CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average price of gasoline has dropped 5 cents over the past two weeks, to $1.77 a gallon.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said Sunday that the price is 56 cents per gallon cheaper than a year ago.

Lundberg says it’s less likely that gas prices will continue to slide because crude oil prices are almost unchanged from a month ago.

In the Lower 48 states, the highest average price of regular gasoline was $2.40 per gallon in San Diego. The lowest was $1.42 in Tucson, Arizona.

The U.S. average diesel price is $2.07 per gallon, down 6 cents from two weeks ago and 88 cents per gallon under its year-ago point.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Those looking for a bargain on a computer can find one in central Nebraska this month.

North Platte Community College is offering up about 80 computers next week. The college will hold a silent auction on all of its surplus computers Tuesday in the student lounge on the north campus in North Platte.

Bidding will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. Winners must pick up their computers by 6 p.m.

NPCC physical resources assistant Pam Burks says about 40 laptops and 40 desktop computers will be up for auction, along with projectors, DVD/VCR players, miscellaneous cables and unused HP toner cartridges.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska could have a tougher time passing new restrictions on farming and ranching under a proposed ballot measure.

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

If approved by voters, Nebraska could become the third state to adopt a right-to-farm constitutional amendment. North Dakota voters approved a similar measure in 2012, followed by Missouri in 2014. Oklahoma will also consider a right-to-farm amendment in November.

The proposal by Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell comes four years after Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to enshrine hunting, fishing and animal-harvesting rights in the state constitution.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Sandhill crane watchers are invited to visit Fort Kearny State Historical Park and State Recreation Area in central Nebraska to enjoy the cranes’ spring migration.

The visitor center at Fort Kearney, located five miles southeast of Kearney, will open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 5 through April 10. Staff will answer questions and direct visitors to viewing areas.

One popular viewing location is the hike-bike bridge over the Platte River at the recreation area. The bridge is one-third mile from the parking area. The best viewing times are just before sunrise and sunset.

A park entry permit is required.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man found dead in his car in January died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly announced Friday that 28-year-old Craig Baxter died of carbon monoxide poisoning, but it wasn’t clear if it was accidental or intention.

Baxter was reported missing Jan. 4 after he failed to show up for his first optometry rotation at Omaha Eye & Laser Institute. He was last seen leaving his sister’s Lincoln home earlier that day.

He was found dead inside a car in an open garage on Jan. 10 in Lincoln.

Baxter was in his fourth year of studying optometry at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. He was from North Platte, Nebraska.

• John Thomas Jolliffe, 24, North Platte and Lyndsay Marie Pierce, 24, North Platte

 

• Lonnie Allen Gutowski, 53, North Platte and Tonia Jean Plunk, 47, North Platte

 

• Jack Wesley Crum, 47, North Platte and Lisa Michelle Galaviz-Diaz, 45, North Platte

 

• Zachary Lee Mendenhall, 21, North Platte and Tiffany Reana Ball-Jenkins, 19, North Platte

 

• Austin Lee Craig, 23, North Platte and Whitney Marie Rongisch, 22, North Platte

 

• William Anthony Seamann, 73, North Platte and Laura Marie Nelson, 50, North Platte

 

• Charles Brice Hayes. 26, North Platte and Christine Marie Mallam, 25, North Platte

 

• David Allen Griess, 58, Sterling CO and Betty Ann Myers, 58, North Platte

A 19-year-old North Platte man is facing a child sex assault charge after police say he had sex with a 14-year-old girl.

According to Investigator John Deal, an officer spoke to a woman on February 18, in regards to her daughter possibly having a sexual relationship with Jorden Snare.

The mother alleged that earlier that morning, she had found Snare hiding in her daughter’s closet, dressed only in boxer shorts.

Police conducted interviews with witnesses, the alleged victim, and Snare.

Deal said that, following the interviews, it was determined that Snare had had sexual intercourse with the girl on “several occasions.”

Snare was taken into custody and initially charged with 3rd-degree sexual assault of a child, however, after further investigation the charge was upgraded to 1st-degree sexual assault of a child, meaning there was penetration involved.

Snare was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.  Jail records do not show a bond amount.

Nebraska state law prohibits anyone 19-years-old or older from having sexual intercourse with anyone under the age of 16.

If convicted, Snare faces one to 50 years in prison.

 

 

UPLAND, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Upland man has been accused of physically abusing his 2-month-old daughter.

Online court records say Dalton Howard is charged with intentional child abuse causing injury. Online court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment on Howard’s behalf. Howard’s arraignment is scheduled for Monday.

The child has been hospitalized for treatment of a brain bleed and bruising on her face and torso. The child has been in state custody since Feb. 11.

Court records say the baby’s mother was in school when the baby was injured.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska residents who want to buy night vision goggles and body armor can rest easy: They won’t have to undergo a background check anytime soon.

The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee rejected a measure Thursday that would have required buyers to face the same federal checks used for buying a gun. Committee members voted to kill it at the request of its sponsor, Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha.

Chambers says he introduced the bill to make a point. He pointed to the recent occupation of a wildlife refuge building in Oregon by a group of armed, white protesters. He says black people have been arrested for less serious offenses based solely on intent, and military-style tactical gear demonstrates intent for violence.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of farms and ranches in Nebraska declined again last year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday that the number of farms and ranches in the state declined 400 from the previous year to 48,700 in 2015.

The number of small farms with less than $100,000 in revenue declined 500 while the number of large farms increased by 100.

The average size of farms in Nebraska increased by 7 acres to 928 acres.

The total amount of land used for farms and ranches in Nebraska remained unchanged at 45.2 million acres.