LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Lexington High School’s principal is a finalist for National Principal of the Year.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals selected Kyle Hoehner and two other school principals from across the country for the award.

Hoehner, who is in his fifth year as principal at Lexington, was named the 2015 Nebraska Principal of the Year in March.

The finalists will be interviewed by a panel of judges on Sept. 15, and the winner will be announced during National Principals Month in October.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The Central District Health Department officials are encouraging people to protect not only themselves from West Nile virus, but their horses, too.

The department, based in Grand Island, says horses should be properly vaccinated for the mosquito-borne illness.

Horse vaccinations are only effective if given before exposure to West Nile. Adequate vaccination requires two doses, administered three to six weeks apart. Full protection doesn’t develop until four to six weeks after the second dose.

The most common signs of West Nile infection in horses include stumbling, weak limbs, partial paralysis, muscle twitching and, in some cases, death.

MINATARE, Neb. (AP) — Law enforcement is getting back to normal in the Nebraska Panhandle town of Minatare.

A new police chief has been on the job for nearly a month, and earlier this week the City Council hired a new full-time officer. Chief Robert McFarland says he wants to hire a part-time officer as well.

There had been turmoil since February, when two officers were suspended because they failed to meet annual firearms training and continuing education requirements. Police Chief Robert Regester called it a paperwork error. He resigned on April 21, and Officer Jim Lawson quit on April 24.

Prosecutors later charged Regester with four misdemeanor counts of abuse of public records and one misdemeanor count of making a false statement under oath. He’s pleaded not guilty.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man has been indicted on five federal counts, accused of having sex with probationers while he was a probation officer in Kearney, then lying to the FBI about it.

A federal grand jury handed down the indictment Wednesday against 56-year-old Thomas Peterson. In it, Peterson is charged with four counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and one count of making false statements to a government agent.

The indictment says that from 2010 through 2014, Peterson had sex with four different women while they were on probation and while he was serving as their probation officer. The indictment also accuses Peterson of tipping off probationers to planned drug tests and of threatening to have one woman’s probation revoked unless she left the state.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A change in Nebraska law set to take effect next month will make it easier for funeral directors to sell insurance that covers funeral costs.

A funeral life insurance policy is a method of paying for what’s known as “pre-need” funerals. Such policies offer advantages over putting money in a certificate deposit, which would be payable to the funeral upon death, or giving cash to the funeral home.

An insurance policy can include increases in value to keep up with inflation and are portable in case the funeral ends up somewhere different from where the buyer had planned.

The change in state law sets a lower amount of training and continuing education that funeral directors and others must take to maintain licenses that allow them to sell funeral insurance.

(Broken Bow, Neb.)-  On Thursday, July 23, the Nebraska State Patrol conducted alcohol compliance checks at nine retail outlets in Custer County.

During the effort one business,Suzy’s Pizza & Pub in Arnold, was found to be non-compliant after selling alcohol to a minor. The retail outlets checked included convenience, liquor and grocery stores as well as restaurants and bars.

Law enforcement performs compliance checks to ensure that businesses are complying with the state’s alcohol laws and to decrease youth access to alcohol.

A North Platte man has been charged with multiple felonies following an alleged attack on his girlfriend.

At around 1:39 a.m., on July 20, an officer with the North Platte Police Department met with an adult female who alleged that she was the victim of an assault.

According to police, the victim stated that she had been in the bedroom of her boyfriend’s residence in the 2300 block of East D.

She said her boyfriend, identified as Anthony Rico, entered the bedroom and demanded that the victim give him her cell phone.  Rico reportedly had suspicions that the victim was sending text messages to another male.

The victim stated that she gave Rico the phone, which he snapped in half, and an argument ensued.

Rico then allegedly grabbed the victim by the throat, restricting her breathing, and shoved her up against a wall.

As the victim tried to escape, she said Rico grabbed a machete style knife and held it to her throat, then threatened to kill her.

Police say the victim was able to punch Rico in the abdomen and get out of the house.

But Rico wasn’t done, the victim told officers that, as she was attempting to drive away, Rico broke the window out of her car.

The female was able to drive to another location and sought medical attention for injuries which police say didn’t appear to be serious.

On July 23, officers responded to Rico’s place of employment and placed him under arrest.

Officers then executed a search warrant on Rico’s house, where they were able to locate a knife that matched the victim’s description of the knife used in the assault.

Rico was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and charged with use of a weapon to commit a felony, felony terroristic threats, felony strangulation, criminal mischief and domestic assault.

ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) — A 24-year-old Alliance woman has taken a plea deal and been convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

Online court records say Molleigh Valdez is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3. She pleaded no contest on Wednesday in Scotts Bluff County District Court to a lowered charge of sexual assault of a child.

The girl’s mother had gone to police in November with suspicions about the woman’s relationship with the 14-year-old. The girl later told authorities that she and Valdez had engaged in sexual activity. Under Nebraska law, people 19 and over cannot have sexual contact with people under 16.

ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) — A national organization is getting closer to starting its services for troubled teenage boys at the former Nebraska Boys Ranch southeast of Alliance in the Panhandle.

Teen Challenge of the Midlands executive director Dan Meinert says Teen Challenge has invested $1 million to renovate a dozen buildings on the 35 acres. The Nebraska Boys Ranch suspended its services there in March 2010 after serving troubled youths since 1965.

There are more than 200 Teen Challenge programs throughout the United States, offering a variety of services to youths and families. Meinert says 16 boys ages 13 through 18 with substance-abuse issues will be moved into the renovated facilities, where they will receive help through a Christian-centered program.