NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — The city of North Platte has entered a partnership with the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation to improve housing options.

The city and the chamber have started the Shot in the Arm program to bring 33 single-family homes and 10 duplexes to North Platte by August 2017. Chamber board chairman Brock Wurl presented an incentive check for $8,000 Tuesday to Willis Roethemeyer for the first home in the program.

Roethemeyer is partnering with Greg Batt Construction to build nine homes in the city.

The program is offering incentives for housing construction from a $344,000 pool collected from the city’s Quality Growth Fund and the chamber and development corporation’s incentive fund that comes from private businesses in the city.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker is proposing legal immunity for drug users who call for help during a medical emergency, saying America’s rising rate of drug overdose deaths demands it.

Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said he will introduce a bill this week that would allow drug users immunity from possession charges if they seek help for themselves or someone else who is overdosing.

The bill would apply to all drug possession charges, including felonies. Morfeld says that as Nebraska’s prescription drug monitoring technology improves, people will turn to other substances such as heroin, and Nebraska authorities need resources to prevent overdose deaths.

Last year, the Legislature passed a measure that allows immunity for minors seeking help for themselves or someone else in need of immediate medical attention due to alcohol poisoning.

HARRISON, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska Panhandle couple have been accused of neglecting cattle.

Court records say 25-year-old Calinda Vantine and 33-year-old Calvin Vantine are charged with felony animal neglect resulting in death or injury. Calinda Vantine said Wednesday that they couldn’t comment until checking with their attorney. A preliminary hearing for them is scheduled for Feb. 5.

A state investigator says the Vantines, of Crawford, were contracted to manage about 100 cattle during the calving season early last year but didn’t take proper care of the animals.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl who was unable to escape a fire at her family’s home just outside Kearney in Buffalo County.

Kearney and Amherst firefighters responded to the blaze shortly after it broke out late Tuesday night. Authorities say three other family members escaped, but not the girl.

Buffalo County Attorney Shawn Eatherton (EH’-thur-tuhn) identified the girl as Kyah (KYE’-uh) Kinkade.

An autopsy has been ordered.

The fire cause is being investigated.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — A former Dawes County jailer accused of at least unintentionally aiding an escape attempt has taken a plea deal.

Court records say 31-year-old Sherry Whitinger pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of introducing escape implements. Prosecutors dropped a charge that she’d had sex with an inmate. Her sentencing is set for March 2.

She’s denied intentionally aiding the escape attempt.

Whitinger had provided inmates with a cellphone that was recovered from an inmate who surrendered before he could get out of the county courthouse during his escape attempt in September.

Authorities say he was not the inmate with whom Whitinger had sex. Nebraska law says jailers or other law enforcement officials who have sex with inmates have committed sexual assault.