LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts says he’s urging Japanese officials to talk to the U.S. about tariffs after Japan announced in July that it would impose a 50 percent tariff on frozen beef imports.

Ricketts said in a news conference call Thursday that the tariff will suppress some of the demand for beef, but that exports will continue.

His discussions about beef came during a Japanese trade mission. Ricketts says he’s confident Japanese demand for Nebraska-made beef is growing.

The U.S. and Australia account for 90 percent of Japan’s frozen beef imports.

The usual tariff rate for frozen beef imports is 38.5 percent. Under World Trade Organization rules, Japan can introduce safeguard tariffs when imports rise more than 17 percent year-on-year in any given quarter.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Faculty leaders at the University of Nebraska at Omaha want to be consulted more frequently and thoroughly by administrators on some key decisions.

The university’s Faculty Senate passed a resolution Wednesday asking administrators to “advise and consult” with the senate on budgetary matters, planning and certain hires, among others.

The resolution cites several recent developments, including budget cuts, a decision to make the Medical Center’s chancellor the Omaha campus’ interim chancellor, and the directive to share some vice chancellors between those two institutions.

A spokesman for University of Nebraska System President Hank Bounds says the president hasn’t reviewed the resolution but is “committed to shared governance and values the input of the faculty.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The city of Omaha has reached a $40,000 settlement with a woman who says police used excessive force when they arrested her at a downtown hotel.

The City Council voted Tuesday to approve the settlement with Jazmyne McMiller, who was arrested in 2014 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Officer Fred Hiykel had been called to the hotel for a disturbance. McMiller says Hiykel pulled her from an elevator and violently pushed her against a wall and into the hotel’s registration desk as she tried to tell him she was a hotel guest and show him her room card key.

Hiykel denied shoving McMiller into the desk and said she screamed at and spat on him.

A charge of disorderly conduct against McMiller was later dismissed.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An independent watchdog says Nebraska’s child welfare and juvenile justice services have improved over the last year, but some problems remain.

The Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare praised state officials in its annual report issued Wednesday. Inspector General Julie Rogers says the Department of Health and Human Services has completed 22 of her office’s 48 recommendations to improve safety, and is making progress on many others.

Rogers says the changes appear to have reduced the number of escapes and other incidents at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney.

Rogers says she’s still deeply concerned about high caseloads for child welfare workers. She also says Nebraska’s probation services have not yet adopted her recommendations intended to help children with mental health issues and developmental disabilities.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis is set to visit U.S. Strategic Command headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha.

Offutt officials say Mattis will make the stop Thursday and receive briefings.

The visit will be Mattis’ first trip to the StratCom headquarters since being appointed as Secretary of Defense.

StratCom employs nuclear, cyber, space, global strike, joint electronic warfare, missile defense and intelligence capabilities to deter aggression against the U.S. and respond if deterrence fails.

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) have arrested a woman on multiple charges, including Motor Vehicle Homicide and Driving Under the Influence, following a fatal crash Saturday in Dawes County.

The crash occurred north of Chadron on Slim Butte Road, when the 2002 Ford Windstar van driven by Kimberly Eagle Bull lost control and rolled. Six people, including three adults and three children, were transported to the hospital. Two of the children were transported by life-flight to Denver. Six-year-old Christina Roubideaux passed away Sunday at Denver Children’s Hospital.

Kimberly Eagle Bull, 32, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was arrested Sunday by NSP for Driving Under the Influence, Open Container, False Reporting, Child Abuse/Neglect, Failure to Use a Child Restraint, Motor Vehicle Homicide, and other charges.

Investigation of the accident was handled by the Dawes County Sheriff’s Office. The criminal investigation is being handled by the Nebraska State Patrol. A final determination on charges will be made by the Dawes County Attorney.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts is promoting Nebraska’s beef and tourism industries with business leaders in Japan.

Ricketts and his trade delegation pitched the state’s offerings Tuesday in a meeting with representatives of Japan’s tourism industry. The delegation provided Japanese tourism officials with sample itineraries with potential tourism stops.

Delegation members also met with Japan’s state minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries to discuss Nebraska’s beef trade with Japan. Ricketts also discussed trade with board members of the American Chamber of Commerce Japan and executives of the Kewpie Corporation, which owns Henningsen Foods, a company that employs 185 people in Nebraska.

Ricketts later met with Japan’s state minister of foreign affairs.

The trade mission is Ricketts’ second trip to Japan during his term.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker says he plans to introduce legislation next year that would require credit agencies to provide free, lifetime credit monitoring when their data systems are breached.

State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said Tuesday he will propose the measure in response to news that up to 143 million American consumers had their personal information exposed when credit monitoring service Equifax was breached.

The information exposed includes Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and in some cases driver’s license numbers. Equifax has promised free credit monitoring for up to one year for those affected.

Morfeld says the company’s response is insufficient.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a recent sweep of a Nebraska prison uncovered alcohol, homemade weapons, a smartphone and a significant amount of illegal drugs.

A prisons spokeswoman said Tuesday that officials conducted a thorough search of the Nebraska State Penitentiary after finding drugs, a smartphone and three weapons in a cell.

The search uncovered homemade weapons and homemade alcohol. Authorities checked all shop areas as well as windows and door frames in housing units, because the drugs recovered had been hidden inside a window’s steel casing.

The search took place Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.

Corrections Department Director Scott Frakes says a new centralized intelligence teams is helping officials respond more proactively.

A Nebraska State Patrol spokesman said his agency is investigating the case but declined to provide further details.

A 57-year-old North Platte man is dead following a farming accident south of the city.

On September 12, deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a farming accident on West Watts Road.

It had been reported that a male subject was pinned in the mechanical portion of a farm implement, according to the LCSO.

Deputies and North Platte Fire and Rescue arrived at the location and found 57-year-old Lloyd Behrens trapped in a potato collecting machine.

Behrens was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies say no foul play, drugs or alcohol are suspected in the accident.