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Kearney selects new airline to serve as airport carrier

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Kearney city officials have chosen a new air carrier to replace an air service that declared bankruptcy in August.

The Kearney City Council voted 5-0 to select SkyWest Airlines at a special meeting on Monday. The city will recommend the airline to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a two-year service contract.

Seven carriers submitted 17 proposals to the DOT. The DOT is expected to award the essential air service contract in late September or early October.

City officials had to scramble to find a new airline after Peninsula Airways declared bankruptcy just 10 months after the city approved a two-year lease with the Anchorage, Alaska-based carrier. The air service gave notice at the beginning of August that it intended to discontinue service in Kearney.

Nebraska program advances county bridge maintenance projects

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A state program created to address a backlog of bridge maintenance projects is beginning to make a difference in some Nebraska counties.

The Nebraska Department of Roads awarded a total of $4 million to nearly 70 county bridge projects in January. Counties across the state have applied to the program since last year in hopes of receiving money for failing bridges.

Colfax County Highway Superintendent Marks Arps has received money for two of the five bridge projects he applied for. Arps says the two bridges were “some of the worst ones.”

The amount of grant funding allotted for both projects is $107,000, which Arps says will cover some of the materials.

The program is scheduled to end in 2023.

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54 Nebraska employers, 34 communities win wellness awards

Gov. Pete Ricketts

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Fifty-four Nebraska employers and 34 communities have won accolades for offering wellness programs to their employees.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced the winners Monday of the Governor’s Wellness Award. Ricketts says the businesses recognized are “putting people first” and creating a healthy workplace environment.

The award has two categories: the Sower Award for workplaces with established quality wellness programs and the Grower Award for businesses and organizations that demonstrate significant improvement in employee behaviors.

Awards will be presented at four separate award ceremonies between Sept. 21 and Nov. 7.

The award program is a partnership of the governor’s office, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Safety Council/Workwell.

Injured bald eagle released in southeast Nebraska

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The wild bald eagle that had skin graft surgery at an Omaha zoo this summer received a celebrity send-off when it was released into the wild.

The eagle was released Monday near Nebraska City by Mannheim Steamroller founder Chip Davis, who has supported local raptor recovery groups.

The eagle was spotted near Syracuse in May by fisherman with no feathers on its head. Doctors later determined that the scab on the eagle’s head was from an electrical burn.

The eagle recovered sooner than expected at the Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery. Spokeswoman Molly Mullen says the eagle is healthy and strong.

Man gets prison term in another man’s death by hypothermia

TRENTON, Neb. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to at least 50 years in prison in connection with the death of another man who had been left in a rural area of southwest Nebraska and died of hypothermia.

The Nebraska attorney general’s office says 25-year-old John R. Leahy was sentenced Monday in Hitchcock County District Court to 24 to 30 years for kidnapping, 18 to 20 years for manslaughter and 8 to 10 years of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

Leahy was earlier found guilty of charges related to the death of 22-year-old Austin Wright, who was reported missing March 9, 2014. His body was found April 11, 2014, in a small oil well injection site shelter.

He died of hypothermia. An investigation shows Leahy punched Wright, then took him to a remote area and left him.

Omaha teen health summit set for next week at MCC campus

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A teen health summit in Omaha next week will focus on suicide prevention, school success and self-esteem.

The summit, hosted by the North Omaha Community Care Council, will be held Sept. 23 on the Fort Omaha campus of Metro Community College.

The summit will feature keynote speaker Felicia Webster, a local spoken-word artist and author known for her dramatic presentations.

The event is free and open to all metro-area youths ages 13-19. A hot breakfast, a complimentary lunch buffet and snacks will be provided.

Youths must bring their school ID to the event.

Registration can be made online at https://bit.ly/2vYFEvO . Free transportation to and from the summit will be provided for teens who indicate they need it on their registration forms.

Logan Fosbinder-Evarts

Logan Fosbinder-Evarts, 20, of Arnold, passed away September 14, 2017 at home.

He was born February 10, 1997 at Denver, CO.  Logan was a kind, gentle soul that touched the lives of family and friends.  He loved being called “Loggie Bug” and his unconditional love was his greatest gift.

He is survived by his mother, Desa Fosbinder; twin sister, Jetta both of Arnold; father, Gregg (DeAnn) Evarts; half siblings, Baylee and Brody Evarts; grandparents, Denny & Nancy Evarts all of North Platte; aunts, uncles and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Arlene and Gilbert Fosbinder and a close great-uncle, Jeff Jurgens.

Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to Assistive Technology Partnership.  Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel.  Services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 20th at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in care of arrangements. Cremation will follow services.

Margaret Mary Baxa

Margaret Mary Baxa, of North Platte, NE, passed away at the age of 78, on Saturday, September 16, 2017, at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Margaret was born August 10, 1939, the oldest of 10 children to Glenn Albert and Agnes Lurye (Rader) LaBrie in Hastings, NE. The family lived in Giltner, NE, where Margaret graduated from Giltner High School. She then attended Mary Mount College in Salina, KS, and later taught Elementary School and worked as a nurse’s aide.

On December 28, 1963, Margaret was united in marriage to Loren Lee Baxa at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Giltner. The couple had four children, Michael Loren, Patrick Joseph, Matthew Glenn and Mary Meagan, and celebrated 53 years of marriage.

Margaret was an amazing wife, mother and homemaker. After the children were in school, she worked as a librarian, religious education coordinator and in retail before retiring in 2006. She also enjoyed volunteering at Mary Lanning Hospital in Hastings and teaching CCD in various communities. Margaret, Loren and their children lived across the Midwest with Loren’s job and wherever they lived, Margaret made many friends. In 2013 the couple moved from Doniphan, NE to North Platte where Margaret was a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church and the Daughters of Charity.

Margaret was a kind, loving wife, mother and grandmother. She loved her family and taught them to love one another, and that love will continue. She greeted everyone she met with open arms and a beautiful smile. Margaret was a great communicator and friend to everyone. She will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her husband, Loren, of North Platte; children, Michael Baxa, of Grand Island, NE, Patrick Baxa, of Brookville, KS, Matthew (Summer) Baxa, of Fremont, NE, and Meagan (John) Hanson, of North Platte; 18 grandchildren, Jennifer, Michael, Jordan, Jeremy, Sydney, Jessica, Gabriel, Grace, Rachel, Amanda, Camryn, Mitchell, Hannah, William, Alexander, Evan, Eleanor and Abigail; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters, Donna Simcoe, of New Jersey and Jo Anne (Tom) Lambert, of Giltner; brothers, Robert “Jody” (Carol) LaBrie, of Doniphan, David LaBrie, of Minden, NE, Richard (Toni) LaBrie, of Giltner, Thomas (Parma) LaBrie, of Grand Island, Timothy (Lori) LaBrie, of Minden, NE, Francis (Lea) LaBrie, of Hastings, and Jeff (Sharlene) LaBrie, of Grand Island; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and other family.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Lurye LaBrie; sisters-in-law, Sandy LaBrie and Marilyn Chaney; brother-in-law, Don Simcoe; and parents-in-law, Ernest William and Bessie Elizabeth Baxa.

Services will be Wednesday, September 20, 2017, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church with Celebrant Father Mark Seiker. Rosary will begin at 4 p.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 4:30 p.m. Private family burial will be later in the Aurora Cemetery, Aurora, NE.

The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements, and prior to services at the church. Viewing will be for family only. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church.

Ponca Tribe receives grant to address elder abuse

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A Nebraska tribe has received a more than $17,000 grant meant to help address elder abuse throughout its 15-county service area in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.

The Ponca Tribe received the Elder Abuse Innovation Grant Award through the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative Innovation program.

Andrea Rodriguez is the tribe’s domestic violence program coordinator. She says the grant allows the tribe to offer outreach and prevention work on elder abuse.

Rodriguez says the tribe can also develop a section of the Ponca tribal code that’ll better serve indigenous elders.

She hopes the awareness and outreach effort helps the domestic violence program discover undetected or unserved cases because of a lack of resources.

The program’s services cover advocacy, medical care and other resources.

Nebraska Ag Department Director Ibach tapped for USDA spot

Greg Ibach

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Greg Ibach, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, has been nominated for an administrative role in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The White House announced President Donald Trump’s nomination of Ibach on its website last week. Ibach has been picked to serve as the Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. The programs include Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration.

Ibach has served as director of the Nebraska department for 12 years.

He is a lifelong rancher and farmer and has been active in the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

He must first be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before he can take over the USDA post.

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