OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska saw its highest number of traffic fatalities in seven years in 2014, and some state officials believe that driver complacency may be to blame.

225 people died last year as a result of an accident involving a vehicle, according to the Department of Roads’ Highway Safety Division. In 2007, 256 people died on state roads.

According to officials, the fatalities include 214 drivers and passengers, nine pedestrians and two bicyclists.

Nebraska’s highway safety administrator, Fred Zwonechek, said that the fatalities were frustrating because of increases in traffic safety initiatives to increase driver awareness and law enforcement have been put in place. Zwonechek said that complacency leads to unsafe practices such as drinking and driving, speeding, talking or texting on a phone, or not being alert.

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York-based criminal justice nonprofit says it will work with jails and prisons in five states to reduce the use of solitary confinement.

The Vera Institute of Justice said Tuesday that state corrections systems in Nebraska, Oregon and North Carolina as well as jails in New York City and Middlesex County, New Jersey, were picked for the two-year plan.

Inmates are regularly placed in 23-hour confinement for breaking jailhouse rules, for their protection and for security reasons. Some prisoners have stayed in solitary for years.

But Vera’s Fred Patrick says research shows restrictive housing can be counterproductive to jail safety and can damage prisoners psychologically and otherwise.

Patrick says Vera will help corrections officials analyze their use of solitary, evaluate their disciplinary system and develop other programming.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s judges could get a raise under a bill slated for debate in the Legislature.

A legislative committee voted 7-0 this week to advance a proposed 2.25 percent increase, effective July 1. Judges would receive an additional 2.4 percent pay bump the following year.

Nebraska’s seven Supreme Court judges are currently paid roughly $160,500 annually. Judges throughout the state would see a similar raise because their salaries are tied to what the high-court judges make.

The measure is sponsored by Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley of Kearney on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts.

The Legislature raised Supreme Court judges’ salaries by about 5 percent in both 2013 and 2014. Supporters say competitive salaries are needed to attract good candidates for the bench.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson has returned to work after undergoing surgery for early-stage prostate cancer.

A spokeswoman confirmed that Peterson came back to the Capitol on Tuesday after doctors gave him a clean bill of health.

The 55-year-old Peterson underwent surgery at an Omaha hospital earlier this month. He left the hospital after a 24-hour observation period and has been conducting business from home.

Peterson, a Republican, took office in January after former Attorney General Jon Bruning opted not to seek a fourth term.

Bruning underwent successful surgery in 2013 to remove part of his colon and surrounding lymph nodes after he was diagnosed with colon cancer.

DALLAS (AP) — Federal authorities say Blue Bell is expanding the recall of some ice cream products because of possible exposure to the listeria bacteria.

Blue Bell is recalling 3-ounce cups of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream that have tab lids. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the cups could be contaminated with the bacteria, which can cause fatal infections in young children, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems.

The Blue Bell creamery in Brenham, Texas, earlier this month recalled several other products made on the same production line after listeria was detected.

Five people developed listeriosis in Kansas after eating Blue Bell products and the FDA says three of them died. The five ate the ice cream while hospitalized in Wichita for unrelated causes.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s tax incentives for businesses will face greater scrutiny under a measure advanced by lawmakers.

The review program given first-round approval on Tuesday is designed to show whether the incentives are meeting goals set by lawmakers. Legislative auditors would review each tax incentive at least once every three years.

Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse, chairman of the Performance Audit Committee, says the process will help lawmakers determine whether each program is benefiting Nebraska’s economy.

The bill advanced on a 37-0 vote.

A legislative committee concluded in a report last year that Nebraska has no way to judge whether its tax incentives have succeeded in attracting and retaining businesses. In some cases it wasn’t clear whether the businesses would have come to Nebraska without an incentive.