WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration says the deadly listeria outbreak in cantaloupe was probably caused by pools of water on the floor and old, hard-to-clean packing equipment at a Colorado farm. The agency said Wednesday that contamination at the packing facility at Jensen Farms is likely to blame for the outbreak that killed 25 people in a dozen states. Investigators found positive listeria samples on equipment and fruit there. The FDA said Jensen Farms had recently purchased used equipment that was corroded and hard to clean. The agency said the way the cantaloupes were cooled after coming off the fields may have also contributed to listeria growth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the outbreak sickened 123 people.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post)- The Buffalo Bill Kiwanis donated more than $20,000 to several local organizations at their weekly meeting Tuesday at The Depot. Among those receiving charitable assistance from the Kiwanis were: the North Platte Children’s Museum, Goodfellow Shoe Fund, Habitat for Humanity, the NP Community College Lady Knights, Lincoln County Historical Society, Lincoln County Red Cross, The Connection Homeless Shelter, Salvation Army and the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center. The total awarded to the groups equaled $20,222.09 and will help them financially continue with their work for the upcoming year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska farmers continue to make good progress on the soybean harvest, while the corn harvest is running about average. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in the weekly crop report on Monday that the soybean harvest is 84 percent complete. That’s close to last year’s 86 percent but well ahead of the average of 67 percent. The USDA says the corn harvest was at 30 percent. That’s behind last year’s 47 percent but near the average of 28 percent. Seventy-five percent of the corn is in good to excellent condition. The report say seeding of the winter wheat crop is almost done. Cattle are being moved to stalks as fields become available.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The U.S. State Department is offering to meet again with Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, lawmakers and other state officials who have concerns about the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Assistant Secretary of State Kerri-Ann Jones said in a letter to Heineman that the department has worked closely and cooperatively with other states where the oil pipeline is expected to cross. The letter came in response to a written inquiry from Heineman as to whether the state has authority to choose the pipeline’s route. Heineman has questioned whether the state has that power, because the pipeline originates in Canada and requires State Department approval. The governor has said he would welcome the project, but only if pipeline operator TransCanada agreed to move it away from groundwater-rich Nebraska Sandhills.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post)- Ron Snell is leaving The Connection. After 11 years on the job, Snell announced this week that he is preparing to seek new challenges whether local or abroad. Snell has agreed to continue serving as Executive Director of The Connection until mid-2012. The search committee has until then to find a person to try to fill Ron’s shoes, an extremely daunting task. In Snell’s time at The Connection he has personally overseen a change of name, a change of venue and has helped hundreds of misplaced individuals and families try to get one step closer to finding their own home. Snell says that he had never had a conversation with a homeless person before taking on the role as Executive Director, but says since then, he has had an incredible growth experience and has encountered exceptional people of all socio-economic levels. Snell hopes that his replacement can find new and more permanent ways of securing the shelter’s financial stability and add more programs to help promote residents’ chances for success. Snell says his departure is planned to give the search committee plenty of time to find his replacement. He has full confidence in their ability to do so. Snell says that if the situation warrants, he would love to stay in North Platte, but if called elsewhere, even outside the U.S., he would willingly go where he is needed. Not once in the interview did Ron mention personal endeavors that he would like to pursue, instead focusing on where he might go to continue helping others. The Connection, and possibly our city, is losing a great leader and friend. Many lives have been changed for the better thanks to Ron Snell.

Today: Showers likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 50. Northeast wind between 8 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. North northwest wind between 7 and 13 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 60. North northwest wind between 8 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Gov. Dave Heineman is encouraging Nebraskans to fly U.S. and Nebraska flags at half-staff. The flag-lowering on Sunday is part of the annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. The remembrance honors firefighters and other first responders who have sacrificed their lives to save others. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation says 72 firefighters nationwide died in the line of duty in 2010. A plaque with their names will be added to the national memorial over the weekend, along with 17 firefighters who died the previous year. The plaques surrounding the Memorial will contain the names of more than 3,400 firefighters.

MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) – A police standoff that began with a single gunshot has ended peacefully in the southwestern Nebraska town of McCook. Police say they surrounded the house after 10:30 Thursday morning after a man fired on officers who were attempting to check on his welfare. Nearby schools were locked down as a precaution, and a SWAT team was deployed. The standoff ended around 6 p.m. when the man gave up and was taken away in an ambulance. His name and other information about the incident have not been released.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Gov. Dave Heineman and state Agriculture Director Greg Ibach say new U.S. trade agreements will likely benefit Nebraska farmers and ranchers. Heineman and Ibach said the free trade agreements with South Korea, Columbia and Panama will help the state reach more than $5 billion in expected agricultural exports each year. Heineman has urged Congress to approve the agreements, and sent President Barack Obama a letter in April voicing support for the pacts. State officials say the agreements create new export opportunities for Nebraska corn, wheat, beef and other commodities. Congress passed the pacts on Wednesday. They’re expected to boost exports by about $13 billion annually and support tens of thousands of American jobs, but have drawn opposition from labor groups who say they ignore labor rights problems in partner countries.