OMAHA, Nebraska, Aug. 24 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District completed a breach closure on levee L550 near Watson, Missouri Saturday. This initial closure of breach L-550-A-I near river mile 542.8 stops the inflows of water, thereby allowing for the start of follow-on construction activities aimed at increasing the level of flood risk management to approximately the 4% Annual Chance Exceedance (25-yr) level for  more

LINCOLN, Nebraska, Aug. 27 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: As Nebraskans repair or rebuild their homes damaged by storms and flooding, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local hardware and home improvement stores have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer. FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand at in-store information centers, in two Nebr  more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Air Force (55th Air Wing) issued the following news: By Kendra Williams Students from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln receive tours of Offutt Air Force Base's fueling system from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers August 23, 2019. In two hour-long tours, the students gained insight to real-world examples of what their future careers may be. Team Offutt is actively building and fostering connections in the community. By partnering with   more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, Aug. 28 -- The U.S. Air Force (55th Air Wing) issued the following news: By Charles J. Haymond A new aircrew training device is being built as part of an effort to replace the three ATDs destroyed in the March flood. Following the flood, the 645th Aeronautical Systems Squadron, also known as Big Safari, located in Greenville, Texas, began gathering the parts and equipment needed to provide a replacement ATD for the 55th Wing. The new simulator will be house  more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, Aug. 28 -- The U.S. Air Force (25th Air Force) issued the following news: By Charles J. Haymond A new aircrew training device is being built as part of an effort to replace the three ATDs destroyed in the March flood. Following the flood, the 645th Aeronautical Systems Squadron, also known as Big Safari, located in Greenville, Texas, began gathering the parts and equipment needed to provide a replacement ATD for the 55th Wing. The new simulator will be hous  more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, Aug. 26 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: By Jacob Skovo The 55th Wing's runway replacement at Offutt Air Force Base has been pushed back from December 2019 to October 2020. The ten-month delay of the runway closure allows for demolition and earthwork to begin before winter. This sets up the program to be in the asphalt and concrete work phase by spring 2021 and wrapping up the needed inspections and Federal Aviation Administration approval to r  more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Air Force (55th Air Wing) issued the following news: Working to keep a promise, 55th Wing leadership conducted a thorough walk-through of the Offutt Air Force Base dormitories Aug. 9, 2019. The walk-through by Col. Gavin Marks, 55th Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Brian Thomas, 55th Wing command chief, was just one part of a wing-wide health and safety review of housing. "I wanted to see the housing here at Offutt Air Force Base first  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency has issued the following statement by Under Secretary Bill Northey on the crop insurance liability for farmers impacted by the collapse of the Fort Laramie irrigation tunnel: "USDA has worked with local, state, and federal partners over the past month as they investigated the cause of the Ft. Laramie irrigation tunnel failure, which affected many Nebraska and Wyoming farmers. After reviewing preliminary assessmen  more

OMAHA, Nebraska, Aug. 24 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District will conduct vegetation management activities on sandbars in the Missouri River between Garrison Dam and Huff, North Dakota during the month of September 2019. The Corps is performing the work to keep the sandbars free of vegetation and usable by the endangered interior least tern and threatened piping plover for nesting. A team of federal and state rep  more

OMAHA, Nebraska, Aug. 24 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District will conduct vegetation management activities on sandbars in the Missouri River between Yankton and Vermillion, South Dakota as well as the upper portion of Lewis and Clark Lake near Springfield, South Dakota and Niobrara, Nebraska during September 2019. The Corps is conducting the work in an effort to keep the sandbars free of vegetation and usable   more