BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — Police say a woman has died in a Bellevue house fire.
The woman died Friday in the fire, which drew multiple fire departments.
Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof while battling the fire near 29th Avenue and Jefferson Street. Utility crews also responded to neighboring homes to turn off some services.
Authorities did not reveal the woman’s name, and the fire remains under investigation.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Spring turkey season has opened for adult hunters in Nebraska.
Nebraska Game and Parks says the season opened April 9 for youths 15 and under and opened Saturday for hunters 16 and older. Hunters may use either shotguns or archery equipment through the season’s end, May 31.
Permits cost residents $23 and nonresidents $95. Youth permits for residents and nonresidents cost $5.
Permits may be bought at Nebraska Game and Parks permitting offices, at OutdoorNebraska.org or bought by mail. Turkey permits also may be purchased and displayed via a mobile app.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has signed contracts to offer three health plans under the state’s new integrated Medicaid managed care program.
The plans unveiled Friday are Nebraska Total Care, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and Welcare of Nebraska. They will be part of Heritage Health, the managed care program run by the Department of Health and Human Services. All are expected to operate statewide beginning Jan. 1.
Nebraska currently contracts with three health plans: one for physical health services like doctor visits, one for behavioral health services and one to manage pharmacy services on the state’s behalf.
Under the new system, Nebraska Medicaid and children’s health insurance program enrollees will choose one plan that will be responsible for the full array of services.
Approximately 230,000 enrollees will be served by Heritage Health Plans.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has vetoed a bill that would allow immigrants granted temporary lawful status after coming to the country illegally to work in more than 170 professions.
The Republican governor’s announcement Friday sets the stage for a veto override vote in the Legislature next week. Lawmakers approved the measure 33-11, enough support to overrule Ricketts.
The bill would allow certain immigrants to receive professional licenses in health care, education and a variety of other fields.
It would apply to youths who came or were brought into the country illegally, but received lawful status under President Barack Obama’s executive action allowing them to stay in the country. Nebraska had nearly 5,200 youths with deferred-action status.
News Director Scott Carlson talks with Cherie Erickson from the Prairie Arts Center about their upcoming Herb Market, just in time for Mother’s Day. Have a listen!
https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/whats-your-issue-prairie-arts-center-cherie-erickson-herb-market-podcast
The purpose of the 2016 North Platte Community College Honors Convocation may have been to recognize students and employees at NPCC, but it was a four-legged attendee who stole the show.
Nestle, the College’s therapy dog, was among those called to the stage to accept a Spirit Award on Thursday evening. She warmed hearts as she took the certificate in her mouth and gingerly carried it back to her seat in the NPCC South Campus McDonald-Belton Theater.
Spirit Awards are typically presented in the spring to those, who among other criteria, support and show enthusiasm for their job, college activities and the mission of the college.
Nestle has been the college’s therapy dog for about two and a half years. The yellow lab is based in North Platte, but travels to McCook Community College and has also visited MPCC’s extended campuses in Imperial and Ogallala.
“In general, Nestle’s job is to provide emotional support for students, faculty and staff to help them navigate through the challenges of college life,” said Holly Andrews, MPCC area assessment coordinator and Nestle’s handler. “She can’t solve students’ problems, but she can help calm them down so they have a rational perspective on the situation they’re dealing with.”
Nestle has her own fan club, trading cards and Facebook page. More information about her can be found at https://www.facebook.com/nestle.andrewsbritt?fref=ts.
SCHUYLER, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 24-year-old Schuyler man was fatally injured in an accident less than a mile from where another victim of another crash died a day earlier.
Wednesday’s crash was reported a little after 4:30 p.m. and occurred on a rural road north-northwest of Schuyler. The Colfax County Attorney’s Office says Moises Aguilar-Aguilar was pronounced dead later at a Schuyler hospital. He was a passenger in a pickup that went out of control. The driver, 25-year-old Jesus Vasquez-DelaCruz, was hospitalized.
On Tuesday 24-year-old Jason Saalfeld, of Schuyler, was killed when the pickup he was driving crashed into a creek bank less than a mile from Wednesday’s fatal accident.
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NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — A July trial has been scheduled for a Norfolk woman accused of intentional child abuse resulting in the death of her 4-year-old daughter.
21-year-old Carla Montoya pleaded not guilty Thursday in Madison County District Court in Madison. Her trial is set to begin July 11.
Court documents say Montoya told Norfolk investigators that she had tossed her daughter Caylee into her bed three times between 11 a.m. and noon on March 12. Montoya said she thought her daughter may have hit her head on the bed frame or a wall. The girl was pronounced dead at an Omaha hospital.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a woman was struck and killed after stepping into traffic as she left her vehicle on the northeast side of Lincoln.
The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. Thursday. Lancaster County Sheriff’s Capt. Tom Brookhouser says the woman stopped her eastbound vehicle on the south shoulder of U.S. Highway 6. Brookhouser says the woman then got out and walked into the eastbound lane, where she was struck by an eastbound semitrailer.
The truck driver and another witness told investigators there wasn’t enough time to stop or to avoid the woman.
The woman’s name hasn’t been released.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate remained 3 percent in March, matching the rates posted in February and January.
The Nebraska Labor Department said in the report issued Friday that the rate was two-tenths of a point higher than the 2.8 percent reported for March and February last year.
The new Nebraska rate remained well below the preliminary national unemployment rate of 5 percent in March — a tenth of a point higher than February’s 4.9 percent. The U.S. Labor Department says only Colorado’s rate of 2.9 percent, the 2.6 percent for New Hampshire and the 2.5 percent recorded for South Dakota were lower than Nebraska’s 3 percent.
