OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska education leaders are already analyzing results from the first wave of Nebraska teacher candidates to take national content tests to get their teaching certificates.
Nebraska was the second-to-last state in the country to adopt the tests, known collectively as Praxis II. More than 2,550 content tests were taken, fielding 40 endorsement areas such as chemistry to generalized endorsements such as elementary education.
Nebraska’s pass rate exceeded the national rate in 27 subjects. On the elementary education test, 726 tests were taken for a 94.4 percent pass rate. The national rate was 92 percent.
State candidates pass rates did dip below the national average in three subject areas: chemistry, speech-language pathology and Spanish.
Nebraska Department of Education officials say pass rates will likely rise over time as candidates and teacher-preparation institutions become more familiar with the tests.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials have unveiled a new effort to ensure residents are prepared for and recover from emergencies.
An executive with the American Red Cross said Tuesday the group hopes to have plans in place for 100 Nebraska communities by December 2018. It hopes to reach all communities by 2020.
The group will work with communities to recruit volunteers, ensure shelters are available, host blood drives and develop long-term plans. Jill Orton, an American Red Cross executive, says volunteers play a crucial role.
Gov. Pete Ricketts says the recent flooding in Louisiana serves as a reminder of the importance of having plans in place.
A slight chance of thunderstorms after 3pm. Patchy fog between 7am and 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. North northeast wind 8 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight
A chance of thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. North northeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Wednesday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. East wind 6 to 9 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 54. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming northeast in the evening.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming south southeast in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Troy O’Brian and Melissa Sancillo have been captured in Illinois.
The duo was reportedly taken into custody after being pulled over near Minooka, Illinois on Monday and is being held in the Grundy County Jail.
O’Brian and Sancillo were still in a vehicle that had been reported as stolen from near Bridgeport, Nebraska on Friday.
O’Brian is being held on a charge of possession of a stolen vehicle.
Authorities did not know when O’Brian will return to Nebraska to face charges.
UPDATE (9/2/16 8:45 a.m.)
Western Nebraska authorities say they spotted an escaped Lincoln County inmate on Thursday evening.
The Morrill County Sheriff’s Office says it received a report at around 7:30 p.m. that the vehicle believed to have been stolen by Troy O’Brian was spotted near Bridgeport.
A deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver and a passenger, believed to be O’Brian and Melissa Sancillo, reportedly drove into a field and fled on foot. They have not been captured.
Authorities are urging people in the area to lock their doors and be vigilant. Report any suspicious activity or persons to local law enforcement.
Lincoln County authorities are on the hunt for an inmate who escaped while serving time at the Lincoln County Detention Center.
At around 3:25 p.m., on September 1, a maintenance worker at the Lincoln County Courthouse discovered that his car, which had been parked on the north side of the detention center, was missing. The worker told deputies that he had briefly left the keys in it.
Authorities ordered an immediate lockdown of the LCDC, and it was discovered that an inmate, 42-year-old Troy M. O’Brian, of Gary, Indiana, was missing. Further investigation revealed that O’Brian had walked off of his work detail at the Lincoln County Courthouse. It is believed he then stole the vehicle and left in an unknown direction.
What makes the escape even more puzzling, is O’Brian only had eight hours left on his sentence, according to the sheriff’s office, and was scheduled to be released at 11:30 p.m., on Thursday.
O’Brian is believed to be driving a stolen white 2011 Toyota Corolla four-door, with Nebraska license plate, 15-D614.
He may be in the company of Melissa L. Sancillo, also of Gary, Indiana.
Deputies say the investigation is ongoing.
If you spot O’Brian or the vehicle, call 911 immediately.
According to jail records, O’Brian was originally charged with fraud, possession of a stolen vehicle and obstruction in July.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new state program that goes into effect this fall will give Nebraska businesses an alternative to layoffs when economic times are tight.
The short-time compensation program will extend partial unemployment benefits to groups of people who are still working, but whose hours have been trimmed by cost-saving employers.
The program goes into effect on Oct. 1. It won’t replace workers’ lost wages dollar for dollar, but allows them to keep at least part of their regular paychecks and avoid having to search for another job.
Companies are also required to maintain their employees’ retirement and health insurance benefits.
The program is modeled after similar short-time compensation programs in at least 21 other states.
COZAD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say an 82-year-old North Platte man has died from injuries he suffered when two pickups collided south of Cozad.
John Henderson died Sunday morning at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He had been flown to the hospital from Cozad Community Hospital, where he and two others were taken after they were injured in a Dawson County crash around 11:20 a.m. Friday. Injuries to the other people involved were not considered life threatening.
The Dawson County sheriff’s office says Henderson was driving a pickup on a county road and failed to stop at an intersection with Nebraska Highway 21. His eastbound vehicle collided with a pickup traveling south on the highway.
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0528 PM HAIL 2 SW LAMAR 40.55N 102.01W
09/04/2016 E0.50 INCH CHASE NE PUBLIC
IN ADDITION TO HAIL...WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 30-40 MPH
0558 PM HAIL 4 N VENANGO 40.82N 102.04W
09/04/2016 E0.50 INCH PERKINS NE PUBLIC
IN ADDITION TO HAIL...WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 40 MPH
0615 PM HAIL 3 NE BIG SPRINGS 41.09N 102.03W
09/04/2016 E1.75 INCH KEITH NE PUBLIC
HAIL TO QUARTER SIZE WITH AN OCCASIONAL GOLF BALL. WIND
SPEED EST 60 MPH
0615 PM TSTM WND GST 3 ENE BIG SPRINGS 41.07N 102.02W
09/04/2016 M60.00 MPH KEITH NE MESONET
MESONET OBSERVATION FROM NEAR BIG SPRINGS...UP938 AT 515
PM MDT.
0616 PM HAIL 12 N HAY SPRINGS 42.86N 102.69W
09/04/2016 E0.88 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
0625 PM TSTM WND GST 7 W LEMOYNE 41.29N 101.94W
09/04/2016 E60.00 MPH KEITH NE PUBLIC
EST 60 MPH WINDS WITH LARGE HAIL POSSIBLY TO QUARTER
SIZE. OVER ONE INCH OF RAIN WITH WATER COVERING THE ROAD
0625 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 NE BIG SPRINGS 41.09N 102.03W
09/04/2016 M1.00 INCH KEITH NE PUBLIC
ONE INCH OF RAIN IN 20 MINUTES
0625 PM HAIL 16 N HAY SPRINGS 42.91N 102.69W
09/04/2016 E1.25 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
IN ADDITION TO HAIL...WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 30-40 MPH
0631 PM HAIL 14 N RUSHVILLE 42.92N 102.47W
09/04/2016 E1.00 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
0700 PM TSTM WND GST 6 NNW ARTHUR 41.65N 101.74W
09/04/2016 E60.00 MPH ARTHUR NE PUBLIC
0735 PM TSTM WND GST 6 SE WHITMAN 41.98N 101.45W
09/04/2016 E60.00 MPH GRANT NE PUBLIC
TREES BENDING OVER WITH SMALL LIMBS BROKEN OFF
0845 PM TSTM WND GST 2 E TRYON 41.56N 100.91W
09/04/2016 E60.00 MPH MCPHERSON NE PUBLIC
TREES BENDING OVER FROM THE WIND. PEA SIZE HAIL ALSO
REPORTED
0858 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 5 NE RINGGOLD 41.56N 100.70W
09/04/2016 LOGAN NE FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
TIME ESTIMATE
0908 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 6 NW STAPLETON 41.54N 100.59W
09/04/2016 LOGAN NE FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
TIME AND LOCATION ESTIMATED
0913 PM HAIL 7 NW STAPLETON 41.55N 100.61W
09/04/2016 E1.25 INCH LOGAN NE FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
0920 PM HAIL 19 WSW TRYON 41.45N 101.28W
09/04/2016 E1.50 INCH MCPHERSON NE PUBLIC
50 MPH WINDS ALSO REPORTED
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — While Nebraska honored punter Sam Foltz who died in a car crash this summer, someone broke into his brother’s home and car.
Greeley County Sheriff David Weeks says the burglary happened sometime after the Foltz family left home around noon to attend Saturday’s game in Lincoln and before they returned around 3 a.m. Sunday.
The thieves took items worth roughly $1,400, including a television and tools, from Jordan Foltz’s home and vehicle in the Greeley, Nebraska, area.
Sam Foltz, who would have been a senior at Nebraska this fall, died in a car crash in Wisconsin in July along with former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler.
Foltz’s parents presented a scholarship in his name and two of his nephews helped lead the team out before Saturday’s game against Fresno State.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska education leaders are already analyzing results from the first wave of Nebraska teacher candidates to take national content tests to get their teaching certificates.
