WAKEFIELD, Neb. (AP) — A tornado has destroyed the home of a northeast Nebraska couple a little more than eight months after a twister destroyed the home of their son and daughter-in-law.

The residence of Ronnie and Corliss Krusemark was one of more than two dozen residential dwellings near Wakefield that were heavily damaged or destroyed by a storm that spawned least four tornadoes on Monday, killing two people.

On Tuesday Traci Krusemark said “it’s happening all over again” after she viewed her in-laws’ crumpled home on Monday night.

She says the wrecked house looked just like her home near Wayne looked on Oct. 4 after it was leveled by a twister.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Funding problems are jeopardizing treatment for some sex offenders in a Lincoln-based program.

The program known as STOP won’t have funds for about half of its 50-plus patients after June 30, unless other sources for money can be found. STOP stands for Sexual Trauma/Offense Prevention.

Deputy Lancaster County Public Defender Joe Nigro says “we can’t just have it shut down,” referring to public safety factors.

The program provides therapy that’s aimed at helping people avoid reoffending and helping them adapt after being in prison or in the state psychiatric hospital in Lincoln.

Without the program, some patients might have to go back the state hospital or back to prison, because they have been ordered by the mental health board to participate in the program.

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 13-year-old girl was at the wheel during a car crash that fatally injured another teenager at a wildlife refuge in eastern Nebraska.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says the accident was reported a little before 9 p.m. Monday at the Schilling Wildlife Refuge, which is on the northeast side of Plattsmouth.

Deputies say the girl lost control of the car as it raced down a gravel road. A 14-year-old girl in the back seat was ejected when the car rolled. She was pronounced dead later at an Omaha hospital. Deputies identified her as 14-year-old Alexandria Wood, of Plattsmouth.

The young driver and a 21-year-old passenger in the front seat were hospitalized.

PILGER, Neb. (AP) — Officials say the tornado that swept through Pilger destroyed between 45 and 50 homes.

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency released the numbers in a news release on Tuesday. Officials say 10 to 12 homes were also demolished in Dixon County in northeast Nebraska.

The National Weather Service says four tornadoes touched down during the massive storm, killing a 5-year-old girl in Pilger and a 74-year-old man who was driving in Cuming County.

NEMA says the two fatalities are the first tornado deaths in Nebraska in 10 years.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bail has been set for a 13-year-old boy facing an accessory charge in the shooting death of an Omaha man.

The boy must pay 10 percent of $5,000 in order to be released from jail.

The teen, along with boys ages 15, 16 and 17, are accused of being connected to the death of 23-year-old Brandon Wallace. He was found wounded on the front porch of his home and died June 7 at an Omaha hospital.

A warrant has been issued for a fifth teen, though it’s unclear how he is connected to the case.

The Associated Press generally doesn’t name juveniles accused of crimes.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators say the evaluation of unlikely flood threats to Nebraska’s two nuclear power plants will be thorough even though some scenarios won’t be considered.

The utilities are re-examining flood threats at Fort Calhoun and Cooper nuclear plants as part of an industrywide review after the 2011 Japanese meltdowns. Both Nebraska plants sit on the Missouri River.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission dropped two of five dam failure scenarios from the review.

NRC spokeswoman Lara Uselding said Tuesday one of the scenarios was eliminated because the Corps of Engineers determined that the combination of dam failure, flooding and earthquake wasn’t a credible threat.

The other scenario eliminated was similar to another one that will be reviewed.

Uselding says the review of flood threats will be robust and thorough.

 

PILGER, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service in Valley says the Pilger tornado appears to be an EF4, with estimated wind speeds of 166 to 200 mph.

Meteorologist Van DeWald said Tuesday that survey teams found several damage points that indicate an EF4 tornado, the second-strongest rating on the scale that measures tornado strength.

The National Weather Service says four tornadoes likely touched the ground during the massive storm in northeast Nebraska.

DeWald says the first tornado to touch down west of Stanton has damage that suggests a least an EF3 rating, with wind speeds of 136 to 165 mph. The first tornado is believed to have traveled 15 miles on the ground.

DeWald says crews are still surveying damage and haven’t yet determined how long the Pilger tornado was on the ground.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Barack Obama has declared a disaster in parts of southeastern and eastern Nebraska following severe weather in May.

The declaration Tuesday means federal emergency aid is available to supplement recovery efforts being conducted by state and local officials. The funding will also be available to certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis.

The money can be used for emergency work, repairs and facility replacements.

The severe weather included heavy rains, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding on May 11 and May 12. The money will help Clay, Fillmore, Saline, Saunders, Seward, and York counties.

PILGER, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have identified a 74-year-old man killed by one of the tornadoes that swept through northeast Nebraska.

The Cuming County sheriff’s office says David A. Herout, of Clarkson, Nebraska, died after his vehicle left the roadway during the storm.

Officials say Herout was ejected from the vehicle around 4:50 p.m. on a county road approximately 2.5 miles east of Pilger. Cuming County officials are still investigating.

The National Weather Service says four tornadoes appear to have hit the region on Monday night, including one that destroyed most of the town of Pilger.

One of the tornadoes also killed a 5-year-old girl in Pilger. The girl has not been identified.