Digital Commons Network^™

Community And Individual Well-Being In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2013 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Nebraska Rural Poll

By many different measures, rural Nebraskans are positive about their community. Many rural Nebraskans rate their community as friendly, trusting and supportive. Most rural Nebraskans also say it would be difficult to leave their community. In addition, most rural Nebraskans disagree that their community is powerless to control its future.

Differences of opinion exist by the size of their community. Residents of smaller communities are more likely than residents of larger communities to rate their community favorably on its social dimensions. However, residents of larger communities are more likely than residents of smaller communities to say their community has changed …

Water And Climate: Perceptions Of Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans: 2013 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Nebraska Rural Poll

Many rural Nebraskans have experienced loss of wildlife and wildlife habitat, voluntary decrease in water usage, decreased farm production and wildfires to some extent as a result of last year’s drought. The majority of persons with occupations in agriculture have experienced decreased farm production and loss of business income as a result of last year’s drought.

Most rural Nebraskans rate indoor use in existing homes and agricultural uses (irrigation and livestock) as high priority uses of water. Uses of water that were not ranked very high include swimming pools for individual homes, watering golf courses and transferring water to other …

Funding Public Services: Opinions Of Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, Rebecca Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, Eric Thompson

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Taxes were in the spotlight in Nebraska last year when the governor proposed the elimination of the state income tax. Although this proposal did not pass in the Legislature, a review of the state’s tax system was authorized. While this study may focus more on the revenue side of the tax equation, the expenditures or spending side of the equation are important to examine as well. How do rural Nebraskans feel about the current level of spending for various items? How would rural Nebraskans fund five major public expenditures? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions. This report …

Hydrographic Surveys Of The Missouri And Yellowstone Rivers At Selected Bridges And Through Bismarck, North Dakota, During The 2011 Flood, Brenda K. Densmore, Kellan R. Strauch, Benjamin J. Dietsch

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the North Dakota State Water Commission, completed hydrographic surveys at six Missouri River bridges and one Yellowstone River bridge during the 2011 flood of the Missouri River system. Bridges surveyed are located near the cities of Cartwright, Buford, Williston, Washburn, and Bismarck, N. Dak. The river in the vicinity of the bridges and the channel through the city of Bismarck, N. Dak., were surveyed. The hydrographic surveys were conducted using a high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES), the RESON SeaBatTM 7125, during June 6–9 and June …

Community Exposure To Tsunami Hazards In California, Nathan J. Wood, Jamie Ratliff, Jeff Peters

United States Geological Survey: Publications

Evidence of past events and modeling of potential events suggest that tsunamis are significant threats to low-lying communities on the California coast. To reduce potential impacts of future tsunamis, officials need to understand how communities are vulnerable to tsunamis and where targeted outreach, preparedness, and mitigation efforts may be warranted. Although a maximum tsunami-inundation zone based on multiple sources has been developed for the California coast, the populations and businesses in this zone have not been documented in a comprehensive way. To support tsunami preparedness and risk-reduction planning in California, this study documents the variations among coastal communities in the …

Effect Of Projectile Impact And Penetration On The Phase Composition And Microstructure Of High Performance Concretes, Fei Ren, Catherine H. Mattus, John Jy-An Wang, Beverly P. Dipaolo

United States Army: Publications

As a result of increased concerns regarding public safety in recent years, the impact and penetration resistance of infrastructure has become an emerging research focus in the cement and concrete industry. Ultra-high performance concretes (UHPCs) with fiber reinforcement usually possess compressive strengths greater than 200 MPa and are promising candidates for penetration-resistant building materials. In the current project, two UHPC materials, ERDC-M (a modified composition developed at U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center) and Ductal^®, were subjected to projectile penetration testing. The microstructural evolution due to projectile impact and penetration was examined via scanning electron microscopy and …

The Supreme Court’S Emerging Jurisprudence On The Punishment Of Juveniles: Legal And Policy Implications, Joanna L. Visser, Jeffrey L. Shook

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

In the 1980s and 1990s, nearly every state enacted legislative changes that eased the process of treating juveniles as adults. Scholars seeking to understand the consequences of these changes have found evidence of an increase in the number of juveniles transferred to criminal court and sentenced as adults. As part of this increase, the number of juveniles receiving sentences of life without the opportunity for parole (LWOP) rose substantially. In fact, a large majority of the approximately 2,600 individuals serving LWOP sentences for crimes committed as juveniles (under age 18) were sentenced over the last several decades. LWOP sentences for …

The Resource Page (2013) 49 Page 204

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

The American Judges Association is launching a web-based, comprehensive training program for judges regarding the handling of domestic-violence cases. The program includes presentations by leading experts in the area, with separate modules on:

• The dynamics of domestic violence,

• Civil-protection orders,

• Child-custody cases,

• Evidentiary issues, and

• Sentencing.

Each module has clearly identified learning objectives, video scenarios and presentations, interactive exercises to check comprehension of key points, and resources to explore for further information. There are courtroom-based scenarios, dynamic panel discussions, and additional interactive content. The program should be of interest both to new and experienced judges; …

The Emotionally Intelligent Judge: A New (And Realistic) Ideal, Terry A. Maroney

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

As a Supreme Court Justice once wrote, “dispassionate judges” are “mythical beings,” like “Santa Claus or Uncle Sam or Easter bunnies.”1 Judges have emotions, and emotions influence decision making. These observations may seem obvious, even banal. But their implications are broad-reaching. Judicial emotion is more common than most people—certainly laypeople, and perhaps judges as well— would like to believe. Further, emotion almost certainly has a substantial impact on judicial decision making and behavior— and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

The ideal of the emotionless, “dispassionate” judge has a very long pedigree. More than three centuries ago, Thomas Hobbes …

Achieving Racial And Ethnic Fairness In Drug Courts, Douglas B. Marlowe

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

In June 2010, the Board of Directors of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) passed a unanimous resolution directing drug courts to examine whether unfair disparities exist in their programs for racial or ethnic minority participants, and if so, to take reasonable corrective measures to eliminate such disparities.1 The resolution places an affirmative obligation on drug courts to continuously monitor whether minority participants have equal access to the programs, receive substantially equivalent services in the programs, and successfully complete the programs at equivalent rates to non-minorities.2 The resolution further directs drug courts to adopt evidence-based assessment tools and …

“Ever Since The Hanging Of Oliphant” Lynching And The Suppression Of Mob Violence In Topeka, Kansas, Brent M.S. Campney

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

“The most remarkable scene ever enacted in the heart of a great city was witnessed in Topeka last night, in the final act of the tragedy on which the curtain rose with the sunrise yesterday,” reported the Topeka Daily Capital on June 5, 1889. “Twelve hours after the spirit of Alonzo T. Rodgers had taken its flight, his murderer was hung in the very center of the capital city, under the broad glare of the electric light and by a body of ‘vigilantes’ which in its composition was equalled by no other in all the history of the western world.” …

Community And Individual Well-Being In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Following record levels of farm income in Nebraska in 2011, those levels only dropped slightly in 2012 even though the state experienced one of the worst droughts in 50 years. And, historically Nebraska’s per capita income has been below the national average. However, in 2012 the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates show the state’s per capita income was higher than the national average. Given the challenges and uncertainties of recent years, how do rural Nebraskans feel about their community? Are they satisfied with the services provided by their community? Are they planning to move from their community in the next …

Health Care Reform: Perceptions Of Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, Rebecca Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

The Affordable Care Act (also known as the health care reform law) includes provisions that are intended to expand access to insurance, increase consumer insurance protections, improve quality and system performance and curb rising health care costs. Though some of the reforms were effective in 2010, many provisions will be effective January 1, 2014. How well do rural Nebraskans understand what’s in the new law? How do they think the law will affect various groups? Do they think it will be successful at accomplishing its objectives? How do rural Nebraskans currently obtain their health insurance? This paper provides a detailed …

Water And Climate: Perceptions Of Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, Rebecca Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph Cantrell, Bradley D. Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Water has always been an important resource to rural areas. Competing demands for water come from communities, households, agriculture, industry and the environment. After last summer’s drought, one of the worst in the state’s history, more attention was placed on water issues in the state. The drought also caused increased awareness of global climate change issues. Given these conditions, what impacts did rural Nebraskans experience as a result of last summer’s drought? What priority do rural Nebraskans place on various uses of water? Have those priorities changed over time? What do rural Nebraskans think about global climate change? What are …

Deliberation Models Featuring Youth Participation, Denise Bulling, Lyn Carson, Mark Dekraai, Alexis Garcia, Harri Raisio

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

There is a growing trend among developed countries to increase the participation of youth in societal and institutional decision-making. The challenge is to move away from an illusion of participation (tokenism) to genuine youth influence. This article transfers knowledge of a relatively new theory to the fields of youth engagement and community development. We pose deliberative democracy as a model to build bridges between youth and decision-makers. This concrete approach offers a platform for youth and adults to engage in a learning process as equal citizens and proactive leaders. Deliberative democracy can be understood as an umbrella term for different …

Health Care Reform: Perceptions Of Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, 2013 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Nebraska Rural Poll

Most rural Nebraskans currently have health insurance. Only nine percent of rural Nebraskans do not have health insurance while the majority of residents have health insurance through job benefits. These responses are nearly identical to 2004 when this question was last asked.

Persons living in the North Central region, persons with lower household incomes, persons who have never married, persons with lower education levels and persons with food service or personal care occupations are the groups most likely to be uninsured.

Most rural Nebraskans expect to have health insurance next year. Only two percent of residents do not plan on …

Field Study Identifying Barriers And Delays In Data-To-Decision With Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, Brittany A. Duncan, Robin R. Murphy

School of Computing: Conference and Workshop Papers

This paper reports on lessons learned in rapidly getting data from a small tactical unmanned aerial system (sUAS) to an incident commander during a 2012 high fidelity hazardous materials exercise. In order to capture the Public Safety data-todecision path, observational data was collected on three flights of an AirRobot 100B sUAS, used extensively by the US Army, with HazMat specialists as part of a chemical train derailment exercise at the 2012 Summer Institute at Disaster City_R . The Summer Institute found that (i) the data path requires an average of 4 steps to go from the field to the …

Reducing Courts’ Failure-To-Appear Rate By Written Reminders, Brian H. Bornstein, Alan Tomkins, Elizabeth Neeley, Mitchel Herian, Joseph A. Hamm

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article examines the effectiveness of using different kinds of written reminders to reduce misdemeanor defendants’ failure- to-appear (FTA) rates. A subset of defendants was surveyed after their scheduled court date to assess their perceptions of procedural justice and trust and confidence in the courts. Reminders reduced FTA overall, and more substantive reminders (e.g., with information on the negative consequences of FTA) were more effective than a simple reminder. FTA varied depending on several offense and offender characteristics, such as geographic location (urban vs. rural), type of offense, and number of offenses. The reminders were somewhat more effective for Whites …

Patterns Of Human–Coyote Conflicts In The Denver Metropolitan Area, Sharon A. Poessel, Stewart W. Breck, Tara L. Teel, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Kevin R. Crooks, Lisa Angeloni

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In many cities throughout North America, human–coyote conflicts are an emerging problem. Little research has described temporal and spatial patterns of human–coyote conflicts, although such information can be an important step in developing and optimizing management efforts. We used reports from 22 entities within the Denver Metropolitan Area (DMA) in Colorado that provided information on coyote observations (signs, sightings, and encounters) and conflicts (incidents, pet-attacks, and human attacks). Our objectives were to 1) define, quantify, and map categories of coyote observations and conflicts, and 2) investigate temporal and spatial patterns of conflicts, particularly related to land cover types and housing …

A Survey On Smart Grid Communication Infrastructures: Motivations, Requirements And Challenges, Ye Yan, Yi Qian, Hamid Sharif, David Tipper

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

A communication infrastructure is an essential part to the success of the emerging smart grid. A scalable and pervasive communication infrastructure is crucial in both construction and operation of a smart grid. In this paper, we present the background and motivation of communication infrastructures in smart grid systems. We also summarize major requirements that smart grid communications must meet. From the experience of several industrial trials on smart grid with communication infrastructures, we expect that the traditional carbon fuel based power plants can cooperate with emerging distributed renewable energy such as wind, solar, etc, to reduce the carbon fuel consumption …

Building Healthy Communities: Integrating Walkability Concepts Into Local Land Use Planning, Jenna Danelle Muhlbach

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

In recent years, American communities have been diagnosed with several chronic health diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Several researchers attribute sedentary lifestyles as one of the contributing factors to chronic diseases. The lack of physical exercise can be blamed by the auto-dependent suburbia lifestyle that many generations have become accustomed to. Poor land use developments have roads and freeways dominating the use of space, with the intent of having an automobile get from one place to another as efficiently as possible. This has allowed places to be much further apart therefore it has had a negative impact …

Characteristics Of Fatigued Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers -- A Preliminary Investigation, Aemal Khattak, Carrie Mohlman

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The goal of this research was to identify and correlate easily observable characteristics of drivers to different levels of fatigue, thus enabling state patrol officers to make more judicious decisions related to driver fatigue. A literature review was conducted pertaining to the characteristics of fatigued drivers. Next, a nationwide survey was administered to state patrol agencies to assess their practices regarding fatigue-involved driving. To explore relationships between state patrol agency practices and vehicular safety, data collected from the telephone survey were merged with data from different states on fatigue-involved vehicle fatalities and vehicle miles traveled. Analysis revealed that states with …

Cable Median Barrier Failure Analysis And Prevention, Dean L. Sicking, Cody S. Stolle

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Cross-median crashes have been identified as one of the highest injury or fatality risk crash types. Although crossmedian crashes account for only 2% to 5% of all median crash events, they are disproportionately represented in the number and frequency of fatalities on interstate roadways. Many states have utilized cable median barriers to reduce the risk of cross-median crashes, frequently with great success. However, cable median barriers are also fixed obstacles to errant vehicles. Cable median barriers can place occupants at increased risk of severe injury or fatality if the barrier fails to adequately contain and redirect errant vehicles, resulting in …

Cable Median Barrier Failure Analysis And Remediation, Cody S.. Stolle

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

On divided roadways, cross-median fatalities are disproportionately overrepresented in fatal and serious injury crashes. Many state DOTs sought to mitigate cross-median crash risk by installing cable median barriers. Despite increased crash rates, studies evaluating crash rates before and after cable median barriers were installed indicated excellent improvement in overall safety.

Although cable median barriers are intended to prevent serious cross-median crashes, cable barriers can also contribute to serious injury and fatality crashes which would not have otherwise occurred, including penetration and rollover crashes. In order to reduce the frequency of undesirable penetration and rollover crashes occurring with cable median barriers …

A New Approach To Safety Assessment At Gated Highway–Rail Grade Crossings, Zheng Luo

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A significant number of pedestrians and bicyclists (i.e., non-motorists) use the roadway system in the U.S. Research pertaining to the safety of them, especially their safety at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs), has drawn much attention in the past decade, and remains an important issue of safety research. Yet, the majority of existing research has examined non-motorist safety at intersections or motorist safety at HRGCs separately. Such research has related primarily to exploring relationships between safety countermeasures (e.g., engineering devices, education, enforcement, etc.) and crash frequency/severity, using different quantitative analysis approaches. A primary limitation of these studies is that few have …

Acuta Enews November 2012 Vol. 41, No. 11

ACUTA Newsletters

In this issue...

Hurricane Sandy Arrives on Campus

Hurricanes, Seminar & Toy Phones

Webinar: The Future of Emergency Communication in Higher Ed

Getting Ready for HD Voice

ACUTA Member Benefit: Free Corporate Webinar Webpage

Every Desk a Drafting Table: The Power of a Design Mindset

Info Links

Fall 2012 Seminar Exhibitors and Sponsors

Board Report

Bring 8 Fall Seminar Exhibitors and Sponsors

Welcome New Members

Check It Out

Droughtscape, Fall 2012, National Drought Mitigation Center

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

Contents

Director’s report

Updated resources

Drought outlook and review

2012 and past droughters

Summer impacts summary

Urban planners and drought

USDM wins CLEAN seal

Meixiu Yu's Chinese SPEI

Ethiopian project

Mexican VegDRI

Drought monitor sculpture

Acuta Enews September 2012 Vol. 41, No. 9

ACUTA Newsletters

In this issue....

NY City, the New WTC, and ACUTA

Overheard via eMail: Legacy Systems

UC Cloud Security: Avoiding an Identity Crisis

Board Report

Annual Dues Reminders Mailed July 3

Sense- Making: Why People Won't Be Replaced by Computers Anytime Soon

Young Professionals-- What's in It for You?

Webinar FREE to Members

Info Links

PCI Compliance of Increasing Importance to Higher Ed

ACUTA Member Benefit: Post and Access RFPs Welcome New Members

Check It Out

Financial Indicators In Strategic Decision Making: Recommended Practices For Financial Officers At Small Private Colleges And Universities In The Midwestern United States, Beth Reissenweber

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored whether financial leaders and institutional governing boards use financial indicators as a tool to inform decision making, solely as a compliance measurement tool, or not at all. The purpose of this qualitative study was two-fold to: (a) identify the use of financial indicators in strategic decision making, and (b) investigate how institutions use financial indicators to support governing boards in making strategic decisions. The data were obtained from a survey of 214 financial officers to identify the use of financial indicators, and in-depth interviews with leaders from six institutions who indicated strategic use of financial indicators to …

Natural Resources In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: Use And Priorities: 2012 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Natural resources are vital to Nebraska’s economy and quality of life. Policies to protect these valuable natural resources – such as soil and water – ensure that they will be available for future generations. However, development of natural resources for economic gain must often be balanced with these policies. Developing such a compromise is often difficult. What barriers are preventing rural Nebraskans from recycling more? What collection methods are they using to recycle? How do they feel about some of the issues surrounding the Keystone XL pipeline? What priorities do rural Nebraskans give for various uses of land and natural …