LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — At least one health insurer plans to sell individual policies in Nebraska next year that meet Affordable Care Act standards.
Medica Health announced Thursday that it expects to file a rate request next week for statewide insurance for 2018 with the Nebraska Department of Insurance.
The decision affects nearly 100,000 people who had individual policies in Nebraska this year. Medica currently insures about 36,000 people in the state.
The insurance company would likely be the only one offering individual policies in Nebraska that are compliant with the federal health care law’s rules requiring maternity, routine checkups, hospital stays and a variety of other coverages.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska and Aetna Health announced two weeks ago they would drop their Affordable Care Act-compliant plans for 2018.
PERU, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s first college is celebrating its 150th birthday.
Peru State College is kicking off its string of campus events with an “All-College Reunion” this weekend.
Returning alumni will represent classes as far back as the 1940s.
The university was originally named the Nebraska State Normal School. It was established by the Legislature in 1867, three months after the state was admitted into the Union.
The University of Nebraska in Lincoln was founded two years later.
Peru State history professor Sara Crook says state funding and fundraising by the Peru State College Foundation have helped to remodel historic buildings and build a new entrance.
Total enrollment for the past school year was more than 2,600.
ELWOOD, Neb. (AP) — A woman has been accused of stealing from her employer in southern Nebraska.
Court records say 48-year-old Sandra Flint, who lives in Smithfield, is charged with two felony counts of theft. Court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for her.
Court records say she faked making payments to Lofquist Welding for a van she’d purchased from the Elwood business. The records also say she withdrew nearly $5,000 in cash from Lofquist’s bank account and deposited nearly $2,800 in her account on corresponding dates.
She worked for Lofquist as bookkeeper and office manager from September 2015 through Feb. 20 this year.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Tuition will be going up this fall at Chadron, Peru and Wayne state colleges in Nebraska.
The system’s board of trustees Friday approved raising the tuition rate $12 an hour, making the undergraduate resident rate $172 per credit hour at each college.
The system had requested $54.9 million in state support for the coming year, $2.8 million more than the $52.1 million finally approved. Officials say closing the gap meant raising tuition and cutting some expenses.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Residents in four western Nebraska counties who rely on food stamp benefits can apply to replace food that was lost because of electrical outages caused by recent storms.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said Friday that the offer extends to people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in Morrill, Box Butte, Scotts Bluff and Banner counties.
Recipients whose food was spoiled because they lost electricity for four hours or more on June 12 can apply. They must contact the department within 10 days, or by June 23. They can call ACCESSNebraska at 800-383-4278 or visit a local department office.
Once a recipient’s address is verified, it could take up to four working days for clients to receive their replacement benefits.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say investigators have charged two men with murder in the 2015 shooting death of a woman who was found in a burning house.
The police homicide unit announced Friday that investigators had charged Marcus Short and Preston Pope with first-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony in the death of Deprecia Neelon. Short and Pope, both of whom are 27, were already in custody to face charges in the 2015 death of Garion Johnson.
Neelon was found Aug. 6, 2015, after police and firefighters were called to a house on fire in northeast Omaha. The 23-year-old Neelon was pronounced dead at the scene.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Summer brings on new hazards related to bug bites and stings, fireworks and fuels that the Nebraska Regional Poison Control Center must prepare for.
The Poison Center says the type of calls it receives changes with the seasons.
The experts there say it’s a good idea to wear insect repellant with DEET in it during outdoor activities to protect against bug bites. Observing someone after a bee sting is important to spotting allergic reactions.
The Poison Center also recommends that all fuels should be stored up and out of children’s reach to avoid problems.
And when grilling out, remember to use a food thermometer to ensure that meats are cooked thoroughly to 165 degrees.
Cody Quaney leads the second round of the tie-down roping after the second night of competition at the Buffalo Bill rodeo in North Platte. The Pro Rodeo Hal of Fame rodeo continues with night three on June 16. Photo by Don Christner.
North Platte, Neb. (June 15, 2017) – The 2017 Buffalo Bill Rodeo is half over, and the first rounds of the steer wrestling and tie-down roping are complete in North Platte, with the second rounds of those two events having begun.
Steer wrestlers Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., and Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla., tied to win the first round with a time of 4.0 seconds. In the tie-down roping, Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., won the first round with his 9.0 second run.
The steer wrestler leading the second round is a young talented cowboy, Eli Lord. Lord, who is 23 and hails from Sturgis, S.D. turfed his steer in a time of 4.0 seconds to take the lead. He didn’t win a check in the first round, having broken the barrier, which added a ten second penalty to his time of 11 seconds.
Lord competes alongside family at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo. His younger brother, Levi, age 21, and his dad, J.B., also competed in North Platte, all three in the team roping and Eli in the steer wrestling. J.B. is a veteran in the rodeo world, having qualified and competed at more than 25 Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeos and won the all-around, steer wrestling and team roping titles numerous times.
Eli Lord was humble about his four second run. “This is a great rodeo,” he said. “There’s ninety-some bulldoggers entered, and it’s always tough (competition) here. I was just fortunate enough to make a good run.”
Lord has one more semester of college at Eastern New Mexico State University in Portales and will graduate in December of this year with a degree in elementary education. But before he puts that to use, his ultimate goal is the same as for most every professional rodeo cowboy: be in the top fifteen in the PRCA world standings, in order to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. But he’s broken his goals into bite-sized chunks: first, he wants to win the Badlands Circuit, the regional designation for the pro rodeos in the Dakotas, in both the steer wrestling and the team roping. He’s qualified three times for the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, and is ranked in the top ten so far, third in the steer wrestling and ninth in the team roping as a header.
Then he’d like to finish the rodeo season in the top 35 in both events, which would qualify him to compete in the big winter rodeos. The closest he’s been is finishing the 2015 year in the top fifty in the team roping, but horse troubles slowed his rodeo and he’s never been ranked that high since.
Lord usually travels with his brother and dad, but that’s coming to an end, as he competes in two events, which requires three horses: a heading horse for the team roping, a steer wrestling horse, and a hazing horse. Three of his horses, plus at least two more for his brother and dad make the trailer too crowded. Being together so much has its benefits and its disadvantages, Lord said. “It’s like any other family. There’s a lot of arguing that goes on, but it’s great overall. It’s great to do a sport where you can compete against your dad and your brother, as well as rodeo with them. That’s been great.”
He’s following in his dad’s footsteps, but would like to walk out of them. His dad, JB, “has done a lot of the sport, and now I’m trying to not only do as well as him, but surpass him.”
Eli team roped with heeler Tucker White, Hershey, in North Platte. The duo did not make a qualified run. JB and Levi team roped together tonight; their time of 6.8 seconds has them in sixth place so far.
Other leaders from Thursday’s slack and performance are bareback rider Blake Smith, Zap, N.D. (75 points); tie-down roper Cody Quaney, Cheney, Kan. (8.4 seconds), and team ropers Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla. and Billie Jack Saebens, Nowata, Okla. (4.8 seconds). Saddle bronc rider Shorty Garrett, Eagle Butte, S.D., had the high score for the night; his 84 points sits second overall. Barrel racer Jessica Leach, Rockville, Neb. was a 17.85 to be the fast time for the night. There were no qualified rides in the bull riding.
Night number three of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo takes place on Friday, June 16 at the Wild West Arena in North Platte. Tickets are available online at www.NebraskaLandDays.com, at the NLD office or at the gate.
High scores and fast times from the second performance and slack, June 15, 2017
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo
Bareback riding
1. Blake Smith, Zap, N.D. 75 points on Nutrena’s Pebbles; 2. Joel Schlegel, Burns, Colo. 73.5; 3. Jordan Pelton, Halliday, N.D. 72; no other qualified rides.
Steer wrestling
1st go-round (completed after slack today)
1. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. and Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla. 4.0 seconds each; 3. John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo. 4.1; 4. (tie) Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis. and Jake Johnson, Mound City, Kan. 4.3 each; 6. (tie) Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., Mitchell Gardner, Dover, Okla. and Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas 4.4 each.
2nd go-round
1. Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah, Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D., and Blair Jones, Colby, Kan. 4.1 each; 4. Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan. 4.3.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln will be throwing a big party this fall, a spectacular finish to the state’s 150th birthday celebration.
The City Council this week agreed to use $25,000 from contingency funds to pay for the party, which will take place on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s homecoming weekend, Sept. 22-23.
Jeff Searcy, who leads Friends of the Nebraska 150 Foundation, says the weekend events will highlight the renovated Centennial Mall. On Sept. 22 the new fountains in the four courtyards will be dedicated, followed by fireworks and a light show.
Search told city leaders in an email that, “Simply put, this two-day Sesquicentennial Spectacular will be the Grand Finale and exclamation point celebrating the 150th Statehood anniversary in 2017!”
TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — An inmate is accused of setting a fire during a deadly uprising at a southeast Nebraska state prison earlier this year.
Johnson County Court records say 26-year-old Eric Ramos is charged with felony arson in the March 2 uprising at the Tecumseh prison. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
Ramos’ attorney didn’t immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press.
Ramos’ charge is the first filed in relation to the riots that left two inmates dead. Prison officials have said inmates became violent after prison staffers confiscated 150 pounds (68 kilograms) of homemade alcohol.
Ramos is serving eight to 10 years on convictions for criminal mischief, domestic assault and weapons.
Tecumseh is 62 miles (100 kilometers) south of Omaha.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — At least one health insurer plans to sell individual policies in Nebraska next year that meet Affordable Care Act standards.
