(AP) — Fire officials have commended the nursing staff at a Scottsbluff hospital for putting out a minor fire and keeping patients calm.

The Scottsbluff Fire Department says the Monday night fire at Regional West Medical Center caused no injuries and minimal damage. Heavy smoke was reported on the third floor of the north side of the hospital.

Nursing staff used an extinguisher to stop the fire, which originated from a heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit in the hallway.

Fire officials have commended the nursing staff for using the extinguisher and sheltering patients.

One thing’s for sure, it’s hot our there.  The National Weather Service in North Platte would like to share some tips to stay safe in the oppressive heat.  Stay safe and stay cool!

 

A Wallace man has been charged with a felony after he allegedly tried to run down his son-in-law with a vehicle.

At around 8:20 p.m. on Monday, Deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to Garrison Avenue in Wallace.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, 42-year-old Lawrence Kidd reported that his father-in-law, 66-year-old Ted Evans, had attempted to run him over with a vehicle.  Kidd said Evans had intentionally struck him with the vehicle.

Upon arrival, Deputies spoke with Kidd, his wife and several other witnesses, who stated that Evans was very angry and drove through the backyard of their residence and into a neighbor’s yard.  Kidd said he went to talk to the neighbors about the damage to their yard and was walking back to his house when Evans drove toward him at a high rate of speed.

Kidd said he was able to get out of the way, but his left arm was struck by the vehicle.  He was treated by Wallace EMS and refused further treatment.

Deputies say it appears Evans was angry that Kidd was again living with his daughter.  They say Kidd was recently released from the Lincoln County Detention Center for a Domestic Violence charge.

Deputies located Evans at his home and placed him under arrest on a charge of 2nd Degree Assault, a felony.

Evans was incarcerated at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

 

(AP) — Nebraska has abandoned its initial attempt to block part a new federal health care rule that requires church-affiliated employers to cover birth control for employees, but is vowing to continue the fight.

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office has dropped its appeal of a federal judge’s dismissal last year of a lawsuit challenging the new law. Shannon Kingery, spokeswoman for Attorney General Jon Bruning, says the attorney general’s office is exploring the best way to challenge the law.

Bruning and several other Republican state attorneys general sued in early 2012 to try to block the law, saying the rule violated the rights of employers that object to the use of contraceptives on religious grounds. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in July 2012.

(AP) — Lincoln’s police chief says a woman abducted by her estranged husband had intended to move from Lincoln to southwest Nebraska so she could avoid him.

Authorities say Julie Hanes planned to move more than 300 miles to Imperial to avoid Dwayne Michael Lawrence. Instead, he kidnapped her Saturday from her hair salon in Lincoln before letting her go 19 hours later in a cornfield near Imperial and killing himself.

Police Chief Jim Peschong says Hanes wanted to leave “so she wasn’t so susceptible to running into him or him running into her.”

Hanes says Lawrence repeatedly threatened to kill them both, prompting her to get a protection order against him. She also had filed for divorce.

Peschong says it’s lucky Lawrence didn’t hurt more people.

(AP) — New statistics show that the sale of tobacco to minors in the U.S. were held near all-time lows last year under a federal-state inspection program intended to curb underage usage.

A federal report issued Tuesday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration says that the rate of retail tobacco sales to underage users nationwide has fallen from about 40 percent in 1997, to 9.1 percent in the last fiscal year.

A U.S. Surgeon General’s report issued last year found that more needs to be done to prevent young Americans from using tobacco, including stricter smoking bans and higher taxes on tobacco products. According to that report, almost one in five high school-aged teens smokes. That’s down from earlier decades, but the rate of decline has slowed.

A 19-year-old Grant woman has entered a plea of No Contest to a Motor Vehicle Homicide charge stemming from the death of a 19-year-old Ogallala woman.

Casey Lake entered the plea Monday in Lincoln County District Court.

Lake was driving on Interstate 80 in March of 2013, when she lost control of her vehicle causing it to roll several times.

Emma Redinger, the sole passenger in the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol say Lake was traveling in excess of 100 mph and was texting at the time of the crash.  Authorities said Redinger was wearing her seat belt, but was not wearing it properly.

Lake was also seriously injured in the accident.

Her sentencing has been set for November 4th.

 

A North Platte woman who kept her kids in a kennel has been sentenced to jail for violating her probation.

Ashly Clark was sentenced to 180 days in jail in Lincoln County District Court.

Clark admitted to failing to complete the requirements of her probation, which included attending required classes and notifying her probation officer if she would be leaving the jurisdiction.

Clark was arrested in October of 2011 after she left her five and three-year-old sons in a kennel over night because, she said, they were trying to crawl out of a window in their mobile home.

Clark was given credit for time served and released.

A 27-year-old North Platte man who was convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl is going to prison.

On Monday, Lincoln County District Court Judge Richard Birch sentenced Stanley Churchwell to 15 to 25 years in prison.

According to court records, prosecutors say Churchwell raped the girl, who has a child from the assault, in July of last year.

Churchwell claims the sex was consensual.

As part of his sentence, Churchwell will be required to register as a sex offender.

Dangerous sultry Summer heat is forecasted to bake the region this week, which is why the American Red Cross is urging people follow these steps to stay safe as the temperatures soar to the triple digits.

“Excessive heat can be deadly; it has caused more deaths in recent years than all other weather events,” said Tina Labellarte, Region CEO. “We want everyone to stay safe during the hot weather and have some reminders for them to follow when the weather is hot and humid.”

NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN, PETS IN THE CAR, the inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120 degrees. Other heat safety steps include:

§  Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol.

§  Avoid extreme temperature changes.

§  Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing. Avoid dark colors because they absorb the sun’s rays.

§  Slow down, stay indoors and avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day.

§  Postpone outdoor games and activities.

§  Use a buddy system when working in excessive heat. Take frequent breaks if working outdoors.

§  Check on family, friends and neighbors who do not have air conditioning, who spend much of their time alone or who are more likely to be affected by the heat.

§  Check on animals frequently to ensure that they are not suffering from the heat. Make sure they have plenty of cool water.

§  If someone doesn’t have air conditioning, they should choose places to go to for relief from the heat during the warmest part of the day (schools, libraries, theaters, malls).

HEAT EXHAUSTION Excessive heat can lead to sunburn, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

If someone is experiencing heat cramps in the legs or abdomen, get them to a cooler place, have them rest, lightly stretch the affected muscle, and replenish their fluids with a half a glass (about 4 ounces) of cool water every 15 minutes.

If someone is exhibiting signs of heat exhaustion (cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, heavy sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness exhaustion), move them to a cooler place, remove or loosen tight clothing and spray the person with water or apply cool, wet cloths or towels to the skin. Fan the person. If they are conscious, give small amounts of cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Watch for changes in condition. If the person refuses water, vomits or begins to lose consciousness, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

HEAT STROKE IS LIFE-THREATENING. Signs include hot, red skin which may be dry or moist; changes in consciousness; vomiting and high body temperature. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately if someone shows signs of heat stroke. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the person’s body by immersing them up to their neck in cold water if possible. Otherwise, douse or spray the person with cold water, or cover the person with cold, wet towels or bags of ice.

For more information on what to do when temperatures rise, people can visit redcross.org, download the Red Cross Heat Wave Safety Checklist, or download the free Red Cross First Aid. The app is available for iPhone and Android smart phone and tablet users in the Apple App Store and theGoogle Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross. People can learn how to treat heat-related and other emergencies by taking First Aid and CPR/AED training online or in person. Go to redcross.org/takeaclass for information and to register.