LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A legislative committee is looking to make changes to the property tax plan championed by Gov. Pete Ricketts, but has not yet decided how to proceed.

The Revenue Committee took no action Wednesday on the bill during an executive session at the Capitol. Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island, the committee chairman, says he wants to move forward slowly to ensure the package doesn’t create unintended consequences.

Gloor says senators have concerns about part of the plan that would limit the aggregate statewide growth of property valuations to 3 percent annually. He says lawmakers are exploring other options to minimize the sharp property tax increases that aggravated farmers in recent years.

Gloor says he’s confident the committee will advance a property tax package this year

A former customer service leader for Walt Disney World® will speak in North Platte on March 23.

Dennis Snow will give a presentation at 9 a.m. in the McDonald-Belton Theater on the North Platte Community College South Campus. Tickets to the event are $20 each and can be purchased by calling 535-3678.

“Area businesses have a chance to set the bar high on creating customer experiences,” said Angela Raby, area director of the Mid-Plains Center for Enterprise. “Dennis’ training is proven to teach businesses the tricks of a customer service master and get their teams excited about the process.”

Snow’s customer service abilities were honed over 20 years with the Walt Disney World Company. There, he developed a passion for service excellence and the experience he brings to the worldwide speaking and consulting he does today.

Snow began his Disney career in 1979 as a front-line attractions operator. He managed various operating areas in the park as he advanced through the company, learning and applying the skills it takes to run a world-class, service-driven organization.

Snow launched a division of the Disney Institute responsible for consulting with some of the world’s largest companies including ExxonMobil, AT&T and Coca Cola. During that time, he presented to audiences in locations around the world such as South Africa, Australia, Mexico, England and Argentina. The division quickly became the fastest growing venture of the Disney Institute and experienced repeat business of nearly 100 percent.

Snow also spent several years with the Disney University, teaching corporate philosophy and business practices to cast members and the leadership team.

While there, he coordinated the Disney Traditions program, which is universally recognized as a benchmark in corporate training. In his last year with Walt Disney World®, Dennis’ leadership performance was ranked in the top three percent of the company’s leadership team.

Today, Dennis is a full-time speaker, trainer and consultant who helps organizations achieve goals related to customer service, employee development and leadership. Some of his clients include Huntington Bank, BMW Financial Services, Florida State University and Johns Hopkins Hospital.

His articles appear in a number of industry publications, and he is a featured guest “expert” on customer service on several business news-talk radio shows. He is the author of the book, “Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life.”

Snow’s visit to North Platte is possible thanks to Mid-Plains Community College, the Mid-Plains Center for Enterprise and the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation.

A North Platte man is facing several charges after he allegedly used a stolen check to purchase electronics, then returning junk electronics when the owner requested them back.

On March 1, at around 5:30 p.m., an officer with the North Platte Police Department responded to the report of a forgery and theft at Express AVL, 1108 Rodeo Road.

It was reported by the owner of the business that, on February 29, Timothy Dike had purchased approximately $1,000 worth of electronics from Express AVL using a check that had been stolen.

The business owner contacted Dike and told him that he wanted the electronics returned to him.

The owner said Dike agreed and brought numerous boxes to the store.  However, when the owner looked inside the boxes, they were filled with junk electronics, not the original products sold to Dike.

Officers made contact with the owner of the check, a family member of Dike’s, who stated that they did not give Dike permission to use or take the check.

Police made contact with Dike at a residence in the 2200 block of West 16th Street, where he was placed under arrest.

The owner of the residence gave officers permission to search the home, and Investigator John Deal says most of the stolen electronics were recovered, but some are still missing.

Following an interview, Dike was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

He’s been charged with felony forgery, felony theft by deception (returning bogus items), and possession of stolen property.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill that would expand the use of problem-solving courts in Nebraska has won first-round approval in the Legislature.

Lawmakers advanced the proposal Tuesday on a 35-0 vote. The specialty courts have grown popular throughout the country as a way to address the underlying cause of illegal behavior, rather than sending offenders to prison.

Problem-solving courts have been designed for veterans, people with mental health problems, people charged with drunken driving and people with drug addictions. Nebraska already has more than 15 adult and juvenile drug courts

Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg says he introduced the bill because problem-solving courts have proven their effectiveness, have better outcomes and cost less than incarceration.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska investigation has found that 15 out of 25 counties aren’t following state law for minors seeking an abortion.

Nebraska law requires a minor seeking an abortion to either have parental consent or court permission. It also requires counties to display forms a minor would need to petition the court for permission to have an abortion, to help minors complete the petition and to be able to answer questions about the process.

The ACLU says the counties didn’t have the forms on display and that officials in some of the counties didn’t know what the investigator was asking about.

The counties included Adams, Box Butte, Buffalo, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dodge, Lancaster, Garden, Otoe, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Seward, Washington and York.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A ballot proposal that would have enshrined farming rights in Nebraska’s constitution has stalled in a legislative committee.

The measure failed to muster enough support Tuesday from members of the Agriculture Committee, some of whom raised concerns that the amendment was too broad.

Sen. Jerry Johnson of Wahoo, the committee chairman, says lawmakers need more time to study the issue. Johnson says he doesn’t plan to bring it up again this year.

The proposal would guarantee the right to “engage in farming and ranching practices” and prevent the Legislature from passing new regulations without a compelling state interest.

North Dakota voters approved a similar measure in 2012, followed by Missouri in 2014. Oklahoma voters will also consider a right-to-farm amendment in the November general election.

The final tallies for Christmas at the Cody’s 2015 are in, and the event was a success for everyone involved – the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, the non-profit organizations that decorated the rooms and provided volunteers, and the community of North Platte.

Checks for a division of the proceeds from the event are being distributed to Lincoln County Historical Museum, North Platte JayCees, Experience Works, Maranatha Bible Camp, Relay For Life, Golden Spike Tower & Visitors Center, Rape & Domestic Violence Prevention, People’s Family Health, Express Softball, MPCC Rodeo Team, Kids Klub, Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, P.E.O., Wish I May, Lincoln County Tourism Advisory Council, XI Alpha Sigma, and North Platte Opportunity Center.

After expenses were deducted from the proceeds, each room earned the decorating organization $295.70, with several organizations decorating more than one room and some receiving the proceeds of the “People’s Choice Awards” – visitors to the Christmas at the Cody’s event voted with their dollars for their favorite room. People’s Choice First Place goes to the Rape and Domestic Abuse Program; Second Place goes to Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Booster Committee; and Third Place goes to Maranatha Bible Camp.

Plans are already underway for the 2016 event, with some major changes in the schedule. The 2016 Christmas at the Codys will run on the weekends during the entire month of December. Dates for 2016 are Dec 2 – 4; 9 – 11; 16 – 18; and 22 and 23. It is hoped that the expanded schedule will give more visitors the opportunity to make Christmas at the Cody’s a family holiday tradition and will allow organizers to include more activities in the event.