Participants in the 2019 Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska began their journey on Sunday and will reach Antelope County on Thursday, June 6.
BRAN 39, "A Tale of Two Trails," is a cross-state bicycle ride that started June 2 in Chadron and will conclude in Fremont on June 8. The week-long ride is more than 400 miles in total. Cyclists will arrive in Neligh on Thursday and are planning an overnight stay. Here is how each day breaks down: June 2: Chadron to Gordon, 46 miles June 3: Gordon to Cody, 54 miles June 4: Cody to Ainsworth, 84 miles June 5: Ainsworth to Atkinson, 48 miles June 6: Atkinson to Neligh, 58 miles June 7: Neligh to Clarkson, 67 miles June 8: Clarkson to Fremont, 47 miles BRAN is a non-profit organization that provides a non-competitive, annual bike tour of Nebraska. An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Nebraska. The Omaha Police Department is attempting to locate Patricia CANCINO-CHAVEZ, who is a 44 years old, Hispanic female, approximately 5’ 1" tall, approximately 210 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, a tattoo on the upper left front shoulder and unknown clothing description.
CANCINO-CHAVEZ was last known to be in the vicinity of 18th/Washington, Omaha, Nebraska, at approximately 10:00 p.m., May 6, 2019. CANCINO-CHAVEZ owns a silver 2012 Ford Fusion bearing Nebraska plate VEH338. If you have any information, please call 911, or contact the Omaha Police Department at 402-444-5636 402-444-5600, immediately. A statewide test tornado drill is planned on Wednesday morning as part of Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Week.
The test drill is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 27, unless the weather is active that day. This drill announcement is courtesy of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, Antelope County Sheriff's Office and the Neligh Police Department. March 25-29 marks severe weather awareness week in Nebraska. Following the recent response and recovery to severe weather that affected most of the Nebraska during the past two weeks, most Nebraskans will already be aware of the need to prepare for hazardous weather conditions that can occur during the spring and summer months in Nebraska. The state celebrates Severe Weather Awareness week each year as a way to get citizens prepared for severe weather. A proclamation by Gov. Pete Ricketts signed March 12, reminded Nebraskans that community preparedness can minimize the dangers which the annual severe weather season presents to the lives and property of Nebraskans. Police are seeking Brindar Jangir, 36, as a person of interest in a double homicide in Otoe County, Nebraska.
According to the Sioux City Police Department, Jangir was residing in Sioux City, and may be in the area. He is believed to be currently driving a Red Honda Accord 4 door, license # GHW-345. Jangir is believed to be armed and extremely dangerous. Anyone who sees this vehicle or the suspect should immediately call 911 and request police. Nebraska State Patrol Investigators were called to the scene at 100 Otoe Street in Douglas this morning after Otoe County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to reports of gun shots just before 6:00 a.m. Two victims, Randal Grimes, 56, and Annette Grimes, 51, were found deceased from apparent gunshot wounds, according to the NSP. Following a disaster declaration by President Trump, Antelope County residents are being encouraged to report flood damage to their county emergency managers.
Mike Cappannari, External Affairs Director for FEMA Region VII, contacted the Antelope County News Thursday afternoon asking for residents to report damages because more federal assistance may be handed out in the future. "Even though Antelope County wasn’t included for Individual Assistance that was part of today’s Disaster Declaration, they can certainly be added as we continue to conduct damage assessments," Cappannari said. "I would encourage homeowners and businesses that have had damages to report those to their County Emergency Managers, who will then in-turn report to State EM." On Thursday, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Nebraska and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe winter storm, straight-line winds, and flooding beginning on March 9, 2019, and continuing.
The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Butler, Cass, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Nemaha, Sarpy, Saunders, and Washington. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Federal funding is also available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Adams, Antelope, Blaine, Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar, Cherry, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Frontier, Furnas, Gage, Garfield, Gosper, Greeley, Hall, Harlan, Holt, Howard, Jefferson, Johnson, Keya Paha, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, Merrick, Morrill, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Pierce, Platte, Richardson, Rock, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Seward, Sherman, Stanton, Thayer, Thurston, Valley, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, and York and the Santee Sioux Nation, Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, Sac and Fox, and Winnebago Tribe. Furthermore, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Pete Gaynor, Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Constance Johnson-Cage as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and additional areas may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed. Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance today by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Nebraska's governor said he doesn't think the state has ever suffered a disaster as widespread as the recent flooding.
“We’ve had disasters where we’ve had a greater loss of life," Gov. Pete Ricketts said. "But as far as how many places have been touched by this, I don’t think there’s ever been a disaster this widespread in Nebraska.” As people are able to return to their homes, the reality of the devastation becomes clear. Overnight, more cities made emergency declarations bringing the total to 75. There are now 65 counties under emergency declarations, as well. That’s nearly 70 percent of the state’s 93 counties. Recovery is beginning to occur in many places, and knowing where to turn for information on what to do next can be overwhelming. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) website is continually updating information to answer the many questions on resources available. You can access that information at https://nema.nebraska.gov/. There are helpful documents that can answer many questions on what needs to be done. NEMA has established a hotline for questions from persons affected by the floods. You can reach that call center at 402-817-1551. For information on debris cleanup, contact the Crisis Cleanup Hotline at (402) 556-2476. Farmers who have lost machinery or livestock should report to the Farm Service Agency office. County office contact information can be found on the agency’s website athttps://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Nebraska/index. Nebraska Strong is not just a hashtag; it’s a way of life. Nebraskans and people from throughout the country are offering their help. All donations – monetary, goods and services, volunteers – are being coordinated through Nebraska 211. To access Nebraska 211, dial 211 within the state. Outside of Nebraska, call (866) 813-1731. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives will be in Lincoln today to work with Bryan Tuma, Director of NEMA, on an expedited declaration of emergency to submit to the White House. In addition, Vice President Mike Pence will be visiting to survey damage with Governor Ricketts. After less than a year after opening its doors, Plainview Farm & Home store was destroyed by a fire on Friday evening. Owned by Josh and Nicole Schmitz, the store is a total loss. A Go Fund Me page has been created by a family member to assist with both living expenses and to help reopen a new store. Contribute to the Go Fund Me page, here. The Nebraska Department of Justice, working alongside various law enforcement agencies, issued subpoenas to more than 400 Catholic churches and institutions across Nebraska on Tuesday.
"The subpoenas request all records or information related to any child sexual assault or abuse that has occurred by those employed or associated with each church or institution, whether previously reported or not," according to the department's press release. The press release states that it has appreciated the voluntary cooperation demonstrated by the churches. "However, the Department believes that subpoenas are necessary in order to ensure all reports of impropriety have been submitted to the appropriate authorities. It is our goal that all reports of abuse are subject to complete law enforcement review and investigation as warranted.”
The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) closed Interstate 80 Saturday due to numerous crashes and white out conditions in the eastern half of the state. As of 9 a.m. Sunday morning, I-80 is closed from Lexington (mm 237) to Gretna (mm 439). The closure is extended west as traffic arrives from the west and has nowhere to go. NDOT plows are working to get things moving again. Troopers responded to numerous crashes, including large crashes at mile markers 327, 355, and 409 on Interstate 80. Some of those crashes involve injuries, but the extent of those injuries is not immediately clear. The first large crash occurred near mile marker 355, east of York, involving an estimated 30 vehicles, including at least 15 semis. The crash occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. More than 100 vehicles became stranded behind that crash. Those vehicles have been escorted off of I-80. At approximately 3:10 p.m. a crash occurred at mile marker 329, near Aurora. That crash involved approximately 15 vehicles, including 10 semis. At least 50 vehicles became stranded behind that crash and have since been escorted off of I-80. There were an estimated 25 vehicles involved in the crash at mile marker 409, near Waverly. About 15 of those vehicles were semis. The crash occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. No significant injuries have been reported in that crash. Troopers on the road report that conditions are still treacherous for travel. NSP encourages all drivers to stay off the roads during the blizzard and allow NDOT and local crews to work on the roads. More information on the large crashes will be released when possible. |
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