(AP) — An industry research firm says Americans are keeping their cars and trucks longer than ever.

Even with new car sales increasing, the average age is expected to continue to rise.

The latest figures available from state registration data gathered by the Polk research firm show the average age of the 247 million cars and trucks on U.S. roads hit a record of 11.4 years in January.

That’s up from 11.2 years in 2012, and nearly two full years older than in 2007, before the start of the Great Recession, Polk said Tuesday.

Polk says people are keeping their cars because the quality is better and they are trying to avoid the monthly payments. .

• Today: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 91. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.
• Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. North northeast wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. North northeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
• Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind 6 to 8 mph.

(AP) — A new report says it can be difficult to get a cavity filled in rural parts of Nebraska because more than half of the state’s 93 counties are short on dentists.

The Center for Health Policy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center says 20 counties don’t have any dentists and another 31 counties have only 1 or two dentists.

The shortage of dentists in rural parts of the state could get worse because 39 percent of Nebraska’s dentists are nearing retirement.

One of the report’s authors, Kim McFarland, says the state needs to figure out ways to encourage more dentists to set up shop in under served areas.

(AP) — Nebraskans with private water wells can have their drinking water tested for nitrates during the Scotts Bluff County Fair this week.

Those wanting to take advantage of the free testing are asked to bring a cup-size sample of water in a clean bottle to the Scotts Bluff County Health Department/Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services booth. The test is free.

The fair begins Tuesday and runs through Saturday.

Nitrates are a concern for infants under six months of age and pregnant women, as well as anyone who has a weakened immune system. High levels of nitrates interfere with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen and can cause “blue baby” syndrome.

Livestock are also susceptible to nitrate poisoning.

 

• Peter Paul Raffaeli Jr, 39, North Platte and Robin Traci Foran, 38, North Platte

 

• Edward Fontes Alves III, 44, Mason City NE and Crystal Ann Bitterman, 24, Mason City NE

 

• Jeremiah James Ray Kisner, 27, North Platte and Janet Gail Dewey, 47, North Platte

 

• Richard Leroy Perkins, 36, North Platte and Erin Nicole Rybolt, 37, North Platte

 

• Jerry Lee Riewe, 47, Brady NE and Stephanie Ann Larson, 41, Brady NE

 

• Johnny Earl Berg Jr, 26, North Platte and Tammy Louise Vieyra, 27, North Platte

 

• Michael Dudley Stroud, 31, North Platte and Chandra Marie Bang, 24, North Platte

(AP) — Lawmakers studying the state tax system will hear from property- and income-tax experts before they start traveling Nebraska for public input.

The Legislature’s Tax Modernization Committee will convene a work session on Tuesday. The panel is looking to create tax policy that’s fair, simple and stable, while helping Nebraska compete with other states. It will also explore how to keep the system adequate to pay for state services.

Georgia State University economists David Sjoquist and Sally Wallace say Nebraska’s personal and corporate income taxes are similar to those in other nearby states.

Renee Fry of the Lincoln-based OpenSky Policy Institute says lawmakers should consider increases to K-12 education funding, which could help local school districts lower their property tax rates.

(AP) — The Food Bank for the Heartland now has $110,000 more to work with to help make sure families in rural parts of Nebraska and Iowa get enough to eat.

The money will help feed about 2,000 families in the region over the next year.

A unit of ConAgra Foods sponsored a golf event last month that raised the money.

Bill Stoufer, president of ConAgra Mills, says organizing the event gives his team a chance to give back to the community.

ConAgra is based in Omaha and makes food brands such as Chef Boyardee, Orville Redenbacher and Marie Callender’s. It is also the largest maker of store-brand products.

 

(AP) — Colorado authorities are investigating what caused a two-vehicle collision that killed a Nebraska woman.

The Colorado State Patrol says the crash happened on U.S. 285 near Pine Junction on Thursday.

A car driven by 51-year-old Michelle Whyte crossed the center line of the highway and collided with a 2009 Kia Optima with four people inside. Whyte sustained life-threatening injuries.

In the Kia, 73-year-old Charlene Page of Broken Bow was killed. Her husband, 76-year-old Paul Page of Broken Bow, and her daughter, 54-year-old Rhonda Rodriguez of Thornton, Colo., both suffered life-threatening injuries. Sixty-year-old Francisco Rodriguez of Thornton was also hurt.

The current condition of everyone who was hurt wasn’t immediately available Sunday.

Investigators are checking whether texting, excessive speed and prescription drug use contributed to the crash.

(AP) — A calf from Hitchcock County has tested positive for rabies.

McCook veterinarian Cort Mohr said that tests on the calf came back positive last week.

Mohr says younger animals such as the calf are typically inquisitive and that it probably became infected with the virus when making contact with a skunk or raccoon.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says it’s the first confirmed case of rabies in the county for the year. The agency has confirmed 28 cases of rabies in Nebraska for 2013, with 10 skunks, six bovines, one llama, one horse, one dog, 3 three cats and four bats testing positive.

(AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has overturned a theft conviction for former Keith County Attorney Blake Edwards.

Edwards was accused of misappropriating money that came from fees for a county drug diversion program he had set up and controlled as the county’s top prosecutor. He was convicted last year of one count of theft and sentenced the three years of probation.

Both Edwards and the state appealed. The state argued Edwards’ sentence was too lenient. Edwards argued, among other things, that a jury instruction that said he “must prove all of the elements” of his defense or be found guilty erroneously put the burden of proof on him.

On Friday, the state’s high court agreed with Edwards, saying prosecutors carry the burden to prove all elements of the crime charged.