LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials say they are working on a plan to improve the education of children in state custody.

The state Department of Health and Human Services is working with the state Education Department on the plan.

Thomas Pristow, who leads the children and family services programs, says state wards are already experiencing a trauma in their families that disrupts their lives.

Pristow says it’s important for officials to try to minimize the amount of disruption in the education of state wards.

Across Nebraska, statistics show that 84 percent of all students graduate from high school while only 43.5 percent of state wards graduate.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are floating new ideas to reduce property taxes as the 2015 session gets underway.

Senators and Gov. Pete Ricketts say cutting property taxes is a top priority, along with overhauling the prison system and setting money aside for rural bridges.

Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island, chairman of the Revenue Committee, says options should be clearer as lawmakers write a new two-year budget.

Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus says it’s unlikely the state or local governments will dramatically cut spending, but he proposed two measures that could offset the property tax burden for ranchers, farmers and homeowners.

Sen. Al Davis of Hyannis says he’ll unveil a plan Tuesday that would lower the percentage of agricultural land school districts can tax, while providing additional state money for schools.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Nearly 700 high school vocal and instrumental music students from Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas have been selected to participate in the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Honor Band and Choral Clinic on Jan. 26.

The event will feature three choirs and two bands, which rehearse all day before presenting a 6 p.m. concert at the UNK Health and Sports Center.

The honor choir will be directed by David Bauer, professor of music and UNK director of choirs.

The honor and festival bands will be directed by Duane Bierman, assistant professor of music and UNK director of bands, and Brian Alber, assistant professor of music and UNK assistant director of bands.

The UNK Honor Band and Choral Clinic is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors who are selected after auditions.

2015 UNK Honor Choir

2015 UNK Honor Band

 

 

 

BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped two felony counts against an unlicensed midwife in the 2011 death of a Nebraska newborn.

Prosecutors dropped charges of negligent and intentional child abuse resulting in death against 67-year-old Judy Jones, of Irene, South Dakota. Jones had been arraigned on those charges on Nov. 20.

Prosecutors did not give a reason for dismissing the charges.

Jones still faces charges of manslaughter, practicing without a license and criminal impersonation.

Authorities say a baby Jones helped deliver in rural Custer County who died shortly after he was born. Investigators say Jones failed to perform tests or contact a doctor when the child stopped breathing.

Jones was ordered to stop practicing medicine in Nebraska in 1999. South Dakota authorities issued a similar order.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Church will name a new bishop for the Diocese of Grand Island next week.

The new bishop will be announced during a press conference Wednesday at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island.

The announcement comes following the retirement of Bishop William J. Dendinger.

In accordance with church law, bishops are required to submit a letter of retirement at age 75. Bishop Dendinger celebrated his 75th birthday on May 20.

Dendinger has served as bishop of the Grand Island Diocese since 2004.

HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) — The Phelps County Attorney’s Office is investigating the death of a person at a medical device manufacturing plant in Holdrege.

Phelps County Attorney Mike Henry said there was a death on the BD property along U.S. Highway 6 on Thursday night. Henry says an autopsy has been ordered.

Henry declined to release more details on the death, saying he wanted to wait until the autopsy was finished.

The BD facility is one of the largest manufacturers of insulin syringes for diabetes.

WOOD RIVER, Neb. (AP) — A herd of 42 rare, purebred bison will arrive at the 4,500-acre Crane Trust along the Platte River in central Nebraska next week, wrapping up a more than two-year effort to reintroduce bison to their original home on native Nebraska prairie.

The bison will arrive the afternoon of Jan. 17. The event will be held east of The Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center and include a Native American ceremony to bless the bison.

National Wildlife Federation Tribal Lands Project and Nebraska Wildlife Federation representatives also will attend.

The bison cows, calves and two 7-year-old bulls descended from a genetically pure herd raised on a Crawford ranch.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans interested in promoting agricultural or environmental tourism attractions can attend a workshop next month.

The state Tourism Commission’s annual workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn in Kearney on Feb. 23-25.

Tourism Commission director Kathy McKillip says Nebraska’s agricultural heritage makes it a natural fit for nature-based tourism.

The conference will offer workshops on preparing for emergencies and getting the most out of your land as well as advice on marketing.

More details are available at https://bit.ly/1AxMwje . The hotel room rate for the conference is $84.95.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Adjusting medications before someone gets sick enough to visit the doctor.

Updating outside specialists so one doctor’s prescription doesn’t interfere with another’s.

Starting this month, Medicare will pay primary care doctors a monthly fee to better coordinate care for the most vulnerable seniors — those with multiple chronic illnesses — even if they don’t have a face-to-face exam.

The goal is to help patients stay healthier between doctor visits, and avoid pricey hospitals and nursing homes.

Too often, no one oversees their overall health.

Medicare’s new fee, which is about $40 a month per qualified patient, marks a big policy shift. Usually, the program pays for services in the doctor’s office.

Chad S. Adams, President of Adams Bank & Trust, is pleased to announce that Lana M. Shaw has been named Marketing Director.

She has been with Adams Bank & Trust since 2011, most recently serving as the Retail Services Assistant.  Shaw graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from the University of Nebraska- Kearney in 2008.

Shaw previously was employed by Sandhills Publishing as a Field Marketing Representative based out of Lincoln, NE.  She performed marketing research for the company’s three trade publications, covering both the United States and Canada.

In addition to her employment with Sandhills Publishing, Shaw offers a background in advertising, sales & public relations.  She was selected as a presenter at the 2008 National Conference of Undergraduate Research at Salisbury University, a member of the American Marketing Association, assisted in the University of Nebraska- Kearney Public Relations Dept., and interned with The Buckle, Kearney, NE.

Adams Bank & Trust is a privately owned bank, headquartered in Ogallala, Nebraska, with assets of $600 million that offers deposit, lending, investment, and trust services and has 18 offices in Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas.