NORTH PLATTE – A proposal to self-manage the medical services at the Lincoln County Detention Center will save the county over $80,000 next year. The current contract provider for medical services was going to increase the bid by approximately $84,000 for the upcoming year. By self managing medical services, the detention center will stay close to this year’s budget for medical services, which is near $62,000.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) – Storms erupted across central Nebraska,
causing damage.
In western Nebraska, storms pelted communities along Interstate
80, especially around Sutherland where officials reported 6 inches
of rain by Monday evening.
Radio station KOGA said flash flooding was reported and some
sandbagging was under way. Water was flowing over U.S. Highway 30
between Sutherland and Paxton.
In a Flood Advisory issued by the National Weather Service in North Platte Tuesday morning, the Department of Roads reported Highway 30 was open.
The National Weather Service in Hastings issued several tornado
warnings Monday afternoon. By early evening, there were at least a
half-dozen reports of tornados, as well as large hail.
Meteorologist Briona Chester said a house was
damaged near Miller, while high-voltage power lines were down in
Amherst. Both communities are in Buffalo County.
Briona said there are several reports of irrigation systems, or
pivots, being damaged in farm fields.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) – Grand Island police say one man was
killed and other was injured when the all-terrain vehicle they were
riding hit a tree.
Police say 24-year-old Jorge Millan, of Grand Island, was
driving the four-wheeler on Sunday when he lost control as he
approached a curve. The Grand Island Independent says the ATV left
the road and hit a tree.
Millan and a passenger, 23-year-old Ramiro Chadez, also of Grand
Island, were taken to a hospital. Police say Milan died. Chadez
suffered a leg injury.
Police say alcohol use is suspected. The crash remains under
investigation.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Cooler weather and more rain are hampering
crop development and field work in Nebraska as flooding continues
to affect low-lying fields along the Missouri and Platte rivers.
The weekly crop report on Monday said high winds and hail fell
across many areas of the state last week where crops were damaged.
Storms also dumped heavy rain, with over an inch in many sections
of Nebraska.
Seventy-six percent of the corn crop is in good to excellent
condition, which is near last year. Soybean planting is nearly
complete, at 96 percent, slightly ahead of last year and the
average. Seventy-eight percent of the crop is in good to excellent
condition.
Progress has been made on the first cutting of alfalfa, at 83
percent complete. The average is 79 percent.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska feedlots with capacities of 1,000
or more head contained 2.19 million cattle on feed as of June 1.
The Nebraska Field Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural
Statistics Service says the inventory was up 2 percent from 2010.
Placements in feedlots during May totaled 340,000 head, down 11
percent from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle during May totaled 495,000 head, up 9
percent from 2010.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) – Changes implemented by Kearney Public
Schools have yielded a 13 percent decrease in student obesity in
recent years.
The district has been using a three-year grant from the U.S.
Department of Education to buy equipment, implement programs and
train teachers and staff. The goal is to increase students’
physical activity and nutrition.
Grant coordinator Cari Franzen told the Kearney Hub that the
small steps have created a healthier school environment.
A recent evaluation covering the past five years shows 14
percent of elementary students are still obese, but three
elementary schools have seen a 23 to 27 percent decrease in
obesity. Students at the secondary level haven’t made as much
progress, although there’s been no increase in the number of obese
students.

STEGALL, Neb. (AP) – A storm moving across the Nebraska
Panhandle has spawned a tornado in Scotts Bluff County.
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency says the twister was
spotted near Stegall about 2 p.m. Saturday. A Nebraska state
trooper saw it on the ground for 10 minutes.
NEMA says there were no reports of damage.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Cooper Nuclear Station in southeast
Nebraska is operating as normal despite flooding along the Missouri
River.
Nebraska Public Power District spokesman Mark Becker says
workers continue to monitor flood barricades and the protections
are holding up well.
The Columbus-based utility on Sunday issued a “notification of
unusual event” for the plant. Such a declaration is required when
the Missouri River rises to 42.5 feet, or 899 feet above sea level.
Cooper is at 903 feet elevation, and the river would have to climb
to 902 feet before officials would shutter the plant.
Becker says the river is projected to crest there at a little
over 900 feet. At such a level, officials would need to barricade
internal doorways at the plant to protect equipment.