NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska City residents will be planting trees and celebrating at the home of the national tree-planting Arbor Day holiday.

Arbor Day is Friday in Nebraska and many states around the country. Nebraska City will extend its celebration into the next Saturday and Sunday. People are encouraged to plant and care for trees on the holiday.

The occasion originated in Nebraska City in 1872, founded by Nebraska City native and U.S. Agriculture Secretary J. Sterling Morton.

Nebraska City will celebrate the holiday with tree giveaways, a parade, craft show, chili cook-off and commemorative tree plantings.

Most state and local government offices and services are closed Friday to observe the holiday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska will not immediately turn over to federal authorities its supply of a drug used during lethal injections.
Instead, the Nebraska Attorney General’s office is calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to appeal a federal judge’s recent ruling that the drug, sodium thiopental, was wrongly allowed into the U.S. That judge also ordered the FDA to notify any state with foreign-manufactured thiopental that its use is prohibited and that it must be turned over to the FDA.
Earlier this month, the FDA sent a letter to Nebraska authorities requesting the state’s supply of sodium thiopental.
The Nebraska Attorney General’s office sent a response Friday to the FDA saying “we are unaware of any evidence or reasons why” the state should turn over its supply of the drug.

TERRYTOWN, Neb. (AP) – A 42-year-old Nebraska Panhandle man has been convicted of two charges and acquitted of two others in a stabbing.
A jury returned its verdicts on Thursday evening for Victor Mata Jr. The Terrytown man had been accused of stabbing two men after a confrontation at a party November last year.
Mata was convicted of assault and a weapons charge. He was acquitted another assault and another weapons charge.
Prosecutors had said the two men forcibly removed Mata from the party, so Mata went to his nearby home, got a knife and returned to the party to attack the two men. Mata had said he was defending himself.
A sentencing date hasn’t been set.

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) – Authorities say a tip led to a pot growing operation in a vacant home in Papillion in eastern Nebraska.
Sarpy County deputies found dozens of marijuana plants, grow lights, chemicals and a ventilation system.
The homeowner let deputies search the house Wednesday night.
Authorities say no one lives in the home, but a former resident came back every day.
No arrests have been reported.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) – A Nebraska Panhandle man charged with vehicular homicide and manslaughter in the death of a passenger wants his case to be heard by a judge, not a jury.
19-year-old Bryan Bloom, of Henry, waived his right a jury trial during a pre-trial conference on Thursday in Scotts Bluff County District Court.
Bloom was driving a van to Torrington, Wyo., on June 20, 2011, when a passenger, 18-year-old Johrdan Stone, stuck his head out the window and was hit by a road sign.
Bloom told police he didn’t know Stone had been hurt until they arrived at a home in Torrington. Stone died of neck and head injuries.
Officials say Bloom was driving drunk. Court documents show Stone also had been drinking.

GERING, Neb. (AP) – A Kimball city councilman accused of sexually assaulting a mentally disabled teenage boy has pleaded no contest to a lesser charge.
Scott Haun was charged in October with first-degree sexual assault. He pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree sexual assault on Thursday in Scotts Bluff County District Court. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced June 11.
Haun has been on the Kimball City Council for a total of 12 years.
Under Nebraska law, council members convicted of crimes while in office must resign.
Haun resigned Thursday morning prior to his plea hearing. The council will hold an emergency meeting April 25 on the vacant seat.