LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska residents suffering from debilitating illnesses could find relief from marijuana under a bill that cleared a first-round vote in the Legislature.

Senators voted 27-12 Tuesday to advance a measure that would allow pharmacists to distribute cannabis to patients with cancer, epilepsy and other chronic illnesses.

The bill by Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue gained support after senators adopted an amendment that would prohibit smoking cannabis and would not include chronic pain as a qualifying condition to receive the drug.

Opponents worry about the details of regulating the drug and the effects of legalizing a substance not approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

Proponents say the show of support will allow Garrett and others to amend the bill before second-round debate.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson says the state has reached settlements on behalf of Verizon Wireless and Sprint Corporation customers who were improperly billed.

Peterson said Tuesday that Nebraskans could qualify for refunds under the agreement.

Sprint and Verizon have agreed to pay $158 million as part of a national settlement. The companies were accused of placing charges for third-party services on customers’ telephone bills, a practice known as “mobile cramming.”

Consumers who have been crammed often have charges for “premium” text message services such as horoscopes, trivia and sports scores that they never requested. Typical charges were $9.99 per month.

The Nebraska Attorney General’s office announced similar settlements with AT&T and T-Mobile in 2014.

Consumers can submit claims at www.SprintRefundPSMS.com or www.CFPBSettlementVerizon.com .

MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) — A 54-year-old Culbertson woman has pleaded not guilty to allegations that she embezzled more than $800,000 when she worked for a livestock auction company in McCook.

Trina Hoyt submitted the plea on Monday in Red Willow County District Court.

Hoyt is accused of writing 26 unauthorized checks on Tri-State Livestock Commission Co. accounts between January 2012 and December 2013 and depositing them into her own accounts.

___

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts says he urged the state’s chief medical officer not to resign last week after he failed to win initial confirmation from lawmakers.

The governor said Tuesday that Dr. Joseph Acierno decided to step down even after Ricketts expressed confidence in his work.

Lawmakers failed to confirm Acierno during an initial vote last week, with some senators accusing him of being arrogant and an obstacle to changes they wanted made. They reconsidered their decision the next day and confirmed him on a 34-6 vote.

Ricketts says Acierno told him that the first vote had undermined his ability to do his job. Ricketts praised Acierno for his eight years of service, including his involvement with the Nebraska Medical Center’s treatment of Ebola patients.

ELWOOD, Neb. (AP) — A 70-year-old Gothenburg woman has been injured while helping her husband hitch up two vehicles at a Johnson Lake campground in south-central Nebraska.

The Gosper County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and medics were sent to the campground around 10:25 a.m. Monday. Deputies learned that the accident occurred as Katherine Graff tried to help her husband, 70-year-old James Graff, connect the front of a pickup to the rear of a motorhome.

Deputies say James Graff accelerated the pickup instead of braking, pinning his wife between the vehicles.

She was taken to a Lexington hospital and then to an Omaha hospital.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — A warning has been issued for flooding along the South Platte River in western Nebraska.

The National Weather Service says a combination of heavy rain in northeast Colorado and snowmelt from the mountains will engorge the river and cause significant flooding in Keith and Lincoln counties.

A gauge at Roscoe on Tuesday morning registered the river level only a few inches under flood stage of 9 feet. The weather service says the river is expected to crest at 12 feet there on Saturday evening.

The river is expected to crest a foot above flood stage on Monday morning at North Platte. The weather service says 14 feet at North Platte could cause flooding of yards and basements, and storm drains could back up.

 

COURTESY OF THE NORTH PLATTE POLICE DEPARTMENT

05/11/2015 00:08:38 EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION “W A ST / ERMA AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 00:50:59 CITIZEN ASSIST “2300 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 01:15:19 SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE “600 E B ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 02:14:15 2ND DEGREE CRIMINAL TRESPASS “600 W LEOTA ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 03:16:58 OPEN DOORS OR WINDOWS “600 S DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 04:06:56 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “LEE BIRD FIELD,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 05:28:45 B.E.A.T. COMM POLICING “500 N TAFT
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 07:09:04 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “5400 E Lee Bird DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103”

05/11/2015 09:31:17 VIOL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEV “W PHILIP AV / MCDONALD RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 12:07:03 SUSPICIOUS PERSON “400 E FRANCIS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 12:14:32 OTHER DISTURBANCE “2400 W 9th ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 12:22:40 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “800 S MEYER AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 14:07:06 DOMEST ASSAULT-MISD “400 S ELM ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 14:15:24 NON-CRIMINAL/GENERAL “100 S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 14:25:49 ASSIST OTHER AGENCY-GENERAL “NORTH PLATTE,
1 NORTH PLATTE
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 15:00:19 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “700 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 15:41:07 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1300 W 17TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 16:31:43 WELFARE CHECK “1400 RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 17:07:14 ILLEGAL TURN “E 6th /N Jeffers
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 17:42:18 PROP DAMAGE-NO ALC RELAT “N MAPLE ST / RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 17:42:47 FAMILY DIST-NO ASSAULT “1500 W 19TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 18:41:46 DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION “1300 S DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 18:41:15 THEFT BY SHOPLIFTING “100 HOLIDAY FRONTAGE RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 19:37:04 EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION “700 W 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 19:50:27 NO PROOF OF OWNERSHIP “2500 W 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 20:06:08 SEX ASSAULT OF A CHILD 1ST DEGREE “700 S TABOR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 20:17:23 NO PROOF OF INSURANCE “E 12TH ST /N COTTONWOOD ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 21:29:57 ALARM-BURGLARY CALL IN “500 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 22:18:09 NO PROOF OF INSURANCE “500 S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 22:59:49 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 23:10:24 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “500 S CHESTNUT ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 23:22:06 HARRASS-ANNOY PHONECALLS “3100 IOKE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/11/2015 23:43:44 REGISTRATION REQUIRED “RODEO RD /N VINE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/12/2015 00:27:32 PLATE CHECK “E 3RD ST /N JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/12/2015 00:49:29 SPEEDING “1800 RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/12/2015 01:40:20 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/12/2015 04:18:23 FOUND PROPERTY “1 DOWNTOWN
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/12/2015 06:40:34 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

05/12/2015 07:18:52 ASSIST OTH AGENCY “800 N Jeffers
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

Weather permitting, on May 18, Werner Construction will begin a highway improvement project between Brady and Gothenburg, according to the Nebraska Department of Roads.

The project consists of replacing the existing asphalt surface with a concrete overlay.

A 12′ width restriction will be in place during the initial phase, which will end approximately the first part of June.  At that time, Highway 30 traffic will be detoured to I-80.

During the detour, Highway 30 between R.P. 200+91 and 212+76 will be open to local traffic only. The detour is expected to be in effect until fall 2015.

Motorists are reminded to be extra careful in and near highway work zones, and to buckle up, every trip.

Today: Widespread frost before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Breezy, with a south wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 14 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Breezy, with a south wind 13 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 53. South southeast wind 13 to 18 mph decreasing to 7 to 12 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 75. South southeast wind around 7 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.

The Flood Warning continues for
  The South Platte River at North Platte.
* from Saturday evening to Friday May 22.
* At 05/11 18:00 the stage was 9.9
* Flood stage is 13.0 feet.

* Forecast...Rise above flood stage by 05/16 19:00 and continue to
  rise to near 14.0 feet by
* Impact...At 14.0 feet...Moderate flood stage. Flooding of yards and
  basements may occur along the South Platte River. Water may flow
  over Buffalo Bill Road just north of the South Platte River Bridge.
  Water may continue to back up in storm drains in the City of North
  Platte.