at the hospital where the injured people were being treated to prevent the incident from spreading from the expo.

Police are interviewing a person of interest, and White says investigators believe there was more than one shooter.

First Year of Rare Bison on Crane Trust Land Goes Well

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Wikipedia

ALDA, Neb. (AP) — The first year of having genetically pure bison on Crane Trust land near Alda appears to have gone well.

Jacob Salter, who helps manage the herd, says the first year has been “an excellent experience.” That includes the birth of 11 healthy calves, with no calf deaths.

Brice Krohn, senior director at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center, says that number has impressed others who run bison herds.

Krohn and others credit the trust’s philosophy of providing a low-stress environment for the bison.

Krohn says the bison were run through a chute only once, to collect blood and hair samples and to worm the animals. Medication is delivered via a dart gun to keep human contact to a minimum.

New Study: NU Adds $3.9 Billion to Nebraska’s Annual Economy

university-of-nebraskaLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new study says the University of Nebraska adds $3.9 billion to the state’s economy every year. That’s $10.7 million a day.

The report by Pittsburgh firm Tripp Umbach says among the 35,000 university-related jobs in the state, 16,000 are direct university jobs while 19,000 have “spun-off” to support university activities.

The report also says 1 in 36 jobs in the state is the result of NU activities and that the university system touches every industry in the state. It goes on to estimate that every dollar spent by the university system added 86 cents to the state’s economy.

The report was commissioned by the NU Board of Regents.

Western Nebraska Man, Woman Charged in Counterfeiting Case

scottsbluff-policeSCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A western Nebraska man and woman have been charged with felony forgery, accused of counterfeiting and passing $100 bills.

Authorities say 25-year-old Tony Christensen, of Dalton, was arrested Thursday and arraigned Friday. His suspected accomplice, 20-year-old Briana Sifuentez of Sidney, has also been charged in Scotts Bluff County, and her trial is pending.

Police say the charges stem from a 2015 incident, in which a counterfeit $100 bill was passed at a store in Monument Mall in Scottsbluff. Police say store video implicated a man and woman.

Then this month, Scottsbluff police learned that Sifuentez and Christensen were accused of passing counterfeit $100 bills in nearby Sidney. Police say a search of Sifuentez’s home turned up dozens of counterfeit bills and two in Christensen’s wallet.

Marjorie Lucille Makings

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Marjorie Lucille Makings, age 90, passed away Wednesday, January 27, 2016, at the Sutherland Care Center in Sutherland, NE.

Marjorie was born July 16, 1925, in Trenton, NE to Samuel and Mary (Terrell) Cemer. She graduated from high school in Trenton.

On October 1, 1944, Marjorie married Glenn Makings and were married for 49 years when Glenn passed away in 1993. Marjorie and Glenn moved to Grant, NE in 1953 and she worked at Hatch’s Market for many years. Marjorie loved her job and looked forward to visiting and helping the many friends she gained through the years. She worked until she was near 80 when illness forced her to quit.

She is survived by her two children, a son, Terry (Mary) Makings and daughter, Carol Styles, all of Yankton, SD; five grandchildren, Tim (Sandy) Styles, Michelle (Bryan) Kralicek, Steve Makings, Melissa Makings and Melinda Makings; two great-grandchildren, Terry Styles and Quinn Kralicek; her brother, John Cemer, of Arkansas; a sister, Delores Rowe, of Kansas; and numerous nieces, nephews and other family.

Along with her husband, Glenn, Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents, Sam, Sr. and Mary Cemer; a sister, Lois Wilkens; brother Samuel Cemer Jr.; and a grandson, Greg Styles.

Cremation was chosen. A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2016, at Calvary Baptist Church in Yankton, SD. Inurnment will be in the Blair Cemetery in Blair, NE. The memorial book may be signed prior to services at the church. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

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