OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court says a lower court erred in the way it admitted evidence in the first-degree murder trial of a man who bludgeoned a woman to death, but says the error was harmless.

The Friday ruling upheld the 2015 conviction of 45-year-old Anthony Burries, who is serving life in prison for the 2014 death of 38-year-old Tina Hoult.

In his appeal, Burries argued — among other things — that the trial judge wrongly admitted into evidence a threatening letter he sent to a woman set to testify for the prosecution in his trial.

The state’s high court agreed that the letter could be allowed as evidence, but said the judge failed to instruct the jury to consider only whether it showed Burries’ consciousness of guilt.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State officials have issued a health alert for Pawnee Lake just west of Lincoln.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said Friday that testing of the lake earlier this week detected toxin levels produced by blue-green algal blooms.

Visitors to the lake should avoid full body contact activities such as swimming, wading, skiing and jet skiing. Non-contact activities such as boating, fishing and camping should be safe. People are urged to keep pets out of the water and not allow them to drink lake water.

Skin exposed to the toxin can develop rashes and blisters. Ingesting the toxin can cause headaches, nausea and muscular pain.

Swan Creek Lake in Saline County also remains under a health alert.

WEST POINT, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating an outbreak of salmonella in northeast Nebraska.

Officials say 15 cases in West Point have been confirmed. Six more are suspected.

The source of the outbreak hasn’t been confirmed. Medical experts say salmonella is caused by bacteria that live in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. It is usually spread by eating contaminated food, including beef, poultry, milk, eggs and vegetables. Thorough cooking kills salmonella.

Symptoms include fever, diarrhea and stomach cramps.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police say someone tossed a chunk of concrete at a police cruiser on patrol in Lincoln, cracking its windshield.

Police spokeswoman Angela Sands says the marked cruiser was struck by several objects around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, but the lone officer inside wasn’t injured. The officer pulled over and took cover until another officer arrived to help.

They soon found a baseball-size chunk of concrete but not the person who tossed it.

It’s not clear whether the cruiser was specifically targeted. Sands says the attack is similar to three other incidents in the area in June.

WINNEBAGO, Neb. (AP) — The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is warning patients about possible exposure to serious infections when they were treated at the podiatry clinic at the Winnebago Hospital in Winnebago.

A tribe news release says that, between April 17 and June 2, a podiatry instrument may not have been properly sterilized between patients. That may have raised their risk of exposure to HIV and hepatitis B and C. Indian Health Service officials are not aware of any infected patients.

The release says that, so far, 35 patients have been recommended for testing. Tribal Chairman Frank White says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reviewing the situation.