KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a child and possessing explicit pictures of another child.

26-year-old Orlando Lopez entered his pleas Friday.

Prosecutors have charged Lopez with having sex with a child between the ages of 12 and 16 sometime between last August and May 28.

He is also charged with nine counts of possessing child pornography depicting a second child.

The Kearney man is being held in the Buffalo County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond while his case progresses.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An innovative program for at-risk youths has won a grant that will allow it expand across Nebraska and serve a larger variety of struggling kids.

The program, Project Everlast, began in 2008 and focused primarily on children in foster care living in Omaha and Lincoln.

The statewide expansion, called the Connected Youth Initiative, will include children in the juvenile justice system and those who are homeless or are on the verge of being homeless.

Azar Webb III, who as a teenager lived in eight foster homes in four years, says he’s thankful for the support he received from Project Everlast. The 20-year-old is now preparing for classes at Metropolitan Community College.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Demonstrations, cannon blasts and a soldiers camp will be parts of a three-day Labor Day weekend of history at Fort Kearny State Historical Park.

Buffalo Bill’s connections to Fort Kearny will be covered Sept. 6 when author and historian Jeff Barnes presents “Buffalo Bill’s Nebraska: The Land That Made the Legend.” William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody was a scout, bison hunter and showman who built a home called Scout’s Rest Ranch in North Platte in 1886.

Fort Kearny was built in 1848 and was the first military post established to protect travelers along the Oregon Trail.

The park sits 5 miles southeast of Kearney in Kearney County. A park entry permit is required. Call 308-865-5305 for more information.

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A Cozad man accused of attacking another man with a sword in July has pleaded not guilty to three counts in the case.

40-year-old Fernando Garcia faces first-degree assault and two weapons counts in the case.

Cozad police say officer responded to an assault report on July 3. Police say Garcia was armed with a sword and the victim was armed with a baseball bat. The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of wounds.

Garcia’s faces up to 90 years in prison if convicted of all counts.

A jury trial is scheduled for Oct. 14 in Dawson County District Court.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska State Penitentiary correctional officer has undergone surgery for broken bones in his face after being attacked by an inmate.

The attack occurred Monday at the Lincoln prison. Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes confirmed the attack Friday to the newspaper.

Frakes says the officer had ordered the inmate to stand for a search. Frakes say the inmate refused to comply, then hit the officer, knocking him to the ground and hitting the guard several more times.

Other officers restrained the inmate and took the assaulted guard to a hospital.

A prison spokesman says the attack is under investigation and results will be forwarded to the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office.

• Billy Lloyd Trembly, 56, North Platte and Kimberly Ann Martin, 46, North Platte

• Delley Wade Bergen, 23, North Platte and Gina Marie George, 23, Canada

• Justin Lee Christner, 32, North Platte and Hilary Loraine Whiteside, 24, Waukesha WI

• Rex Matthew Dennis, 31, Brady and Chelsey Renee Christner, 32, Brady

• Franklin Ray Pesek, 32, North Platte and Elizabeth Marie Runyan, 38, North Platte

• Dwyght Robert Hall, 25, North Platte and Ariel Ann Easton, 22, North Platte

• Michael James Isom, 39, Sutherland and Amy Anne Hubbard, 41, Sutherland

• Peter Isaac Ward, 28, North Platte and Jewel Marissa Reeves, 20, North Platte

• Kyle Warren Scherbarth, 26, Curtis and Samantha Jo Petersen, 24, Curtis

• George Edward DeLay, 62, Marissa IL and Grace Marie Blatnick, 58, North Platte

• Nathaniel Thomas Hawks, 34, North Platte and Amy Louise Landfried, 28, North Platte

MINATARE, Neb. (AP) — The city of Minatare has taken a big step toward construction of a beef processing plant that could bring an estimated 600 jobs to the Nebraska Panhandle community.

The City Council on Wednesday voted to sign a preliminary agreement with F2E Global LLC. Still to be worked out are annexation of the proposed site and approval of tax increment financing for the processing, storage and shipping facility. F2E hopes to break ground in late 2016.

Early projections say the facility ultimately could process 1,500 cattle a day.

Eagle Radio News Director Scott Carlson sits down with Brandy from the West Central District Health Department to discuss flu shots which will be available on September 1.  Contact the WCDHD if you have any questions about flu shots or other vaccinations.

https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/flu-shots-and-flu-clinics-with-brandy-wcdhd

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas and Nebraska will extend for one year an agreement that allows Nebraska to pump more of its share of the Republican River while ensuring Kansas eventually gets all the water it is due.

The Republican River Compact Administration, which includes Colorado, announced the agreement Thursday. It extends similar agreements reached for the past two growing seasons.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports (https://bit.ly/1VhaQgM ) Nebraska expects to pump about 35,000 acre-feet more than its share would allow in 2016. In return, Nebraska will pump enough groundwater to Harlan County reservoir this winter and spring to help Kansas through the 2016 growing season. .

Officials say the agreement allows both states to use the water when it’s needed, and lets Nebraska replace the extra water when it’s not being used for agriculture.