LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says Nebraska’s service to help residents enroll in public benefits is failing to meet its clients’ needs.

The Legislature’s Performance Audit Committee said in a report Wednesday that the ACCESSNebraska system remains dysfunctional, with a high rate of busy signals for callers and long wait times for service.

The system relies on a website and call centers to determine whether Nebraskans qualify for public benefits. It also helps them enroll in and renew their benefits.

Sen. John Harms, the committee chairman, says senators remain concerned about the program.

The Department of Health and Human Services says it has made significant improvements since Oct. 1, and average wait times for phone service have decreased ever since.

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 be open on Saturdays and Sundays this season, starting on Sat., Dec. 28 and will remain open until the first weekend in March.

The J-2 facility is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., CST. 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 also open for the season on Sat., Dec. 28 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.

After months of meetings, research and frustration, the North Platte Public School Board voted 5-1 Tuesday to go ahead with plans to reconfigure North Platte’s Middle Schools.

Jack Price was the only Board member to vote against the change.

Beginning in the 2015/2016 school year, all sixth graders in the North Platte Public School District will attend Madison Middle School while all seventh and eighth graders will attend Adams Middle School.

According to Superintendent Marty Bassett, the next step is to develop a timeline to establish what needs to be done prior to and during the transition.

Many parents spoke out against the reconfiguration citing costs, transportation and other issues.  Others felt that the move would be beneficial for students and would help with social development and maintain consistency with regards to curriculum and peers.

In any case, administrators believe the change will be positive for students in North Platte and Bassett says he is pleased with the decision.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new national report ranks Nebraska among the lowest-scoring states in 10 key areas to protect against infectious disease threats.

The Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced Tuesday that Nebraska complied with only two of their 10 recommended criteria. Georgia and New Jersey received the same score, while all other states ranked higher.

Among its recommendations, the report says Nebraska fell short in funding for public-health services, meeting whooping-cough vaccination goals, and having a climate-change plan that considers the impact on public health.

It says Nebraska succeeded in vaccinating at least half of the state’s population in last year’s flu season, and credited state officials for having a system to transport medical samples to a public health lab at all times.

BIG SPRINGS, Neb. (AP) — A 60-year-old man has died after his pickup collided with a semitrailer on Interstate 80 in the Nebraska Panhandle.

The Nebraska State Patrol says the accident occurred around 4:50 p.m. Sunday about three miles west of Big Springs in Deuel County.

The patrol says the eastbound pickup driven by William Hanson, of North Platte, was sideswiped by another vehicle and ended up in the westbound lanes, where it was struck by the big rig.

The semitrailer driver was identified as 55-year-old Valeriy Kolpakov, who was taken to a Julesburg, Colo., hospital for treatment.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning says he won’t need chemotherapy after he underwent surgery for colon cancer.

A spokeswoman for Bruning confirmed Tuesday that test results showed no additional cancer in his lymph nodes or colon. Doctors in Lincoln removed a portion of his colon last week.

The 44-year-old Bruning returned to work on Tuesday. He thanked his doctors and well-wishers via his Twitter account, and encouraged Nebraskans to get tested for colon cancer, saying the early detection saved his life.

Bruning’s condition was discovered during a colonoscopy before Thanksgiving. The American Cancer Society says men and women with an average risk of developing colorectal cancer should begin regular screenings at age 50.

Bruning, a Republican, has served as Attorney General since 2003. He is seeking re-election in 2014.

The Commander of the Nebraska State Patrol Troop D Headquarters- North Platte, Captain Jim Parish, will retire on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, after dedicating 36 years to serving and protecting the citizens of Nebraska as an officer and commander.

“Through his work with the Nebraska State Patrol and his involvement in the community, Jim has devoted his career to serving the citizens of Nebraska,” said Colonel David Sankey, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “His dedication, knowledge and compassion will be greatly missed.”

Parish, 58, has been the Commander of Troop D- North Platte since January 1996. He began his career in 1977, with the Field Services Division in Lincoln. During his time as a trooper, he served as an instructor for DUI detection and apprehension. In 1983, Parish transferred into the Investigative Services Division stationed in Lexington. He was later promoted to sergeant in North Platte, before being promoted to Lieutenant in Investigative Services and stationed in Omaha. Parish was reassigned to the Field Services Division in 1993 and subsequently promoted to Captain in Command of Troop D Headquarters- North Platte.

Captain Parish holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Industrial Education and is a 1998 graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Parish, and his wife Lisa will celebrate their 36^th wedding anniversary onDecember 28, they have four sons.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska prisoners who assault a guard or another inmate could soon lose up to two years’ worth of “good time” credit, which reduces the time they spend behind bars.

Gov. Dave Heineman said Tuesday he has approved a rule change that doubles the amount of credit prisoners could lose for misbehavior. It goes into effect Saturday.

Heineman announced plans for reform shortly after the arrest of Nikko Jenkins, who is accused of four Omaha-area slayings after his release from prison. Jenkins had threatened violence while incarcerated and begged corrections officials to commit him to a mental health institution.

Heineman says he has done everything that he can do administratively. He called on lawmakers to enact reforms that require violent offenders to earn good time instead of receiving it automatically.

A North Platte couple has been charged with multiple felonies stemming from an investigation of alleged child pornography and sexual assault involving a seven-year-old girl.

According to a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) news release, in mid-November, LCSO Investigators received a report that a male subject had engaged in sexual intercourse with the girl.  It was also reported that the suspect may have photographs on his computer that would be considered child pornography.

Investigators met with the victim and several other children who were all interviewed at the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center.  Authorities say the results of the interviews were inconclusive.

Deputies then served a search warrant on the home and personal belongings of 31-year-old Billy Schrader and removed numerous electronic devices from the residence.  The items were transferred to the North Platte Police Department for forensic analysis.

The NPPD conducted the analysis on the seized devices on December 13th.

The preliminary results produced at least four images that were considered to be child pornography.

Deputies again made contact with Schrader and placed the children under his care in the custody of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.  Schrader denied any knowledge of the images.

Additional interviews were then conducted with the children at the Bridge of Hope.  During the interviews, a juvenile disclosed that Schrader did have sex with the girl while a female took photos and participated in the act.

The female was indentified as 32-year-old Julia Thiemann.

On Monday, Schrader and Thiemann were contacted at their residence and placed under arrest.  They have both been charged with 1st degree sexual assault of a child, possession of child pornography and felony child abuse.

Sheriff’s officials say the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed.

Schrader and Thiemann are both incarcerated at the Lincoln County Detention Center.