(AP) — A fire at a farm south of Creston in eastern Nebraska has destroyed a hog confinement building.

The fire occurred around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The building was empty at the time.

About 40 firefighters from Creston, Humphrey, Platte Center and Columbus Rural Fire were at the scene until around 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Creston firefighter Tony Woerdemann says the building was engulfed in flames and part of the roof was coming down when the fire department arrived. He said the fire was contained to the single building.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

(AP) — A proposed ballot measure that could allow betting on previously recorded horse races has failed to win enough support from Nebraska lawmakers.

Backers fell short Thursday of the 30 votes needed to approve the proposed constitutional amendment.

The legislation, by Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh of Omaha, would have allowed voters in November to decide if Nebraska should license and regulate wagering on the races.

Supporters argue that allowing the bets would help the struggling horse racing industry and increase attendance at live racing events. Opponents say the measure amounts to expanded gambling.

Lautenbaugh filed a motion to reconsider the vote, so lawmakers may vote on the issue again this session.

(AP) — A 57-year-old Roca man has died four days after being hit by a falling tree.

Wade Wunderlich used a chain saw to cut down the tree Saturday. He and his wife had been working for months to remove the tree from the 100-acre property they recently bought three miles west of Roca in southeast Nebraska.

Officials say the falling tree hit Wunderlich in the head. His wife found him injured on the ground, the chain saw idling nearby.

Rescue crews took Wunderlich to a Lincoln hospital with a severe skull fracture and brain bleeds.

He underwent surgery, but was taken off life support Wednesday morning and died.

(AP) — Federal trial has begun for the mother of a man charged with killing four Omaha people last summer.

The trial of Lori Jenkins — mother of Nikko Jenkins — resumes Thursday. She is accused of buying the ammunition that police believe Nikko Jenkins used to kill Curtis Bradford, Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz, Juan Uribe-Pena and Andrea Kruger over 10 days last August.

On Wednesday, a relative testified that she went with Lori Jenkins last August to an outdoor outfitter store, where Lori Jenkins is believed to have bought the ammunition.

(AP) — A 23-year-old Omaha man has been sentenced to up to 12 years in prison for shooting a lifelong friend last February during an argument.

Michael Overgaard was sentenced to eight to 12 years Wednesday in Douglas County District Court for the Feb. 2, 2013 shooting of Paul Gordon.

Gordon testified that before the shooting, he restrained Overgaard to keep him from hurting someone else at a party. Gordon says he and Overgaard had been drinking and were wrestling when Overgaard grabbed an SKS rifle and shot Gordon in the abdomen.

Overgaard will be eligible for parole in four to six years.