OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A nonprofit health system is facing criticism over its $23.6 million deal to put its name on an Omaha convention center and arena.

Some industry experts say CHI Health’s plans to pay for the rights to rename the CenturyLink Center is part of the advertising necessary to stay in health care conversations. But others disapprove of the Omaha-based provider’s decision to allocate millions to marketing.

Retired accountant Dan Pleiss says the deal is wasteful and that the money should go toward lowering the cost of patient care.

Edmund Leslie is St. Joseph Hospital’s former public relations director. He says the move doesn’t educate the public on health issues.

CHI Health CEO Dr. Cliff Robertson says the deal is a community benefit and an investment in the city.

OGALLALA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has approved a mountain lion hunting season for next year.

The commission voted Friday to resume the cougar-hunting season. Under the measure, eight mountain lions — including four females — may be killed within two areas of the Pine Ridge in northwestern Nebraska. That includes four cougars in an area north of U.S. Highway 20 and four in an area south of the highway. Only two females per area may be killed.

The commission will issue 320 permits for each area through a lottery drawing. The season will run from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, and the use of dogs, baiting or trapping is banned.

If the limits have not been reached by Feb. 28, a limited number of permit holders will be allowed to hunt with dogs in an auxiliary season to run from March 15-31.

The commission’s move has faced some opposition, particularly from Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has fought to eliminate mountain lion hunting in Nebraska.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to let states collect sales tax from online purchases could lead to Nebraska putting the money toward property tax relief.

The high court ruled Thursday that states can force companies operating online to collect taxes, reversing decades-old decisions that had stymied efforts to collect sales taxes on many online transactions.

Gov. Pete Ricketts indicated that he’s determined to convert the potential revenue into local property tax relief, not state programming.

“Any increased revenue attributable to total enforcement of our sales tax laws must be steered toward property tax relief,” Ricketts said.

Sen. Tom Briese of Albion said he’ll introduce an internet sales tax bill next year to direct the additional revenue toward property tax relief.

Legislation to begin collecting online sales tax beginning July 1 was blocked by a filibuster earlier this year. The measure would have required online retailers to send customers a notice of their total taxable purchases unless the businesses collected the sales tax themselves.

Ricketts had recommended that the state wait for the Supreme Court decision as a compromise. Now state officials will have to wait until next year to begin collections.

State Sen. Dan Watermeier, a sponsor of the legislation, said he’s frustrated by the delay. The state could bring in up to $40 million more per year from taxing online sales, he estimated.

Nebraska Retail Federation President Jim Otto applauded the ruling as a move that levels the playing field between brick-and-mortar stores, which collect sales taxes, and online retailers, which often don’t.

“The Supreme Court has acted correctly in recognizing that it’s time for outdated sales tax policies to change with the times,” Otto said.

Otto said that Congress or state legislatures now need to set the threshold at which online retailers must collect taxes.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Visitors to six state recreation areas will be allowed to light off fireworks on July 4.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says those recreation areas include Branched Oak near Malcolm, Fort Kearny near Kearney, Pawnee near Emerald, Wagon Train near Hickman and those near Memphis and Fremont. Those parks will permit fireworks from 8 a.m. until midnight on July 4 only.

Signs at recreation areas will point the way to designated fireworks sites, and their boundaries will be clearly marked. Use of fireworks elsewhere in state areas or at other times is prohibited.

Only fireworks approved for sale in Nebraska are permitted, and visitors must pick up expended fireworks and deposit them in appropriate containers.