A 22-year-old North Platte man is facing a felony theft charge after he allegedly ran a theft scheme at a local motel where he worked.

On June 24, an officer with the North Platte Police Department responded to the Oak Tree Inn, 451 Halligan Drive, in regards to a suspected employee theft.

The officer met with management, who alleged that over the past month, they had received several calls from prior guests indicating that their credit cards had been charged for an extra night at the Oak Tree.

According to police, management began looking into the claims and discovered that Conner Pitre, an employee, was responsible for all the transactions.

Through their investigation, police learned that, when a customer would pay cash for a room, Pitre would pocket the money.  He would then allegedly use a credit card number from a different guest to pay for the room.

On July 3, officers made contact with Pitre in a parking lot in the 1100 block of South Jeffers Street and took him into custody.

It’s estimated that Pitre took between $500 and $1,000, making the crime a felony.

Pitre was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

The state has issued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Sutherland Reservoir in Lincoln County.

This is the first health alert issued in the 2015 recreational season. Weekly sampling has been conducted at 50 public lakes in Nebraska since the beginning of May.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health authorities have reported the state’s first human case of West Nile virus for 2015.

The Nebraska Health and Human Services Department said in a news release Thursday that someone who lives in the Central District Health Department area tested positive for West Nile virus but was not hospitalized. The district covers Hall, Hamilton and Merrick counties.

Dr. Tom Safranek is the state epidemiologist, and he says West Nile virus “can be a mild illness for some and serious for others.” The state reported 142 confirmed human cases last year and eight deaths.

Experts say most people who are infected have no symptoms or experience only mild flu-like symptoms. The most vulnerable people are those who are at least 50 or have weakened immune systems.

• Andy Wayne Coopersmith, 28, Paxton and Stacey Lynn Coufal, 25, Paxton

• Kyler David Odum, 22, North Platte and Johnna Savannah Bergren, 20, North Platte

• Todd Allen Hoeler, 30, Hershey and Smantha JoAnne Dueland, 25, Hershey

• Matthew Michael Hartman, 24, North Platte and Madison Rae Holland, 19, North Platte

• Austin James Carpenter, 19, North Platte and Jessica Lynn Azure, 24, North Platte

• Kasey Charles Morland, 24, North Platte and Cara Michelle Collins, 29, North Platte

• Robert William Heessel, 65, Maxwell and Tracy Rae Heessel, 49, Maxwell

• Dillon James Grabowski, 19, Lodgepole NE and Mylisa Rheyane Pennington, 18 Lodgepole NE

• Zane Michael Lehn, 38, Sutherland and Melissa Nicole Hammond, 31, Sutherland

• Thomas Glen Williams, 47, Claflin KS and Christine Ruth Calhoun, 54, Claflin KS

• Jason Scott Thomsen, 34, North Platte and Megan Christine Griffiths, 25, North Platte

• Adam Cole Pittman, 32, Sutherland and Alicia Dawn Winters, 26, Sutherland

• Seth August Fornander, 23, North Platte and Mirae Josephine Nakouzi, 22, North Platte

• Clifford Vernon Gordon, 50, North Platte and Renee Francine Jameson, 43, North Platte

• Nicholas Henry Ray McNew, 26, North Platte and Catherine Lynn Stewart, 29, North Platte

• Javan Leland Hansen, 27, Rawlins WY and Brittany Dale Fank, 26, Rawlins WY

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A group formed to oppose Nebraska’s death penalty referendum is broadcasting its message on the radio.

Nebraskans for Public Safety announced a statewide radio advertising campaign set to begin Thursday as part of its outreach to voters. The group has also bought airtime on television stations throughout the state.

Danielle Conrad, a spokeswoman for the group, says the death penalty is broken and life in prison is a better alternative. Nebraska last executed an inmate in 1997.

The group Nebraskans for the Death Penalty has until Aug. 27 to gather enough signatures to place the question on the 2016 general election ballot.

(Lincoln, Neb.)- Young drivers and seat belt usage will be the focus of a summer-long initiative by the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) as it continues its efforts to “Drive to Save Lives” through voluntary compliance with all traffic safety laws.

Beginning in July and continuing through September, the Nebraska State Patrol will provide educational programs utilizing the agency’s Rollover Simulators, Seat Belt Convincers and Driving Simulator. The educational programs are made possible thanks in part to a grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS).

According the latest statistics from the NOHS, 71% of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes were not wearing their seat belt.

“We need to make an impact on our young drivers,” said Colonel Bradley Rice, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol.  “This initiative affords us an avenue in which to provide hands on learning experiences for teens, allowing them to see first-hand how seat belts save lives.”

Anyone interested in scheduling a safety presentation should contact their nearest Troop Area Office:

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A judge has ordered the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to stop excluding Medicaid coverage for some behavioral treatments for children with developmental disabilities, saying policy conflicts with federal law.

Lancaster County District Judge John Colburn issued the order Tuesday in a lawsuit filed on behalf of two children, listed only at “K.D.” and “S.L.”, who are covered by Medicaid and suffer from severe behavioral disorders. The lawsuit says their doctors recommended a treatment called applied behavior analysis. But the state agency’s contractor denied Medicaid coverage for the treatments, enforcing a state regulation that says applied behavior analysis is excluded from coverage.

Colburn agreed with those suing who said the state regulation violates federal law, which requires Medicaid to cover such services deemed medically necessary.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is criticizing a new Obama administration rule that gives federal authorities authority to regulate more streams, tributaries and wetlands.

Ricketts called the rule “terrible” on Wednesday during a news conference with a farm industry leader, water regulators and a representative for golf courses.

The groups say the rule weakens local control of water and imposes costly and time-consuming permitting requirements on land owners.

Nebraska is one of 13 states that are challenging the law in federal court. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers created the rule in response to calls from the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress to clarify which waterways are protected under the federal Clean Water Act.

The rule goes into effect on Aug. 28.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is defending his $100,000 donation to a group that’s leading a ballot drive to save the death penalty.

Ricketts said Wednesday that he feels strongly that voters should be allowed to decide whether to keep capital punishment in the state.

Ricketts and his father, TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, each contributed $100,000 to Nebraskans for the Death Penalty in its most recent filing period. The group raised a total of nearly $244,000 in that timeframe.

Nebraska lawmakers abolished the death penalty in May when they overrode the governor’s veto of a repeal measure. The ballot measure could reverse the Legislature’s action.

Ricketts says he didn’t consider the donation inappropriate because the final decision would rest with voters. He says he may contribute more in the future.