AUBURN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a Kansas man has been fatally injured in a southeast Nebraska crash.

The accident was reported a little before 5:40 p.m. Saturday, three miles south of Auburn on U.S. Highway 75.

The Nemaha (NEE’-muh-hah) County Sheriff’s Office says the driver died after being taken to Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn. He was identified as 33-year-old Wade Moore, of Sabetha (suh-BEH’-thuh), Kansas.

He was alone in his vehicle. The crash is being investigated.

GERING, Neb. (AP) — A western Nebraska woman accused of billing a Scottsbluff restaurant for food it didn’t receive has been given three years of probation.

Online court records say 43-year-old Jan Harvey, of Morrill, pleaded no contest to a charge of attempted theft after prosecutors lowered the charge and dropped another count. Harvey also was given 30 days in jail and credited for one day already served.

Prosecutors say Harvey worked in sales for a company that supplies food to area restaurants. A court affidavit says she often would show up at the restaurant as food was delivered and take items off the truck, saying they were meant for another restaurant.

The affidavit says the restaurant paid for nearly $41,400 in food that it did not receive.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is looking for a company to give a college entrance exam that would replace the bundle of state accountability tests taken by high school juniors each year.

The ACT or SAT exam would seemingly fit the description in the request for proposals issued July 11.

Nebraska Commissioner of Education Matt Blomstedt says ACT officials have already indicated their intent to submit a proposal.

The test would be given in public schools on a spring weekday next school year. Students would be able to use the scores for college applications.

Nearly 22,000 high school juniors currently take a series of tests known as the Nebraska State Accountability assessments each year. Nebraska lawmakers voted to replace the tests with a college admissions test last session.

CHICAGO (AP) — McDonald’s and Starbucks are implementing filtering technology that blocks customers using Wi-Fi from accessing pornography sites.

The move follows a campaign from anti-pornography groups Enough is Enough and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation to demand the chains filter out pornography.

Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald’s says in a statement that Wi-Fi filtering has been activated in the majority of its nearly 14,000 restaurants nationwide. A spokesperson for Seattle-based Starbucks says it is implementing filtering once it can find a system that “also doesn’t involuntarily block unintended content.”

Enough is Enough President Donna Rice Hughes applauds the moves and says the organization plans to push other businesses and venues to filter their Wi-Fi.

The National Center for Sexual Exploitation says chains such as Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread already block porn on Wi-Fi.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Searching for information on businesses — past and present — has gotten easier on the Nebraska Secretary of State’s website.

The office says the website was upgraded last month to improve the effectiveness of searches and reduce time performing them.

Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale says users can now select from a variety of search options, like keyword, exact match, name, “sounds like,” or the business’ account number.

Entities are listed alphabetically, with additional options that allow the user to filter by active or inactive status and business type.

To perform a search, users can log onto www.sos.ne.gov.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A sharp downturn in state revenue will force Nebraska lawmakers to make tough decisions next year, but legislative leaders say they still have options available to balance the budget.

The possibilities include tapping the state’s emergency cash reserve and reducing the flow of money into state agencies, as Gov. Pete Ricketts proposed. Lawmakers and Ricketts will start sorting through their options in October, when the agencies submit budget requests.

Sen. Heath Mello, the outgoing chairman of the Appropriations Committee, says the upcoming budget will be one of the most challenging that senators have faced in the last decade.

Ricketts announced Thursday that he has ordered Nebraska agencies to tighten their spending after the state received $95 million less than expected in the last fiscal year.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Families of refugees from Syria have begun settling in Nebraska over the past two months.

48 Syrian refugees have quietly moved into Nebraska with the help of relief agencies. Just last month more than 2,400 Syrian refugees arrived in the United States.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts continues to question whether federal authorities are doing enough to check the backgrounds of refugees, but he acknowledges that he has no power to stop their arrival. Federal officials have defended the security procedures they are using.

The refugees that arrived recently are still adjusting to Nebraska. Faedah Karbouj says she has been impressed with how friendly the people of Omaha are.

The Mid-Plains United Way Board Members and Executive Director, Jenny Salestrom, presented a $30,000 check this week to help with the replacement of the North Platte Kids Academy roof.  The Kids Academy needs a new roof to keep the kids safe and protected.  It’s as simple as that and board members are spearheading an effort to raise $60,000 to complete the project.

A fundraiser was recently launched to raise funds to replace the aged roof.  The Kids Academy received the news last winter that the roof had to be replaced when a leak was detected in the Head Start room.  Weathercraft Roofing Company’s Manager, Joe Staroska, gently broke the news to the Kids Academy director and board members and provided the opportunity to complete the project in phases, allowing time to raise funds for the project.

According to Krystal Claymore, the North Platte Kids Academy Board Chairperson, the Mid-Plains United Way has been a long-time supporter of the Infant’s Room at the Kids Academy.  When the unfortunate news was received about the roof, the Kids Academy submitted an appeal to the Mid-Plains United Way board to help with the roof replacement.  “The leadership and board of the Kids Academy were initially very discouraged by the news about the roof.  It is very hard to provide advanced curriculum based early childhood education services at an affordable cost to parents because of the rising costs of wages. When the United Way board stepped forward with this incredible act of charity, we realized that all things truly are possible with the support of your community.  This gesture of support is what gave the Kids Academy board the incentive to embark on their first major fundraising campaign.  Vona has always been a talented grant-writer.  Local organizations and groups such as the Mid-Plains Community Foundation, Walmart Distribution Center, First National Bank, Pat and Kathleen Keenan, Bob and Margene Phares, the Chamber, Phares Financial Services, Great Plains Health, Nebraskaland Bank and many other individuals have generously supported the Kids Academy over the years, but this campaign is the first major fundraiser we have attempted since the current building was constructed in 2002.”

The fundraising campaign is being called “Raise the Roof.” It kicked off this month with its first donation from the United Way and will culminate in a fundraising dinner hosted at Harbor Lights on Thursday, August 4th at 5:30 pm.  Food, beverages, a silent auction, a specialty drink auction and a dessert auction will be the highlights of the event. Tickets are $25 in advance or you can buy them at the door. Please contact the Kids Academy at 308.534.9222 or stop by the office at 1210 Ash Street to purchase your ticket for the event.