NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – Cedar View Campground at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area is temporarily closed to allow construction crews to complete upgrades to campground amenities until early June.

Cedar View Campground, located about 15 miles west of Kingsley Dam on Highway 92 near Otter Creek Bay, is closed for public use until approximately June 13. Certain project aspects may not be completed until fall 2019. The upgrades will include all new electrical and water utilities leading to 85 camping sites with 50/30/20 amp pedestals and water availability. Eight existing campsites will be updated with accessible features along with renovations to the existing shower facility. Other campground facilities are open including Lone Eagle and Little Thunder Campgrounds at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area and Lake Ogallala Campground on the east side of Lake Ogallala State Recreation Are

More than a dozen troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) have been honored for their efforts to remove drunk drivers from the road and educate the public about the dangers of drunk driving.

16 troopers were presented with Hero Awards at the 20^th annual Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Hero Awards ceremony, held today at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln. MADD honors law enforcement across the state for their daily work to keep drunk or drugged drivers off Nebraska’s roads.

“Drunk driving has the potential to hurt many people,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We salute MADD’s continuous efforts to shine a light on drunk driving. These honors for our troopers along with other officers and public servants around the state demonstrate a collaborative dedication to making Nebraska’s roads safer and preventing tragedies.”

In 2018, NSP troopers arrested more than 1,250 drivers for driving under the influence. The troopers recognized by MADD today accounted for more than 360 DUI and DUID arrests in 2018. They have also conducted hundreds of events across the state to educate Nebraska’s youth about the dangers of drinking and driving.

MADD honored individuals from more than a dozen agencies and organizations around the state.

Here is the complete list of those honored by MADD:

Adult DUI Enforcement – Individual

Officer Keith Lampert – Omaha Police Department

Officer Scott Shymkewicz – Omaha Police Department

Officer Lucas Brown – Ralston Police Department

Deputy Anthony Incontro – Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

Trooper Ryan Stirn – Nebraska State Patrol

Trooper Michael Nutsch – Nebraska State Patrol

Trooper Austin Donner – Nebraska State Patrol

Deputy Gabrielle Frank – Dodge County Sheriff

Officer Jeremy Zipay – Omaha Police Department

Officer Patrick Soltys – Omaha Police Department

Deputy John McGahan – Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office

Trooper Jake Arnold – Nebraska State Patrol

Adult DUI Enforcement – Team

Sergeant JJ Pedersen, Trooper Ryan Stirn, Trooper Luke Kelley, Trooper Zachary Lorang, Trooper Cody Cassidy, Trooper Justin Brase

Nebraska State Patrol

Troopers Matthew Naughtin, Kelli Nichelson, and Nick Jones

Nebraska State Patrol

Lincoln Police Department Third Shift Officers

Lincoln Police Department

Drug Recognition Expert – Individual

Officer Sara Genoways – Lincoln Police Department

Education & Awareness – Individual

Lisa Beacom RN, EMT-P

CHI Advance Wound Care/Serena Group

Trooper Charlie Cook – Nebraska State Patrol

Education & Awareness Team

Trooper Keith Bell and Trooper Kevin Chase – Nebraska State Patrol

MIP Enforcement – Individual

Investigator Shane Belgum – Nebraska State Patrol

Probation – Individual

Cindy Wohlers-Green  – Probation – Lancaster County

Shannon Travis – District 5 Probation

Probation – Team

Morgan Campbell & Graciela Swim – District 5 Probation

Prosecutor – Individual

Jessica Laughlin Deputy County Attorney

Scotts Bluff County Attorney’s Office

Prosecutor – Team

Ashley Bohnet, Ryan Decker, Erica Pruess

Lancaster County Attorney’s Office

Traffic Enforcement Mobilization – Team

Lincoln Police Department Traffic Enforcement Unit

Lincoln Police Department

MADD Community Partner Award

Kathy Siefken – Nebraska Grocery Industry Association

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Supporters of abortion-rights are mobilizing in Nebraska in response to states that have passed new abortion restrictions.

More than 350 people rallied at the Nebraska Capitol on Tuesday, toting signs with messages in support of abortion rights and slamming groups that oppose them.

Former state senator Brenda Council called some of the recently passed laws “despicable” and an assault on women’s autonomy.

Longtime state Sen. Ernie Chambers, of Omaha, delivered a fiery speech urging participants to vote for political candidates who reflect their convictions. Chambers noted the rally took place inside the “belly of the beast” at the Nebraska Capitol, and called on voters to “give it indigestion.”

The rally was sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, Planned Parenthood and the Women’s Fund of Omaha.

A juvenile is facing criminal charges after authorities say he was driving under the influence of drugs and left the scene of an accident.

At around 8:35 a.m., on May 20, deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a reckless driver on US Highway 30 near Hershey. It was reported that the vehicle was swerving all over the road and driving erratically.

A short time later, deputies received a report of an accident at Highway 30 and Front Road. The caller told dispatchers that the other vehicle had fled the scene. The driver reported that she was turning at the intersection when her vehicle was struck. She told dispatchers she was following the vehicle.

Deputies were able to locate both vehicles near Link 56 C and Highway 30. They met with a male juvenile who deputies say appeared to be “heavily under the influence of marijuana.” They also located suspected marijuana in the vehicle.

The driver reportedly failed a series of field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. He was transported to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for further testing and subsequently charged with driving under the influence of drugs-1st offense, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, possession of marijuana-less than one ounce and no driver’s license.

Chief Deputy Roland Kramer said the juvenile was eventually released to the custody of a parent. No injuries were reported.