North Platte, Neb. – In honor of the late Bev Kimball of Kearney, the Fort Kearny Preservation, Restoration and Development (PRD) board is hosting activities at the Fort Kearny Recreation Area from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 19 at Lake 6, which is also free park entry and free fishing day across the state.

Bev Kimball raised the funds to buy the 1.8-mile segment of the Burlington Railroad Line in 1977 for Nebraska’s first Rails to Trails conversion. Kimball was a leader of kids nature tours, Fit and Fun exercise stations, historian and a longtime member of the Fort Kearny PRD Board; today’s members are especially privileged to honor such a great lady with this event.

Kimball was devoted to helping others and being outside. Her passions outside included birding, hiking, camping, skiing, traveling and golfing. Bluebirds were Bev’s favorite bird and you will find your own as you hike around the park while participating in our Find the Birds Scavenger Hunt. Enjoy fishing in the ponds or walking the new concrete trial finished last year that Kimball worked tirelessly to start funding on. Bev passed away this past December, but she did get to see her hard work pass on to so many others as they used the trail. Her wish was to see it always be available for residents of Nebraska and visitors.

Activities will include:

–    Find the Birds Scavenger Hunt where participants will use clues to explore the park, locate and identify the birds, and expand upon their knowledge. Prizes will be available for all those who participate. May is International Migratory Bird Month so stop in and celebrate with a fun activity.

–    9 a.m. to 12 p.m. is free fishing at Lake 6 with poles and bait. Dutch oven cooking demonstrations, 2018 fishing guides and forecast, and additional birding identification will be available.

–    The trail will have a variety of native Nebraska plants and Nebraska Game and Parks staff has created packets of native seeds to take home with you and start your own pollinator gardens. This will also come with information on how to make your backyard a hotspot for pollinators of all types and other animals.

Bev Kimball will be greatly missed, but her legacy will live on. We hope you will join us for a fun day of activities, free fishing and park entry, and enjoy the space that Bev made possible.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — University of Nebraska officials say switching health insurance companies would save the school around $12.3 million next year.

A proposal headed to the Board of Regents for its consideration next month would move the coverage in 2019 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska to UMR, a United Healthcare company.

The university would move dental insurance from Blue Cross to Ameritas and keep CVS Health for pharmacy insurance, the Lincoln Journal Star reported.

A Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska spokeswoman declined to comment.

Changing insurance carriers will keep premiums from increasing next year, according to Bruce Currin, the university system’s associate vice president for human resources. The premiums rose 5 percent for 2018.

The move comes as university administrators are conducting several budget cuts.

University officials requested proposals from several insurers after reviewing its programs and expenses last year, said Currin. The review sought to close a $46 million budget gap, which was created through increasing salaries, health insurance premiums, utility costs and a loss of state aid last year.

UMR and Ameritas will look into adding new health care providers to their networks in order to “minimize the changes of any employee having to find a new doctor or dentist,” Currin said.

Nearly 96 percent of providers used by employees and their families through the university’s current insurance plan are covered under UMR’s network. About two-thirds of employees were in the Ameritas network.

The Board of Regents will consider the proposed change in insurance carriers on June 28.

AXTELL, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Public Service Commission has told an Axtell seed business it can’t continue operating without a grain dealer license.

The commission issued a cease-and-desist order Tuesday to Roberts Seed Inc. The commission says the company is operating although it hasn’t fulfilled requirements for the license it applied for last year.

Roberts Seed office assistant Teresa Fisher told the Lincoln Journal Star that the order covers only the purchase of grain from farmers and the sale of it as seed. She says the company has no active contracts for that business.

She says the company can’t provide some of the licensing documents, such as a 2017 tax return, because they don’t exist yet.

The commission has scheduled a hearing June 18 in Minden to discuss possible punishments for Roberts Seed.