LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Police say a woman died after the car she was driving rammed into a tree in east Lincoln.
The crash was reported just before 1 a.m. Thursday. Police Capt. Ben Kopsa says the car was headed west before running off the pavement and hitting the tree. It’s not clear when the crash occurred or what caused the woman to leave the roadway.
The woman’s name hasn’t been released. The crash is being investigated.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska authorities are warning people about a possible scam involving DNA cheek swabs for cancer checks.
The Nebraska Insurance Department says it’s gotten several reports about groups going to senior centers and assisted-living facilities and offering to swab the inside of face cheeks to obtain DNA samples. The department says Medicare does not cover genetic testing for noncancer patients and that people should avoid such services because they likely are scams.
Insurance Department Director Bruce Ramge says the department concerns are that Medicare dollars may have been spent fraudulently on noncovered services and that people who were swabbed may be billed for services that Medicare won’t cover.
People who think they might have encountered the swab groups are encouraged to call the department’s Consumer Affairs Division at 402-471-0888.
ASHLAND, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska National Guard is working to repair its main training site after floodwaters damaged dozens of buildings.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that 51 of the 62 buildings at Camp Ashland have sustained water damage after the Platte River knocked down a levee last month.
Col. Shane Martin is the construction and facilities-management officer. He says the flooding is worse than anything the camp has seen in the last century.
Martin says the Guard is working to clean and dry the buildings as quickly as possible to avoid mold issues. He says it could cost up to $50 million to repair the base, which would be funded by the federal government.
He says the base could reopen minimal operations in about two months.
Between 80,000 and 100,000 soldiers train at Camp Ashland each year.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A bill that would require most health insurance plans to cover hearing aids for children and teenagers has won first-round approval from Nebraska lawmakers.
Senators advanced the measure Wednesday through the first of three votes.
The proposal by Sen. Carol Blood, of Bellevue, would require plans to cover expenses associated with hearing aids for Nebraska residents younger than 19.
Blood says the $1,500 to $3,000 cost of hearing aids is unaffordable for many families. Blood was deaf as a child and says hearing aids are a lifeline even though many insurance companies consider the insertion of hearing aids an elective procedure.
The bill includes some exemptions for small businesses and companies that can show the expense is greater than one percent of their annual premium dollars.
The vote was 39-0.
YORK, Neb. (AP) – A California man caught hauling marijuana through Nebraska has been given jail time and probation.
York County District Court records say 32-year-old Ruben Morales Moran, of Corning, California, was sentenced last week to three years of probation and 90 days in jail, divided into three increments of 30 days. The two final increments can be waived by the court.
He’d pleaded no contest to attempted possession of controlled substances for sale. Prosecutors dropped two related charges in exchange for Moran’s plea.
Authorities say a deputy stopped a pickup truck for speeding on Interstate 80 last Aug. 8 in York County. A court document says the York County deputy grew suspicious, which led to a search of the truck. Sixty-two pounds (28 kilograms) of pot was found inside a hidden compartment under the pickup bed.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – The governors of three Midwest states ravaged by March flooding say they will pushing for more control over management of the Missouri River that borders their states.
Management of the dams and levees along the river falls to officials of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, who met with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson for much of Wednesday afternoon in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The three governors, all Republicans, questioned a shift by the Corps in 2004 to no longer prioritize flood control along the river over other goals, such as maintaining fish and wildlife habitat.
Asked whether the Corps indicated it would or could cede some river management decisions to the states, Parson replied, “Well, they listened.”
The governors said they plan to work together for that change, even if it means petitioning Congress to give states more authority in river management.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has been slated to attend Wednesday’s meeting, but ran into travel problems that required her to back out.
Clarence Dale Stearns passed away April 2, 2019 at the age of 90 years old.
Clarence was born June 2, 1928 to Clarence and Fern (Greely) Stearns in North Platte, Nebraska. He lived his entire life in North Platte and graduated from North Platte, High School in 1947.
On April 24, 1949 he married Barbara Jean Carlisle. They were married for 69 years. Together they had four children; three daughters Beverly Ann, Pamela Sue, Sandra Jean and one son Gary Dale.
He enjoyed dancing, playing cards, and anything that had to do with his cattle but he especially loved his horses. He loved riding his horses and delighted in showing his grandkids the newest colt.
Clarence worked for a trucking transfer company when he was first married. He later sold and hauled hay to surrounding communities followed by trucking cattle for several years. Later he started farming which he continued for the rest of his life.
He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church and one of the original members of the West Central Pork Producers. He also attended on a weekly basis and was a member of the Lake Maloney Roping Club.
Clarence was preceded in death by his mother, father, brother Harrold “Butch” Stearns, and brother in-law Shorty Cohn.
Survivors include his wife Jean, children Beverly Dimmick, Pamela (Bill) Kautz, Gary (Ruth) Stearns, and Sandra (Gordon) Johnson all of North Platte, three sisters, Mary Jane Cohn, Clare (Frosty) Shields and Shirley (David) Simpson; grandchildren Kristie Frazier, Brad (Kristy) Frazier, Becky (Greg) Goodwater, Courtney (Tony) Fodor, Lindsay (Troy) Perry, Ryan (Rebecca) Stearns, Eric Stearns, Jayme (Nick) Smith, Wylie (Maria) Johnson, Loncey (Jessie Jo) Johnson, Chantel (Logan) Elliott, and MaKenna Johnson, 16 great grandchildren, several step grandchildren, many step great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Online condolences may be shared at carpentermemorial.com. Memorials are suggested to 308BMX. Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel. Burial will follow at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens. Visitation, with family receiving friends, will be from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 5 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in care of arrangements.
Larry Lee Wilson, age 63, passed away January 11, 2019. Graveside services will be held 11:30 a.m. Friday April 5, 2019 at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery. Adams and Swanson Funeral Home, 421 West 4th Street in North Platte is in charge of arrangements.
Arlene Joan Hardin, age 86, formerly of North Platte, passed away Wednesday April 3, 2019 in Oakland, IA. Arrangements are pending at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home, 421 West 4th Street in North Platte..
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln says allegations of sexually abusing minors have been substantiated against nine priests whose names have been released.
The diocese list released Tuesday includes the name of three priests who’ve died and includes priests already criminally convicted and those never charged. It was compiled by a four-member committee after Bishop James Conley ordered an outside review of past abuse allegations, how the diocese handled them and its efforts to protect children.
The Rev. Nicholas Kipper, a Lincoln Diocese spokesman, says roughly two-thirds of U.S. dioceses have released similar lists. The Omaha Archdiocesenamed nearly 40 clergy members in November.
The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office requested the reports in August, shortly after a Pennsylvania grand jury report estimated that church officials covered up allegations that hundreds of priests in Pennsylvania molested more than 1,000 children since the 1940s.
