UPDATE 8/1/16 (3:39 p.m.)

(Ogallala, Neb.)- A multiple vehicle crash on westbound Interstate 80, near Brule on Sunday, July 31, claimed the lives of five members of a Minnesota family.

Killed in the crash were, Jamison Pals, 29, his wife, Kathryne Pals, 29, both of Minneapolis, MN., and the couple’s three children, three-year-old Ezra, 23-month old Violet, and two-month-old Calvin.

The crash occurred in a construction zone, approximately four miles west of Brule, just before 11:30 a.m. (MDT). Preliminary investigation into the crash indicates, a westbound semi, struck the rear of the Pals’ 2006 Dodge minivan The force of the collision then pushed the semi and the Pals’ minivan into a 1994 Plymouth Voyager minivan, a 2015 Nissan Rogue (SUV) and a 2013 Ford van, all traveling westbound. Both the semi and the minivan involved in the initial crash were engulfed in flames.

The driver of the semi, was transported to Sedgewick County Hospital in Julesburg, Colo., where he was treated and released. Upon his release from the hospital, the driver of the semi identified as Tony A. Weekly, 53, Baker, Florida, was lodged in the Keith County Corrections on updated charges of five counts of felony motor vehicle homicide.

Six people in the three other vehicles involved were transported to Ogallala Community Hospital. The driver of the 1994 Plymouth Voyager minivan, Terry Sullivan (M), 56, Denver, Colorado, was transported to the Ogallala hospital, then flown to St. Anthony Hospital in in Denver. Two passengers in the SUV, Paola Velez (M), 33, and Martiniana Velez (M), 53, both of Eagle Pass, Texas, were transported to the Ogallala hospital, then flown to Northern Colorado Medical Center, Greeley. The male driver of the SUV along with a male passenger in the Plymouth minivan, were transported to the Ogallala Community Hospital, where they were admitted in stable condition. The driver of the 2013 Ford van was treated and released

The crash which occurred in a construction zone with a reduced speed limit of 65 mph and head to head traffic, closed 10 miles of Interstate 80 both east and westbound for approximately six hours.

The investigation into the crash continues.

The Nebraska State Patrol was assisted by the Keith County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department and Fire and Rescue Units form Ogallala, Big Springs and Brule.

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UPDATE: 8/1/16 (1:50 p.m.)

The Nebraska State Patrol has confirmed the identifies of the victims who died in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 on Sunday afternoon.

The Patrol says those killed 29-year-old Jamison Pals, his wife, 29-year-old Kathryne, and their three children, Calvin (2 months), Violet (1) and Ezra (3).

The Pals were traveling in the van that was initially struck by the semi.

They were from St. Paul, Minnesota.

53-year-old Tony Weekly, the semi driver, remains in the Keith County jail on vehicular homicide charges.

The Omaha World Herald reports that the Pals were heading to Colorado for missionary training, and had plans to move to Japan for mission work in October. Jamison Pals worked as a grant writer for Feed My Starving Children.  The organization says Pals left in April to pursue mission work in Japan with his family.

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(Ogallala, Neb.)- A multiple vehicle crash on westbound Interstate 80, near Brule on Sunday, July 31, claimed five lives and injured several others.

The crash occurred in a construction zone, approximately four miles west of Brule, just before 11:30 a.m., (MDT). Troopers investigating the crash, say a semi was westbound on I-80 when it struck the rear of a westbound van. The force of the collision pushed the semi and the van into three other passenger vehicles. Both the semi and the van involved in the initial crash were engulfed in flames. Five people in the van were killed.

Six people were transported to Ogallala Community Hospital. Three were then flown to hospitals in Colorado. Extent of injuries of those transported is unknown.

The driver of the semi was transported to the Sedgewick County Hospital in Julesburg, Colo., where he was treated and released. Upon his release from the hospital in Julesburg, the driver of the semi identified as Tony A. Weekly, 53, Baker, Florida, was lodged in the Keith County Corrections on charges of motor vehicle homicide.

The names of the fatalities and injured are not being released at this time, pending notification of family.

Ten miles of Interstate 80 both east and west bound was closed for approximately six hours. The Nebraska State Patrol was assisted by the Keith County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department and Fire and Rescue units from Ogallala, Big Springs and Brule

(Ogallala, Neb.)- A multiple vehicle fatality crash on westbound I-80 near Brule in Keith County has closed a portion of Interstate 80.

The crash, involving a semi and several passenger vehicles occurred just before 12:30 p.m. (CDT),, Sunday, July 31, approximately 4 miles west of Brule. Preliminary reports indicate a semi was westbound on I-80 when it struck the rear of a westbound van. At least two other vehicles were also involved, with at least one vehicle catching fire. Troopers report five confirmed fatalities, with other additional injured.

Both east and westbound lanes of I-80 are closed with traffic being diverted at Mile Marker 95, Oshkosh exit, and Ogallala. Travelers should check 511 for updated road closure information < www.511.nebraska.gov >. A Nebraska 511 mobile app is also available to download at no cost for smartphone users. Simply search your app provider for Nebraska 511.

The crash remains under investigation. Additional information will be released when available.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska probation officer accused of having sex with probationers, then lying to the FBI about it, has been found guilty by a federal jury of five counts.

U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg said Friday that 57-year-old Thomas Peterson, of Kearney, was convicted of four counts of violating the civil rights of female probationers and one count of lying to the FBI.

Prosecutors say that from 2010 through 2014, Peterson had sex with four different women while they were on probation and while he was serving as their probation officer. They also say Peterson tipped off probationers to planned drug tests and of threatening to have one woman’s probation revoked unless she left the state.

Peterson faces up to nine years in prison when he’s sentenced on Oct. 20.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man who has long fought for looser rules governing Nebraska’s referendum petition process says he is asking the entire 11-member 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hear the matter.

That comes after a three-judge panel of the appeals court earlier this month vacated a 2014 ruling by a federal judge that could have made it easier for petition-drive organizers to place statewide initiatives on the Nebraska ballot.

In that split decision, the panel found that Kent Bernbeck did not have standing to challenge a state constitutional requirement that forces petition circulators to travel outside of large urban areas for signatures.

Bernbeck argues that the current requirements effectively make rural votes more valuable than urban votes. Nearly half of the state’s population lives in five eastern Nebraska counties.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Health officials are puzzled about how the most basic baking ingredient — flour — became contaminated with bacteria normally found in animal feces.

The tainted flour has sickened 46 people in 21 states and prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn cooks to treat it like other foods that could cross-contaminate kitchen surfaces.

Plus, the Food and Drug Administration is cautioning consumers to never taste raw cookie dough or cake batter.

Testing points to flour produced at the General Mills facility in Kansas City, Missouri.

The company, which has recalled 45 million pounds of flour, says it does not believe the plant is the source of the bacteria.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska farmers will have a chance to visit a field with cover crops next month to learn more about the potential benefits of using them.

The free event on Aug. 11 is designed to teach farmers about the benefits of the practice.

Cover crops are planted between growing seasons to limit erosion and replenish nutrients in the soil, which can reduce the need for fertilizer.

The field day sponsored by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension will be held at Mark Allen’s farm north of Lexington.

For more information, call (308) 325-1056.