LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson says the state will join others in a legal fight against new federal rules designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants.

Peterson says the states will challenge the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to adopt the stricter emissions standards. Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts endorsed the lawsuit on Tuesday, saying the attorney general has his full support.

The final version of President Barack Obama’s plan imposes more stringent carbon dioxide limits on states than was previously expected: a 32 percent cut by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. Obama’s proposed version last year called only for a 30 percent cut.

Critics in Nebraska have argued that the state relies heavily on coal, and the requirements would raise costs for electric customers.

The Kearney Police Department is investigating the reports of two robberies that occurred on the night of August 3, 2015, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight.

One victim was assaulted and had her purse taken in the Dollar General parking lot, 2915 Avenue N and the other victim was assaulted and had her purse taken in the parking lot of the Hilltop Mall. The suspect is described in both robberies as being a male in his late teens to early 20’s, wearing black pants and a black hoodie.

The victim of the Hilltop Mall robbery received minor injuries after being pushed to the ground. Anyone with information about these robberies or other crimes is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (308) 237-3424 or the Kearney Police Department at (308) 237-2104. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

A 33-year-old North Platte man is facing charges after a disturbance early Saturday morning.

At around 2:30 a.m., on August 1, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to a residence in the 1100 block of East 5th Street on the report of a disturbance.

Officers met with a 39-year-old female who alleged that her boyfriend, Shawn Imler, had threatened to “kill her” by setting her apartment on fire while she was inside.

She said Imler then lit a pillow on fire and she called 911.

Police say, at some point, Imler extinguished the fire but say a strong smell was still present when they arrived.

Following further investigation, Imler was placed under arrest and charged with felony 1st-degree arson, felony terroristic threats and felony 3rd-degree domestic assault.

Imler was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed.

A 33-year-old North Platte may be facing charges following a crash near Sutherland that injured three adults and two children.

At around 5:15 p.m., on August 3, deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to an accident on North River Road, north of Sutherland.

It was reported that a vehicle had run into the ditch and turned over.

Deputies arrived and found three adults and two children who were injured as a result of the accident.   They also found five dogs running loose and possibly injured.

According to the LCSO, rescue workers had to use equipment to cut some of the occupants out of the vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as Richard Titchen, was believed to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and deputies say marijuana, drug paraphernalia and alcohol were found in the vehicle.

The investigation is ongoing, and the LCSO says charges may be filed in the crash.

The injuries sustained by the occupants of the vehicle were all believed to be non-life threatening.  All were transported to Great Plains Health for treatment.

Deputies did release any information on the five dogs.

LINCOLN – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following Attorney General Doug Peterson’s announcement that Nebraska would be joining a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency over President Obama’s Clean Power Plan.

“As my administration began to review the Clean Power Plan rule, it became clear that this is yet another example of how the EPA continues to overstep the authority given to them by Congress. The Attorney General has my full support in joining this lawsuit against the EPA’s plan on behalf of Nebraska.”

Here’s a link to the AP story on the lawsuit: https://www.northplattepost.com/2015/08/03/obama-power-plant-cuts-draw-praise-criticism-in-nebraska/

Hundreds of items will be up for grabs during North Platte Community College’s annual surplus auction Saturday, Aug. 8. The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until everything is sold.

Items will be set up in the alley behind the W.W. Wood Building, the main building on NPCC’s North Campus. There will be a preview Friday, Aug. 7, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Shop items will include a DeWalt panel saw, Clausing drill press, Powermatic dual drum sander, Chief C.A.T. auto towing cart, Coats Tire Machine, Chicago sheet metal brake, Zero sandblaster, floor jacks and Powermatic shapers.

Couches, chairs, storage cabinets, shelving, folding tables, cement picnic tables and studio-size drafting tables will be among the furniture up for bid.

The electronic items will include flat screen televisions, DVD/VCR players, projectors, laptop and desktop computers and Isopack isolation transformers among many other things. Fitness equipment such as dumbbell racks and a leg extension/curl machine will also be sold.

All items must be paid for by check or cash on the sale day before removal, and all sales are final. Free forklift assistance will be provided for heavy or bulky items.

More information is available by contacting Ron Axtell, NPCC Physical Plant director, at (308) 535-3627 or Pam Burks, Physical Resources assistant, at (308) 535-3628 or toll-free at (800) 658-4308, ext. 3627/3628.

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. East southeast wind 7 to 11 mph.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. East wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. East southeast wind around 9 mph.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Organizers of a campaign to reinstate Nebraska’s death penalty say they’re cautiously optimistic they’ll gather enough signatures to place the issue on the 2016 ballot.

Nebraskans for the Death Penalty has less than a month remaining to gather about 58,000 signatures before an Aug. 27 deadline. The group was launched on June 1, with heavy financial backing from Gov. Pete Ricketts and his father, billionaire TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts.

Spokesman Chris Peterson says the group has collected signatures from all counties except for Sioux County, but declined to release how many have been gathered so far.

Danielle Conrad, who is leading the Nebraskans for Public Safety campaign against the referendum, says her group will prepare a “strong and competitive” campaign if the issue makes it to the ballot.

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A 20-year-old Columbus man who pleaded no contest to manslaughter for stabbing his grandmother to death last year has been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Chase Micklevitz was sentenced Friday in Platte County District Court to 18 to 20 years for the July 30, 2014 death of 58-year-old Deanna Micklevitz.

Chase Micklevitz was initially charged with second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, but those charges were dropped as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.

Police say Micklevitz stabbed his grandmother four times with a kitchen knife. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.