More than 12 lbs. of marijuana was seized and two people arrested after a weekend traffic stop on Interstate 80 just west of the North Platte interchange.

Just before 9:00 a.m., on Saturday, October 12, a trooper stopped an eastbound 2012 Chevy impala for speeding on I-80, three miles west of the North Platte interchange.  An NSP K-9 indicated the odor of drugs coming from the vehicle. A search of the car led to the seizure of 12.4 lbs. of marijuana. The marijuana was located in a duffle bag in the trunk of the vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle, David J. Evans, 29, Newcastle, Calif., and a passenger in the vehicle Felicia P. MacDowell, 23, Converse, Texas, were both lodged in Lincoln County Detention Center, each on a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.

A Utah man has been jailed after he allegedly stole a vehicle in North Platte and led Police on a chase Monday morning.

North Platte Police responded to 305 East 4th Street on the report of a stolen 2009 Lincoln MKS.  The reporting party told Police the vehicle had been stolen sometime between 2:45 a.m and 4:30 a.m.

Shortly thereafter, a Nebraska State Patrol Trooper located the vehicle in the parking lot at Walmart parking lot.

Police say the suspect, 23-year-old Denver Lindsey, then led police on a short chase that ended at 785 East Francis Street.

Lindsey was taken into custody and charged with Theft of a Motor Vehicle and Flight to Avoid Arrest, both felonies.

Lindsey is being held at the Lincoln County Detention Center without bond.

Two North Platte men have been jailed after they allegedly attempted to burglarize a local car wash.

North Platte Police responded to the Majic Spray Car Wash, 1302 South Chestnut, at around 2:30 a.m. on Monday on the report of two males attempting to force their way into the car wash office.

Investigating Officers found damage to the doorway consistent with someone trying to force the door open.

Police were able to locate one suspect, 22-year-old Robert Saaverda, inside Walmart.  The other suspect, 28-year-old Jackson Nelson, was found at the duo’s residence in the 800 block of South Chestnut.

Nelson and Saaverda were arrested and charged with Attempted Burglary.

(AP) — A transformer failure has affected communication at a community college in Scottsbluff.

Officials at Western Nebraska Community College say the failure occurred Monday during a scheduled 45-minute power outage by Nebraska Public Power District.

The college’s telephone system, email, student and faculty portal and a blackboard learning system have been affected.

The power outage, scheduled while students are on fall break, was not supposed to cause disruption to operations.

Officials say a transformer is being delivered to the campus from York. All operations are scheduled to resume Tuesday, and the school’s second 8-week classes begin Wednesday.

(AP) — The Nebraska Humane Society wants to adopt out 100 dogs and cats in a day.

The group plans to offer adult dogs at half price Saturday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Adult cats will be free.

All the animals will be spayed or neutered. They will also have their first vaccinations.

The drive is part of a national effort to simultaneously hold adoption events. Adult dogs start at $150, though some may have lower adoption fees.

The new pets will go home with a collar and personalized tag.

(AP) — A judge has set a new trial date for a lawsuit filed by a man who was burned in a grass fire in Nebraska, near South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

U.S. District Court Judge Lyle Strom moved the trial to Jan. 27. The trial had been scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Bryan Bluebird Jr. is suing Rushville firefighters and Sheridan County Sheriff Terry Robbins. The lawsuit alleges that local officials set the controlled fire without thoroughly checking the area.

Bluebird was lying in the field in March 2012 after drinking in Whiteclay, Neb., and suffered burns on 25 percent of his body. Robbins and the firefighters say Bluebird was negligent.

Defense attorneys say they requested the new date because Robbins is still recovering from a stroke.

(AP) — Microsoft is updating its Windows software for cellphones to accommodate larger devices and make it easier for motorists to reduce distractions while driving.

Devices with this update will start appearing in the coming weeks, and older phones will be eligible for a free upgrade, too.

Something that may appeal to motorists: a new Driving Mode will automatically silence incoming calls and texts so that you can focus on the road. You also can configure the feature to automatically send out a reply to say that you’re driving.

What the Driving Mode won’t do, however, is block outgoing calls or texts. And there will be ways to override it.

The new update also will allow for better resolution to accommodate larger phones.

(AP) — A western Nebraska high school that didn’t recite the Pledge of Allegiance because of the partial government shutdown won’t be doing that again.

On Monday last week Alliance High School principal Pat Jones told students they wouldn’t be reciting the pledge that day, pointing out that the federal government had been partially shut down since Oct. 1.  Some students were outraged by Jones’ decision, and one woman said her son stood up in class and recited the pledge anyway.

District superintendent Troy Unzicker (UHN’-zih–kur) told The Associated Press on Monday that Jones hadn’t cleared his plan with administrators. Unzicker says it’s district policy that teachers lead their classes in reciting the pledge each school day. The superintendent wouldn’t say whether Jones had been disciplined.

(AP) — A Nebraska state lawmaker has launched his campaign for state auditor.

Sen. Pete Pirsch of Omaha pledged Monday to focus his campaign on government accountability and responsibility. The Republican hopeful is pointing to his experience as a city prosecutor in Omaha and a state lawmaker.

Pirsch is looking to replace current State Auditor Mike Foley, who is ineligible to seek re-election because he is running for governor. Pirsch says he plans to travel to 14 Nebraska cities as his campaign begins.

Pirsch was elected to the Legislature in 2006, and is serving his second term. He is ineligible to seek re-election in the 2014 race because of term limits.

A North Platte man has been charged with felony assault and child abuse after a disturbance Friday evening.

According to North Platte Police Department Public Information Officer Rodney Brown, Officers responded to a residence in the 600 block of East 10th Street at around 9:15 p.m. on the report of a domestic disturbance.

Upon arrival, a 27-year-old female told Officers that her boyfriend, 28-year-old Zachariah Graham, had began screaming profanities at her following an argument and spit in her face.

Four children, who were present during the incident, reportedly became frightened when Graham began threatening to “punch and kill” the victim.

Following an investigation, Officers determined there was probable cause to  arrest Graham for 3rd Degree Domestic Assault and Child Abuse/Neglect.  Because Graham has prior domestic assault convictions, this charge is a felony.

Graham was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.