LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s attorney general says he is disappointed but unsurprised by the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of Nebraska and Oklahoma’s effort to have Colorado’s pot legalization declared unconstitutional.

Doug Peterson noted Monday that the court ruled on procedures rather than merits of the case, and the states now have the option to file the case in federal district court.

Peterson says filing in district court would begin a more time-consuming process to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, and the attorneys general have not yet decided if they will do so.

Peterson says he is also discussing alternate strategies with other states to raise the complaint that recreational marijuana use runs afoul of federal anti-drug laws and negatively affects neighboring states.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature’s Revenue Committee has set a new public hearing on a proposal designed to address complaints about property taxes.

The hearing is set for 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at the Capitol. It’s required because substantial changes have been proposed to the original bill introduced on Gov. Pete Ricketts’ behalf.

The new measure is intended funnel more money into a state tax credit program that offsets local property taxes. It also would impose budget restrictions on community colleges, which rely partially on property taxes.

People interested in testifying can also submit written testimony in lieu of live testimony. Written testimony must be submitted to the committee clerk, Krissa Delka, at kdelka@leg.ne.gov.

Two men were injured, one seriously, during an alleged assault by a Hershey man.

At around 9:25 pm, on March 20, deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Officer were advised of a large disturbance at a residence in Hershey.

Deputies arrived and located two men, who were injured, inside the residence.  Chief Deputy Roland Kramer says one of the men was unconscious and had sustained serious injuries.

As deputies investigated, they learned that both men had been assaulted by 33-year-old Clemente Carrizales.

As the seriously injured man was transported to Great Plains Health in North Platte, deputies were able to locate Carrizales and place him under arrest.

According to Kramer, Carrizales was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed on charges of felony 1st-degree assault and 3rd-degree assault.

Deputies did not say if the other victim required medical attention.

The case remains under investigation.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An attempt to more than triple Nebraska’s cigarette tax has stalled in a legislative committee.

The Revenue Committee rejected the proposal on Monday, with two senators voting for it and six against it.

The bill by Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island would have increased the tax from 64 cents to $2.14 per pack. The excise tax rate on other tobacco products would have risen from 20 percent to 31 percent.

The cigarette tax would have generated an estimated $45 million for the state’s property tax credit fund, which offsets local property taxes, and $45 million to pay for personal property tax exemptions. Another $30 million would have paid for various public health programs.

Gloor says the bill’s defeat shows the tobacco industry’s strength.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Upsets in the opening weekend of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament ensured that no Berkshire Hathaway employee would claim Warren Buffett’s big prize of $1 million a year for life.

The contest open to Berkshire’s roughly 360,000 employees offered $1 million a year for life to anyone who could pick all 48 of the opening round games perfectly.

Friday’s upset of Michigan State by Middle Tennessee ensured none of the brackets were perfect.

But two Berkshire employees will split $100,000 for picking the most games correctly in a row.

Buffett knew it was unlikely anyone would pick the sweet 16 perfectly. Two years ago, Berkshire insured a $1 billion prize Quicken Loans offered, but didn’t have to pay because no one had a perfect bracket.