Deputies say a North Platte man was struck by a vehicle during a domestic disturbance at a Lake Maloney campground.

On August 27, at around 8:00 p.m., Lincoln County deputies were called to the Kansas Point camping area at the Lake Maloney Inlet after it was reported that a man had been struck by a pickup.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the man, identified as 46-year-old James Branam, had been involved in a domestic dispute with his wife, 56-year-old Tina Branam., both of North Platte.

Deputies say when the Tina went to leave, James grabbed the passenger side of the vehicle and was drug down the gravel road and was eventually run over by the vehicle’s rear tire.

James was transported to Great Plains Health for treatment. The severity of his injuries is unknown at the time.

The investigation is ongoing but, at this point, no charges have been filed. It is believed that alcohol was a factor in the incident.

 

Mid-Plains Community College is one of the Top 10 community colleges in the nation.

That’s according to SmartAsset, a financial technology company that provides transparent, automated and accurate advice on big personal finance decisions.

SmartAsset recently conducted a study to determine the best community colleges in the nation, and MPCC ranked seventh out of the 808 schools analyzed. It was the only college in Nebraska to make the Top 10 list.

“Mid-Plains Community College’s mission is transforming lives through exceptional learning opportunities for individual student success,” said MPCC President Ryan Purdy. “This recognition demonstrates that we are meeting this mission, while staying true to the value of being accessible and affordable.”

Information for the study came from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Results were based on comparisons of the following factors: student-to-faculty ratio, cost of tuition and fees and graduation and transfer rates.

“According to our data, Mid-Plains Community College is a great option for students who appreciate a lot of one-on-one time with teachers and faculty,” said Kara Gibson, public relations associate at SmartAsset. “MPCC has a faculty-to-student ratio of nine, which ties for the second-lowest rate in the Top 10. In addition, MPCC should be affordable for most students as annual in-state tuition and fees run up a relatively low bill of around $2,900.”

More information about the study can be found at: https://smartasset.com/student-loans/best-community-colleges-2017.

More information about MPCC and programs it offers is available at mpcc.edu.

TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a 57-year-old man who’d been serving murder and other sentences at a state prison in southeast Nebraska.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services says Ronald Fort died around 10:20 p.m. Tuesday at Johnson County Hospital in Tecumseh. Officials say Fort was in his Tecumseh prison cell when a medical incident occurred, so he was taken to the hospital.

The department says Fort had been serving a combined sentence of nearly 32 years for convictions on second-degree murder, manslaughter and a weapons crime.

Under state law, a grand jury conducts an investigation whenever anyone dies in custody or while being arrested.

GIBBON, Neb. (AP) — Cargill plans to invest $18 million in upgrades to one of its Nebraska grain elevators near Gibbon.

The project will significantly expand the capacity of the grain elevator and increase the speed at which grain trucks can be unloaded.

Cargill officials say the grain elevator will be able to hold 2.7 million bushels of grain once the project is completed in 2019. That’s up from the current capacity of 700,000 bushels.

The elevator will also be able to unload 65,000 bushels per hour. That’s up from the current 25,000 bushels per hour.

The elevator will remain open while the work is being done.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A former mental health practitioner at the state youth treatment center in Kearney has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and four years of probation for having sexual contact with a teen at the center.

29-year-old Samantha Halstead, of Pleasanton, was sentenced Friday in Buffalo County District Court. She pleaded no contest in July to second-degree sexual abuse involving a teen at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center.

Court records show Halstead was investigated for sexual contact with an 18-year-old male being treated at the center. Buffalo County Attorney Shawn Eatherton told the Hub she had sexual contact with the teen in her office at the center.

State law bars prison or detention center employees from having sex with anyone in custody.

BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — A western Nebraska woman has pleaded not guilty to embezzling about $32,000 from the former Sargent convenience store where she had worked.

36-year-old Cynthia Lowry entered the plea Thursday in Custer County District Court to a count of felony theft.

Court records say Lowry “cooked” several accounts for the Whoa N’ Go in Sargent from January through July 25 last year.

Her jury trial has been set for Feb. 12.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Scientists are working to get a better understanding of what causes toxic algae to flourish in some lakes.

The Environmental Protection Agency says it will work with state officials in Nebraska and Kansas to identify sources of water pollution and assess the toxic algae blooms.

When algae flares up in lakes, health officials restrict access because contact with the water can cause illness.

The EPA says it can be challenging for environmental managers to monitor sources of E. coli and algae blooms.

The research will use an advanced monitoring technology to find sources of fecal contamination in rivers and streams in Nebraska.

In Kansas, researchers will work to identify the species of bacteria that produce toxins and promote algae blooms.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Dove hunting season is set to begin next month in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says hunters can hunt doves from Sept. 1-Oct. 31, with daily bag and possession limits of 15 and 45, respectively.

Shooting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. The commission says bag limits are for mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared doves in aggregate.

Nebraska residents 16 years old and older and all nonresidents are required to get a valid Nebraska small game hunting permit, habitat stamp and Harvest Information Program number. HIP numbers are free online at OutdoorNebraska.gov/hip or at any Game and Parks office.

MORRILL, Neb. (AP) — Western Nebraska sheriff’s officials are investigating after a body was found in a burning vehicle near Morrill.

The Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that firefighters responding Friday night to a burning vehicle in a field about three miles south of Morrill found a body inside once they had extinguished the flames.

Sheriff’s investigators say the identity of the body has not been confirmed.

Officials say the vehicle has been removed to a secure indoor facility and that the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office is helping in the investigation.

Authorities say they also have been in contact with the family of a person from Morrill who was reported missing Saturday morning.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — After years of failed efforts to reduce overcrowding in Nebraska’s prisons, some lawmakers say a recent federal lawsuit may be the only way to force state officials to fix the problem.

The lawsuit filed by civil liberties groups didn’t surprise senators or other state officials, who were repeatedly warned they could face legal action if they didn’t address the issue themselves.

Nebraska lawmakers and Gov. Pete Ricketts have worked with national consultants and passed several laws designed to lessen the crowding, but the problem has persisted.

Some lawmakers say the state still isn’t spending enough to address a lack of prison mental health services to keep inmates from reoffending, and they doubt anything will change in next year’s session.