LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are proposing several new bills intended to attract military retirees to the state and retain those who are here.

Six senators touted legislation on Wednesday that would benefit veterans with hiring preferences, tax exemptions and workforce training.

Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue says one of the bills, which she introduced on Wednesday, would let private companies give hiring preferences to veterans and their spouses.

Other bills include a measure from Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha to subsidize on-the-job training for veterans and legislation by Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln to more effectively transfer military training to civilian experience.

The package of bills piggybacks on veteran-themed legislation that passed last year. The senators have partnered with the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Good Life for Veterans campaign.

A vehicle fire in the parking lot of a Kearney restaurant is being called “suspicious” by authorities.

At around 11:15 p.m., on January 13, the Kearney Police Department and the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department responded to the report of a vehicle on fire in the parking lot of Perkin’s Family Restaurant, 609 2nd Avenue East.

A subject, later identified as Jason Warta, of Gibbon, was observed running from the area.

Authorities say Warta was later located in the Prairie View Apartments area, with severe burns to the lower portion of his body.

Warta was taken to CHI Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, and was later transferred to the burn unit of CHI Health Saint Elizabeth in Lincoln.

Police say the vehicle was completely destroyed, and they have deemed the fire’s cause as suspicious in nature.

A Kearney Volunteer Fire Department official told local media that a mobile meth lab was the suspected cause of the fire.

The case is still under investigation.

Warta’s medical condition is unknown, and no charges have been filed at this time.

A Wellfleet man is facing numerous felony charges following a disturbance on Tuesday.

Deputies responded to a disturbance in the Wellfleet area on January 13.

Upon arrival, deputies made contact with 18-year-old Keith Urbanek.  Deputies say Urbanek was apparently not getting along with his stepfather, and was waiting in his vehicle when law enforcement arrived.  They say a 16-year-old female runaway, from Colorado, was also in the vehicle.

According to deputies, Urbanek granted permission to search his vehicle, which led to the discovery of multiple glass tubes, prescription pills and other items of drug paraphernalia.  Additionally, deputies found numerous materials and equipment used to make methamphetamine in the trunk of the vehicle.

In the end, Urbanek was charged with felony possession of prescription narcotics, felony possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine ingredients, possession of drug paraphernalia-manufacturing equipment and felony child abuse.

Urbanek was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed.  The runaway juvenile was returned to her parents in Colorado.

Since 2010 The North Platte Public Schools Foundation has awarded NPPS employees staff scholarships for their continued education. This school year over two dozen applications came in for the 2014-15 Staff Scholarships and the Foundation is proud to award 4 North Platte Public School educators for their continued education efforts.

Philep Willey, an AP Literature and English instructor at NPHS, is working on a technology endorsement so that he can introduce technology based programs in his classroom that will simulate real world job experiences.

Brittany McDaniel, Speech and Theatre Instructor at NPHS, is working on her Master’s Degree with goals of offering more rigorous assignments and projects to align with the newly adopted Fine Arts Standards in Nebraska.

Niki Ruda, Speech and Language Pathologist in the Early Childhood Program, is finishing up the required courses to complete her Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Severe Disabilities.  Utilizing the latest research supporting a family-centered practice is a model that our ECP is currently using.

Janet Henne, Resource III Instructor at the NPHS, is working towards her Master’s Degree in Education-Special Education, with plans to provide her students with a variety of ideas and devices to assist them with independence.

The NPPS Foundation acknowledges that a better educated staff equates to a better education for our students. The NPPS Foundation is committed to promoting development and assisting NPPS in pursuing higher education and has awarded over $10,000 in Staff Scholarships since its inception. We are pleased to have been able to make this opportunity possible for our dedicated staff.