Posted: 06/19/13 09:19

Volunteers are needed for two events coming up in the Hastings community.
Project Homeless Connect returns to Hastings as an event to help out those who are less fortunate, and Betsy Herman is helping but on this years event coming up in August. For more information on how you can volunteer visit www.phchastings.org.

Next weekend the Flatwater music Festival returns for it’s 7th year to the Praire Loft Center for Outdoor and Agriculture Learning. Director Amy Sandeen says a variety of jobs are available for the weekend.

Posted: 06/19/13 09:19

Volunteers are needed for two events coming up in the Hastings community.
Project Homeless Connect returns to Hastings as an event to help out those who are less fortunate, and Betsy Herman is helping but on this years event coming up in August. For more information on how you can volunteer visit www.phchastings.org.

Next weekend the Flatwater music Festival returns for it’s 7th year to the Praire Loft Center for Outdoor and Agriculture Learning. Director Amy Sandeen says a variety of jobs are available for the weekend.

Posted: 06/19/13 09:20

Both the House and Senate are working to overhaul the nation's immigration laws. Yesterday Senator Mike Johanns introduced a bipartisan amendment to the immigration reform bill which would strengthen America’s border security by recruiting highly-skilled military members and veterans to serve in border security positions. The amendment requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to actively recruit National Guard and Reserve members and veterans to serve as Customs and Border Protection and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents. Senate Democratic leaders hope to pass a bill by July 4. The House is moving more slowly.

Posted: 06/19/13 09:16

A 20-year-old Hastings College student was killed in a traffic crash yesterday morning on the south edge of Gilcrest, Colorado. Remmington Reinick graduated from Roosevelt High School. He is listed as a sophomore sprinter for the track and field team at Hastings College. His personal record is 50.73 seconds in the 400-meter. According to authorities Reinick was wearing a seat belt, and investigators do not believe drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.

Posted: 06/18/13 08:51

Nebraska's four state-run veterans homes have received perfect scores on their most recent annual Health Care System Surveys from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This is a noteworthy achievement and shows the dedication of our veterans home employees,” said Gov. Heineman in a written statement released by his office. The homes are in Bellevue, Grand Island, Norfolk and Scottsbluff and have a combined capacity of 637 veterans. . “To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time all four Veterans’ homes have achieved deficiency-free surveys in less than a year,” said John Hilgert, Director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs. The homes were judged on safety, care, environment, staff training and development, food service, banking and billing services for veterans, recreation/activities, medical staff credentialing, social work and all areas related to quality assurance and care.

Posted: 06/18/13 08:50

The Hastings Public School Board took the next step in preparing to improve the elementary facilities in the district by approving an architect and engineer to complete their study of necessary services that would be required for implementation of that plan. The board approved the selection of Cannon Moss of Grand Island for the cost of $18,000 and Kucirek engineering of Omaha for the cost of $5,000. The cost for the services will be taken from the cooperative fund.

The Hastings Middle School Garden was also highlighted last night. Superintendent Craig Kautz says it’s really taken off. President Jim Boeve encouraged the public to see the students work. The garden was started on April 27th and is open on Monday nights from 6:30-7:30.

Posted: 06/17/13 08:28

While lawmakers at the State level continue to look at Nebraska’s tax climate education officials are deeply concerned with the cuts that have taken place at the federal level. Nancy Fulton is the President of the Nebraska Education Association. National tragedies like the Sandy Hook shooting and the Moore Oklahoma tornadoes have some concerned about school safety. Fulton takes off with other Nebraska Education officials for a National conference in July, where leaders from all 50 states will discuss these issues.

Posted: 06/17/13 08:30

Senator Mike Johanns wants to learn more about the federal government's electonic surveillance program. Johanns got a chance to question the National Security Agency head during a Senate hearing, but questions remain. Johanns says he understands the need to protect the country from terrorist attacks. Johanns says he wants to know if the program has bright lines that it will not cross, and invade the privacy of Americans.

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln law professor says the disclosure by a 29-year-old contractor of the government's electronic suveillance program could have serious consequences. Professor Richard Moberly says that while whistle blowers often are held in high esteem, Edward Snowden might not be, because of the sensitivity of what he disclosed. National Security Agency officials say the program has stopped dozens of potential terrorist plots. They add that Snowden's disclosure has made the country less secure.

Posted: 06/17/13 08:30

This year's Nebraska State Fair is still two months away, but the fair's officials have already begun preparing for next year's fair. The Nebraska State Fair website has already been updated with some information for the 2014 fair.
For this year's fair, which begins Aug. 23, people can pay for gate admission and buy tickets for concerts. Fair director Joseph McDermott says improvements have been OK'd for State Fair facilities, including WiFi connection upgrades to help smartphones and tablets perform better. Construction of the Nebraska Building is also expected to be finished in time for the 2014 fair. The $5.4 million building will have exhibition space on the ground floor and administrative offices on the second.

Posted: 06/17/13 08:28

Members of the new Nebraska Tax Modernization Committee are preparing for a busy summer, with hearings throughout the state and a push to make additional reforms when lawmakers reconvene next year. The committee will meet again for a working session in July, before hitting the road for public hearings in five or six Nebraska communities this year. Gov. Dave Heineman says he expects the study to produce concrete proposals for tax reform when lawmakers return next year. The Republican governor says he plans to submit another tax reform measure next year, most likely one that would reduce the tax burden for middle-class residents and small businesses. Sen. Galen of Hadley, the committee chairman, says lawmakers will need to keep an open mind as they hear public comments.

Posted: 06/13/13 08:20

Senator Johanns questions National Security Agency Director General Keith Alexander about the extent of the federal electronic surveillance program. Johanns, during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, asks if the program extends beyond collecting data on phone calls. Johanns questions the program's use of "reasonable suspicion" rather than the higher standard of "probable cause".

Posted: 06/13/13 08:21

A judge has ruled that opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline in Nebraska can proceed with their legal challenge to a state law that paved the way for a new project route. Lancaster County District Court Judge Stephanie Stacy yesterday rejected a motion by Nebraska state officials to dismiss the lawsuit. The lawsuit filed by three Nebraska landowners asserts that Gov. Dave Heineman's decision to approve a new pipeline route was rooted in an unconstitutional state law. The law was passed during a special legislative session in 2011 as a way to reroute the pipeline away from Nebraska's environmentally sensitive Sandhills.There is a July 19th Court Hearing at 3pm in Lincoln where a schedule for the trial will be determined.

Posted: 06/13/13 08:21

A federal judge has moved a South Dakota beef processing company's lawsuit against ABC News for defamation back to state court. Beef Products Inc. sued ABC News Inc. for defamation over its coverage of a meat product that critics dub "pink slime." The company is seeking $1.2 billion in damages. ABC argued that two of the companies listed in the lawsuit, BPI Technology Inc. and Freezing Machines Inc., are not true parties and the case should be thrown out. But BPI argued that all three companies have a stake in making the product called lean, finely textured beef. The Judge ordered the case back to the circuit court in Union County.

Posted: 06/13/13 08:19

Hastings is offering more than $8 million as part of its bid to secure a new Nebraska veterans home, a state project that's expected to generate high-paying jobs and other economic benefits. Dave Rippe, director of the Hastings Economic Development Corporation, said the the Hastings community has really come together in attempts to land the Vets home. The city's proposal to the state includes $4.6 million in direct cash funding, plus indirect benefits such as housing assistance for new employees and scholarship programs for workforce development. The city is also willing to deliver at least 45 acres of land to the north of the city, about 12 miles from Interstate 80.