NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — United Express has announced it will begin daily non-stop service from North Platte to Denver on Feb. 1.

The company is a subsidiary of United Airlines and operated by SkyWest Airlines, which will also be serving Kearney and Scottsbluff.

North Platte Airport manager Mike Sharkey says the airline will be using a 50-seat regional jet. Tickets go on sale beginning Nov. 18.

A news release from the company says frequent flyer program rules on United Express flights adhere to United Airlines’ Mileage Plus program.

FRANKLIN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a 9-year-old boy killed in the crash of an all-terrain vehicle at a south-central Nebraska farm.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office says the crash occurred Friday evening. A news release says Ryan Molzahn was driving the ATV on his family’s farm near Naponee (NA’-poh-nee) when the vehicle rolled down a 70-foot embankment.

The boy was pronounced dead at Harlan County Hospital in Alma.

CHICAGO (AP) — Emergency rooms are where many patients are first introduced to powerful opioid painkillers, but what if doctors offered over-the-counter pills instead?

A new study tested that approach on patients with broken bones and sprains and found pain relievers sold as Tylenol and Motrin worked as well as opioids at reducing severe pain.

The results challenge common ER practice for treating short-term, severe pain and could prompt changes that would help prevent new patients from becoming addicted.

The study only looked at short-term pain relief and didn’t evaluate how patients managed their pain after leaving the hospital.

But given the scope of the U.S. opioid epidemic — more than 2 million Americans are addicted to opioid painkillers or heroin — experts say any dent in the problem could be meaningful.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker is concerned about the practice of ballot collection by third parties.

Volunteers have been stationed outside Millard Public Schools in Omaha to collect completed mail-in ballots for the levy override election ending Nov. 14. The vote involves an extra 9-cent property tax levy authority for the school board.

Volunteer organizers say the effort is aimed at boosting turnout.

Election officials say third-party ballot collection is legal in Nebraska. But Sen. Lou Ann Linehan says she’s concerned about the effort and has “no doubt” legislation will be introduced to address it.

A National Conference of State Legislatures report says at least 14 states have statutory limits on the collection and delivery of absentee or mail-in ballots by someone other than the voter.

Midwest Championship Fighting, Cervelle Consulting Services Inc. and the D&N Event Center are joining forces in Lincoln County and offering Suicide Prevention Training for the community. The three groups were brought together by the unfortunate death of Kyle MacDonald, brother of local MMA fighter Ryan “Main Event” MacDonald. MCF recently hosted an MMA event in honor of Kyle at the D&N Event Center.

QPR Training for Suicide Prevention will be offered free of charge to the public on the third Thursday of each month beginning November 16, 2017 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the D&N Event Center. People that attend the training will learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer (QPR) someone to help. Much like CPR or the Heimlich Maneuver, the fundamentals of QPR are easily learned, and the application may save a life. The training is being sponsored by a collaborative effort from Russ Jones and Midwest Championship Fighting, Brenda Petersen of Cervelle Consulting Services, and Tad Haneborg of the D&N Event Center in North Platte, Nebraska. The class will be taught at the D&N Event Center by Dr. Brenda R. Petersen, CEO of Cervelle Consulting. She is currently a certified master trainer and spokesperson for The National Council for Behavioral Health’s Mental Health First Aid and the QPR programs, traveling nationwide to build mental health literacy, helping the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of both mental illness, mental health crisis, both of which can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Dr. Petersen has personally trained the majority of local law enforcement officers in suicide awareness and prevention.

The November class will focus specifically on veteran suicides, and utilize methods specifically geared toward helping veterans and those close to them to recognize the signs and symptoms of suicidal ideology. Everyone is welcome to attend the November 16 class and learn how to help save a life from suicide. If you plan to attend, please call or email at 308.530.4747 or [email protected] by November 15th for the November class. Additional information on QPR can be found at: www.qprinstitute.com.

FRANKLIN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 9-year-old boy has been killed in the crash of an all-terrain vehicle at a south-central Nebraska farm.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office says the crash occurred Friday evening. The boy was pronounced dead at Harlan County Hospital.

Franklin County Attorney Henry Schenker said Monday that he couldn’t provide the boy’s name or any details about what happened at the family farm near Naponee (NA’-poh-nee). He says an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Prison officials say they thwarted a staff member’s recent attempt to smuggle contraband into the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

The Department of Correctional Services says 24-year-old Michael Miller was arrested Saturday on charges of bribery and unauthorized communication with an inmate. Miller was taken to the Lancaster County Jail.

The department says a search of Miller’s vehicle yielded packages of the chemical substance known as K2. Officials say Miller stated in an interview that he intended to bring the drug into the prison.

The department says Miller was hired at the prison in August 2016 as an officer and promoted to corporal in May. He is currently suspended without pay.

Online court records did not list an attorney for Miller.

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) have arrested three Florida men following a traffic stop near North Platte on Interstate 80. The stop occurred Sunday afternoon when an NSP Trooper stopped an eastbound black SUV for speeding near mile marker 173.

During the traffic stop, the Trooper detected the odor of marijuana and conducted a search of the vehicle. The search revealed a stolen handgun, 47 ID cards, 81 credit cards, six Social Security cards, and various other forms of identification.

Three men were arrested and lodged in the Lincoln County Jail for charges related to Possession of Marijuana, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Possession of Stolen IDs, and other charges.

The three men arrested were: Juan Carlos Souza, 25, Montague Rojon Jackson, 19, and Brandon Tavaris Davis, 32, all of Florida.

The Nebraska State Patrol urges all citizens to lock their vehicles when leaving them and to avoid leaving personal or monetary information unattended in vehicles whenever possible.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The annual campaign to sign Nebraska residents up for health insurance through the federal marketplace could hit more snags than usual this year under new Trump administration policies, and advocates say rural areas will be hardest-hit.

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act exchanges opened last week, but outreach groups that guide residents through the process will have far less time and money available for the job.

The Trump administration cut the groups’ funding, slashed the law’s advertising budget by 90 percent and shortened the open enrollment period by half. Enrollment opened on Wednesday and will end after Dec. 15.

Chante Truscott of Community Action of Nebraska says the changes will make it harder to sign up residents who need help with the process, especially those in rural areas.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Researchers at the University of Nebraska at Omaha are planning to study on a potential link between the stress correctional officers’ experience in prison and their long-term mental and physical health.

Two faculty members and two doctoral students from the university’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice are leading the study with a nearly $788,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice. The award is the largest ever received by the school.

Professor Benjamin Steiner and Assistant Professor Joseph Schwartz will measure stress among corrections officers working at three prisons in Minnesota. Schwartz says the study is breaking new and exciting ground.

Work on the study will begin in January 2018 and run through December 2020.