GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A send-off ceremony is planned for about 50 Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers who will travel to the Middle East.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports Gov. Pete Ricketts will attend the ceremony Saturday in Grand Island marking the departure of soldiers assigned to two aviation units.
The soldiers will move troops, supplies and equipment.
They will first head to Texas for several weeks of training and then deploy to the Middle East.
LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in January. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes.
Jan. 1 – First Day Hike, Mormon Island State Recreation Area (SRA), Doniphan; Indian Cave State Park (SP), Shubert; Ash Hollow State Historical Park (SHP), Lewellen; Platte River SP, Louisville; Wagon Train SRA, Hickman; Chadron SP, Chadron; Eugene T. Mahoney SP, Ashland; Red Willow Reservoir SRA, McCook; Ponca SP, Ponca; Wildcat Hills Nature Center, Gering; Johnson Lake SRA, Elwood; Smith Falls SP, Valentine; Fort Kearny SRA, Kearney; Calamus Reservoir SRA, Burwell; Fort Hartsuff SHP, Burwell; Fremont Lakes SRA, Fremont; and Lake Ogallala, Ogallala
Jan. 2 – Application period begins for Super Tag and Combo multispecies lottery permits
Jan. 2 – Big game informational meeting, Cabela’s, Sidney
Jan. 3 – Big game informational meeting, Community Center, Wymore
Jan. 3 – Big game informational meeting, Hooker County Library, Mullen
Jan. 6 – Duck and coot hunting seasons close in Zone 3, Low Plains and High Plains Units
Jan. 7-27 – Duck and coot hunting seasons in Zones 2 and 3, High Plains Unit
Jan. 8 – Big game informational meeting, Schilling Wildlife Management Area, Plattsmouth
Jan. 9 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Broken Bow
Jan. 10 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Curtis
Jan. 12 – Discover Ice-Fishing Clinic, Holmes Lake, Lincoln
Jan. 12 – Flying WILD Educator Workshop, Wildlife Safari Park, Ashland
Jan. 13 – Crow hunting season opens statewide
Jan. 14 – First day of spring turkey hunting permit sales
Jan. 15 – Youth, Landowner, Season Choice and River Antlerless, and Gifford Point WMA deer hunting seasons close
Jan. 15 – Birds and Books workshop, Elkhorn Valley Museum, Norfolk
Jan. 15 – Antlerless elk season closes
Jan. 16 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Stockville
Jan. 17 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Wayne and Grand Island
Jan. 18 – Dark goose hunting season closes in North Central Unit
Jan. 18 – Nebraska Game and Parks Commission meeting, Lincoln
Jan. 19 – Discover Ice-Fishing workshop, Yanney Park, Kearney
Jan. 19-Feb. 10 – Statewide light goose and white-fronted goose hunting seasons
Jan. 20 – Discover Ice-Fishing Clinic, Fort Kearny SRA Lake No. 6, Kearney
Jan. 23 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Alma
Jan. 23 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Niobrara
Jan. 24 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Lincoln
Jan. 28 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Rushville
Jan. 29 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Scottsbluff
Jan. 29 – Insect Investigations Educator Workshop, Elkhorn Valley Museum, Norfolk
Jan. 30 – Prescribed burn training workshop, Imperial
Jan. 31 – Hunting seasons close for November late doe/fawn antelope, fall turkey, pheasant, quail, partridge, grouse and squirrel
Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) worked diligently over the final weeks of 2018 to remove dozens of impaired drivers from Nebraska roads. The annual holidays “You Drink & Drive, You Lose” campaign resulted in 64 arrests for drunk or drugged driving.
During the enforcement, which ran from December 14 through January 1, troopers and dispatchers worked overtime hours in the effort to keep Nebraska roads safe for all travelers. The operation resulted in 61 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol and three arrests for driving under the influence of drugs. The effort included high visibility patrols in all parts of Nebraska.
“The holidays should be filled with positive memories,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Impaired driving not only puts yourself at risk of injury or death but also poses a risk to everyone else on the road. Our troopers and dispatchers worked hard over the last several weeks to take impaired drivers off the road, and ensure safe roads for all of Nebraska.”
In addition to the drunk and drugged driving arrests, NSP issued citations for speeding (1,055), driving under suspension (75), no proof of insurance (54), minor in possession (13), open container (35), no seat belt (57), and improper child restraint (15). Troopers also arrested 66 people for possession of drugs and six for reckless driving.
During the campaign, troopers helped 787 motorists in need of assistance, many coming during the strong snowstorm that struck Nebraska last week.
The “You Drink & Drive, You Lose” campaign is made possible thanks in part to a grant for $25,000 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha teacher has announced his intention to run for the Nebraska Legislature in 2020.
Tim Royers said Wednesday he will seek the seat held by current state Sen. Rick Kolowski, who will be ineligible to run again in 2020 because of term limits. His announcement came days before a new group of lawmakers are set to be sworn in for the 2019 session.
Royers is seeking to represent District 31, which includes Omaha’s Millard neighborhood.
Royers has taught social studies and Millard West High School for 12 years and served as debate coach. He graduated from Millard West in 2003 and earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University in 2007.
Royers was named Nebraska Teacher of the Year in 2016.
ALMA, Neb. (AP) — A former Harlan County treasurer accused of stealing from the county is scheduled to be sentenced March 4.
District court records say Diane Grotfeld, of Alma, pleaded no contest last week to felony theft and misdemeanor abuse of public records. Prosecutors lowered the theft charge and dropped a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct in exchange for Grotfeld’s pleas.
Grotfeld resigned from her post in July. A state auditor’s report last year showed that around $108,000 was missing from the treasurer’s office.
ST. PAUL, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man who twice traded gunshots with pursuing officers has been taken to a Lincoln hospital.
A Nebraska State Patrol K-9 helped officers take custody of the man early Tuesday in a creek bed near St. Paul in Howard County. He was flown to Lincoln after being taken to a hospital in St. Paul. Court records don’t show that he’s been charged yet.
The patrol says the man shot at officers Monday evening when they tried to make a traffic stop north of Elba. He gained access to a Howard County Sheriff’s Office cruiser and headed south in it with officers in pursuit. He exchanged gunshots again after the cruiser spun out. None of the officers was hit.
The patrol says the man fled on foot. The patrol used a light armored vehicle and a helicopter in their search.
The man was suffering from a gunshot wound to his left forearm and showed signs of hypothermia when he was captured.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey report suggests that business conditions improved last month in nine Midwest and Plains states.
The report issued Wednesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index rose to 55.2 in December from 54.1 in November. The October reading was 54.9.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the shortages of skilled workers are still holding back even stronger growth.
The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — More online retailers are planning to collect Nebraska sales tax starting in 2019, so residents might see their totals rise a bit when they check out.Nebraska Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton says the state plans to enforce the law on businesses with more than $100,000 worth of sales or at least 200 separate transactions in Nebraska during the year.
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that validated a South Dakota law that requires large online retailers to collect sales tax.
LINCOLN, Neb. – Anglers can learn the basics of ice-fishing or pick up a few new tips from experienced anglers at three free Family Ice-Fishing clinics in January.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Youth Fishing Program will host two on-ice events – Jan. 12 at Lincoln’s Holmes Lake from 1-4 p.m. and Jan. 20 at Kearney’s Fort Kearny State Recreation Area (SRA) Lake No. 6 from 8 a.m.-noon.
Six inches of clear ice must be available at each lake or the events will be canceled. Ice thickness will be determined by noon on Jan. 11 for the Lincoln event and by noon on Jan. 18 for the Fort Kearny clinic. The status of those events then will be posted on Game and Parks’ Facebook page or available by calling 402-471-0641.
On Jan. 19, the Nebraska Fish and Game Association will host a classroom clinic at Yanney Heritage Park’s Environmental Resource Center in Kearney from 1- 5 p.m. This clinic will feature presentations by some of Nebraska’s top ice fishermen. Seating is limited, so registration is requested by emailing [email protected].
Limited loaner equipment will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Bait and instruction will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment.
A park entry permit is required at Fort Kearny. All fishing regulations apply.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees America’s nuclear and missile arsenal, boasted in a New Year’s Eve tweet that it’s ready if ever needed “to drop something much, much bigger” than the Times Square ball.
The tweet was accompanied by video of B-2 bombers dropping two 30,000-pound conventional weapons at a test range, according to CNN, which aired the video.
The tweet on Strategic Command’s Twitter account was replaced with an apology: “Our previous NYE tweet was in poor taste & does not reflect our values. We apologize. We are dedicated to the security of America & allies.”
The first tweet read in part: “#TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball…if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger.”
