GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans who want to learn more about the benefits of prescribed burns can attend a workshop about them.

Officials say burning can be especially useful for controlling the invasive eastern red cedar tree and other invasive species.

Several organizations are sponsoring the tour in Dawson County on Wednesday.

Landowners will showcase the results they achieved during the tour.

Authorities have resumed attempts to remove a vehicle belonging to two North Platte teens, who have been missing since mid-May, from the South Platte River.

According to Chief Deputy Roland Kramer of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), law enforcement, volunteers and crews from Western Engineering have been at the site of the accident on South River Road since early this morning.

Officials announced last week that flows on the South Platte River had decreased and were expected to decrease more by the beginning of this week.

At this point, it looks like the flows have held true to projections, and authorities can now resume efforts to recover the vehicle.

Initially, Kramer said they were hopeful that the equipment could be put in place today, and they could begin the process of extracting the vehicle.

However, Kramer said the goal now is to get the equipment in place today and begin the extraction process first thing tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

Kramer said the safety of the heavy equipment operators and of everyone involved is always the most important thing to consider, and it takes time to get everything into place.

According to Kramer, the goal is to get the equipment about halfway out to the location of the vehicle.  He also said there is an island near the vehicle’s location, and they would like to get some equipment onto the island as well.

Volunteer divers first located the vehicle about a week after the teens’ vehicle drove into the swollen river on the night of May 18.

Due to the high waters and swift currents of the river, authorities were forced to wait until the water subsided.

Kramer said he is hopeful they can bring closure to the families of Lexie Wiezorek and Noah Ramos soon.

MORRILL, Neb. (AP) — A farmstead in the Nebraska Panhandle has been damaged by what may have been a short-lived tornado.

Officials said outbuildings were destroyed, and fences and power poles were knocked down around 5 p.m. Sunday at his wife’s grandparents’ property about a mile northwest of Morrill. The farm home was not damaged and no injuries have been reported.

National Weather Service meteorologist Becca Mazur said Monday that if a tornado was to blame, it didn’t stay on the ground very long.

Flooded highways and county roads also were reported Sunday in Scotts Bluff County, especially south of Mitchell. Mazur says the nearest confirmed rainfall total was nearly 1.2 inches reported in the past 24 hours at Scotts Bluff airport.

A North Platte man was jailed on a felony charge over the weekend after he allegedly assaulted his domestic partner.

At around 6:45 p.m., on July 5, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the report of a prior disturbance in the 2700 block of West 6th Street.

Officers met with a 25-year-old female who alleged that her domestic partner, 21-year-old Harley Smith, became upset and slapped her.

The female said Smith then punched here and grabbed her abdomen before holding a knife to her throat and threatening her.

A witness also told police that a three-year-old child was also present during the violence.

Officers located Smith at a residence in the 2600 block of West 8th Street and placed him under arrest.

He was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed on charges of felony terroristic threats, 3rd-degree domestic assault and child abuse.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s focus has traditionally been on food production, agriculture and natural resources but under the administration of President Barack Obama the USDA also has taken on a broader rural economic development role.

The agency has funded energy projects, small business loans, upgrades to power lines and high speed internet.

Some don’t consider financial support for such rural development projects to be among the agency’s fundamental roles but Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack disagrees.

Vilsack is now promoting newly available funding of up to $800,000 to support farmers markets and other local food initiatives.

The USDA since 2009 has invested $800 million in more than 29,000 local and regional food projects including investments in 1,000 local food projects in Iowa and 617 in Nebraska.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow same-sex marriage could be good news for businesses that serve couples, from wedding planners to divorce attorneys.

Businesses that help plan and stage weddings say they expect a boost from gay and lesbian couples who can now marry legally in Nebraska, instead of traveling elsewhere.

Susan Madsen, general manager of the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln, says she has fielded a handful of calls from couples interested in using the venue for wedding receptions. Madsen says the hotel is marketing itself in hopes of attracting more soon-to-wed couples.

A 2014 study by the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute found that extending marriage rights to Nebraska same-sex couples could generate $8 million in economic activity over three years.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A 29-year-old Scottsbluff woman has been charged with misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide in the death of a 68-year-old German man.

Scotts Bluff County Attorney Dave Eubanks said he’s citing Magdeline Pourier in the case. Eubanks says careless driving led to the death of Michael Schmidt, of Leipzig, Germany. Schmidt died June 28 after Pourier struck the man, who was walking in the street.

Schmidt, who suffered head trauma in the accident, died at Regional West Medical Center.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s attorney general says the University of Nebraska violated the state’s open meetings law when it held private meetings as part of its search for a new president.

Attorney General Doug Peterson concluded the University of Nebraska violated the open meetings act when it held a series of private committee sessions leading to the disclosure of four finalists.

However, Peterson also said in a letter dated Wednesday that the university’s selection of Hank Bounds as president was settled and a criminal prosecution or civil lawsuit wasn’t warranted.

Peterson’s letter was in response to a complaint filed by journalist Deena Winter of Nebraska Watchdog.

University spokeswoman Melissa Lee says officials didn’t intend to violate the law and were pleased the president’s selection was valid.