LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials say Nebraska’s composite ACT score for 2017 remained unchanged from the 2016 figure.

The scores released Wednesday by the Iowa City, Iowa-based ACT show Nebraska’s 2017 high school graduates scored a composite 21.4 — higher than the national average of 21 out of the 36 possible.

The college entrance exam has English, math, reading and science reasoning sections. ACT measures college readiness by whether students hit benchmark scores in the four sections. ACT says just 28 percent of Nebraska students met the benchmarks in all four areas, compared with 27 percent nationally.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska system president says the system’s failure to reach a “conservative estimate” on enrollment growth shouldn’t further affect the university’s budget-cutting process.

University administrators had planned to cut $30 million in costs over the next two years, while also raising tuition to generate additional revenue. The cuts come as the system tries to close a $49 million budget shortfall created by a loss of state appropriations.

The plan had depended on an estimate of 1 percent enrollment growth across the university system.

The system’s total enrollment grew by 0.3 percent this year, putting enrollment at about 52,500 students.

President Hank Bounds says the system won’t be forced to make additional cuts or enact emergency tuition increases.

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has chosen a Port of San Diego police official to lead the Nebraska State Patrol, an agency plagued by allegations that it mishandled internal investigations.

Ricketts on Thursday announced that he has picked Harbor Police Department Chief John Bolduc as the patrol’s new superintendent.

Bolduc will replace former Col. Brad Rice, whom Ricketts fired on June 30 after learning about alleged impropriety within the agency.

The 52-year-old Bolduc currently oversees a department with 170 team members and a $38 million annual budget. The department is an independent public agency that serves San Diego Bay.

He previously served as a police chief in Brainerd and Mora, Minnesota.

Bolduc will formally begin his new duties on Oct. 16. He will earn $150,000 a year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has appointed 11 members to the Nebraska Tourism Commission as part of a legislative reshuffling.

The appointees announced Thursday are Roger Dixon of Omaha, John Chapo of Lincoln, Jeanna Stavas of Nebraska City, Roger Kuhn of Ashland, Darrin Barner of Laurel, Debra Nelson-Loseke of Columbus, Ashley Olson of Red Cloud, Roger Jasnoch of Kearney, Sarah Sortum of Burwell, Barry McFarland of Lexington and Starr Lehl of Minatare.

A law passed earlier this year expanded the commission from nine members to 11. Four are required to have professional, volunteer or public service experience related to the commission’s duties. Seven must be affiliated with the tourism industry.

A set of gates used for water stabilization by Nebraska Public Power District on the Sutherland Canal near Hershey will be replaced beginning in October. With that work being done, water levels along the canal and at Lake Maloney will gradually lower during the month of September.

The mid-1950’s era gates are being replaced due to their age and condition, as part of NPPD’s maintenance on the Sutherland Canal. The work will reduce inflows through the canal into Lake Maloney, where lake level are expected to drop about four feet from normal by the end of the month.

At the end of September, there will be no inflows coming through the canal into the lake until work on the gates are completed.

“The gate replacement project is scheduled to be completed by late October or early November,” said NPPD’s Land Management Coordinator Brian Hope. “This work is a major undertaking and the completion date will rely on many factors, including weather conditions,” Hope added that once work is completed, inflows to the lake will begin at a slow pace with gradual increases over several weeks. Once normal operating levels are reached at Lake Maloney, the hydro will begin generating and NPPD will resume its standard operations of the lake.

“When we reduce inflows into the lake from the canal system for maintenance work, various locations may see areas where fish are trapped and may die,” Hope explained. NPPD works with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission which will issue salvage permits for the public to recover those fish.

Salvage permits can be obtained from the Nebraska Game and Parks offices located at 301 East State Farm Road in North Platte or contact that office at 308-535-8025.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Game and Parks officials ask that visitors to Nebraska’s state parks and recreation areas refrain from hiding painted rocks so others may find and re-hide them.

The practice of hiding rocks with painted messages is becoming more common at state and national parks across the United States, including in Nebraska. Placing rocks in parks distracts from an area’s natural beauty,” said Jim Swenson, state parks administrator for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Additionally, the practice of hiding rocks violates a state park regulation that prohibits guests from removing, defacing or disturbing elements of a state park’s natural landscape.

“Nebraska state parks provide natural settings in the state’s most scenic and unique areas,” Swenson said. “For many visitors to these areas, encountering painted rocks diminishes the land’s beauty and the experience of being in nature.”

Officials at many other state and national parks across the United States have also asked park guests to refrain from hiding painted rocks.

Swenson encourages park visitors instead to explore Nebraska’s park areas by hiking, watching wildlife, photographing their beautiful surroundings or participating in scheduled park activities including crafts, guided wildlife hikes, holiday activities, naturalist programs and much more. Scheduled park activities are listed at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.

A 26-year-old North Platte man is facing sexual assault charges after police say he engaged in sex acts with two minor females.

On August 25, North Platte police received information that Tim Scholar had been involved in a prior sexual relationship with two females under the age of 16.

Investigator John Deal says officers viewed text messages between Scholar and victims which led them to believe that some type of sexual contact had occurred between Scholar and the girls who were around 13 and 14-years-old at the time of the incident.

According to Deal, both females were interviewed at the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center and, as a result of the interviews, police learned that Scholar had allegedly had oral sex with one of the victims and had digitally penetrated the other.

Scholar was located by police on September 6 at a residence in the 400 block of South Bailey Avenue.

He was placed under arrest and jailed charged with two counts of 1st-degree sexual assault.

According to jail records, Scholar is being held without bail.

Nebraska law prohibits anyone 19-years-old or older from engaging in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 16.

Mulitple people are facing charges after a pursuit in North Platte.

On September 5, at around 4:37 p.m., officers received information that Edward Hagert was in a white vehicle parked at Patriot Mobile Home Park, 2300 East Philip. Hagert had active warrants for distribution of a controlled substance and a probation violation.

Officers arrived on the scene and observed a white Hyundai Elantra, which was registered to one of Hagert’s family members, leaving the area at a high rate of speed.

Officers pursued the vehicle which eventually went south on Tabor Street from E Street, then to Philip Avenue where it turned west.

Investigator John Deal says the vehicle then went south on Poplar Street where it came to the intersection of Francis Street and turned east. Deal says the road is currently under construction and is a dead end that is being extended to Tabor Street. The vehicle went through the barricades and eventually ended up on Tabor Street where officers were waiting.

Officers observed the vehicle drive into the parking lot of Prairie View Townhouses, 1100 South Tabor. Officers approached the vehicle and found that it was unoccupied, a handgun was laying in the seat.

The area was secured and officers spoke to several people in the area and determined that the driver of the vehicle had entered apartment 1115.

Officers made contact with Stephanie Martinez and Amy Peck who were inside the apartment. A male subject, identified as Derick Wright, was observed laying on a couch inside the apartment.  Deal says Wright fit the description of the vehicle’s driver.

Wright was taken into custody and Deal says he gave several different stories on how he had gotten to the apartment and why he was there.

When asked if Hagert was inside, Deal says Peck and Martinez repeatedly denied it.  They allow denied consent to search the apartment.

Officers say it became apparent that Hagert was inside, and an officer began yelling for him to come out.  Eventually, Hagert appeared from upstairs and was taken into custody without further incident.

Deal says all the subject were interviewed and gave varying accounts of what happened.

In the end, Wright was charged with harboring a fugitive and possession of a defaced firearm, Hagert was arrested on the warrants and charged with possession of a defaced firearm and Martinez and Peck were both charged with harboring a fugitive.

Additional charges could be filed pending further investigation. Deal says some drug items were seized and have been sent for testing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol Troop C – Grand Island removed three impaired drivers from the road during a special enforcement focused on
specific dates of the Nebraska State Fair.

The enforcement ran August 25-26 and September 1-3 in the Hall County area, covering some of the biggest
concerts dates for the State Fair. The enforcement included vehicle checks and saturation patrols.

“The Nebraska State Fair was a great success this year,” said Captain Jeromy McCoy, Commander Troop C – Grand Island. “We want to thank the drivers who attended the fair and were responsible.”

In addition to the three drivers arrested for Driving Under the Influence, NSP issued citations for Speeding (10), Minor in Possession (2), Open Container (1), Driving Under Suspension (2), No Seat Belt (6), and Improper Child Safety Restraint (1). Troopers also arrested one person for Drug Possession and apprehended one fugitive. NSP also assisted two motorists in need of help.

The special enforcement was made possible thanks in part to a grant for $2,550 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.

For the second straight year, enrollment at the University of Nebraska has reached an all-time high, marking continued success in the university’s efforts to expand access to education and build a skilled workforce for the state.

Enrollment figures were announced today by NU President Hank Bounds. Headcount enrollment at NU’s four campuses and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture this fall is 52,679, a 0.3 percent increase over last year’s record high of 52,516.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska Medical Center each have record enrollments this year, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska at Omaha both have their largest-ever incoming freshman classes. Among other highlights, the university also continues to achieve new milestones in diversity; the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s student body is its most diverse in history, almost one-third of UNO’s incoming undergraduate class comes from underrepresented groups, and 44 percent of UNO undergraduates are the first in their families to go to college.

“When the University of Nebraska grows, so does the state,” Bounds said. “I’m proud that we’re celebrating back-to-back enrollment records, because it means we’re continuing to serve Nebraskans effectively through affordable, outstanding education.

“Enrollment growth means more students and families recognize the value and quality we provide. And it means we’re doing more to educate Nebraska’s future workforce. I’m excited about our potential to attract an even higher number of students to the University of Nebraska so that we expand our impact and continue to grow this state.”

Bounds noted that the university already is a key driver of workforce development for Nebraska, producing close to 11,000 graduates each year in health care, agriculture, business, education and other areas. Today one of every 7 working-age Nebraskans holds a University of Nebraska degree.

Continued growth will be critical, particularly given that more than 70 percent of all jobs in Nebraska will soon require education beyond high school. Growth among underrepresented students, nonresidents, and students who learn via distance all will be areas of focus as the university seeks to expand access and grow Nebraska’s talent base.

Bounds thanked Nebraska policymakers for their long history of making affordable, quality higher education a priority. A stable base of state support has allowed the university to keep tuition affordable for students and families while also maintaining the high quality of its academic programs. Currently each NU institution represents a tremendous value compared to peers, and NU students graduate with lower debt loads than students at similar institutions.

The University of Nebraska’s fall 2017 enrollment figures are as follows:

University-wide enrollment totals

• Undergraduate students: 39,599 (0.1 percent decrease)
• First-time freshmen: 7,914 (0.3 percent decrease)
• Graduate students: 9,989 (1.6 percent increase)
• Professional students: 3,091 (1.7 percent increase)
• Total enrollment including NCTA: 52,679 (0.3 percent increase)

Campus enrollment totals

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: 26,079 (0.7 percent increase)
• University of Nebraska at Omaha: 15,730 (0.7 percent increase)
• University of Nebraska at Kearney: 6,644 (2.1 percent decrease)
• University of Nebraska Medical Center: 3,908 (1.2 percent increase)
• Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture: 317 (7.3 percent decrease)

A chart containing a full summary of enrollment data is attached. Figures are based on a student census taken on the sixth day of classes.