Beginning Friday, December 13 and continuing throughWednesday, January 1, 2014, the Nebraska State Patrol will take part in a national effort designed to raise awareness of the dangers of impaired driving.

The “You Drink & Drive, You Lose” campaign is designed to remove impaired motorists from roadways and to remind drivers to never get behind the wheel after drinking.

“Safety on our roads is a shared responsibility,” said Colonel David Sankey, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We hope all motorists will join with us in helping to prevent alcohol related crashes and fatalities by choosing to never drive impaired.”

During the enforcement period the Nebraska State Patrol will conduct special enforcement efforts to include high visibility patrols, DWI checkpoints and other efforts focusing on time periods in which alcohol related activities are considered to be the highest.

Troopers and communication specialists will put in overtime hours throughout the enforcement, thanks in part to a $27,900 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS).

Impaired or reckless drivers may be reported by dialing 911 or the Nebraska State Patrol Highway Helpline by dialing *55 when safe to do so from any cellular phone or 1-800-525-5555 from any landline.

Colonel Sankey said, “If you choose to celebrate, do so in a safe responsible manner, always have a designated driver and never get behind the wheel impaired.”

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has promoted Jason Tonsfeldt to be the new Park Superintendent at Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park and Recreation Area.

Jason is currently serving at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area as the Assistant Park Superintendent. Prior to working at Lake McConaughy, Jason worked at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park for six years as the head of Grounds for the state’s largest and newest State Park.

The Superintendent of Buffalo Bill Ranch also supervises the operation of Lake Maloney and Sutherland State Recreation Areas.

According to Roger Kuhn, Parks Division Administrator, “We are excited for Jason to assume his new responsibilities. He has demonstrated good leadership and he has great enthusiasm and energy which we are certain he will use at Buffalo Bill Ranch and in his interaction with the North Platte Community.”

Jason will assume his new duties on December 16, 2013.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans who suffer from a combination of intellectual, behavioral and mental-health problems aren’t always receiving state services that could help them.

Lawmakers looked into the problem on Monday during a hearing at the Capitol, as they prepare for the 2014 session.

Some parents told lawmakers that their children qualified for services because of intellectual problems, such as a learning disorder, but weren’t able to access state-funded mental health services.

Scot Adams, director of the state’s Behavioral Health Division, says some states have addressed the problem by combining behavioral and mental-health services in state government. In Nebraska, they’re split into different divisions within the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Adams says community service groups offer more flexibility with treatment, but aren’t always as accountable.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A new study says that violent dramas on the broadcast networks carry milder cautions than cable shows that are equal in gore.

The Parents Television Council study released Monday says that graphic violence on network series invariably received a TV-14 label, or “parents strongly cautioned.”

But similar fare on cable shows typically was given the most stringent label, TV-MA for mature audiences only.

Episode ratings are decided by networks and cable channels, similar to how the movie studios’ Motion Picture Association of America self-governs by issuing its own movie ratings.

The board that oversees TV ratings uniformity defended the system as a “valuable resource” for parents.

MINATARE, Neb. (AP) — The shooting of a beloved retired rodeo horse is being investigated as a felony crime in the Nebraska Panhandle.

Scotts Bluff County deputies have been gathering evidence and talking to people who were hunting in the area. No arrests have been reported, however.

The horse, J.K. Tonto, was found Nov. 17 by a grandfather of rodeo competitor Kayellyn Hall on the family ranch, which sits about three miles east of Lake Minatare. One of the horse’s shoulders had been shattered by a bullet, so he was euthanized.

Kayellyn Hall had owned the horse since she was 7 years old. She says it’s difficult to talk about J.K.’s death without crying.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A New Zealand company plans to move its headquarters to Kearney and set up a production plant for its biomass resin product.

The plant will use distillers grains to produce a functional filler for the plastics industry.

Marge Lauer, of Kearney Area Ag Producers Alliance, says LignoTech Developments Ltd. in New Zealand wholly owns Xylemer BioProducts Inc., which will be setting up shop in Kearney.

The wet distillers grains are a byproduct of ethanol fuel production. But Lauer says there have been successful trials using other biomass, such as sugar beet pulp and rice hulls.

Lauer says plans are to have the plant operational in the fourth quarter of next year. About a dozen new jobs will be created.

Eagle Radio is excited to announce that Olivia Brown has been promoted to Sales Coordinator for the North Platte station group.

Brown, who has been a member of the Eagle Radio sales team, will assume the position immediately.

Brown will be tasked with interacting with the sales staff in order to facilitate and grow sales for the company.  Additionally, she will be conducting weekly sales meetings, helping develop sales packages and accompanying sales representatives on sales calls to clients.

Eagle Radio is an employee owned communications company, based out of Hays, Kan.,  with outreach in radio, cable television, broadband and internet.

Eagle Radio owns and operates Mix 97.1, Q Country 107.3 and ESPN Radio 1410 AM in North Platte.

The American Red Cross is assisting more than 48 people today, after flames damaged their homes over the weekend.

Since Friday night, more than 30 disaster action team workers have braved the dangerous cold air to help homeowners and firefighters across Nebraska and Southwest Iowa.

The Red Cross answered calls for help in: Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, Lexington, Grand Island, Hickman, Talmage, Nebraska and responded to fires in Pisgah and Council Bluffs in Iowa.

The Red Cross urges families to be cautious when using space heaters and other heating sources, and to make a plan in case of a home fire.  Heating sources are the leading cause of winter fires, and increase during the winter months of December, January and February.

Heat sources such as space heaters, fireplaces or wood and coal stoves can pose a fire hazard. To reduce the risk of heating related fires, the Red Cross recommends keeping anything that can burn such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least three feet away from heating equipment and fireplaces and to never leave these unattended.

The American Red Cross offers the following fire prevention tips:

• ·         All heaters need space.  Keep all things that can burn (paper, matches, bedding, furniture, clothing, carpets, and rugs) at least three feet away from heating equipment.
• ·         Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended, and use a glass or metal fire screen to keep fire and embers in the fireplace.
• ·         Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
• ·         Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
• ·         Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys inspected annually by a professional, and cleaned if necessary.
• ·         If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs, or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Plug power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord.

You can help people affected by disasters such as floods, tornadoes, fires and hurricanes, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. To make a donation, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).  Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.