LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Forty-three Nebraska companies have received the Governor’s Wellness Award, which honors employers that develop successful workplace wellness programs.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced the winners Thursday at the Capitol. The companies come from 28 Nebraska communities.

The Governor’s Wellness Award was created eight years ago, and has two categories. The Sower Award recognizes workplaces that have established quality wellness programs, while the Grower Award honors businesses and organizations that demonstrate significant improvement in employee health behaviors.

The awards will be presented to this year’s winners at three separate ceremonies during the months of September and October. Events will be held in Gering on Sept. 22, Kearney on Sept. 24 and Lincoln on Oct. 20.

View Full List of Recipients Here

LINCOLN – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that all U.S. and Nebraska flags are to be flown at half-staff on Patriot Day.  Flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset on September 11, 2015.

Governor Ricketts also issued the following statement in observance of Patriot Day:

“Today is a time for us to pause and solemnly remember the lives of the many Americans that were killed 14 years ago.  We can never forget the events of September 11, 2001, and the many brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country as we continue to seek an end to Islamic extremism.”

On Patriot Day, the Governor will attend the 9/11 Minute of Silence Ceremony at Memorial Park in Omaha.

The North Platte Police and Fire Departments are holding an open house on September 11^th from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Public Safety Building for anyone wanting to show their support to these two agencies sworn to serve our community.

Brief tours will be given to those wanting to walk through during those hours along with a free lunch. Food will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 PM and will be provided by Nebraskaland National Bank.

The Public is welcome to stop by as the two departments hug and make up following the Battle of the Badges event (blood draw) that took place today.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska state government collected nearly 3 percent more than expected in taxes last month.

The Department of Revenue reported Thursday that net tax receipts totaled $385 million, which is 2.7 percent above the state’s certified forecast.

The department says net individual and corporate income taxes were higher than predicted, while net sales-and-use and miscellaneous were lower than the state forecast.

The comparisons were based on the forecast made by the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board in April.

The state’s new fiscal year began on July 1.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A man who prosecutors say stole construction materials from Buffalo County while an employee has been ordered to pay $5,000 restitution.

58-year-old Ross Karabel, of Miller, pleaded no contest and was convicted last week of misdemeanor theft. He also was fined $500.

Prosecutors say Karabel stole scrap metal and other items related to county construction projects between May 2012 and November 2014.

Karabel was hired by Buffalo County in October 2005, and his last county working day was Dec. 30.

SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — A 54-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison in the killing of a 30-year-old Sidney woman.

Larry Martinez was also sentenced Wednesday to 10 to 50 years in prison for using a firearm to commit a felony. He had been found guilty of first-degree murder in the July 2012 death of Mandy Kershman.

According to prosecutors, Martinez became angry about a text message Kershman sent him. Authorities say the victim was at a friend’s house and Martinez went to the home to confront Kershman about the message and shot her. According to prosecutors, Kershman and Martinez had been in a relationship at the time of the shooting.

Sentencing in the trial had been previously delayed so the judge could determine if Martinez was competent.

Martinez’s sentences will run consecutively.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Energy consultants and executives are recommending that Nebraska allow private firms to compete with the state’s public power utilities, saying it will lower customer costs.

The companies convened in Lincoln on Wednesday for a symposium to discuss Nebraska’s status as the nation’s only state which relies entirely on public utilities.

Nebraska is still one of the nation’s cheapest states for energy, but has seen rate increases in recent years and lost ground to other states.

John McClure, general counsel for the Nebraska Public Power District, says the increases were due to long-term infrastructure investments, increased coal costs and a drop in electricity prices when the state had a surplus. NPPD retail customers will see no rate increase next year; wholesale customers will see an increase of less than 1 percent.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new administrator at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has resigned after a little more than a week on the job.

Yolanda Webb, director of the Developmental Disabilities Division, submitted her resignation Wednesday to Gov. Pete Ricketts. Webb started the job on Aug. 31 at a salary of $142,500.

Webb, of New Orleans, La., had been the executive director and CEO of the Metropolitan Human Services District, the planning and public policy body for several parishes.

Webb says in her resignation letter that she decided to go in a new direction, but did not elaborate. In a statement, Ricketts says his administration has already started looking for a new division director.

Courtney Miller, a deputy director at DHHS, will serve as the division’s acting director.

A Brady man has died from injuries he sustained when he was struck by a vehicle.

According to a news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, at around 9:20 p.m., on Tuesday, deputies were asked to respond to a pedestrian/vehicle accident on Link 56 D, south of Brady.

It was reported that a pedestrian in an electric wheelchair had been struck by a vehicle.

Deputies located 54-year-old David Rice, Jr., of Brady, who was seriously injured.

Rice was transported to Great Plains Health, in North Platte, before being flown to a Denver hospital.

Authorities say Rice died from his injuries on Wednesday morning.

An accident reconstructionist was called to the scene to investigate and determined that Joshua Boon, of Brady, had been driving his vehicle northbound when he apparently struck Rice and his wheelchair.

Deputies say Boon was cited for no proof of insurance and no vehicle registration.

Investigators do not believe Boon was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The investigation is ongoing.