Air quality alerts are possible in Lancaster County due to the spring burning season. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department announced yesterday that smoke from controlled burning across the central and southern Great Plains could lead to periods of poor air quality over the next eight to 10 weeks. Health officials will work with other agencies including the National Weather Service to track weather, burning activity and smoke.
Nebraska officials are reacting to the death of a soldier from Bellevue. Sergeant First Class Noah Tietjens died when a drone struck where he and three others were working in Kuwait on March 1st.Senator Pete Ricketts says his heart and prayers are with the Tietjens family as they mourn the loss of their heroic son. Governor Jim Pillen says he and his wife are holding the Tietjens family close to their hearts during this unbelievably difficult time and will keep them in their prayers. Twenty-year-old Sergeant Declan Coady of West Des Moines is also among the six service members killed when a Kuwaiti military facility was hit in a retaliatory strike from Iran on Saturday. The others killed are Captain Cody Khork of Winter Haven, Florida and Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Two have not been identified. All soldiers were assigned to an Army Reserve unit based in Des Moines.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is confirming another case of bird flu. The case was confirmed in a multi-species backyard flock in Washington County. This marks the fifth confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Iowa so far this year. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship recommends backyard flock owners take precautions to protect their flock and report birds showing symptoms of bird flu.
Omaha Public Schools is trimming its budget. The district is cancelling cellular data plans for student iPads. The move will save the district about seven-million-dollars per year. Omaha schools are facing a more than 50-million-dollar budget shortfall.
Nebraska teachers are being honored. Lincoln Public Schools' annual Thank You Teacher celebration took place yesterday morning at the Governor's Mansion. Governor Jim Pillen and Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent John Skretta presented opening remarks before five teachers received honors in categories including early education in preschool and retired educator.
A railroad bridge in Lincoln is back in service less than a week after a fire. An unattended campfire on February 23rd caused the railroad bridge over Salt Creek by Westgate and Sun Valley Boulevards to collapse. Union Pacific crews soon began rebuilding the bridge, which was operational yesterday. Officials say cleanup and finishing work at the site will take about a month.