(AP) — State health officials are confirming three new cases of rare parasite in Nebraska, bringing the total number to 81.

Nebraska state epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Safranek said his office received confirmation of the new cases on Wednesday. Safranek says he is urging the medical community to stay vigilant for new cases of cyclospora, a parasite that causes lengthy gastrointestinal illness. Outbreaks have been reported in at least 15 states.

A spokeswoman for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says two of the new cases were reported in Sarpy County, and one was reported in Lancaster County.

Nebraska officials say they’ve traced cases to a prepackaged salad mix that includes iceberg and romaine lettuce, along with red cabbage and carrots.

A North Platte man was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance after Police found him with prescription meds without a precription.

According to North Platte Police Public Information Officer, Rodney Brown, Officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of West Philip on Tuesday night.

Upon arrival, Officers witnessed a vehicle in the alley behind the residence, which appeared to be picking up one of the individuals involved in the disturbance.

Officers identified the driver as 21-year-old Kenneth Reed.  Police say Reed is a suspect in a prior theft case.

Officers made contact with Reed and witnessed him attempting to hide something from their view.  They also observed drug paraphernalia on Reed’s lap.  When Reed refused to comply with the Officers directions, he was asked to exit the vehicle and a search was conducted which revealed a prescription bottle containing the drug, Diazepam.

Because Reed did not have a prescription for the drug, he was arrested and jailed on a felony possession charge.

Reed has cases currently pending in Lincoln County District Court.

(AP) — A former Gering man charged in with causing the death of a 2-year-old girl five years ago is asking for a new attorney.

27-year-old man Dustin Chauncey says he believes the caseload for his public defender is too heavy to be able to represent him adequately. Chauncey asks that the Nebraska Public Commission on Public Advocacy be appointed to represent him.

Chauncey is currently scheduled for a five-day trial to begin in October.

Chauncey has pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentional child abuse resulting in the death of Juliette Geurts, of Gering, in July 2008. He was the boyfriend at the time of the girl’s mother, Charyse Geurts.

(AP) — The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District is taking an expensive, high-tech look at groundwater levels in Colfax County in an effort to better budget water use during drought.

The district is paying $200,000 to a Mississippi company to study the groundwater under approximately 36 square miles in the Clarkson and Howells areas. Officials say water supplies there came dangerously close to running dry during last year’s drought.

Next week, the company will use low-flying helicopters outfitted with instruments that can “see” hundreds of feet below the surface.

Data collected during the flights will be used to locate and estimate the size of groundwater aquifers to help officials decide whether there is enough water for continued use during dry spells, or whether restrictions are needed.