The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing held Nightingale White Coat Ceremonies June 10 to recognize new students in its Accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing program. Students are enrolled in Omaha, Lincoln and Scottsbluff.

During the ceremony, which was held at the UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division, 42 nursing students recited an oath of professionalism, signed a pledge and donned white coats they will wear until graduation.

Donations from UNMC College of Nursing alumni and supporters help pay for the white coats, and also support student programming and activities.

Gothenburg’s Lindsy Mercer and Cari Gruszczynski and Jocelyn Jordan of Broken Bow are local participants in the Nursing program.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Warmer weather is helping crops grows in
Nebraska as farmers brace for flooding along the Missouri and
Platte rivers.
The weekly crop report on Monday said warm, dry temperatures
early last week boosted development of corn and soybeans and the
harvesting of hay. Cooler weather moved in later in the week.
The report says winds eased, allowing farmers to spray for
weeds.
Flooding along the Missouri and Platte river is affecting
low-lying areas.
Ninety-eight percent of the corn crop is up, and 74 percent is
in good to excellent condition. Soybean planting is nearly
complete, with 84 percent emerging. Seventy-five percent of the
soybean crop is in good to excellent condition.
The first cutting of alfalfa is still lagging, at 59 percent
complete.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Federal authorities say a man from Dix has
been given five years in prison for receiving child pornography.
A news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg says 28-year-old Richard Marks pleaded guilty in December.
At his sentencing on Friday, Marks also was ordered to serve five
years of supervised release after his five years behind bars.
Gilg’s office says that in 2008, Nebraska State Patrol
investigators were monitoring file-sharing software that allows
people to download child pornography. The investigators were able
to pinpoint Marks’ computers by verifying his Internet protocol
address.
After serving a warrant on Marks’ home in Dix, investigators
found more than 100 digital images and 25 videos of child
pornography on his computers.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Federal regulators say southeast Nebraska’s
Cooper Nuclear Station will receive more oversight.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday that it’s
requiring additional oversight because of problems with procedures
to shut down the plant in the event of some fires.
The NRC in a statement focuses on procedures to manually operate
values that are part of a coolant injection system. That system
provides water to cool the reactor during certain accidents
involving the loss of coolant.
The NRC says the violation is of low-to-moderate safety
significance, and is based on an inspection completed in March.
The plant at Brownville is operated by the Nebraska Public Power
District. NPPD spokeswoman Jeanne Schieffer says
the company accepts the NRC’s decision and will work with the
agency going forward.

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) – A Lexington man has been sentenced to
prison for sexually assaulting two girls.
The Lexington Clipper-Herald reports 58-year-old Daniel Holliday
was given three terms ranging from 30 to 36 years for two counts of
sexual assault of a minor and one count of visual depiction of
sexual conduct with a minor. The sentences handed down Friday in
Dawson County District Court are to be served concurrently.
Holliday had pleaded guilty to the charges in April.
Authorities say he molested two girls starting in June 2010. At
the time, the girls were ages 5 and 14.