LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two Nebraska state senators say judges should take defendants’ ability to pay into account when they set bail or impose punishments for unpaid fines.

Bills heard in a legislative committee Thursday would require courts to do everything they can to avoid jailing low-income people before their trial or because they can’t pay fines.

Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln, the bail measure’s sponsor, says courts need to make sure people jailed before trial are supposed to be there and not just unable to pay bonds. Lancaster County Public Defender Joe Nigro says the current bond system criminalizes and punishes poverty.

A measure sponsored by Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln would allow people who cannot afford to pay fines to do community service or pay in installments instead.

 

Shortly after a red flag warning was issued by the National Weather Service, fire crews from North Platte, Hershey and Wallace are battling a wind-driven grass fire near Range Road and Walker Road.

A Red Flag Warning means conditions are favorable for the rapid development of range fires.

Use caution when operating machinery, discarding cigarettes or using anything that may cause sparks.

RED FLAG WARNING

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON...

.The Red Flag Warning will continue for southwest Nebraska and the
western Sandhills. Relative humidity has lowered into the single
digits with abnormally warm temperatures and gusts in excess of
30 mph. With the setting sun, conditions should improve.

NEZ204-206-210-219-170100-
/O.CON.KLBF.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-170317T0100Z/
Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR-
Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest-Frenchman Basin-
Loess Plains-
258 PM CDT Thu Mar 16 2017 /158 PM MDT Thu Mar 16 2017/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT /7 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING FOR WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER
ZONES 204, 206, 210, AND 219...

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zone 204. Fire weather zone 206. 
  Fire weather zone 210. Fire weather zone 219. 

* WIND...West to west northwest at 15 to 25 MPH with gusts to 35 
  MPH.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 7 to 15 percent.

* IMPACTS...any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and show
  extreme behavior.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A land-market report by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows a 10 percent decline in the state’s average farmland value over the past year.

The survey appeared in the Wednesday edition of Cornhusker Economics. It reveals slower bids and land sales, resulting in the value drop.

Agricultural economist Jim Jansen says Nebraska appraisers, farm managers and agricultural finance professionals replied to the survey saying low commodity prices and high property tax concerns are putting pressure on land values.

The drop marks the third consecutive year the state’s average farmland price has declined. As of Feb. 1, the average was a little over $2,800 per acre, 15 percent lower than 2014’s more than $3,315 per acre.

Waldo Realty co-owner Pat Chohon says most of the active land buyers are neighbors looking to expand their farms.

TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say inmates at a southeast Nebraska prison that erupted into violence earlier this month have assaulted four staff members, including two who required outside medical care.

The Nebraska Correctional Services Department says the assaults occurred around 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution. Prison personnel used physical force to subdue the inmates. The prison has not said whether any of the inmates required medical attention.

Two inmates were killed and others were injured March 2 when inmates revolted against staff members and started a fire in a courtyard at the facility. No prison staffers were injured that day. Two inmates were killed during a May 2015 riot there.

Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes has said the department is struggling to hire and retain prison employees.