• Today: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 86. Breezy, with a south wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
• Tonight: Clear, with a low around 55. South southeast wind 9 to 13 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 82. South southeast wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Southeast wind 10 to 13 mph.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 82. South southeast wind 8 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
• Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
• MondayA 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 79.

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of a gallon of gasoline may soon start with a “2” across much the country.

Gasoline prices typically decline in autumn. This year they’re getting a big push lower from falling global oil prices. By the end of the year, up to 30 states could have an average gasoline price of under $3 a gallon, according to a forecast from GasBuddy.com.

Already the average in Springfield, Missouri is below $3. Several other cities are on the brink.

The national average is $3.35 per gallon, a dime below last year at this time and near its low for 2014.

Lower fuel prices help the economy by making goods cheaper to ship, making travel more affordable, and leaving a few extra dollars in drivers’ pockets.

SYRACUSE, Neb. (AP) — A recent report by a national nonprofit research group has found that 19 percent of Nebraska’s rural bridges were rated structurally deficient in 2013.

The state has about 15,500 bridges owned by the state, counties and cities. It has the 16th most in the nation.

The Washington D.C.-based nonprofit TRIP found Nebraska has the seventh highest number of rural bridges designated as structurally deficient last year.

Each rural bridge is inspected once every two years, and inspectors determine how many tons each can support safely.

But a Nebraska state bridge engineer says the report needs to be put into perspective. He says the report counts a 20-foot bridge in Nebraska the same as the length of any other bridge.

An autopsy has determined that the victim of a murder in North Platte died of blunt force trauma.

According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, an autopsy performed at Central Nebraska Forensic Services in Gibbon, on September 23, showed that 43-year-old Lonnie James Sanchez, of Hoehne, Colorado, died of blunt force trauma, and ruled that the death was a homicide.

Sanchez’ body was found along the north bank of the South Platte River just south of the Walmart Supercenter, on September 16, wrapped in a tarp .

Authorities have arrested three suspects, 45-year-old David Saxton, 31-year-old Maybelle Collins, and 30-year-old Randy Nevsimal.

The trio is being held at the Lincoln County Detention Center.  A judge has set bond for Saxton and Nevsimal at $2 million, and bond for Collins, has been set at $1 million.

Nevsimal and Saxton have been charged with 2nd degree murder, and Collins has been charged with being an accessory to 2nd degree murder.

The suspects and victims are all transients.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials say Iowa and Nebraska medical records networks have been connected so records can be quickly shared over a secure link.

The link between the Iowa Health Information Network and the Nebraska Health Information Initiative lets health care providers send and receive messages.

A spokeswoman for the Iowa system, Polly Carver-Kimm, told The Daily Nonpareil newspaper in Council Bluffs that the link is “similar to email, only more secure and encrypted.”

Patient permission is required before private information can be shared between health systems.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A ceremony will be held Friday to honor the Nebraskans who are buried in cemeteries for the mentally ill across the state.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is planning to hold the ceremony at the Lincoln Regional Center at 1 p.m.

Nearly 3,000 people are buried at the locations of the Lincoln, Hastings and Norfolk regional centers. Most of the people were buried anonymously after living in state psychiatric institutions.

Scot Adams with the Department of Health and Human Services says the ceremony is designed to recognize the lives of the people buried there and show they haven’t been forgotten.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials are once again collecting old and leftover prescription drugs in a national effort to keep them off the streets.

Attorney General Jon Bruning announced that that the take-back sites will open on Saturday at five locations.

The annual event is intended to fight accidental poisonings and prescription drug abuse. Improper disposal can also contaminate groundwater.

Unused medication will be collected between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at sites The Pharmacy in Lincoln, the Fremont Area Medical Center in Fremont, the Columbus Community Hospital in Columbus and St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. Tri County Hospital in Lexington will have a collection site from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Dave Heineman has announced the winners of a statewide award for Nebraska employers who promote healthy workplace habits.

Heineman said Wednesday that 50 Nebraska employers will be recognized with the Governor’s Wellness Award. The program began seven years ago to honor companies that show a commitment to their employees’ well-being. Wellness programs typically offer health education, screenings and opportunities for exercise.

The program offers two categories. The Sower Award recognizes workplaces that have established quality wellness programs. The Grower Award honors businesses and organizations whose programs lead to significant improvements in employee health.

Awards luncheons will be held Oct. 7 in Lincoln and in Gering on Oct. 3. Omaha and Lincoln businesses also will be recognized in Lincoln on Oct. 16.

• Today: Areas of fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 87. Light south southeast wind increasing to 9 to 14 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
• Tonight: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 56. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph.
• Friday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.
• Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. South southeast wind 11 to 14 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 82. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s library and another building were briefly evacuated because of an anonymous threat sent by social media.

The Calvin T. Ryan Library and the university’s Mitchell Building were both closed after the threats were received around 10 a.m. on Wednesday. The buildings have since reopened after authorities determined that there was no threat to the buildings or people inside.

UNK spokeswoman Kelly Bartling says all NU campuses have received threats over the last several days. Bartling says UNK’s library was evacuated as a precaution.

Bartling declined to release specifics about the threat.