So far one person is reported dead after a fatal crash west bound on interstate 80 that occurred Sunday morning around 4:20 am.

The crash involved multiple vehicles including semis. According to the website accidentin.com the crash involved semis and other vehicles producing black smoke and flames as a result of the crash.

The crash caused a closure of the interstate’s westbound lanes four miles west of Sidney, traffic was directed onto U.S Highway 30.

Emergency responders were on scene until 7am handling the situation.

 

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Fishermen who enjoy fishing at the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge will be pleased to know that improvements are being made to the boating ramps!

Beginning Tuesday and set to be finished by November, boat ramps at Hackberry, Clear, West long, and Pelican lakes will have new concrete ramps with steel docks alongside the ramps. The new docks will accommodate the changing water levels.

While construction of the new ramps is in progress all lakes other than Clear lake have ramps to use until the new docks and ramps are finished.

If you need more information call the refuge at 402-376-1889.

Today: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Breezy, with a south wind 13 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 95. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable.

Update: 9/10:  The search for the missing Larry Sack continues.

The search of the Nebraska Public Power District canal was completed on Friday near 5:00pm with no signs of Sack in the six miles dive teams searched.

Dive teams have begun to search the Sutherland Reservoir Inlet, as well as bridges along the canal.

Over the weekend search teams continued the search allowing volunteers to join the search.

Air-crafts and water-crafts are still being utilized in the search.

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The missing 61-year-old man, Larry Sack of North Platte, was first reported missing on September 4^th by his family after he failed to appear at a family event. Family found his pickup near the Nebraska Public Power District Canal and the search began.

Three days into the search Sack has not yet been located. On September 7^th the search continues.

On September 6^th the search was put on hold at 9:00PM.

The volunteer search teams have so far searched 4 miles of the canal with only 2.5 miles left to search. If Sack is not found within the next 2.5 miles divers will begin to search the Sutherland Reservoir Inlet.

Chief Deputy of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Roland L. Kramer says Nebraska Game and Parks Officers and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies are deploying watercraft to search the Reservoir and Inlet area today.

Officials believe that Sack has been submerged in the water for about six days and they hope to find him soon.

Roland Kramer also says that Sutherland and Paxton rescue workers have done a fantastic job in the search, they may receive mutual aid from Buffalo and Scottsbluff County Dive teams today.   Additional search continues with the Nebraska State Patrol Aircraft Unit as well.

Every year the town of Cozad holds a fun community oriented celebration featuring a parade, fun events including Classic Country Music Jam, Prize Drawing and the kids favorite..a carnival!

Hay Days is a three day celebration that began Thursday September 6th and heats up with each day until close up late Saturday night.

In an interview with Cozad Chamber Of Commerce Member Sandy Bappe she talked about how the carnival ride tickets have an entry to win a bicycle from the Cozad Jaycees!

Hay Days is an event that brings the community together, Bappe mentioned that it’s a time of year when many college students come to to reconnect with friends and family, and a great time for grandparents and parents to get out and experience Cozad with the kids.

Listen to the full interview with Sandy Bappe on Hay Days 2012 

Apologies to the fire crews from Purdum and Halsey Fire Departments who were missed in earlier acknowledgements.  A well-deserved “Thanks” is extended to all of the departments and individuals who have participated in this incident.

The Wellnitz Fire has been contained; however fire crews are continuing to patrol the area around the fire perimeter.

 

Although often mistaken as a National Fire Team, the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team (RMAIMT) is an interagency regional team that responds to fires at the request of the State of Nebraska or other jurisdictions within the Rocky Mountain Area.  Their purpose is to provide additional resources not available locally.  They work in cooperation with State and Local Agencies and return control of the incident to local jurisdictions as soon as possible.  This fire has officially been released back to State and Local Agencies.

 

The communities and local individuals whose property has been impacted by the fire are in the beginning stages of the long process of recovery.  One of the key questions asked is, “What do I do now?”

 

There are fire losses in two categories with the Wellnitz Fire and they include: agricultural losses and non-agricultural losses.

 

The Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) in Rushville is asking individuals within the fire zone to contact them with agricultural damages to assist in determining assessment needs related to the Wellnitz Fire.

 

Items which need to be addressed with NRCS are:

·       Field Windbreaks that were damaged

·       Were field windbreaks covered by cost share?

·       Acres of Pasture/Grass lost

·       Livestock lost

·       Livestock water facilities lost/impacted

·       Specifically identified erosion issues

·       Possible reseeding of fire lines

 

The NRCS can be contacted by phone at 308-327-2489, or by visiting their local office on the east side of Main Street in Rushville. Please note that fire damaged buildings will not be included in information requested by NRCS.

 

As previously noted, this is not a federal fire; however, the following 10 point checklist from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s United States Fire Administration serves as a quick reference guide for fire recovery that is detailed to assist with non-agricultural losses.

1. Contact your local disaster relief service, such as the Red Cross, if you need temporary housing, food and medicines.
2. If you are insured, contact your insurance company for detailed instructions on protecting the property, conducting inventory and contacting fire damage restoration companies. If you are not insured, try contacting private organizations for aid and assistance.
3. Check with the fire department to make sure your residence is safe to enter. Be watchful of any structural damage caused by the fire.
4. The fire department should see that utilities are either safe to use or are disconnected before they leave the site. DO NOT attempt to reconnect utilities yourself.
5. Conduct an inventory of damaged property and items. Do not throw away any damaged goods until after an inventory is made.
6. Try to locate valuable documents and records. Refer to information on contacts and the replacement process inside this brochure.
7. If you leave your home, contact the local police department to let them know the site will be unoccupied.
8. Begin saving receipts for any money you spend related to fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and for verifying losses claimed on income tax.
9. Notify your mortgage company of the fire.
10. Check with an accountant or the Internal Revenue Service about special benefits for people recovering from fire loss.

Information detailing specific information on fire recovery may be found on the web at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/atf/.

The drought in the Midwest is causing problems of many cases. Now a disease that is fatal to deer is being detected in Nebraskan cattle.

The name of the disease is Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, or EHD spread from biting gnats causing internal bleeding. State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes has so far confirmed nine cases. In Illinois more than 700 deer have been killed from the disease this summer.

To spread EHD a biting gnat has to bite an infected deer then bite cattle. Symptoms of EHD include swollen eyes, ulcers on the mouth, lameness, fever, and labored breathing. If you notice any symptoms call your veterinarian.

Outbreaks of EHD typically end with the first frost that kills most insects.

Today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 78. North wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. North wind 12 to 17 mph becoming light and variable in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 84. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

A power outage was the case earlier this week, but today have no worries because it’s planned by Dawson Public Power District in Lincoln County, so that maintenance can be done to some power lines.

Around 65  residents will be affected south of North Platte and east of U.S. Highway 83.

The power outage will be in the Friday September 14th  from 12p-3P.