COLERIDGE, Neb. (AP) — Free weather alert radios will be distributed in five northeast Nebraska towns on Tuesday.

The event is sponsored by the Northeast Nebraska Long Term Recovery Team, a volunteer group formed after tornadoes struck northeast Nebraska last summer.

The radios may be picked up from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wakefield Fire Station in Wakefield and the Coleridge Fire Station in Coleridge. Other distribution points are the Wisner Fire Station in Wisner and the swimming pool in Pilger, both from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the Stanton Fire Station in Stanton from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The radios will be preprogrammed for the appropriate county/counties. There is a limit of one radio per household.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Medical Center’s chief operating officer has been chosen to serve as interim CEO of the overall Nebraska Medicine organization in Omaha.

Rosanna Morris was named interim chief executive on Monday. Morris is a nurse who has worked for the organization since 2007.

Morris replaces Bill Dinsmoor who retired March 3. A national search will be conducted to find a permanent chief executive.

Nebraska Medicine includes the Nebraska Medical Center hospital in Omaha, the Bellevue Medical Center and the University of Nebraska Medical Center Physicians network of outpatient clinics.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say the landlord of a recently raided apartment found a package containing more than $20,000 days after its tenants were arrested.

The Omaha Police Department says the landlord entered the apartment Saturday to check for damages after Nebraska State Troopers searched the residence and arrested the tenants three days earlier. Inside, the landlord discovered a 6-by-8 package wrapped with black duct tape next to two pillows and a blanket.

Police say they determined the package was safe and opened it to find $20,780 inside. It remains in police custody.

A state patrol member who conducted the March 18 raid says it seemed the apartment had been entered since the raid. The purpose of the raid was not disclosed.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted six people who authorities say spent over $74,000 at several Nebraska retailers after stealing account numbers from debit and credit card holders around the world.

An indictment unsealed Monday charges six Nebraska natives with conspiracy to use stolen credit card numbers and other counts. The indictment accuses the six of using cards encoded with account numbers belonging to people throughout the U.S., Japan and Spain to make $74,772 in purchases from March 2014 until September.

The six people charged are 42-year-old Angel Oramas, of Columbus; 48-year-old Vilma Fernandez, of Wilber; 29-year-old Yusnel Abreu Lamas, of Grand Island; and 38-year-old Anyier Paladon, 44-year-old Jorge Tsuhako and 34-year-old Elain Cartaya, all of Crete.

All six were arrested Monday and entered not guilty pleas at initial hearings.

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A Monroe woman is developing a proposal to create a whitewater park at Tailrace Park in Columbus.

At a public meeting held Saturday, Brandy Zywiec discussed building a whitewater park where people can go rafting, fishing, canoeing and participate in other water activities. The park would be located where the Loup Public Power District canal system and the Platte River meet.

A feasibility study, which would cost $3,500 to $4,000, is needed before the proposed project could begin. According to Zywiec, if the plan were approved, it would take about five years to build and open the local attraction.

Zywiec said that the power district is in favor of the proposal because it would make use of an area that has dealt with vandalism and litter problems.

WILBER, Neb. (AP) — A 5-ton, 7-foot-tall storm-chasing vehicle will be one of the features at the 2015 Regional Severe Weather Seminar this Saturday in Saline County.

The free seminar is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. at Saline Center Hall, which sits about 11 miles west of Wilber.

“Chasing and Covering the Pilger Twin Tornadoes: An Insider’s Perspective” will be presented by the Iowa Storm Chasing Network’s Ben McMillan and Zach Sharpe.

Michael Moritz, National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist from Hastings, will give some spotter training.

More information on the seminar is available by contacting Saline County Emergency Management coordinator B.J. Fictum at 402-821-3010 or 826-7200; or via email at [email protected] or [email protected].

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A new law could increase the number of doctors licensed to practice in Wyoming.

Wyoming became the first state to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which seeks to create a fast-track process for physicians licensed in one state to become licensed in another compact state.

Gov. Matt Mead signed House Bill 107 in late February. South Dakota also has joined. The Montana Legislature appears to be close to passing its bill. Similar measures have been introduced in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Nebraska and 10 other states.

Kevin Bohnenblust is executive director of the Wyoming Board of Medicine. He says the compact would make more specialists available via telemedicine or as visiting doctors. The compact would take effect when seven states have signed on.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Historic Preservation Commission has approved a request for landmark designation for the former Wesleyan Hospital and Nurse Training School, which will open the pathway for a developer to convert the building into apartments for Wesleyan students.

The city approved the landmark designation, which would allow developer Brett Harris to receive state tax credits to help pay for the renovation, on Thursday.

The Planning Commission and Lincoln City Council will now consider the city’s request.

Harris says that he may seek a landmark designation from the National Register of Historic Places, which would help him gain federal tax credits.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Skagway has decided to close its two stores in Grand Island.

CEO Bill Martin told employees in a letter posted online Sunday night that the stores would be permanently closed effective May 22 and that all employee positions would be eliminated.

Martin announced last week that the pharmacies at the two stores would be sold to U Save Pharmacy and that the deal should be completed next month. In October, officials announced that a deal with B&R Stores to buy the two Skagway stores had fallen through.

Martin didn’t immediately return a call from The Associated Press on Monday.

REYNOLDS, Neb. (AP) — Firefighters from several departments in Nebraska and Kansas have battled a fire at a hog operation in southern Nebraska.

The fire was first reported around 7 p.m. Sunday at the Livingston Enterprises operation, which sits about four miles southeast of Reynolds. No injuries were reported workers or firefighters. Fire officials say six buildings were damaged and several animals were killed.

Containment was reported by 11:30 p.m. Sunday.

The fire cause is being investigated.