LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge has blocked the state from placing a 13-year-old boy who moved to Nebraska from Minnesota on its public list of sex offenders.

The Nebraska State Patrol determined the boy had to register when he moved to Nebraska because of a subsection of a law that opted to exclude minors from the Nebraska Sex Offender Registration Act unless they were prosecuted criminally in adult court.

The boy’s family filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the patrol from putting him on the public registry.

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard G. Kopf concluded that Nebraska’s law doesn’t apply because the boy wasn’t required to register in Minnesota since he was adjudicated in juvenile court, not adult court.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — A Colorado man is scheduled to be sentenced next month for stealing two all-terrain vehicles and a trailer from a western Nebraska sheriff’s department.

Online court records say 37-year-old Richard Keith, of Evans, Colorado, pleaded no contest to a felony theft charge after Lincoln County prosecutors dropped a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief. His sentencing is set for April 11.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office says the ATVs and a trailer were taken from a county roads department lot in North Platte late on July 29 or early on July 30 last year. The items were recovered in August in the Greeley, Colorado, area.

Governor Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles Director (DMV) Rhonda Lahm unveiled the new standard license plate, which will be issued beginning in January 2017.

“Our standard license plate is one important way we brand our state,” said Governor Ricketts. “This new plate features a simple, classic design, using the blue and gold of our state flag. One of our state’s most recognizable images, The Sower, is displayed in the background above the recognition of our state’s 150th year of statehood.”

“As the department developed the plate, our team focused on creating a simple, streamlined design,” said DMV Director Rhonda Lahm. “Nebraskans will begin to see this plate on vehicles starting next January. I encourage all Nebraskans to visit www.dmv.nebraska.gov to see the new plate and all available specialty plates.”

The top of the plate prominently features “Nebraska” in gold lettering on a blue field. Centered in the background is the watermarked image of The Sower, the sculpture which sits atop the Nebraska State Capitol. The bottom of the plate highlights the year of Nebraska’s statehood as well as the year of Nebraska’s 150th birthday.

The new design was developed by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. A digital copy of the design is attached for use by news media covering this announcement.

In addition to the standard issue plate, several specialty plates are available for purchase through the DMV. Interested Nebraskans can visit www.dmv.nebraska.gov for more information on how to purchase specialty plates.

A car-semi crash on Highway 26 near Mitchell in Scottsbluff County claims two lives.

The crash occurred, just before 8:30 p.m. (MDT), Monday, March 21, on Highway 26, one mile west of Mitchell, when a 2002 Mercury Cougar northbound on a county road, failed to yield to a semi traveling westbound on Highway 26.

The driver of the Mercury, John H. Russell, 21, of Scottsbluff, and a passenger Brady J. Lenz, 22, of Alliance, died at the scene of the crash. The driver of the semi, Sean R. Ash, 24, Scottsbluff was not injured. Seat belts were in use by all parties.

The Nebraska State Patrol was assisted by the Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office, Mitchell and Morrill Police Departments, Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department and Valley Ambulance and Regional West Medical Center Air Link.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A forecast of up to 6 inches of snow in some parts of Nebraska has led officials to delay a statewide tornado drill from Wednesday to Thursday.

A winter storm watch will be in effect from Wednesday morning through Wednesday night and run from the southern Panhandle and southwest Nebraska to Dixon County in the northeast corner of the state. The National Weather Service says snowfall is expected to range from 3 to 6 inches in the storm watch area, with winds gusting to 45 mph.

Other parts of the state could see rain or less snow.