CHADRON, Neb. (AP) – Dawes County commissioners have approved a contract to provide police coverage to the town of Crawford. The commissioners had approved the concept already. The contract goes to the Crawford City Council, which is expected to vote on it on Tuesday. Dawes County Sheriff Karl Dailey and some Crawford residents had submitted the original proposal to the commission. The four-year agreement will cost the city a base price of nearly $228,000 a year. It can be renewed by mutual agreement or terminated by either side with six months’ notice. Under the contract, three deputies would be stationed in Crawford. The city would be their main duty, but they would be available to answer calls elsewhere in the Panhandle county.

GERING, Neb. (AP) – A 24-year-old Gering man accused of sexting a 14-year-old girl will stand trial on three felony charges in the case. Scottbluff radio station KNEB reports that Michael Hof was bound over Wednesday for trial in Scotts Bluff County District Court. He faces three felony counts: visual depiction of sexual contact, possession of child pornography and enticement by electronic device. Court documents say police were contacted by the girl’s mother. The girl told investigators that sexting had occurred, but said she had erased the messages on her phone. Police then obtained search warrants for Hof’s phones and say they found incriminating text messages to the girl. Hof is being held on $300,000 bail. Hof’s public defender was in court Thursday and did not immediately return a message left for him.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A new state audit alleges that Nebraska’s effort to privatize child welfare services has increased costs by 27 percent over the last two years and led to millions of dollars in overpayments to one service provider.  Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley told a legislative panel Wednesday that the Department of Health and Human Services failed to publicly bid multi-million dollar contracts with private service providers, and spent thousands of dollars on duplicate claims and payments to the wrong contractors. Foley called the agency’s lack of cooperation with his auditors “among the worst ever encountered in my office.” Kerry Winterer, the department’s CEO, says agency officials “strongly and fundamentally disagree” with the findings. He disputes claims that the service provider was overpaid, and says the agency cooperated with auditors.

SCOTTBLUFF, Neb. (AP) – Financial incentives have been approved by the City Council to lure a food processing facility to Scottsbluff.  Scottsbluff radio station KNEB reports the incentives for KYS Foods includes $110,000 in grant funds and $250,000 for a low-interest loan that would help the company buy equipment. Redevelopment officials say the $4.2 million plant would provide 22 new jobs to the area. The Scottsbluff site is one of two location finalists for the plant. A decision could be announced by the end of the month.