NEW YORK (AP) — Health officials say the flu is now hitting hard in parts of the country, especially the South and Midwest.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported cases were widespread in 29 states last week. If the trend continues, it could bring another early peak to the flu season as happened in the last two winters.
Experts worry this will be a bad season because the dominant strain — seen in roughly two-thirds of recent tests — is a nasty bug not covered in this year’s vaccine. But officials have not seen an unusually high number of hospitalizations or deaths so far.
Flu season traditionally peaks around February. But in the last two winters, flu peaked by early January.
GERING, Neb. (AP) — A 21-year-old western Nebraska man has pleaded no contest to procuring alcohol for a teenage girl who died in a May crash.
In exchange for Chris Miller’s plea, prosecutors dismissed unrelated drug charges against him and dropped plans to revoke his probation.
Authorities say Miller had provided the alcohol that he and 17-year-old Salena Cochrane had been drinking before left his house in her vehicle. Cochrane, who was driving, was not wearing a seat belt and was partially thrown from the vehicle when she crashed on May 27.
Miller is set to be sentenced on Feb. 6, when he faces up to five years in prison.
The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District will once again provide eagle-watching opportunities to the public this winter.
The J-2 viewing center will open on Fri., Dec. 26 from 8 a.m. until noon to accommodate holiday visitors.
The regular viewing season will then begin on Sat., Dec. 27 and will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST on Saturdays and Sundays through the first weekend in March. The hydroplant is located south of Lexington near the intersection of county roads 749 and 750.
Central’s eagle-viewing facility below Kingsley Dam will open for the season on Sat., Dec. 27 and will remain open until the first weekend in March.
The Kingsley Dam facility is open for eagle-viewing from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (MST) on Saturdays and Sundays.
A limited number of binoculars are available at the facilities, but visitors are encouraged to bring their own viewing equipment.
Central has been providing eagle-viewing opportunities at J-2 since 1988 and at Kingsley Dam since 1990. The eagles are attracted to feed on fish in the open water below the plants, particularly when rivers and lakes in the area are covered with ice.
Several factors influence the number of eagles seen from the facilities on any given day, including climatic conditions, ice coverage on area bodies of water, how many eagles are wintering in the area, and whether the hydroplants are on-line. The best viewing time is normally earlier in the day. There is no charge to visit the facilities.
For more information about eagles and viewing opportunities, visit Central’s Web page at www.cnppid.com or call (308) 995-8601.
As the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season get into full swing, it’s easy for us to forget that there are many, right here in our own community, who aren’t able to provide their children with the gifts that make Christmas even more special.
The Salvation Army is, once again, doing their part to ensure that families in North Platte aren’t faced with this dilemma, by providing those less fortunate with gifts to give to their children.
However, donations are down this year, meaning that the Salvation Army may not be able to provide for all the families who have requested assistance.
Items needed include: gift cards, gifts for 8 to 12-year-old boys and gifts for teenagers.
Some ideas include: remote control cars, make-up, dartboards and Axe body spray.
Volunteers will be distributing the gifts today at 4:00 p.m,.
If you are able to help, please deliver the gifts to the Salvation Army, 1020 North Adams, before 4:00 p.m.
You can make a difference in a child’s life, and help make their Christmas a little more merry.
A candle is being blamed for an early morning house fire in North Platte.
The North Platte Fire Department responded to a structure fire at around 7:21 a.m., on Friday, at 116 West 2nd Street.
According to NPFD Assistant Chief, Trent Kleinow, the family was getting ready for the day when a candle was knocked over in a bedroom.
Kleinow said the candle ignited a set of curtains and quickly spread.
When firefighters arrived, the home was completely smoke-filled, and Kleinow said flames could be seen throughout the house.
Thankfully, two adults and six children, who were in the home, were able to safely escape. The American Red Cross arrived at the scene to provide them with assistance.
Kleinow said the fire was brought under control at approximately 7:59 a.m. 18 firefighters were involved in battling the blaze.
Kleinow said there were no injuries.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska and Oklahoma are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to declare Colorado’s legalization of marijuana unconstitutional.
Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning announced Thursday that the states are seeking a court order to prevent Colorado from enforcing a measure that was approved by voters in 2012. Bruning says Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is also a party to the lawsuit.
The complaint alleges that Colorado’s Amendment 64 runs afoul of federal law.
Washington state also has legalized marijuana, but Bruning says Nebraska isn’t suing over that law because it doesn’t share a border with Washington.
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers says in a statement that the lawsuit is without merit. He says his office will vigorously defend the marijuana law in the U.S. Supreme Court.
KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators have cited a Kearney manufacturing plant for workplace safety violations they say led to an employee suffering acute kidney failure.
Eaton Corp. faces a $7,000 fine for the July incident. A federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection says the 53-year-old employee was operating industrial machinery when the heat index reached 101 degrees, causing his kidneys to shut down. He was hospitalized for more than 24 hours.
OSHA says Eaton failed to protect workers from exposure to excessive heat, a serious violation.
Jim Michels, manager of global business communication for the Eaton Vehicle Group, says the company strongly disagrees with OSHA’s findings and is working with federal regulators.
The Kearney plant manufactures gears and intake and exhaust valves for vehicle engines.
CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — A Dawes County deputy sheriff has pleaded no contest to a citation stemming from a traffic accident in which he hit a pedestrian on a Chadron street.
Dawes County Deputy Sheriff Lee Sayaloune pleaded no contest Tuesday to a charge of failure to yield right of way, an infraction.
An investigation by the Chadron Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol showed Sayaloune was driving a sheriff’s cruiser on Aug. 5 when he tried to make a left-hand turn and hit a 33-year-old woman crossing the street. She was not seriously injured.
After pleading no contest, Sayaloune paid a $25 fine and court costs.
