LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — One of Nebraska’s largest insurers is going strong 125 years after it was formed by a group of 22 farmers.
Farmers Mutual of Nebraska was launched in 1891 and for the first 107 years, it wrote policies only in the state. Today the company has since branched out into South Dakota. It is the largest insurer of farms in both states, and the largest Nebraska-based property insurer.
Mark Walz, chairman, president and CEO of the longtime insurer, says the company has weathered some challenges, including persistently low interest rates. A set of damaging hailstorms in May also led to the payout of $48 million in claims.
Still, the company continues to grow. Walz says the number of polices are up alongside revenue. It’s also added employees.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — More than a dozen new Nebraska laws will take effect at the start of 2017, including ones meant to help people who have been acquitted of crimes and help the widowed spouses of veterans.
The second phase of a gasoline tax increase is also set to take effect. Beginning Sunday, motorists will pay an additional 1.5 cents per gallon. The law passed in 2015 is gradually increasing the state’s fuel tax rate over four years.
Nebraska will seal criminal records in cases where a person is acquitted of charges or successfully completes a drug court program. Once the records are sealed, the person affected doesn’t have to disclose the old charges when applying for a job, a license, or to enroll in college.
FUNK, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service says it’s confirmed two more Christmas Day tornadoes in south-central Nebraska.
The service said in a news release Friday that additional survey reports of damage showed an EF0 tornado with winds estimated at 75 mph struck 7 miles southeast of Minden at 12:17 p.m. and lifted two minutes later. The third twister struck a point 4.4 miles west-northwest of Gibbon at 12:24 p.m. and lifted after four minutes.
The service had already reported a twister with 100 mph winds touched down about 2.8 miles south of Funk and lifted three minutes later.
The three caused minor damage but no injuries.
The service says the tornadoes are the latest confirmed Nebraska occurrences in a calendar year since 1950 and the first December tornado since Dec. 13, 1975.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new policy designed to allow farmers to take land out of a conservation program early if it is to be transferred to the next generation of farmers.
Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Lanon Baccam says beginning Jan. 9, the USDA will offer an early termination opportunity for certain Conservation Reserve Program contracts.
Baccam made the announcement at the Joe Dunn farm in central Iowa near Carlisle. Dunn is the father-in-law to Iowa native and former U.S. Marine Aaron White, who with his wife, are prospective next generation farmers.
Baccam says the chance to give young farmers a better opportunity to succeed makes perfect sense.
Normally, early termination of a CRP contract requires repayment of all previous payments plus interest. The new policy waives this repayment if the land is transferred to a beginning farmer or rancher.
HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — Eight Nebraska teenagers are facing theft charges because police say they worked together to steal more than $1,700 in merchandise from the Wal-Mart where they worked as cashiers.
Tickets were handed out to the suspects after a Hastings Police detective spent Wednesday at the store.
Hastings Police Sgt. Brian Hessler says the teens would go to a checkout line manned by one of the other people in the group, and that cashier would either void the item or just pretend to scan it.
A Wal-Mart spokeswoman says all eight teens were fired after the investigation.
The suspects include an 18-year-old woman, an 18-year-old man, four 17-year-old boys and two 17-year-old girls. All are from Hastings.
People in relationships argue from time to time, but doing it while you’re standing beside a stolen vehicle is probably not a good idea.
On December 27, at around 1:44 p.m., officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the Mentzer Oil gas station, 3002 South Jeffers Street, after receiving a report of a male and female arguing outside of a white van with Colorado plates.
An officer arrived and observed a white van in the parking lot of the gas station. A female, later identified as 25-year-old Casey Williams, was in the driver’s seat and a male, later identified as 25-year-old James Dotts, was in the passenger’s seat.
According to Investigator John Deal, as the officer stopped and started to exit his vehicle, Williams took off and drove around the patrol car.
A second officer was just pulling into the lot, but Williams was able to swerve around him and continue onto Eugene Avenue. Deal says Williams blew a red light at Eugene and US Highway 83, then headed southbound on Highway 83, reaching speeds of around 80 mph.
When the van approached Fremont Drive, Deal says Williams attempted to make a u-turn and head northbound, but she was traveling too fast and skidded across the northbound lanes and into the east ditch.
But, Williams wasn’t ready to give up yet.
Deal says Williams intentionally drove through a fence and continued to attempt to elude officers. But they wouldn’t make it far. Deal says Williams ran into an embankment and became stalled.
Williams and Dotts both exited the vehicle and attempted to flee, but were soon apprehended and taken into custody without further incident.
At first, Deal says neither subject was cooperative and would not identify themselves. Therefore, officers ran their fingerprints and learned that Williams had a felony warrant out of New Mexico for burglary, and Dotts had five active New Mexico warrants, including one for aggravated burglary.
Further investigation revealed that the van had been stolen from New Mexico, and the plates had been stolen from Colorado.
A search of the vehicle yielded numerous property and identifications belonging to other people. Deal says officers believe this property is all stolen, but additional follow-up is needed.
Officers also recovered a handgun that was confirmed as stolen from New Mexico and two shotguns which were shorter than 18 inches, which is a violation of Nebraska law.
The duo was placed under arrest and transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center. In addition to the warrants, Williams and Dotts were both charged with felony possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of prohibited weapons. Williams was also charged with willful reckless driving, flight to avoid arrest and criminal mischief.
The investigation is ongoing and Deal says additional charges could be forthcoming.
FUNK, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down briefly in south-central Nebraska on Christmas Day.
The service said Wednesday that the EF1 twister carried peak winds of an estimated 100 mph and touched down at 11:50 a.m. Sunday about 2.8 miles south of Funk and lifted three minutes later.
No injuries have been reported. The service says the tornado damaged at least six power poles and four center pivot irrigation systems.
The service says the tornado is the latest confirmed Nebraska occurrence in a calendar year since 1950 and the first December tornado since Dec. 13, 1975.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is kicking off its 150th anniversary with four new initiatives to promote volunteerism, fitness, a sense of history and knowledge about the state.
Nebraska’s first lady, Susanne Shore, unveiled the programs Wednesday with Gov. Pete Ricketts and organizers.
The Nebraska Impact initiative encourages residents to volunteer at least 150 hours next year and track their progress online.
The Nebraska 150 Challenge is a web-based fitness program that challenges residents to walk, run, bike or swim at least 150 miles in 2017.
The Now You Know Nebraska program is a series of 174 short online videos with snippets of interesting facts about the state.
The I Am Nebraska initiative is an effort to collect oral histories of Nebraska.
Nebraska became the nation’s 37th state on March 1, 1867.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — One of Nebraska’s largest insurers is going strong 125 years after it was formed by a group of 22 farmers.
