Lincoln – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts, in accordance with a proclamation from President Barack Obama, announced that all U.S. and Nebraska flags are to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the tragedy in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset on July 25, 2015.

Muhammed Abdulazeez killed five U.S. Service members at military installations in Tennessee last week.

The President’s proclamation can be found here.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Seven of Nebraska’s natural resources districts are developing a plan to protect the water supply in the Lower Platte River Basin.

The districts are working with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and studying ways to meet the region’s domestic, industrial and agricultural water needs.

The Lower Platte River Basin includes more than 25,000 square miles in eastern and central Nebraska, encompassing nearly one-third of the state from the Sandhills to the Missouri River. The basin provides irrigation, industrial and drinking water to more than half of the state’s residents.

The coalition says a current inventory of the basin shows a significant surplus of water. Water managers say they’re working to store some of the supply for drought years.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says Nebraska’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.6 percent in June and was still the lowest state rate in the nation.

The Nebraska Labor Department said in the report released Tuesday that the preliminary June rate is seven-tenths of a point under the June 2014 rate of 3.3 percent.

The new Nebraska figure remained well below the preliminary national unemployment rate of 5.3 percent in June. U.S. Labor Department figures say Nebraska is trailed by North Dakota at 3.1 percent and Utah at 3.5 percent.

NEW YORK (AP) — A new study suggests that fatherhood often comes with a weight gain of 3 to 5 pounds.

The research wasn’t designed to prove fatherhood causes weight gain and raises more questions than it answers. But one outside expert said it is provocative work and should spark further study.

The researchers found a typical 6-foot-tall man who lives with his child will gain an average of about 4½ pounds at some point after the birth. They also found that a same-sized man who doesn’t have kids may actually lose a little weight.

The study was published online Tuesday by the American Journal of Men’s Health.

GERING, Neb. (AP) — A 27-year-old Scottsbluff man accused of stealing from his father has been sentenced to jail.

Online court records say Dustin Leonhardt was sentenced on Monday to two terms of 365 days, to be served at the same time, and was fined $1,300.

Records say Leonhardt pleaded no contest and was convicted of misdemeanor forgery, misdemeanor attempted possession of a controlled substance and convicted of a drug possession infraction. The charges had been lowered and two other charges dropped in exchange for his pleas.

A court affidavit says Leonhardt used his father’s check card three times this spring and wrote a check on his father’s account. The affidavit says the drugs were discovered on Leonhardt and in his father’s backyard shed, where officers found and arrested Leonhardt.

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Lexington woman has died after a rollover crash on the north side of the south-central Nebraska city.

The accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. Sunday as Elizabeth Thomas drove south into Lexington on Nebraska Highway 21. Police say her car ran off the roadway into a ditch, hit a culvert and rolled, ejecting Thomas. The car came to rest in a parking lot.

Police say Thomas died after being taken to Lexington Regional Health Center.

JUNE TRAFFIC FATALITY TOLL
13
During the month of June 2015, thirteen persons were killed in traffic crashes on Nebraska
roadways, according to data collected by the Nebraska Department of Roads.
 These 13 fatalities occurred in 11 crashes
 None of the 7 vehicle occupants killed was using a safety belt
 None of the fatalities occurred on the interstate, four happened on non-interstate highways, and nine
took place on local roads
 Six of the fatalities occurred in urban locations
 Four of the fatalities were motorcyclists
 Two of the fatalities were pedestrians
                                         

                                         YEAR-TO-DATE TOTALS
2015 FATALITIES        FATAL CRASHES
January – June                    110                                    99

COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS YEARS
YEAR FATALITIES FATAL CRASHES % CHANGE v. 2015
(FATALITIES)
2014 107 93 + 2.8
2013 99 87 + 11.1
2012 92 86 + 19.6
2011 81 76 + 35.8
2011-2014 Avg. 95 86 + 15.8
 There were 24 fatalities in June of 2014
 Sixty-nine of the 85 vehicle occupants killed so far during 2015 (81%) were not using safety belts

The Mid-Plains Center for Enterprise will launch a free Youth ATV Training on Aug. 1 at the North Platte Community College North Campus, 1101 Halligan Drive in North Platte.

There are two sessions to choose from: 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Classes will be divided by age group, 6-9 and 10-16. Six students from each age group will be allowed in each session.

“We’ve had great interest so far,” said Angela Raby, area director of the Center for Enterprise.

“Seats are filling up fast. We’ve had some great help from local businesses and associations in spreading the word.”

The curriculum, developed by Central States Safety Driver Training, will consist of a combination of safety instruction and guided, hands-on ATV operation. Participants will practice turns, stops and terrain navigation.

Instruction topics will include ATV injury and fatality statistics, how ATV size can contribute to rollover injuries and fatalities, the dangers of carrying passengers and material on ATVs, risks of traveling on public roads and safety procedures and practices.

Those who complete the program successfully will receive a certificate that aligns with insurance company requirements.

ATVs in different sizes will be used during the trainings. Parents must stay for classes attended by children younger than 10.

Other requirements include:

• Closed-toe footwear (preferably over the ankle)
• Long, non-flare pants
• A long-sleeved shirt or jacket
• Approved eye protection (will be provided if a participant does not have any)
• A helmet (will be provided if a participant doesn’t have one)

Several other ATV training dates have been scheduled, including:

• Sept. 12, Red Willow County Fairgrounds Community Building, McCook
• Sept. 19, Chase County Fairgrounds, Imperial
• Sept. 26, Nebraska Department of Roads, 307 East D St., Ogallala
• Oct. 3, Valentine (location to be determined)
• Oct. 10, Custer County Fairgrounds, Broken Bow
• Space is limited in all the classes. People can register by calling (308) 535-3678.

The trainings are possible thanks to a more than $24,000 grant from the CHS Foundation, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn. The money is administered through the NPCC Foundation.