• Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. North wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
• Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the evening.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. South wind 6 to 11 mph increasing to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.
• Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. South southeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

(AP) — Nebraska’s largest utility is offering customers the chance to pay more to support renewable energy, but the money won’t be earmarked for green power and the utility doesn’t plan to change where it gets its electricity.

The Nebraska Public Power District announced the voluntary program Wednesday. Starting next year, customers will be able to buy renewable energy in blocks of 100 kilowatt hours for $1.80 per month.

Utility customers who sign up will have to pay the green energy surcharge on top of their regular bill, but the source of their electricity won’t change and NPPD doesn’t plan to use the fee money to invest in more renewable power.

Ken Winston, the Nebraska Sierra Club’s policy advocate, says he’d prefer to see NPPD invest in more renewable energy.

(AP) — Cabela’s is continuing to expand its chain of retail stores with plans for another new Canadian location.

The Sidney, Neb.-based outdoor outfitter said Tuesday that it plans to open a store in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, in 2015.

The new 50,000-square-foot store is expected to employ out 140 in full-time and part-time jobs.

Cabela’s already runs 50 stores in North American, including four in Canada. It has announced plans to open 18 more stores over the next two years.

Cabela’s uses sales data from its catalog and website to identify potential new locations for its stores.

(AP) — Federal officials say weather slowed many Nebraska farmers who were bringing in their crops last week.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that despite snow in western counties and rain in the east, farmers brought in about 10 percent of the expected corn crop. As of Sunday, 81 percent of the state’s corn had been harvested, compared with 71 percent the week before.

The USDA report says the sorghum harvest was 91 percent complete — 18 percentage points ahead of the 73 percent average by this date.

The report also says the new winter wheat crop was rated at 68 percent good or excellent.

(AP) — Nearly 10,000 Nebraskans have applied for health care coverage through the new federal marketplace, but only 338 have signed up for a plan.

Federal officials released state-by-state enrollment numbers Wednesday for the federal health care law. Enrollment began on Oct. 1, but the federal website has been plagued by technical problems that kept many residents from finishing their applications.

Nebraska is one of 36 states that relied on the federal website, after a state-run marketplace was rejected as too expensive. In all of those states, fewer than 27,000 people managed to enroll.

States that ran their own websites reported more than 79,000 sign-ups. But the total first-month enrollment nationwide was still only one-fifth of what federal officials had expected.

A North Platte couple decided to play a game of hide-and-seek with North Platte Police and lost.

According to Officer Rodney Brown, police received information on Tuesday afternoon that Mark Ramos, 29, was at a residence in the 1900 block of West 15th Street.  Ramos had an active warrant for a violation of federal probation.

Upon arrival, the homeowner, 29-year-old Rosa Quintero, told officers that Ramos was not there.  However, she did allow them to enter the home.

Officers conducted a search of the residence, and eventually located Ramos hiding inside a dryer. He was arrested on the federal warrant, two Lancaster County warrants and a 3rd degree assault charge.

The assault charge stems from a November 8th incident, where Ramos allegedly went to a residence in the 2100 block of West 16th and assaulted the male resident.

A further search of Quintero’s home revealed glass pipes and small baggies which contained a powdery residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine.

As a result, Quintero was arrested and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Accessory to a Felony.

Both Quintero and Ramos were transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center.

 

Mike Jacobson, President and CEO of NebraskaLand National Bank announced today that the Bank has submitted an application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to reopen the branch at the Westfield Shopping Center that has been vacated by Great Western Bank.  The lease terms will allow NebraskaLand National Bank to take possession of the property on April 1, 2014, subject to regulatory approval.  The plans will include the addition of a new double-faced message center, redesign of the drive-up lanes, and remodeling both inside and outside the existing building.

“When the opportunity was first offered to us, we questioned the need for the additional facility.  However, after receiving numerous phone calls and personal requests, it became clear that there was a significant need for a full service banking facility in the Westfield neighborhood.  We are happy to become one the newest members of the neighborhood” states Jacobson.

NebraskaLand National Bank was chartered on May 14, 1998.  The Bank has grown from the smallest to the largest bank in the market with total assets exceeding $520 million.  Once the bank moves into their new headquarters building, they will have branch locations in Original Town and Downtown.  The current south branch and Wal-mart branch will be merged into the new headquarters facility.

NebraskaLand National Bank has experienced tremendous growth in its 15 years of service and has not sacrificed their strength or stability.  NebraskaLand National Bank maintains a Five-Star Rating from Bauer Financial.  The Five-Star Award recognizes the Bank’s continual superior performance and strength.  In addition, the Bank received an “excellent financial strength” rating from Weiss Rating, the nation’s leading independent provider of research and analysis for the banking industry.  NebraskaLand National Bank earned these distinctions by excelling in key areas including capital, asset quality and profitability.

Although, the Westfield branch will not open until summer of 2014, NebraskaLand National Bank is excited to partner with the Westfield Merchants Association on upcoming events.  The Bank will be grilling hotdogs and hamburgers at Westfield Shopping Center for their annual Christmas Kick-off Celebration on Saturday November 23 from 3:00-5:00 p.m.  The celebration will include cookie decorating, story time, live reindeer and more.

(AP) — Nebraska officials have recorded nearly 280 cases of unemployment insurance fraud in October worth more than $27,000 in penalties.

The state Department of Labor said in a news release Tuesday that the cases coincide with a change in Nebraska’s employment security law. The change requires workers who commit fraud to pay back the benefits as well as an additional 15 percent penalty.

The most common cases of fraud in Nebraska involve individuals who intentionally fail to report earnings. A program that allows officials to reduce or withhold federal income tax refunds if a person fails to pay back the unemployment insurance benefits or the penalty has recovered more than $2 million in 2013.

(AP) — Nebraska counties are reaping thousands of dollars each year in charges for inmate phone calls, and one lawmaker says he’ll introduce a bill next year to clamp down on the practice.

Sen. Ernie Chambers said Tuesday that the system allows private contractors and local governments to profit off of jail inmates and their families, who often end up paying for the calls.

County corrections officials say the contractors provide important security and tracking services, which would overwhelm local governments.

Douglas County received $632,500 in commissions last year that were charged to inmate debit accounts. Administrator Roland Hamann says the money has helped pay for televisions, newspapers, board games, clothing and other items for inmates that the county is not required to provide.

(AP) — Community officials in the Kearney area have created a new fund to offer quality-of-life amenities or a memorial at the future Central Nebraska Veterans Home.

The Economic Development Council of Buffalo County announced a $5,000 pledge for the fund, along with secured commitments of another $15,000 from business groups.

Decisions on how to use the money will be left to veterans and staff in the new facility. The fund is similar to others at the veterans’ homes in Norfolk and Bellevue.

State officials have said the project will move to Kearney from its longtime home in Grand Island.

The Economic Development Council of Buffalo County says it is still taking donations. It’s located in the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce building.