GERING, Neb. (AP) — Officials in Scotts Bluff County say it will no longer be the only county in the state without its own flag.

The Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners voted Monday night to create a flag. The approved design has a royal blue background with the county logo in the middle.

Visitors Bureau Director Brenda Leisy says it’s important that Scotts Bluff join the 92 other counties with a flag. She says the county will fly the flag outside the courthouse and other locations starting in December.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Cooperative weather has helped Nebraska farmers catch up on their harvest of corn.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its report for the weekend ending Sunday that relatively warm weather and limited rainfall made for excellent harvest conditions.

The USDA says 79 percent of the state’s corn had been harvested by Sunday, equaling the five-year average by the date but a point under last year’s figure of 80 percent. The department said in its report for the week ending Nov. 2 that 60 percent of the state’s corn had been harvested, compared with 69 percent last year and the average of 71 percent by the date.

The latest report also said 79 percent of the winter wheat was rated good or excellent.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A ruling by a federal judge in Nebraska could make it easier for petition-drive organizers to place statewide initiatives on the ballot.

U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon struck down a state constitutional requirement Monday that had forced petition circulators to travel outside of large urban areas for signatures.

To qualify for the ballot, petition circulators were required to visit at least 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties and collect signatures from at least 5 percent of the registered voters in each.

Omaha businessman Kent Bernbeck challenged the requirement in court, arguing that it effectively makes rural votes more valuable than urban votes. Nearly half of the state’s population lives in five counties in the Omaha area.

U.S. Cellular has delivered exciting news to 78 Nebraska teachers that $48,408 in classroom projects have been funded through the company’s Calling All Teachers program.

There were 11 Lincoln County teachers who had projects funded.

North Platte High School s– Annie Seamann, $829.14 for Life-Skills Math: A World of Bills and Budgets.

Sutherland Public Schools – Briana Hawks, $993.42 for Setting the Stage in First Grade; Elizabeth Copeland, $974.31 for I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for iPads; Jewell Samuelson, $961.13 for Becoming Smarter With Technology; Heather Marquardt, $946.65 for Great Minds-Creatively Thinking; Nancy Hoatson, $916.55 for Literacy for All; Kim Schow, $856.71 for Boogie Into Learning With Boogie Boards; Kelli Flesch, $853.29 for Who Is Ready to Learn Social Skills; Denee’ Elfeldt $823.20 for ELMO’s Coming to Our School; Missy Hopping, $792.67 for iLearning Is Fun With iPad Mini; Betsy Elder, $608.45 for Roll Out the Learning Carpet.

This is U.S. Cellular’s fourth time working with philanthropic website DonorsChoose.org. This year, U.S. Cellular funded $1 million worth of impactful and engaging classroom projects submitted by public school teachers.

“U.S. Cellular is proud to support and salute teachers’ efforts to ensure every student has a meaningful learning experience,” said Erryn Andersen, U.S. Cellular’s director of sales for Nebraska and Iowa. “We are dedicated to Nebraska and excited to lend a hand to teachers in ensuring educational excellence of local students through this program.”

Earlier this fall, teachers across the U.S. Cellular footprint posted classroom projects for funding consideration that covered a variety of topics, such as language and literacy, math and science, music and the arts, health and sports and special needs. Some asked for classroom reading rugs, teaching easels and books while others requested foreign language tools and tablets. A technological aspect, such as iPads and tablets, was included in 55 percent of funded Nebraska projects.

“U.S. Cellular’s continued support of education is helping change the classroom experience in a powerful way,” said Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org. “The company’s donation of $1 million enables teachers to create impactful learning moments, which last a lifetime.”

Veterans Day is about remembering and honoring those who have served and currently serve our country, and students from two North Platte elementary schools will be doing just that, with their voices.

Students from Washington and Eisenhower Elementary schools will present their Veterans Day concert on Tuesday evening at the North Platte High School Performing Arts Center.

“My grandfather, Elmo Steffen, was a World War II veteran,” said Washington and Eisenhower music teacher, Janette Kammerer.  “I have a lot of relatives who have served our country, and I am very passionate about teaching my students how important it is to honor those who have given us our freedom.”

Kammerer said the students will perform a selection of the old classics, including, “The Star Spangled Banner,” “America of Thee I Sing,” “For the Good of the Many,” “Proud of our Veterans” and “God Bless America.”

The students will also welcome some special guests, as they have invited numerous Veterans to attend the concert to be honored.

Students from Washington will present their concert at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Eisenhower students at 7:30 p.m.

Kammerer said the entire community is invited to join the students in honoring those who have made great sacrifices to protect our freedom.

Cookies and drinks will be available at the conclusion of the concert.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Supporters have celebrated the completion of the first phase of a $180,000 hiking and biking trial.

Supporters of the Owens Trail at Lake Maloney briefly gathered in the snow on Monday for a ribbon cutting before retreating indoors. The 1-mile project was privately funded and most of the money was gifted from the estate of Elizabeth and Robert Owens.

Organizers say they’ve been trying to build the trail for the past 11 years but multiple attempts to secure grants from the state didn’t work. They hope to begin the second phase of construction in the spring, which would extend the trail for another mile.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says net tax receipts for Nebraska state government were below projections in October.

The Department of Revenue reported Monday that the state collected $222 million last month, which is nearly 9 percent below the certified forecast.

The certified forecast of $244 million was set by the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board in February.

The report says revenue from sales-and-use taxes was up. That revenue was offset by lower-than-expected collections from individual and corporate income taxes and miscellaneous taxes.

Even though net tax receipts were lower than expected in October, those collections are still running more than 1 percent higher than expected for the current fiscal year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Former U.S. Army Reserve colonel and Nebraska congressional candidate Tom Brewer plans to have tests this year to ensure the leukemia in his blood is gone.

He said he hopes to have fully recovered by April so he can join a fellow Heroes and Horses organizer on a 100-day ride across the Continental Divide from Colorado to Canada. They are seeking to raise money and awareness for the program with the trip.

The Heroes and Horses program helps veterans adjust to civilian life after being forced to leave the battlefield because of their injuries.

Brewer lost in the May primary against Republican incumbent Adrian Smith, who was re-elected this month to the state’s 3rd Congressional District.

Brewer was wounded twice in combat in Afghanistan, once in 2003 and again in 2011.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is boosting the size of this year’s record soybean crop as farmers in several states report per-acre yields surpassing earlier expectations.

The corn crop is reduced slightly but will still be a record.

In Monday’s update of this year’s crop, the USDA says soybean farmers are now expected to harvest 3.96 billion bushels, up 31 million bushels from the October estimate.

Fifteen states are expected to report records for the amount of soybeans grown per acre with the average yield at 47.5 bushels per acre.

The corn crop estimate was lowered slightly to 14.41 billion bushels, down 68 million bushels from the October estimate. Still, 22 states expect record high corn yields.

WASHINGTON (AP) — McDonald’s is recalling a Hello Kitty-themed whistle given to children in Happy Meals, citing a chance they could choke on some of its parts.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Monday that two children have reportedly coughed out pieces of the whistle that they had sucked into their mouths, including one child who received medical attention.

The safety agency said that parts of the three-inch tall “Hello Kitty Birthday Lollipop” whistle can detach and be inhaled, posing a risk to small children.

McDonald’s handed out about 2.3 million of these whistles in the U.S. and 200,000 in Canada from October through November in Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals.

Consumers should return the whistle to any McDonald’s for a free replacement toy.