SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A 35-year-old western Nebraska man has died from injuries he suffered in a motorcycle crash.
Jerry Ash, of Mitchell, was driving a motorcycle west on Highway 26 when the crash happened late Friday afternoon. The Nebraska State Patrol says Ash failed to yield when making a left turn and was hit by an eastbound pickup.
Ash was taken to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, where he was pronounced dead.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Racing restrictions that were briefly placed on about 25 horses at a second Fonner Park barn in Grand Island have been lifted.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture had announced the restrictions Friday afternoon after a horse in the barn exhibited signs of equine herpes. On Saturday, those restrictions were lifted after test results showed the horse did not have the illness.
The racing venue is under quarantine after three other horses there tested positive for equine herpes. One horse was euthanized; the other two are being treated.
The 750 to 850 horses at Fonner Park can’t leave until the minimum 21-day quarantine is lifted. Fonner will continue racing through May 7, but the horses in the barn where the sick horses were kept are currently banned from racing.
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — Police say they suspect foul play in the death of a western Nebraska man and that the man’s brother has been arrested.
Scottsbluff Police Chief Kevin Spencer says officers were called to a home late Friday afternoon, where they found Christopher Reed dead. Spencer says the man’s brother has been arrested but did not say what the charges against the brother are.
Police have not said how Spencer died, but Spencer says investigators believe his death was a homicide.
Police did release other details about the death or arrest.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Meteorologists are finding that it’s easier to forecast stormy weather than it is to predict what goes on in the human mind.
As the nation’s midsection braces itself for possible tornadoes Tuesday, researchers have yet to determine when to raise a general alarm. With too much notice, people might try to flee in their cars, putting them at greater risk.
For now, the Storm Prediction Center is reminding people in general that it’s late April and tornado season is upon us. Forecasters suggest cleaning out the storm shelter and buying a weather radio — but get some gas for the chain saw just in case.
The center is telling emergency officials a severe weather outbreak is possible across Oklahoma on Tuesday, with storms also from Dallas to Wichita, Kansas.
LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds Nebraska boaters that any operator of a motorboat or personal watercraft born after Dec. 31, 1985, is required to be certified in boater safety.
In addition to successfully completing a boating safety course, the operator must be in possession of a valid certificate. Nonresidents may present a certificate from their state.
To bring attention to boating safety, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators has declared April as National Take a Boating Safety Course Month. For more information, visit: http://www.nasbla.org/content.
Anyone operating a motorboat or personal watercraft in Nebraska must be at least 14 years of age, and anyone age 14 or older may take the boater safety course.
“Boater safety courses save lives,” said Nebraska Boating Law Administrator Herb Angell. “While the course is required for some people, it is a smart thing to do for anyone else who boats in Nebraska. With the boating season coming up soon, now is the time to take a boater safety course.”
Boaters have two options to fulfill the boater safety requirement:
— attend a six-hour course with a proctored exam
— home study and attend a three-hour course review with proctored exam.
Visit BoatSafeNebraska.org for more information, to download home study materials or to find a list of boater safety classes across the state.
A North Platte woman is facing an assault charge after a disturbance Thursday night that ended with her jumping onto a moving vehicle.
According to Investigator John Deal, officers responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of West William Avenue at around 10:13 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with 20-year-old Jasmine Erausquin, who was in the roadway.
Erausquin told officers that she had jumped onto the hood of her boyfriend’s car in an attempt to keep him from leaving after an argument. She reported that her wrist was sore, but refused medical attention.
Officers then spoke to witnesses who confirmed that Erausquin had jumped onto the hood of the vehicle. They stated that the vehicle stopped, and she got off. However, when the vehicle started to move again, witnesses say Erausquin chased after it and attempted to grab onto the side, but, she fell, and the vehicle left the scene.
Deal said Erausquin’s boyfriend contacted police and stated that he had attempted to leave the residence following an argument, but Erausquin attacked him by scratching his face and biting his arm.
He corroborated the witnesses account of Erausquin jumping onto and chasing the vehicle.
The victim also had injuries consistent with his report to officers.
There was no evidence that Erausquin was struck or dragged by the vehicle, Deal said, but the windshield of the vehicle was broken. Officers believe this was caused by Erausquin punching it due to injuries she sustained in the ordeal.
Erausquin received medical treatment at Great Plains Health and, upon her release, was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center.
She’s been charged with 3rd-degree domestic assault.
Today
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Add Gov. Pete Ricketts to the list of fans rooting for a Lincoln teacher competing on the NBC show “The Voice.”
Ricketts said Thursday that he’s been watching Hannah Huston on YouTube and is amazed by her singing range. The 24-year-old Huston (HYOO’-stuhn) is one of 11 finalists who will advance to the next round of competition on the hit show.
Huston teaches at Arnold Elementary School in Lincoln, but she’s on a leave to participate in the show. The district says a TV crew was in Lincoln in November to record her with her class.
Huston graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 2009 and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2013.
Ricketts says Huston is doing “awesome” on the show.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts says cutting taxes will remain one of his top priorities for the rest of his time in office, but he’ll rely on lawmakers when it comes to specific plans.
The Republican governor said in an Associated Press interview Thursday that he will turn to committee leaders to help shape his proposals before every legislative session.
That could create a challenge for Ricketts next year. Because of term limits, the Legislature’s tax-focused Revenue Committee will have a new chairman who won’t be elected until senators reconvene in January.
Ricketts says he was happy with this year’s session, pointing to a $20 million funding increase for property tax credits, a new state budget, roads-funding legislation and the defeat of a Medicaid expansion bill.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A survey of rural bankers in 10 Western and Plains states suggests the region remains stifled by relatively low agriculture and energy commodity prices.
An April report released Thursday says the Rural Mainstreet Index fell to 38.2 from March’s 40.2. It had risen the past two months. Survey officials say any score below 50 on any of the survey’s indexes suggests that factor will decline.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the monthly survey, and he says that, compared to a year ago, prices for farm products are down 16 percent and energy products are down 8 percent.
Nonetheless, the confidence index rose to 34.8 from 30.1 in March.
Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.
