SPRINGDALE, Ark. (AP) — Tyson Foods says it wants to stop using human antibiotics in its U.S. chicken houses by September 2017 and that it will explore doing the same in its beef, pork and turkey operations.

The move comes as restaurants demand more natural produce and amid concerns that widespread antibiotic use can lead to drug-resistant germs.

McDonald’s, for instance, said in March it wants suppliers to stop using human antibiotics in poultry within two years. Panera and Chipotle already say their chicken is antibiotic-free.

Tyson said in March it would work with McDonald’s to meet the new requirements, plus begin looking at ways to reduce antibiotic use in cattle, hogs and turkeys.

The Arkansas-based company said it would also back research into disease prevention and antibiotic alternatives.

SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — A special investigator says the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission didn’t violate state open meetings law when it met last month to consider a proposed wastewater disposal well in Sioux County.

Bold Nebraska and the Nebraska Sierra Club filed a complaint that alleged the commission didn’t follow both its own meeting rules and state law.

Special investigator William Austin said Friday that because the March 24 meeting met the legal definition of a meeting for a contested case and was quasi-judicial, the state’s Open Meetings Act did not apply. Austin said in a letter to both groups that the meeting was subject to the Administrative Procedure Act and that he wasn’t authorized to investigate whether there were any violations of those laws.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — Charges have been filed against a former Hastings High School science teacher who is accused of having a sexual relationship with a student.

Court records show Johnathan Schafer was charged Monday with first-degree sexual assault of a child. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the relationship between Schafer and the student began when she was 15 in 2012. She is now 18.

The affidavit says the 38-year-old Schafer was a friend of the victim’s family who hired her to babysit his children.

According to the document, the victim told her mother about the relationship in April 2012. Her mother then informed Hastings High School’s principal.

Schafer, who was arrested last Thursday, has posted bond and is set to appear in court May 7. It is not immediately clear if he has an attorney.

A 27-year-old North Platte man is facing an arson charge after he allegedly attempted to light a trash container on fire and place it in the bedroom where a woman was sleeping.

Just before midnight on April 26, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the report of a possible arson at a residence in the 2300 block of East Philip Avenue.

A 27-year-old female alleged that her husband, Patrick Thompson, had attempted to light a container full of trash on fire and place it in the bedroom where she was sleeping.

Emergency personnel responded, but authorities say Thompson had extinguished the fire prior to their arrival and had left the scene.

At around noon on April 27, officers responded back to the residence after receiving a report that Thompson had returned to the home.

Officers located him inside the residence and placed him under arrest.

He was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed on a charge of felony 1st-degree arson

According to jail records, Thompson is being held without bond.

MINATARE, Neb. (AP) — The Minatare Police Department is down to one part-time officer after its police chief and a full-time officer resigned last week.

City attorney Audrey Elliott confirmed the resignations. The announcement comes about two months after officers in the department were suspended in February because they failed to meet annual firearms training and continuing education requirements.

Police Chief Robert Regester submitted his resignation letter April 21, and Officer Jim Lawson turned in his resignation Friday, effective immediately.

The Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center says the Minatare department didn’t submit the necessary certification documents by the Dec. 31 deadline. Regester called it a “paperwork error.”

Lawson told the newspaper that he felt he couldn’t associate himself with the department any longer.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska has launched an international search for a new executive director of the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute.

The next director will replace Roberto Lenton, who founded the institute and served in the role since 2012. Lenton announced in February that he plans to step down by early 2016. The university announced Monday that a 15-member advisory committee will help with the search.

The institute was created with the goal of ensuring a sustainable global water and food supply through improved water management. The institute conducts research, helps form public-private partnerships and hosts conferences for water and food scientists and industry leaders.

DIX, Neb. (AP) — Pavement work is scheduled to begin the week of May 4 on U.S. Highway 30 in the Nebraska Panhandle.

The Nebraska Roads Department says the work will run from Dix east to the Cheyenne County line. Pilot vehicles, temporary signals and 12-foot width restrictions will be employed to maintain control traffic.

The work is expected to be finished by mid-July.

A 21-year-old North Platte man is facing felony charges after a local business tried to help him out by co-signing on a check.

At around 10:30 a.m., on April 24, an officer with the North Platte Police Department opened a theft investigation after responding to a complaint from the owner of Garden Glove Landscaping, 1800 East 12th Street.

The owner alleged that they attempted to help an employee, London Renfrow, by cosigning a third-party check for payment to the employee at a local bank.

The owner reported that the check for $1,790.00 was cashed initially, but it was soon discovered that it was fraudulent.

As a result, officers say the money was removed from the Garden Glove account.

As part of the investigation, officers viewed a surveillance video that corroborated the business owner’s story.

Officers made contact with Renfrow at the business and, following further investigation, placed him under arrest.

He was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center and charged with felony theft by deception and felony 1st-degree forgery.

 

A North Platte man is in jail on a felony charge after he allegedly burglarized a local business.

At around 11:15 p.m., on April 26, deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to an intruder alarm at Haz-Mat Response, 4501 Rodeo Road.

Deputies and officers with the North Platte Police Department responded, and met with a representative of the business.

The representative advised that there were lights on in the business that shouldn’t be.

Deputies and officers then conducted a search of the business and located 28-year-0ld James Beseke on an upper floor.

Authorities say Beseke, who is not an employee of the company, was found to be in possession of property from the business.

Beseke was placed under arrest and transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center.

He’s been charged with felony burglary.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Light east northeast wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. East northeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. North northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 73. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75.