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Month: July 2016

Scottsbluff hospital adds its own dialysis unit

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regional-west-medical-centeSCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff has opened its own dialysis unit after clashing with two outside providers earlier this year.

Hospital spokeswoman Joanne Krieg says the new dialysis unit opened earlier this week after two specialists were hired to oversee it.

Earlier this spring the hospital sued two dialysis providers after they moved to end their contracts early. The hospital later settled with Renal Treatment Center and DaVita Healthcare Partners.

The hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer Connie Rupp says the new dialysis unit will ensure high-quality service continues uninterrupted.

Wendy’s says more than 1,000 restaurants affected by hack

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wendysNEW YORK (AP) — Wendy’s says hackers were able to steal customer’s credit and debit card information at 1,025 of its U.S. restaurants, far more than it originally thought.

The hamburger chain says hackers were able to access card numbers, names, expiration dates and codes on the cards. Some customer’s cards were used to make fraudulent purchases at other stores.

In May, it said malware was found in fewer than 300 restaurants starting in the fall of 2015. About a month later, it said two types of malware were found and the number of restaurants affected was “considerably higher.”

There are more than 5,700 U.S. Wendy’s restaurants.

Wendy’s said Thursday it would post a list of affected restaurants on its website. As of Thursday morning, the list wasn’t posted because of “technical difficulties.”

Lincoln store clerk dies after being shot during a robbery

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crime-scene-police-shootLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police are investigating the fatal shooting of a convenience store clerk during an early morning robbery.

The robbery was reported around 1:30 a.m. Thursday at a Kwik Shop near 14th and Adams streets in Lincoln.

Officers arrived at the store about two miles north of downtown within a minute of getting the call.

A bystander who arrived at the store just after the robbery was provided first aid to the wounded clerk. Officers took over and started perfoming CPR but the clerk died roughly ten minutes later.

Police searched the area around the store, but no arrests had been made as of Thursday morning.

Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister says it has been at least 10 years since someone was killed during a convenience store robbery

Opera Omaha music director took $113K from his mother

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handcuffsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An employee of a performing arts group in Omaha has pleaded no contest to abuse of a vulnerable adult for taking about $113,000 from his mother, who suffers from dementia.

Attorneys for 53-year-old John C. Gawf Jr. said the money was used to fuel the defendant’s gambling addiction.

General director Roger Weitz says Gawf is the resident music director at Opera Omaha but declined to comment further. Opera Omaha spokeswoman Katie Broman says the organization didn’t know about the charge before Wednesday.

Officials say Gawf took money from Thelma Gawf from May 2015 to January 2016. He gave bank documents to the investigator and said he had been using the stolen money to gamble.

Gawf didn’t respond to the newspaper’s call seeking comment.

North Platte Weather-July 7

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forecast graphic july 7 2016Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Light northeast wind becoming north 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
Tonight
Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 58. North wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light north northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming south southeast 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Friday Night
A chance of thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. South southeast wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. South southeast wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night
A slight chance of thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Monday Night
A slight chance of thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 89.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 61.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 91.

Storm Reports July 6, 2016

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severe-weather…Severe Thunderstorms Wednesday Night…

Severe thunderstorms developed across northwestern Nebraska late
this afternoon and developed southeast through the evening hours.
The severe storms brought areas of severe wind…large hail and
even a few tornadoes. Below is a list of local storm reports
through 1015 PM CDT. Additional information will be reported once
verified.

………………………Storm Reports……………………..

..TIME… …EVENT… …CITY LOCATION… …LAT.LON…
..DATE… ….MAG…. ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. …SOURCE….
..REMARKS..

0418 PM TORNADO 10 SSW HAY SPRINGS 42.55N 102.76W
07/06/2016 SHERIDAN NE 911 CALL CENTER

TORNADO LIFTED.

0418 PM TORNADO 10 SSW HAY SPRINGS 42.55N 102.76W
07/06/2016 SHERIDAN NE 911 CALL CENTER

TORNADO LIFTED AT 1619 LT.

0425 PM HAIL 15 S HAY SPRINGS 42.47N 102.69W
07/06/2016 E1.00 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC

0435 PM HAIL 8 W ARTHUR 41.57N 101.85W
07/06/2016 M1.25 INCH ARTHUR NE TRAINED SPOTTER

0442 PM HAIL 22 N LAKESIDE 42.38N 102.46W
07/06/2016 E1.00 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC

0442 PM HAIL 5 SW ARTHUR 41.52N 101.76W
07/06/2016 M1.00 INCH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC

0506 PM HAIL 10 SW ARTHUR 41.47N 101.83W
07/06/2016 E1.00 INCH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC

0509 PM HAIL 6 WSW ARTHUR 41.54N 101.80W
07/06/2016 E0.88 INCH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC

0509 PM HAIL 8 W ARTHUR 41.57N 101.85W
07/06/2016 E0.50 INCH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC

0520 PM HAIL 3 SW ARTHUR 41.54N 101.73W
07/06/2016 E0.88 INCH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC

0527 PM HAIL 3 SSW ARTHUR 41.53N 101.71W
07/06/2016 E0.88 INCH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC

0547 PM HAIL 10 NNW HAY SPRINGS 42.82N 102.76W
07/06/2016 E0.88 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC

0550 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 20 NW ASHBY 42.23N 102.21W
07/06/2016 SHERIDAN NE TRAINED SPOTTER

TRAINED SPOTTER…LOCATED 5 MILES NORTH OF ASHBY…AND
LOOKING NORTHWEST INTO SOUTHEASTERN SHERIDAN
COUNTY…REPORTS A FUNNEL CLOUD.

0556 PM TORNADO 10 NNE ELLSWORTH 42.19N 102.21W
07/06/2016 SHERIDAN NE TRAINED SPOTTER

REPORTS OF A LARGE TORNADO CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND ACROSS
SOUTHEASTERN SHERIDAN COUNTY.

0620 PM TORNADO 9 NNW ASHBY 42.15N 102.00W
07/06/2016 CHERRY NE TRAINED SPOTTER

MULTIPLE VORTEX TORNADO…SHORTLY BEFORE BECOMING RAIN
WRAPPED.

0627 PM TSTM WND GST 7 E MERRITT RESERVOIR D 42.65N 100.73W
07/06/2016 E60.00 MPH CHERRY NE PUBLIC

0652 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 10 N HYANNIS 42.15N 101.76W
07/06/2016 CHERRY NE TRAINED SPOTTER

0658 PM TSTM WND GST 1 SSE VALENTINE 42.86N 100.54W
07/06/2016 M58.00 MPH CHERRY NE ASOS

0703 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 15 NE HYANNIS 42.15N 101.55W
07/06/2016 CHERRY NE TRAINED SPOTTER

0735 PM HAIL 7 ESE ARTHUR 41.53N 101.57W
07/06/2016 E1.75 INCH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC

0744 PM TSTM WND GST 2 SE SPRINGVIEW 42.80N 99.72W
07/06/2016 E60.00 MPH KEYA PAHA NE PUBLIC

0755 PM TORNADO 15 SE ARTHUR 41.42N 101.49W
07/06/2016 ARTHUR NE TRAINED SPOTTER

ESTIMATED LOCATION.

0800 PM HAIL 4 NE SUTHERLAND 41.20N 101.07W
07/06/2016 M1.75 INCH LINCOLN NE PUBLIC

0808 PM TORNADO 15 SW TRYON 41.40N 101.15W
07/06/2016 MCPHERSON NE TRAINED SPOTTER

0811 PM TSTM WND GST 12 N STUART 42.77N 99.14W
07/06/2016 E60.00 MPH HOLT NE PUBLIC

0815 PM TSTM WND GST 7 N TRYON 41.66N 100.94W
07/06/2016 E70.00 MPH MCPHERSON NE PUBLIC

HAIL INCH HAIL WITH THE WIND.

0845 PM TSTM WND GST SUTHERLAND 41.16N 101.13W
07/06/2016 E60.00 MPH LINCOLN NE PUBLIC

0845 PM HAIL 2 N NORTH PLATTE 41.16N 100.77W
07/06/2016 M1.00 INCH LINCOLN NE AMATEUR RADIO

0845 PM HAIL 11 NNE HERSHEY 41.31N 100.92W
07/06/2016 M1.75 INCH LINCOLN NE FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

0905 PM TSTM WND GST 5 N NORTH PLATTE 41.21N 100.77W
07/06/2016 M68.00 MPH LINCOLN NE TRAINED SPOTTER

0905 PM TSTM WND GST 5 N NORTH PLATTE 41.21N 100.77W
07/06/2016 M72.00 MPH LINCOLN NE TRAINED SPOTTER

0912 PM HAIL 3 N NORTH PLATTE 41.18N 100.77W
07/06/2016 M1.50 INCH LINCOLN NE NWS EMPLOYEE

70 MPH WINDS.

0914 PM TSTM WND GST 4 NNE NORTH PLATTE 41.19N 100.74W
07/06/2016 M69.00 MPH LINCOLN NE MESONET

0915 PM TSTM WND GST 3 N NORTH PLATTE 41.18N 100.77W
07/06/2016 M78.00 MPH LINCOLN NE NWS EMPLOYEE

0928 PM TORNADO 2 NW BRADY 41.04N 100.39W
07/06/2016 LINCOLN NE PUBLIC

PUBLIC ESTIMATED LOCATION.

0939 PM WILDFIRE 5 W HAYES CENTER 40.51N 101.12W
07/06/2016 HAYES NE EMERGENCY MNGR

SPARKED BY LIGHTNING…THE RAIN PUT IT OUT.

0940 PM TSTM WND GST BROKEN BOW 41.41N 99.64W
07/06/2016 M60.00 MPH CUSTER NE ASOS

Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying
equipment and exposures. Not all data listed are considered
official.

Toking up while working out: Pair plan gym allowing pot use

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marijuana-jointNOVATO, Calif. (AP) — A former pro football star and an advocate for athlete marijuana use have teamed up to open a gym in San Francisco that they say will be one of the first in the world to allow members to smoke pot while working out.

Former running back Ricky Williams and Jim McAlpine, a snowboard company executive, said Power Plant Fitness will open before the end of the year. It also will offer edibles and topical gels for those who don’t like smoking the plant.

Members will need a medical marijuana prescription to join, but that could change if California voters legalize recreational pot in November.

Carla Lowe, founder of Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana, said it’s not clear how pot affects the body but there’s “zero evidence” it helps a person focus.

Study: Insurers’ spending on costly meds soared from 2003-14

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pill-millThe Associated Press–A new study finds that insurers’ spending on very expensive prescription drugs nearly quadrupled in the U.S. from 2003 through 2014, while the number of such prescriptions filled tripled over that stretch.

The study, published Wednesday by the journal Health Affairs, indicates spending on expensive “specialty” drugs by commercial insurance plans jumped from 11 percent of prescriptions filled in 2003 to 43 percent in 2014. Meanwhile, the number of prescriptions for specialty drugs rose from 0.6 percent of prescriptions filled in 2003 to 1.8 percent in 2014.

Researcher Stacie Dusetzina of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill found patients’ copayments climbed 46 percent over that period.

Specialty drugs were once defined as injected drugs for cancer and complex chronic conditions, but the term has become shorthand for very pricey drugs.

Feds lift restrictions on child care funding for Nebraska

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DHHSLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The federal government has lifted restrictions on Nebraska child care funding that were put in place because the state failed to comply with numerous reporting requirements.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that the state no longer has to get federal approval before using the money it receives.

The money helps pay for early childhood education initiatives and a child care subsidy program for working, low-income families.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services imposed the restrictions in 2014 because the state repeatedly submitted late and incomplete financial reports. Some of its reports were missing, some claimed unallowable expenses, and some of its expenses weren’t properly documented.

Courtney Phillips, the Nebraska department’s CEO, says the state took steps to become more accountable and transparent.

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