LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials from some of Nebraska’s largest counties say their voting equipment is becoming outdated and will soon need to be replaced.

Election commissioners from Douglas, Sarpy, Lancaster and Hall counties raised the concern Monday in a legislative hearing, but told lawmakers they’re waiting until Nebraska officials decide whether to switch to statewide mail-in voting.

Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse says one of the machines in his office stopped working on election night 2016, and others experienced problems.

Sarpy County Election Commissioner Wayne Bena says lawmakers will have to act in next year’s session if they want new technology in place by the 2018 elections.

Sen. John Murante of Gretna says state officials need to act next year despite a projected budget shortfall.

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the discovery of human remains near Lexington as a likely homicide.

The remains were found Monday morning on a farmstead in Dawson County, about 2½ miles north of Lexington.

The Dawson County sheriff’s office says an initial investigation indicates a homicide occurred and that investigators were following several leads.

A North Platte man is facing a felony assault charge after an assault at a local bar in October.

According to North Platte Police, officers responded to the report of an assault at Sculley’s Shooters, 2221 East Fourth Street, at around 1:29 a.m., on October 16.

Investigator John Deal says officers met with a 32-year-old male subject who stated that he had been punched in the back of the head, taken to the ground, and placed in a choke hold.

The man stated that he wasn’t able to see who had assaulted him.

Investigators continued to follow-up on the case and talked to witnesses who were able to identify the man as 33-year-old Joshua Rosenberg.

On December 9, officers contacted Rosenberg and placed him under arrest.

He was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed on charges of felony strangulation and 3rd-degree assault.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska will be changing the way it numbers farm and commercial license plates to reduce the chances that residents will receive erroneous notices about fines and parking tickets.

The change will eliminate about 500,000 duplicate plate numbers. Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles director Rhonda Lahm says commercial and farm license plates with a county numerical designation will have an alpha character added to the end of the plate number.

The change will start with the 2017 license plates.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is scheduling public informational meetings about big-game animal management.

There will be two meetings in the Panhandle this month, and discussions about deer, elk and pronghorn are on the agendas.

The first is set for Dec. 20 at the Knight Museum in Alliance. The second is set for Dec. 21 at the Eagles Club in Oshkosh. Each is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

The meetings provide opportunities for hunters, landowners and other members of the public to share their views and ask questions.

Meetings elsewhere Nebraska will be conducted in early 2017.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska farm group that has long pushed lawmakers to lower property taxes on rural land has broadened its pitch to benefit home and business owners, but some senators are more interested in cutting income taxes.

Last week, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation called on lawmakers and Gov. Pete Ricketts to reduce property taxes by expanding the state’s sales tax base.

Steve Nelson, the group’s president, says ending sales tax exemptions would generate money to offset property taxes for owners of farms, ranches, homes and businesses.

Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion says he supports property tax reforms but thinks income tax cuts should be a priority.

Any cuts could be tough as Nebraska faces an $895 million shortfall for the budget cycle that ends in 2019.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire Warren Buffett’s life and the way he made his fortune as an investor will be the focus of a new documentary on HBO next year.

The “Becoming Warren Buffett” documentary will debut Jan. 30.

The film uses Buffett’s own words and interviews with friends and family members to explore what allowed him to become so successful at picking stocks and companies to buy.

Buffett’s lifestyle in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, also will be highlighted. Buffett routinely drives himself to work at Berkshire Hathaway, where he studies businesses and decides where best to invest the conglomerate’s cash.

Buffett also discusses his decision to give his fortune away to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four Buffett family foundations.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s snow plows will be using more technology to help stay on top of storms this winter, and some plows now have a second blade.

The state will be able to monitor how much salt and brine is being spread and track all 697 of its plows as they move.

About 200 trucks have the technology now, and more will be upgraded over time.

Tom Renninger with the Roads Department says the goal is to make better use of the state’s resources. Last winter, Nebraska spent over $6 million on salt and almost $5 million on other anti-ice products.

Another 26 state plows will be pulling a second plow blade behind the vehicle that will allow them to clear two lanes at once.

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will begin accepting multispecies hunting permit applications beginning Jan. 2.

The Super Tag lottery permit will be valid for one elk of either sex, one antelope of either sex, one deer of either sex, and two turkeys. Only toms and bearded hens may be taken in the spring.

The commission will authorize one permit for residents only and one for residents/nonresidents.

Applicants can request the residents-only permit once per year for $25. They may apply for the resident/nonresident permit as many times as they like in a year for $10 per application.

The Combo permit will be valid for one antelope of either sex, one deer of either sex and two turkeys.