Stories from Thursday, March 26, 2015

We knew distracted driving was a problem, especially among teenagers, but it's worse than we thought, according to a study of "flight recorders" in 1,700 wrecks. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety analyzed videos from those teen crashes and found that distraction was a factor in 58 percent of all crashes studied, including 89 percent where the vehicles ran off the road and 76 percent of rear-end crashes...

When I was a kid and in a bad mood, it use to drive me nuts when my mom would tell my little brothers, "Don't talk to her, she's a grouch." I use to think in my head, "Well, I wasn't a grouch, I just didn't feel like talking, but if you're gonna say that, then I'm darn sure gonna be a grouch now!"...

Reversing its earlier decision, the FAA has approved the closing of the Atwood, Kansas, airport to allow drag races during the Atwood Ambassadors' annual "Early Rod Run," the Rawlins County Square Deal newspaper announced today. Shane Carlson, Ambassadors' president, told the Square Deal, "A lot of friends of the rod run worked behind the scenes to get our application re-reviewed, including our U.S. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Nebraska legislators hope Internet sales will serve as a future revenue source, providing $40 million to $60 million to state coffers. District 44 State Senator Dan Hughes said legislation introduced this session would direct Nebraska sales tax receipts from Internet transactions towards property tax relief, should the U.S. Congress successfully change federal law expanding taxation of online purchases...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- Mid-Plains Community College governors approved new sports logos for North Platte Community College, and signed contacts for computer services Wednesday night. The board approved an annual maintence agreement for Jenzabar, 21 computer modules for college operations, for $167,186...