OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Tourism Commission’s chairman says he’s alarmed by a new state audit that uncovered questionable spending practices within the independent state agency.

Chairman John Chapo says the commission is “extremely concerned” by the findings and will take steps to correct them. The commission went into closed session during its meeting Tuesday at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, but took no immediate action after the meeting was reopened.

The audit released last week found that Nebraska tourism officials used state money to reimburse a marketing firm for alcohol and cigarettes, accepted meals from contractors and paid $44,000 in speaking fees for a 90-minute speech by a corporate executive.

In addition, a contractor for the agency hired the daughter of the commission’s director for a promotional photo shoot near Valentine.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s secretary of state says this year’s spike in voter registration will not necessarily mean greater participation in the primary election.

In a Monday news release, John Gale encouraged citizens to vote in the May 10 primary to boost Nebraska’s historically low turnout.

This year, 1,165,189 Nebraska voters are registered for the primary, about 13,000 more than were registered to vote in the 2014 primary.

But Gale says Nebraska has not seen more than 300,000 voters participating in each of the past three presidential election years, and registration rarely translates to voting-day turnout.

Gale says counties have reported they have only received about half of the early voting ballots back.

In-person early voting continues until May 9, the day before the primary.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska will receive $1.48 million from a pharmaceutical company to settle allegations that the drug maker knowingly underpaid rebates owned to the Nebraska’s Medicaid drug rebate program.

Attorney General Doug Peterson announced the agreement Monday with Wyeth, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer, Inc.

The rebates in questions were for the drugs Protnix Oral and Protonix IV between 2001 and 2006. The settlement is part of a larger, nationwide agreement where Wyeth and Pfizer will pay $784.6 million to the federal and state governments.

The settlement arose from two whistleblower lawsuit filed in federal court in Massachusetts. The federal governments and 35 states, including Nebraska, intervened in the case.

The rebate program was enacted by Congress in 1990 as a cost containment measure for Medicaid’s payment for outpatient drugs.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The most expensive lunch in the world will go on sale again next month when Warren Buffett auctions off a private meal.

Buffett has raised more than $20.2 million for the Glide Foundation that helps the homeless in San Francisco over the past 16 years.

Buffett’s advice is sought after because of his success in investing and his willingness to give his fortune away as a philanthropist.

The winning bid has topped $2 million in six of the past eight online auctions, but the record price remains $3,456,789 paid in 2012.

The auction will begin June 5 and continue through June 10 on eBay.com/glide.

The winner can invite up to seven friends to join the lunch at Smith & Wollensky steakhouse in New York City.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Figures from a survey of supply managers in nine Midwest and Plains states have dropped slightly after rising for three months, but they still point to economic growth.

A report issued Monday says the Mid-American Business Conditions Index declined to 50.1 in April from 50.6 in March.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth. A score below that suggests decline.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says “continuing weakness in the region’s agriculture and energy sectors remains an obstacle to improving overall growth.”

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

CHICAGO (AP) — Playground concussions are on the rise, and monkey bars and swings are most often involved.

That’s according to a new study from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers there examined national data from 2001 through 2013 on playground injuries to kids aged 14 and younger who received emergency-room treatment. Of almost 215,000 kids on average treated yearly, almost 10 percent had traumatic brain injuries including concussions.

Most injuries were mild, but all concussions are potentially serious and the researchers say the trend shows kids’ concussions don’t only happen in sports.

The study was published online Monday in Pediatrics.

A North Platte man was jailed over the weekend on felony charges after he allegedly assaulted a woman and pointed a rifle at her.

On April 30, at around 11:07 p.m., officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the report of a domestic disturbance in the 1500 block of East 12th Street.

Officers met with 51-year-old David Brazil, a 29-year-old female, and several witnesses. It was reported that the female and Brazil both live at the residence.

According to Investigator John Deal, the victim told officers that she had arrived home after work and was told to leave by Brazil.

The alleged victim stated that this led to a verbal argument which turned physical when Brazil grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground.  She said Brazil then grabbed a rifle, pointed it at her and made verbal threats.

Deal said the woman was able to contact her parents and police were called.

Officers located a pellet rifle in the home and determined that there was probable cause to place Brazil under arrest.

He was charged with domestic assault, felony terroristic threats and use of a weapon to commit a felony.

The alleged victim sustained a visible injury to her arm, according to Deal.  It is unknown if she sought medical treatment.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s small business owners say employees in the state’s China and Japan offices have saved them from making irrevocable mistakes in the global market.

The Nebraska Center Japan in Yokohama celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and during the past decade, exports to the country have more than tripled, thanks in part to the center’s physical presence as a touch point for economic development in the region.

Jeremy Baker, global sales manager for Oxbow Animal Health in Murdock, says representatives at center guided the company through cultural nuances and enabled Oxbow to double its sales in the region.

Nebraska economic development officials say successful business relationships abroad rely on personal relationships and trust.