GERING, Neb. (AP) — The new shooting range at the Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area in the Nebraska Panhandle is now open.
The facility located in the Wildcat Hills south of Gering along Highway 71 opened Saturday.
The range includes space for rifle, pistol and archery shooting. Plus, there is a trap-shooting range for shotguns and a 100-yard range for sighting in rifles.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska prison officials have been trying to overhaul an understaffed, overcrowded prison system for years, but violent outbursts by inmates keep slowing their efforts.
Administrators say the repeated incidents consume a large amount of time, money and manpower that could otherwise be spent on improvements. In the last two years, corrections officials have had to face a deadly riot at the prison in Tecumseh, the escape of two sex offenders and an assault that sent nine staff members to the hospital, among other incidents.
Sen. Les Seiler of Hastings, the chairman of a prisons oversight committee, says prisoners use the department’s staffing shortages to their advantage. Advocates say a lack of treatment and rehabilitation programs is also to blame.
Don McCullough from Santa Rosa, CA, USA (commons.wikimedia.org)
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s journalism school is releasing a free manual to give newsrooms direction on how to operate drones for newsgathering.
The Drone Journalism Lab created the manual with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It was produced by Matt Waite, professor of practice in UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
The manual that covers everything from pre-flight checklists to ethical considerations.
In June, the FAA released new laws governing the flight of drones in the U.S. The first step to legally fly drones is passing an FAA test, which includes questions about safety protocols and reading an airspace map and an aviation weather report.
Waite says drones will become a commonplace tool in newsrooms.
KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska at Kearney is hoping to give students, alumni, staff and fans a new way to show their school pride — a specialty UNK Nebraska license plate.
The university is leading an effort to gather 250 signups for a UNK/Loper specialty plate. Anyone interested in a UNK license plate can register online at www.unk.edu/loperplates.
A minimum order of 250 is required by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles for production of the plate. The specialty plates also come with a $70 fee.
The school attempted an organizational plate once before in 2012, when the minimum order was 500.
UNK spokeswoman Kelly Bartling says the school came close to filling the 500 orders, so officials feel confident they can get 250 sign-ups.
TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — State prison officials have announced a lockdown at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution after officials received information that violent attacks on staff members had been planned.
A state prisons system news release says the lockdown for units two and three was ordered at 5 p.m. Friday.
Corrections Director Scott Frakes says the lockdown was ordered because he’s not willing to risk the safety of prison staff members.
There’s been a rash of attacks on corrections officers and staff at various Nebraska prisons over several months, including one last month in Lincoln that officials say was carried about by a dozen inmates and left nine officers injured.
There will be no visits or volunteer activities allowed at the Tecumseh prison until at least Tuesday.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Those celebrating the long Labor Day weekend should keep in mind that it won’t be business as usual on Monday.
Most government offices and banks in Nebraska and Iowa will be closed Monday to observe the holiday. Some services, such as trash and recycling pickup, will also be disrupted due to the holiday.
The day does bring some fun activities, though. In Nebraska, both Septemberfest in downtown Omaha and the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island will be wrapping up on Monday. A barbecue is also being held at Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard in Nebraska City.
In Iowa, events will take place Monday in Des Moines, and both Spirit Lake and Milford will hold an antique and arts and craft shows.
AUGUST 30, 2016 (LINCOLN, NEB.) — An increased Nebraska State Patrol presence is planned for Husker home football games during the 2016 season. Troopers and communications specialists will work overtime hours during the first three Husker home games (Sept. 3, 10, & 17), thanks in part to a $3,285 grant from the Department of Roads Highway Safety Office.
The Nebraska State Patrol Aviation Support Division will also be in the air assisting troopers and providing traffic reports both before and after the games.
Traffic volume increases during Husker home games and fans traveling to and from Memorial Stadium can expect congestion and possible delays and are encouraged to give themselves plenty of time to reach their destination.
Motorists are also reminded voluntary compliance with all traffic safety laws will help to keep traffic moving smoothly. Drivers are encouraged to obey the posted speed limit, never drive impaired or distracted and make sure everyone in their vehicle is wearing a seat belt.
511, Nebraska’s Advanced Traveler Information System, can be utilized to keep up to date with the latest road and weather conditions. The system can be accessed @ www.511.nebraska.gov dialing 511 or downloading the Nebraska 511 mobile app from your mobile app provider.
Anyone who observes a reckless driver or anyone in need of non-emergency roadside assistance can call the Nebraska State Patrol Highway Helpline when safe to do so by dialing *55 from any cell phone or 1-800-525- 5555. Motorists should report emergencies to 911.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A conservative Nebraska state senator is holding firm in his refusal to resign from office after admitting that he had cyber sex on a state laptop with a woman he met online.
Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion on Friday rejected a request by a legislative committee to step down. Members of the Legislature’s Executive Board have threatened to recommend that he be impeached or expelled from the Legislature.
Kintner says he carefully considered the request but contends that many of his constituents have urged him to stay.
Committee members are scheduled to meet again on Sept. 8 to decide how to proceed against Kintner, a blunt-spoken Republican who relishes taking on high-profile topics, including gay rights and immigration.
A North Platte man is being charged with burglary after he allegedly burglarized two North Platte homes.
At around 9:03 a.m., on September 1, an officer responded to the report of a burglary in the 2800 block of West 6th Street.
Officers met with the resident who advised that they had been sleeping in their bedroom when they were awoken by a noise.
The resident said he observed an unknown male subject walk into the bedroom with an armful of their property, then leave. The resident was able to see the suspect leave in a maroon Buick sedan. It was reported that a purse, credit cards, and a gold colored lock box were missing.
At the same time, another officer was dispatched to the 1000 block of South Ash on the report of a suspicious male. The officer met with two independent witnesses, who reported that the male subject was acting strangely and was talking to inanimate objects in a yard in the 400 block of William Avenue.
The officer located a maroon Buick parked in the area and observed a gold lock box in the back seat. A male subject, identified as 18-year-old Jackson Seitz, was then seen approaching the vehicle.
Because Seitz matched the description of the suspect in the burglary, he was detained and searched. The officer located prescription pill bottles in Seitz’ pocket which had another person’s name on them.
Seitz also gave consent to search the vehicle, and officers located all of the property that had been reported as missing in the burglary on West 6th Street.
Investigator John Deal says officers investigated further and located numerous duffel bags in an alleyway, which contained numerous items, including electronics, clothing, and jewelry. Officers were able to determine that the items came from a residence on William Avenue, the same residence where Seitz had been observed in the yard.
The homeowner was contacted and verified that the property was from their home, they also reported that the door to a detached garage had been kicked in.
Investigators soon learned that Seitz knew a family member of the first victim and believed that the resident was gone. In the second burglary, Deal said Seitz knew the son of the resident who was no longer living there.
Deal said in both cases, Seitz entered the homes through unlocked doors. He said it appears that all of the stolen property was recovered and had an estimated value of $1,500.
Seitz was booked into the Lincoln County Detention Center on charges of felony burglary and possession of a legal drug without a prescription.
GERING, Neb. (AP) — The new shooting range at the Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area in the Nebraska Panhandle is now open.
