LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska state officials say prison inmates collected more than $156,000 in unemployment benefits because of miscommunication among agencies.

The departments announced Thursday that more than 180 inmates claimed benefits between 2013 and 2015, despite a law that prohibits them from doing so. One inmate received $4,300 in unemployment benefits.

The Department of Labor says it previously wasn’t able to tell when a person was incarcerated, but the agency has launched a new crackdown effort with the Department of Correctional Services and the Nebraska Crime Commission.

Commissioner of Labor John Albin says the state will recover the money through wage levies or by offsetting tax refunds.

Claimants who fraudulently collect unemployment benefits are responsible for paying back the benefits plus a 15 percent penalty, and may face prosecution.

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after a 22-year-old man crashed his pickup into a rural Lexington house hours after being ticketed for reckless driving.

Joseph Koch was cited twice Tuesday for reckless driving. In the first citation, police say Koch was driving, lost control and went into a ditch.

Later that day, police say he was on West Highway 30 when he lost control of his vehicle, drove into a ditch and hit a steel dumpster. His pickup then struck the garage of a house on the north side of the highway.

No one was home at the time of the incident and Koch was transported to Lexington Regional Health Center for treatment of injuries that are not life-threatening.

The second crash is under investigation.

BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — An 84-year-old man has died after a head-on collision near Broken Bow in central Nebraska.

The accident was reported about 9 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Nebraska Highway 2 and Ryno Road. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office says a westbound pickup driven by Leonard Peterson, of Ansley, turned into the path of an eastbound pickup driven by 54-year-old William Koubek, of Merna. The Sheriff’s Office says Peterson was pronounced dead at Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow.

Sheriff Dan Osmond said Thursday that Koubek initially wasn’t treated but did seek medical help later.

By Kalin Krohe-Panhandle Post

According to other media sources, a Broadwater woman reported missing by her family members has been located in another state.

The Morrill County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol, following up on an out-of-state lead, were able to make contact with 20 year old Jessica Cook Wednesday night.

Deputy Sheriff Cheree Fisher told KNEB News late Wednesday night that authorities were able to ping Cook’s cell phone based on information obtained when following up on a phone call the woman’s family received earlier Wednesday evening.

Fisher said that they alerted law enforcement from the other agency, which she only described as from ‘another state.’ Those officers were able to make personal contact with Cook.

“She was in good condition,” Fisher said. “She was by herself and had every opportunity to leave with those officers, but she didn’t want to. Therefore, the case is closed.”

Prior to that time, Cook was last seen around 6:30 p.m. Sunday night after leaving a Bridgeport convenience store. Her family reported her missing late Monday night, and a search for her began Tuesday morning.

The search intensified Wednesday as a Nebraska State Patrol airplane flew over the area and officers from multiple agencies combed rural areas of the large county.

Fisher said that no charges are expected, as the woman is not a minor and no crime had been committed.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s governor has asked federal authorities to bolster a sagging market by buying 25 million pounds of great northern beans.

Gov. Pete Ricketts said in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this month that such a purchase for federal food programs would help growers and processors deal with an oversupply. The oversupply has been blamed on a strong U.S. dollar that made the beans more expensive globally; the West Coast dock workers strike; disruption by the Islamic State of transportation routes to the Middle East; and the Russian trade embargo.

Dean Keener is president of the Nebraska Dry Bean Growers Association, and he says the requested federal purchase wouldn’t fix the problem but would help clear inventories to make room for the 2015 harvest.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature’s fiscal office says state government continues to have a healthy cash reserve, with a projected balance of nearly $729 million.

The balance accounts for roughly 16 percent of the total revenue the state is expected to collect annually during the current two-year budget period. Fiscal office director Michael Calvert presented the numbers in a report Wednesday to lawmakers, describing the reserve as healthy.

An expected upgrade to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the Nebraska Capitol will reduce the cash reserve to $708 million in the next budget period, which runs from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019.

Members of the Legislature’s Tax Rate Review Committee decided that no changes were needed to the state income and sales tax rates this year.

On August 5th more than 140 high performance cars will converge on Arnold, Nebraska for the 15th Annual Sandhills Open Road Challenge. The event will begin on August 6 with the 22 mile Loup 2 Loup Open Road Race between Halsey and Purdum, Nebraska.

The 7th will start with the One Mile Shoot Out, held 14 miles north of Cozad, followed by an afternoon car show and burn out contest in Arnold.

Cars and drivers will line up in Arnold on Saturday for an 8:30 AM start of the 56 mile open road race between Arnold and Dunning, Nebraska. The event will culminate in the evening with a free will donation barbeque and award ceremony in the Arnold Community Park.

Event schedule details can be found at www.sorcrace.com.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg is seeking bidders to administer a new state program designed to help residents with disabilities.

Stenberg issued a request for proposals this week for the Achieving a Better Life Experience program approved by Nebraska lawmakers this year. Stenberg is the program’s trustee.

Stenberg and the Nebraska Investment Council are requesting proposals from financial service companies to provide customer, marketing, investment and administrative services. Proposals are due by Sept. 10.

The new law allows adults with intellectual disabilities and their families to save for medical, housing and educational needs. In past years, disabled adults could have lost Medicaid coverage and Social Security benefits if they accumulated more than $2,000 in assets.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The ride-hailing service Uber has won permission to legally operate in Nebraska.

On Tuesday the state Public Service Commission approved Uber’s application.

Uber submitted its application in June. Its competitor Lyft began the application process this week.

Under a law passed by the Legislature in May, ride-hailing companies must be licensed by the commission.

The companies use smartphone applications to link motorists and people who would pay for rides. Passengers pay through the app and can even tip electronically.

Uber and Lyft are based in San Francisco.