Didn’t have time to take that introductory accounting class you wanted this semester? No problem. It and many others will be available through Mid-Plains Community College in the coming weeks.

Numerous courses will be provided online or through distance learning in addition to those offered in a classroom setting. Registration can be done by calling 535-3774.

The upcoming classes include:

 

• ACCT 1025: Bookkeeping for Business – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-July 10. The introductory course provides students with a basic knowledge of accounting terms, concepts and procedures. It includes the accounting cycle for a service business, accounting for cash and payroll and the accounting cycle for a merchandising business. The course is not designed to be a transfer course for business majors.

 

• ACCT 1200: Introductory Accounting I – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-July 10. This course is designed to provide introductory knowledge of accounting principles, concepts and practices. Included topics are balance sheets, income statements, statement of owner’s equity, statement of cash flows, worksheets, journals, ledgers, accruals, adjusting and closing entries, internal controls, inventories, fixed and intangible assets, liabilities, equity and financial statement analysis. This course provides a foundation for more advanced work in the fields of accounting and business.

 

• BIOS 1100: Basic Anatomy and Physiology – 3 credit hour, non-lab course offered in North Platte, Ogallala, Broken Bow and Valentine via distance learning. It will be May 11-June 18 in North Platte, Broken Bow and Ogallala and May 11-June 11 in Valentine. The course is a basic study of the human body systems and their respective functions. It’s designed for medical office students and those needing a beginning course in the subject.

 

• BIOS 1110: Microbiology – 4 credit hours, offered via distance learning in North Platte, Broken Bow and Ogallala. It will be provided June 1- July 9 in Broken Bow and May 11-June 18 in all other locations. This course is an introductory study of the morphology, physiology, growth and reproduction of microorganisms – with emphasis on bacteria. The prerequisite is BIOS 1010 and CHEM 1050 or 1090, or one year of high school chemistry within the last three years, or permission of the instructor. The fee is $30. The class is accompanied by labs in North Platte and Broken Bow.

 

• BIOS 1400: Introduction to Nutrition – 3 credit hours, offered via distance learning at North Platte, McCook, Broken Bow and Valentine from May 11-June 4. The course examines the principles of nutritional science with regard to the functions of various nutrients in the human body and the special nutrient requirements of individuals, based on age, sex, occupation and health. It is recommended for pre-nursing, physical education and family and consumer science emphases.

 

• BIOS 2260: Human Anatomy and Physiology II – 4 credit hours, offered in Broken Bow only fromJune 1-July 9 and accompanied by a lab. The course is a continued study of the physiological processes of the human body. Areas emphasized will be the endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, excretory and reproductive systems. The prerequisite is BIOS 2250 or permission of the instructor. The fee is $15.

 

• BSAD 1020: Introduction to Business – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-June 25 and in Thedford to Thedford High School students only from May 11-August 21. The course is an introductory study and overview of the role of business in society as well as a discussion of the various disciplines of business- including an overview of business organization, management, marketing, human resource management and finance. It also involves a study and discussion of various strategies for success of specific public and private firms as well as small businesses. Business vocabulary used to understand, analyze and interpret business news and information is examined.

 

• BSAD 1100: Personal Finance – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-June 26. The course offers a practical approach to managing personal finances that includes financial record keeping and personal federal income tax, major consumer purchases and financing, investment fundamentals and other financial topics of interest. The course may not transfer toward general education or degree requirements at some four-year colleges.

 

• BSAD 2250 Business Communications – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-July 10. This course focuses on an introduction to the basic styles of communication in the business world. The overall objective of the course is to familiarize students with the principles of written and oral communication needed for business. The focus will be on how to effectively write business messages (routine, bad-news, goodwill, persuasive, etc.) and business reports. Attention will also be given to how to effectively communicate orally and deliver a formal presentation in the business work environment. Correct use of language is emphasized. This course is a Writing Intensive course. The prerequisite is an appropriate score on a placement test, completion of ENGL 0990 and/or READ 0920 with a “C” or higher or completion of OFFT 1070 with a “C” or higher.

 

• OFFT 1150: Input Keyboard Technology I – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-June 11. The course is an introduction to touch keyboarding using the alphabetic and figure symbol keys on a standard computer keyboard. Students will prepare basic documents such as business letters, memos, tables and basic reports formatting and will be introduced to a popular word processing software application. The fee is $10.

 

• OFFT 2500: Medical Terminology – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18 through July 10. This course is designed to equip students with a usable vocabulary unique to the medical profession. Students will be able to define and use terms relating to structure of the human body – the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, nervous, eye, ear, integumentary, endocrine and reproductive systems in addition to diagnostic and imaging procedures and general medical terminology.

 

• CSCE 1566: QuickBooks – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-July 10. This course provides an introduction to QuickBooks Pro. Topics include creating a chart of accounts, recording transactions with customers and vendors, recording payrolls, using time tracking, estimates and progress billing, preparing financial statements and other supporting reports.

 

• CSCE 1644: MS Office Excel – 1.5 credit hours, offered online May 18-June 11. The course is designed to provide the fundamental skills and concepts of using the Excel spreadsheet software in a hands-on environment. Students will benefit from the step-by-step approach emphasized in the course. The fee is $5.

 

• ENGL 0990: College Prep Writing – 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-June 26. College Prep Writing is a review of grammar and sentence writing skills including usage of words, parts of speech, parts of a sentence, agreement of subject and verb, punctuation of sentences, vocabulary development and paragraph development. This course strengthens English proficiency before attempting college composition. It does not satisfy the general education requirement for an associate degree and cannot be used as an elective. This course is not designed to transfer to a four-year college. This course can act as a prerequisite for ENGL 1010. Students achieving a writing COMPASS score between 39 and 73 or equivalent scores on the ACT or SAT or who have passed ENGL

0980 with a “C” or higher are placed in this class. The prerequisite: is a minimum COMPASS, ACT or SAT score or completion of ENGL 0980 with a “C” or higher.

 

• ENGL 1010: Expository Writing I – 3 credit hours, offered online May 11-July 2. Expository Writing I is designed to develop writing skills. Students write short papers and essays based upon their personal experience and/or assigned papers. The course emphasizes the clear written expression of ideas and the importance of organization, word choice, logic and sentence construction. The process of planning, writing, revising, researching, documenting and editing essays for a particular audience is also emphasized. Students must have achieved a 74 on the COMPASS writing exam or the equivalent on the ACT or SAT or have passed ENGL 0990 with a “C” or higher. Students also must have achieved an 80 on the COMPASS reading exam or the equivalent on the ACT or SAT or have passed READ 0920 with a “C” or higher. The prerequisite is minimum COMPASS reading and writing scores or the equivalent as outlined above.

 

• GDVC 2990: Digital Photography on Location – 3 credit hours, offered in McCook only June 1-12. Students will develop DSLR camera skills as they learn camera functions and use software for basic file management and photo retouching. Lighting will be discussed as students take photos outdoors as well as in a studio setting. The aesthetics of photography will be studied and put into practice as students take photos to fulfill assigned objectives.

 

• HIST 2010: American History I to 1877 – 3 credit hours, offered in North Platte only May 18-June 5. The class is a survey of American history from the pre-colonial era through the period of the Reconstruction. Emphasis is placed on the political, economic, cultural, social, religious and institutional development of the nation. The course will include colonial development, the American Revolution, constitutional evolution and the establishment of a new republic, Jacksonian democracy, the market revolution and reform movements, slavery, westward expansion, the War with Mexico, sectionalism, the Civil War and social problems in the growth of the American nation.

 

• INFO 1000: Introduction to Information Technology, 3 credit hours, offered online May 18-July 2. This course provides an overview of information technology. Concepts covered include: the history of data processing, computer hardware, computer software, problem-solving techniques, business use of computers, social aspects and careers. The fee is $10.

 

• INFO 1260: Customer Support/Help Desk – 3 credit hours, offered via distance learning at North Platte and McCook from May 18-July 2. This course includes valuable information and everyday solutions for addressing the attitudes, behaviors and relationships between customers and the support team. The prerequisite is 24 hours of completed INFO courses or permission of the instructor. The fee is $10.

 

• MATH 0090: Math For Health Occupations – 2 credit hours, offered in Ogallala only from May 11-June 4. This course is a review of the four fundamental operations on fractions and decimals, Roman numerals, ratio and proportion, percentages and the metric, English, apothecary and household systems of measurement. This course does not satisfy the general education requirement for the associate degree and cannot be used as an elective. It is also not designed to transfer to a four-year college.

 

• MATH 1200: Elements of Statistics – 3 credit hour, offered in McCook only from May 18-June 4. Frequency distributions, elementary probability theory, measures of dispersion and central tendency, normal distributions, confidence intervals, hypotheses testing, regression and correlation will be studied. The prerequisite is completion of MATH 1010 or MATH 1150, with at least a “C” or adequate level on the math placement exam, or permission of instructor.

 

• NURA 1100: Nursing Assistant – 4 credit hours, offered via distance learning at McCook, North Platte and Mullen. The dates are: May 19-July 2 in McCook, May 18-June 10 in North Platte, June 1-15 in North Platte and May 21-June 19 in Mullen. This course will provide training for a non-licensed individual to provide safe, effective and caring services to patients, residents and clients in a variety of healthcare settings. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a certificate of completion from MPCC and qualify for placement on the State of Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry. People must be at least 16 to take this course. The fee is $5.

 

• NURA 1360: Medication Aide – 3 credit hours, offered in Ogallala only June 4-July 30. The content of this course will meet the 40-hour training requirement by the Nebraska State Department of Health and Human Services, Credentialing Division for childcare providers, staff members of schools and those providing medications in a recipient’s home, ICF-MR or AL facility. Individuals must be at least 18 years of age to take the course. The prerequisite is NURA 1100 or permission from the course coordinator.

 

• READ 0920: College Prep Reading – 3 credit hours, offered via distance learning through McCook and North Platte from May 18-June 4.  This reading skills course is designed to improve vocabulary, reading rate, comprehension and study skills needed to be successful in college. This course does not satisfy the general education requirement for an associate degree and cannot be used as an elective. It is not designed to transfer to a four-year college. This course can act as a prerequisite for ENGL 1010. Students achieving a reading COMPASS score between 0 and 79 or equivalent scores on the ACT or SAT are placed in this class. Students scoring below 25 are also strongly encouraged to join ABE classes.

 

• UPHR 1670: Couch Reconstruction and Upholstering – 2 credit hours, offered in North Platte onlyMay 26-June 8. The course covers frame and spring repair, pad replacement and the recovering of large projects. There’s a $35 fee.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is edging toward becoming the first conservative state in decades to repeal its death penalty.

Capital punishment opponents are optimistic following an initial vote in the Legislature to repeal the law but acknowledge they still face a challenge as opponents scramble to block the change.

A coalition of Democrats and Republicans has formed behind the repeal effort.

Democrats note racial disparities of who is sentenced to death and the possibility of executing an innocent person, while Republicans see the issue as a fiscal matter, noting no one has been executed I the state since 1997.

Republican Sen. Colby Coash said the death penalty wastes tax dollars and gives victims’ families the wrong impression that killers will be executed.

Another vote on the issue could come this week.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire Warren Buffett says Coca-Cola, Heinz and other companies will respond to people’s desire for healthier food, but he predicted demand will remain strong for their traditional products.

Buffett appeared on CNBC Monday after spending the weekend answering questions at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting.

Buffett’s Berkshire is the biggest shareholder in Coca-Cola, owns half of Heinz and is in the process of acquiring Kraft Foods.

Buffett says big food companies will develop products for changing tastes and local markets.

But Buffett says one-quarter of the calories he consumes come from Coke or Cherry Coke, and he enjoys foods like ice cream and steak. He says don’t bother inviting him for dinner if you plan to serve broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (AP) — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is traveling to Colorado to announce funding for conservation projects in all 50 states.

Vilsack is scheduled to release details about the projects at 2 p.m. Monday at the Colorado Department of Agriculture in Broomfield.

The Department of Agriculture says the projects concern water quality, soil health, wildlife habitat and agricultural viability. They will be funded by the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which requires recipients to also contribute their own money and effort on projects.

Today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before noon, then a chance of showers between noon and 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 59. East northeast wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 49. East northeast wind 8 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 69. East wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 54. Southeast wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 73. South southeast wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 73.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska legislators who support a proposed minimum wage cut for student workers argue pay is less important for young employees than learning the value of hard work, but some teens say they’re saving for college or helping pay families bills.

They don’t see a benefit to being paid less.

A measure that will soon be up for final debate would lower minimum wages for “young student workers” even after Nebraska’s minimum increases to $9 in 2016. Part-time high school employees 18 and under would continue earning $8 an hour until after they graduate.

The measure is backed by the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association and has been touted as a way for small-town markets to provide jobs for local students without a huge increase in their costs.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A 25-year-old Scottsbluff man has been sentence to up to 30 years in prison for severely beating his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter.

Cody Olbricht was sentenced Friday to 18 to 30 years in prison.

Olbricht was found guilty in March of intentional child abuse resulting in serious injury.

Prosecutors say the girl was taken to a hospital in September by her grandmother. Doctors determined the girl had several injuries, including a lacerated liver, brain bleeding, a broken rib and bruises covering her body. Scottsbluff police say there was little food in the home, and the girl’s clothes and bedding were stained with urine.

The girl’s mother, 25-year-old Cassandra Miller, is awaiting trial on a charge of negligent child abuse.

Curtis, Neb. – A Nebraska cattle producer will join University of Nebraska administrators including President Hank M. Bounds in saluting Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture graduates on May 7 at commencement in Curtis.

Bill Rishel, founder of RIshel Angus of North Platte, has mentored dozens of NCTA students over the past decades for internships and ranch employment. He will present the keynote address at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony at the Curtis Memorial Community Center, announced NCTA Dean Ron Rosati.

Rishel and his wife, Barb, have been instrumental as advisors to the ag production and livestock management programs at NCTA. They recently helped launch the new Heifer Link program, which provides a bred heifer to Nebraska students graduating from the 100 Cow Ownership Advantage.

Returning to campus three weeks after his first visit to NCTA’s campus is President Bounds, to be joined by Regent Bob Phares of North Platte and Vice President Ronnie Green of Lincoln. Each will deliver remarks.

“The NCTA community enjoyed becoming acquainted with President Bounds when he spoke with us in mid-April,” said Rosati. “We are looking forward to welcoming him again to NCTA along with families and guests.”

Students and faculty receiving awards, scholarships, graduation recognitions and other honors will be featured at the 2015 Awards Night the preceding evening. The public is invited to attend the 7 p.m. event at NCTA’s Nebraska Agricultural Industry Education Center.

“We are very proud of all our students, and look forward to announcing the salutatorian and valedictorian, as well as honor graduates on May 6,” Rosati said.  Also, at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Phi Theta Kappa two-year college scholastic honorary will host initiation of new members.

Graduates from NCTA include two-year students receiving an Associates of Science degree or Associates of Applied Science in majors of agronomy or horticulture, animal science and ag education, agribusiness management or veterinary technology systems.

Certificates will be conferred for the first time for the new irrigation technician program which trains employees for the mechanized irrigation industry, and is hosted in partnership with Reinke Manufacturing of Deshler, Neb.

Additional information about NCTA’s graduation activities on May 6 and May 7 can be gained from Dean Rosati’s office at (308) 367-5200.  Also, the NCTA web site at https://ncta.unledu outlines all academic programs and other details about the college.

DENVER (AP) — Sheriffs in Colorado and two other states may not like legal marijuana — but they don’t have the ability to force Colorado not to allow it. That’s Colorado’s argument in a motion filed Friday asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit from 10 county sheriffs in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska.

The lawsuit is one of several legal challenges Colorado faces after legalizing recreational pot in 2012. The sheriffs say that recreational pot burdens law enforcement and should be axed.

Colorado asked the U.S. District Court in Denver to dismiss the claims. Colorado points out that medical marijuana would still be legal even if recreational pot regulations are thrown out. And Colorado insists that it is within its rights to regulate pot even as it remains illegal under federal drug law.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has appointed a Kansas transportation consultant to lead the Nebraska Department of Roads.

Kyle Schneweis will take over as director on June 8. Ricketts announced the appointment Friday at the conclusion of a national search.

Schneweis currently works as a partner at High Street Consulting Group, LLC, a transportation planning, policy, and financial consulting firm. The firm’s clients include more than a dozen state transportation departments, the federal government and industry groups.

Schneweis served in various roles at the Kansas Department of Transportation from 1999 to 2010.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of North Dakota. Ricketts says Schneweis will help the department think creatively about how the state finances roads and works with regulators.

Schneweis’s salary will be $145,000 a year.