(AP) — Nebraska’s efforts to reform its child welfare system are stabilizing, but the state continues to handle most cases and challenges remain.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently agreed to a new contract with the Nebraska Families Collaborative in Omaha.

Under the new deal, Nebraska Families Collaborative will receive $350,000 more. That should help it break even while handling 40 percent of the child welfare cases in the state.

After the state began transferring control of child and family services to private contractors in 2009, it lost most of the contractors after some complained the state wasn’t paying enough.

DHHS CEO Kerry Winterer says the system is improving. And the number of state wards has declined to 5,350 from about 6,000 last year.

A Lexington man convicted of killing a Gothenburg Police officer when he was 17, is seeking a review of his conviction.

Eric McCain shot and killed Gothenburg Police Sergeant Glenn Haas on July 2, 1990.

Court records indicate that on the night of July 2, McCain had received a ticket for a traffic violation.  Following the traffic stop, McCain went to his home, retrieved a rifle, then went to the Gothenburg Police Station and shot Haas.

McCain was tried as an adult, and received a life sentence for the crime.  He appeared before then District Court Judge John Murphy in October of 1990 and entered a guilty plea.

However, the Supreme Court has ruled that a life sentence without the possibility of parole for a crime committed by a juvenile is unconstitutional.  Now, McCain is seeking post-conviction relief based on that ruling.

The Nebraska Legislature passed a bill this year that established 40 years to life with the possibility of parole as the sentencing guideline for crimes of this nature.

On Friday, District Court Judge James Doyle gave Dawson County Attorney Liz Waterman until July 28 to file a motion regarding the sentencing.

McCain is being represented by the Public Advocacy Commission.

A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for September 17.

 

A North Platte man has been given 15 to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl who was being prostituted by her mother.

Court records indicate that 26-year-old Zachary Schmidt was sentenced on Friday in Buffalo County District Court. He’d pleaded no contest to the charge.

Prosecutors say Schmidt had sex with the girl in Kearney between Feb. 1 and March 31 last year. He’d been charged with the same offense in Franklin County, but that charge was dismissed as part of a plea bargain with Schmidt.

The girl’s mother has been sentenced in three counties for prostituting the teenager and her 7-year-old sister.

The mother is not being named to protect the identity of the children.

The Nebraska Cattlemen want to return the slogan “The Beef State” to some state license plates.

The group says all state plates carried the slogan from 1956 to 1965.

The Nebraska Cattlemen’s communications director, Ashley Nunnenkamp, says 2013 is the organization’s 125th anniversary year. So, she says, officials thought “it was a great time to release specialty plates to promote our state and our industry.”

State rules say at least 500 applications for “The Beef State” plates must be submitted to the Nebraska Motor Vehicles Department before the new plates will be produced. Organization officials say that number shouldn’t be a problem, given the organization’s membership of 3,000 and the slogan’s history.

(AP) — Sidney police have apologized to a man who was yelled at by a profanity-spewing officer while the man was videotaping the officer at a Sidney crime scene.

Acting Chief Joseph Aikens declined to comment on the June 21 incident beyond what was contained in a news release. Aikens says Officer Scott Tobler had acted improperly and had been punished for it.

The incident was taped by Stephen Bell and his wife and was placed on YouTube. It had been viewed more than 33,700 times as of Friday morning.

Bell says he’s been harassed by police since an allegation of child abuse against him was dropped in January 2012. He’s acknowledged following police officers and videotaping their actions.

 

See the video here:

*WARNING SOME ADULT LANGUAGE*

A transient who decided to bare it all in Memorial Park is now facing criminal charges.

On Wednesday, an Officer with the North Platte Police Department responded to Memorial Park on the report of a male suspect that had exposed himself to visitors at the park.

Upon arrival, the Officer met with several witnesses who indicated that the male suspect had his pants down to his ankles on two occasions in the middle of the park.  Police were informed that the man had exposed his genitals and buttocks, while several adults and children were present.

A witness told Police that the man had entered the bathroom at the park.  The officer made contact with the suspect, Patrick Scanlon, who was shirtless at the time.

Police say that Scanlon was intoxicated, and his pants were falling down during questioning from the investigating officer.  The officer also noted that Scanlon was not wearing underwear.

Following the investigation, the Officer placed Scanlon under arrest for Public Indecency and transported him to Lincoln County Detention Center.

(AP) — A 62-year-old Broken Bow man has died after an accident with an all-terrain vehicle.

Jack Horner was found pinned under the ATV on Wednesday evening.

The Custer County Sheriff’s Office says Horner had been spraying weeds northwest of Broken Bow when the ATV rolled.

A North Platte woman has been accused of burglarizing the home of a family member and now faces a felony charge.

On Wednesday, an Officer with the North Platte Police Department responded to the 900 block of North Sherman on the report of a burglary.

Upon arrival, the victim told the Officer that they had left the home for a couple of hours that afternoon and noticed several things out of place when they returned home.

The Officer then inspected the home and found a window screen to be out of place.  He determined that this was most likely the point of entry for the burglar.

The victim told Police that a bottle of prescription medication was found out of place and some loose change was also missing from the home.

A short time later, the victim made contact with a family member, Stephanie Gutherless, who they suspected may be responsible for the burglary.

According to Police, Gutherless admitted to the victim that she had entered the home and taken the change.

Officers made contact with Gutherless and, following questioning, determined there was probable cause to arrest her.  Police say there were several inconsistencies in Gutherless’ story.

Gutherless was charged with Burglary-Forced Entry, and jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

 

(AP) — A 47-year-old Nebraska Panhandle woman has been accused of embezzling nearly $17,500 from her employer.

Court records say Brenda Haller, of Sidney, is charged with felony theft. Her next court date is July 3.

Authorities say Haller altered customer accounts and company records while working for The Scoular Co. between March 2010 and April 2013

A Sidney phone listing for Haller is no longer in service. Her attorney declined to comment on Thursday.

• Today: Sunny, with a high near 92. Light north northeast wind becoming north 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
• Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. North northeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light after midnight.