LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says rooster pheasants were released at several wildlife management areas before special youth hunts this weekend.
The birds were released at 14 wildlife management areas before the hunts Saturday and Sunday. Special regulations are posted at each of the 14.
The 14 include those in Custer, Sherman, Madison, Lancaster, Johnson, Platte, Nemaha, Hall, Gage and Cass counties.
Adult mentors must be licensed hunters age 19 or older to accompany youths.
For more information may be found online at outdoornebraska.gov.
As a reminder: According to North Platte City Ordinance § 76.21 Parking of Boats and Trailers. “During the months of November, December, January, February and March of every calendar year, it shall be unlawful for any person owning or being in custody or control of the boat or trailer to park or leave standing on the streets of the city any boat, boat trailer, pontoon or pontoon trailer, except for the purposes of loading and unloading, and then only for the length of time necessary to load or unload the boat or trailer.”
Also: Vehicles parked on city streets need to be at least 30 feet away from stop signs and 15 feet away from crosswalks. There is also a 72 hour maximum time limit when parking on city streets unless otherwise posted.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says Nebraska’s unemployment rate remained stable at 3.2 percent in September, matching the August figure.
The Nebraska Labor Department said in the report issued Friday that the preliminary September rate remained well below the preliminary national unemployment rate of 5 percent. The national rate rose a tenth from the August rate of 4.9 percent but came in a tenth of point under the 5.1 percent recorded for September 2015.
Nebraska Labor Commissioner John Albin says the state’s nonfarm employment rose in September, citing the start of the school year as “a big employment driver.”
The U.S. Labor Department says only New Hampshire’s and South Dakota’s preliminary rates of 2.9 percent and North Dakota’s 3 percent were lower in September than Nebraska’s rate.
SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the first-degree murder conviction of a man for killing a 30-year-old Sidney woman.
Larry Martinez was sentenced to life in prison for the murder charge, as well as 10 to 50 years in prison for a gun count in the July 2012 shooting death of Mandy Kershman, whom he had been dating. Prosecutors say Martinez shot Kershman over a text message she had sent him.
In his appeal, Martinez argued that the trial court erred by denying a motion to suppress statements he made to police. He also said he should not have been found competent to stand trial and that instructions to the jury were flawed.
The high court on Friday found all of Martinez’s arguments were without merit.
The Post has confirmed through family that the fire claimed the lives of a family of six.
Killed in the tragedy were Michelle Collins Speer, her husband Mike and their four daughters, Elli, Adilynn, Emma and Anniston.
Michelle is a 1998 graduate of North Platte High School. The oldest child, Elli, 11, was also the daughter of 1997 NPHS graduate James Perez.
Our prayers are with the family.
NEHAWKA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say a fire in rural southeastern Nebraska has left more than one person dead, but say they are unable to yet determine how many have been killed.
The Nebraska Fire Marshal’s Office says firefighters were called shortly after midnight Wednesday to a house near the village of Nehawka in Cass County by a neighbor. The neighbor reported a fire with people still inside the home.
The Fire Marshal’s Office says its investigators were still on the scene Thursday afternoon, noting there have been “multiple fire fatalities,” but can’t confirm a specific number. Investigators have ordered autopsies to identify remains as they are found.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney are helping with the investigation. Both of those departments referred questions Thursday to the Fire Marshal’s Office.
YORK, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a staff member was attacked by an inmate at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York.
The Nebraska Correctional Services Department says the staffer deflected an attempted blow Wednesday from the prisoner, who was wielding a handmade weapon. The inmate then grabbed the staffer’s hair and made contact with the staffer’s face before other staff members could stop the assault.
The staff member was treated for minor injuries.
The department says the names of those involved won’t be released. Results of an investigation will be given to the York County attorney for a decision about prosecution.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska wants two Nebraska law enforcement agencies to suspend the use of facial recognition technology in their investigations until lawmakers and the public can weigh in on the practice.
A recent report from Georgetown University about the technology’s use includes the Lincoln Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol. The two agencies access the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles’ system for facial recognition.
The ACLU of Nebraska says more public vetting is needed to prevent misuse and abuse of the technology.
Lincoln public safety director Tom Casady says facial recognition technology is an efficient tool for identity theft investigations, and there are restrictions in place to allow its use by only a few investigators from each law enforcement agency.
The state patrol says it’s reviewing the university’s report.
CULBERTSON, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say four firefighters have been injured battling a field blaze in southwest Nebraska.
Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department firefighter Billie Cole said one of the four was treated at Community Hospital in McCook for burns on his face and arms. She says the other three suffered lesser burns and were not hospitalized.
The department had joined the Culbertson department in fighting the fire Monday. Officials say the wind kicked up and spread flames from a burning pile of rotten lumber at a farmstead demolition project northwest of Culbertson.
Culbertson Fire Chief Rich Sensel says the blaze blackened nearly 260 acres of corn stubble, conservation land and trees. Nearly 60 firefighters responded.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says rooster pheasants were released at several wildlife management areas before special youth hunts this weekend.
