NebraskaLand National Bank is now accepting applications to NebraskaLand University, a financial literacy scholarship program for area high school seniors.  The program is a six course financial literacy program designed to educate students on budgeting, savings, credit, loans, career development, identity theft protection and more.  The curriculum uses a combination of established financial literacy materials and unique lessons plans created and instructed by Senior and Executive Officers at NebraskaLand National Bank.

Mike Jacobson, President and CEO of NebraskaLand National Bank comments, “Although our schools do an excellent job of training students in reading, writing, mathematics, and the arts, a void still exists in the area of basic consumer economics such as budgeting, finance, and business basics. Our goal with NebraskaLand University is to cooperate with our local schools to help bridge that gap.”

Class size is limited.  Students must complete an application to the program.  All North Platte and surrounding area high school seniors are eligible.  Each graduate of the program will receive a $250.00 academic scholarship provided by NebraskaLand National Bank.  Each student is required to complete all six classes, with the ability to make up two, in order to graduate and become eligible for the $250.00 scholarship.  Students must also complete projects and homework as assigned as well as an essay.  Essays will be reviewed and judged by a Bank committee.  Three students will be the recipients of additional scholarships based on their essay submissions: $1,000 for 1^st Place; $750 for 2^nd Place and $500 for 3^rd Place.

NebraskaLand University is a free program for students.  Applications are available at any NebraskaLand National Bank location or online atwww.nebraskalandbank.com/NLU. Applications are due on Friday, September 16, 2016.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — New state physical education standards being drafted by the Nebraska Department of Education place more emphasis on teaching fitness and life skills over traditional team sports.

Members of the State Board of Education previewed a draft of the standards Thursday. The draft was crafted by a team of educators from public and private Nebraska schools, colleges and universities.

The standards stress fitness and healthy habits like the existing standards do, but state Department of Education physical education specialist Julane Hill said it also spells out specific skills students should learn in each grade and how that learning should progress from year to year.

In kindergarten, for instance, students are expected to learn to hop and throw underhand.

The State Board of Education is expected to vote on a final draft in October.

Deputies say Hershey Public School was locked down on Thursday due to a violent student.

At around 1:15 p.m., on September 1, Lincoln County deputies responded to the school after it was reported that a 17-year-old student had become violent, and was breaking windows.

Deputies arrived and were able to take the male juvenile into custody without incident.

He was taken to the Lincoln County Detention Center, where he was jailed on charges of felony criminal mischief, terroristic threats and disturbing the peace.

The sheriff’s office says the school was placed on lockdown during the incident due to the violent nature of the student’s behavior.

No students were injured, and the school was taken out of lockdown at about 2:15 p.m.

UPDATE (9/5/16 5:30 p.m.)

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 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 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 may 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) — An economist who specializes in economic development says Nebraska could increase statewide wages by focusing on education.

Timothy Bartik of the W.E. Upton Institute for Economic Research says programs such as high school career academies, mandatory summer school for elementary students, small group math tutoring and adult job training all have proven benefits. Bartik made his comments Thursday at a forum sponsored by the OpenSky Policy Institute, a Nebraska tax policy think tank.

Bartik says areas with large numbers of well-educated people tend to command higher wages. He argues that across-the-board tax cuts aren’t as effective, but says tax incentives can work when targeted at companies that export goods and services.

Nebraska lawmakers are expected to debate tax policies when they convene for a new session in January.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Sen. Ernie Chambers is seeking a federal investigation into how a prisoner with a history of self-mutilation keeps getting access to razor blades.

Chambers said Wednesday he believes prison employees have been giving the blades to Nikko Jenkins, who was convicted of killing four people in Omaha.

Despite around-the-clock surveillance in solitary confinement, Jenkins has repeatedly mutilated various parts of his body. Chambers says Jenkins slashed his throat in early August, requiring 42 stitches.

Corrections Director Scott Frakes says it’s unclear how Jenkins is getting the blades, but he notes that Jenkins has access to a shower and recreation yard where he can interact with other inmates. Frakes says Jenkins alleged that an employee gave him the razor, but that employee no longer works for the department.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Figures from a survey of supply managers in nine Midwest and Plains states have risen slightly but still suggest slow or no economic growth ahead.

A report issued Thursday says the Mid-American Business Conditions index inched up to 47.8 in August from 47.6 in July.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says he expects the regional economy to underperform the national economy because of the region’s heavy dependence on manufacturers linked to the weak sectors of agriculture and energy.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Attorney General’s office has agreed to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed against a state prison’s medical director for refusing to provide hormone therapy to an inmate.

The terms of the settlement that was reached this week have not been released.

In a lawsuit filed last year, Riley Shadle accused Dr. Randy Kohl of denying her hormone therapy treatment for gender identity disorder. According to a letter from the Lincoln Correctional Center warden, the state denied the request because it was considered an elective treatment.

In February, a judge allowed the case to go forward on an Eighth Amendment claim alleging prison officials had failed to provide adequate care for a serious medical need.

Shadle, who was convicted under the name Dillon Shadle and later legally changed her name, was born male but identifies as female, according to court records.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The state attorney general’s office says a Nebraska police officer has been charged with assault in the shooting of a man after a traffic stop.

The office said in a news release Thursday that Officer Derek Payton of Kearney turned himself in Wednesday and immediately posted bond. Online court records don’t list the name of an attorney to speak on his behalf.

The office says Payton fired three times at Jose Klich as Klich fled a June 5 traffic stop. An arrest warrant affidavit says Klich backed up his vehicle and hit Payton’s leg, despite Payton’s orders to stop the car. The affidavit says Payton was not in the path of the car as it drove away and Payton fired.

Klich was struck once and underwent surgery.