(AP) — Cooler weather reduced stress on Nebraska’s crops last week but slowed development of corn.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says progress in the state’s corn crop was about a week behind average as of Sunday.

Last week’s rain helped raise soil moisture figures. Statewide, topsoil moisture rated 54 percent adequate or surplus, 3 percentage points higher than the week before. Subsoil moisture was 34 adequate or surplus, compared with 30 percent the week before.

About 67 percent of the state’s corn crop rated good or excellent. Corn silking was 90 percent complete, compared with 99 percent on average.

Soybeans were rated 71 percent good or excellent.

The struggles of the Hotel Pawnee will come to an end when its doors are closed on August 31.

The troubled assisted living facility has been under scrutiny since being placed on probation by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) last year.

The DHHS noted numerous violations throughout the facility including issues with maintenance, cleanliness and personnel issues.  The State of Nebraska’s Electrical Inspector also found numerous problems with the buildings electrical system, and issued an ultimatum that the issues be resolved by a licensed electrician.

Attorney General Jon Bruning filed a suit against the Hotel Pawnee last August because they had been operating for several years without providing workers compensation insurance to its employees.

While many North Platte residents feel the building and its residents are a hindrance to the beauty of Downtown, many others feel that the services provided by the facility are vital to the city.

In any case, the Hotel Pawnee is a part of North Platte’s rich and proud history, and within its walls lie the memories of several generations of North Platte residents.

The future of the building is unknown.

• Today: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. South southeast wind 6 to 9 mph.
• Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South southeast wind 7 to 11 mph.
• Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 6 to 10 mph.
• Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

(AP) — Gov. Dave Heineman’s judicial legacy includes the appointment of 60 judges out of the state’s 145 total, and all but four were Republicans.

The Republican Heineman and one of his Democratic predecessors, Ben Nelson, both contend political affiliation didn’t figure into their judicial selections.

Heineman says he doesn’t ask a candidate’s party affiliation but is interested in his or her philosophy, hoping to find what he calls common-sense Nebraska conservatives. Nelson told the newspaper that he was concerned far more about avoiding a judicial activist than he was about rewarding a fellow Democrat.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln law professor John Lenich says Nebraska’s governors seem to give weigh heavily the nominees’ credentials and recommendations by the state’s judicial nominating commissions.

(AP) — A California company has voluntarily suspended production of salad mix at a Mexico processing facility that has been linked to an outbreak of stomach illnesses in Iowa and Nebraska.

Salinas, Calif.-based Taylor Farms announced Monday that Taylor Farms de Mexico has stopped production of salad mix and leafy greens at its facility. Production has been shifted to crops and processing facilities in the United States.

Company officials say the move allows the Mexican branch to assist federal authorities in their investigation into the cyclosporiasis outbreak.

The Food and Drug Administration says cases of the illness in Nebraska and Iowa have been linked to local Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants that are supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The company says it continues to be confident in its Mexico operation.

(AP) — A Scottsbluff schools official says enrollment is continuing to increase and most of the jump is in elementary grades.

Superintendent Rick Myles noted there had been an increase of 150 students in the last three year. That will bring total enrollment in Scottsbluff this fall to an estimated 3,050 students.

Myles says the biggest increase is in elementary grades. He says the district’s pre-school program also is growing, with a doubling of its enrollment to 90 students this year.

The district will see 30 new teachers starting this year.

(AP) — Nebraska’s state tree, the cottonwood, may struggle to thrive in the Cornhusker state.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension forester Dennis Adams says the cottonwood is threatened by several factors in the state.

The cottonwood needs bare mineral soil to regenerate, and that is common after flooding. Adams says modern flood control efforts make it harder for the trees to reproduce.

Adams says cottonwoods can also be damaged by livestock grazing and by herbicides used in nearby farm fields.

(AP) — Experts say homeowners should keep their pets in mind when they plan landscaping projects.

Kim Todd, University of Nebraska-Lincoln associate professor in agronomy, says homeowners can create hazards for pets with landscaping.

Todd says dog owners should provide turf for their pets to run around and play in.

Todd warned about mulching gardens with cocoa bean mulch, as cocoa beans can be unhealthy for animals.

And certain plans can be toxic if they are ingested, so homeowners should make sure whatever they plant is safe.

Homeowners should also be careful with herbicides and follow directions.

 

• Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. North northeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
• Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
• Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Light east southeast wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning.
• Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. East southeast wind 6 to 9 mph.