GERING, Neb. (AP) — A western Nebraska man convicted of stealing more than $580,000 worth of gas from his former employer has been sent to prison.

Thirty-eight-year-old Ron Walker, of Mitchell, had pleaded no contest and was convicted of theft and fraudulent tax filing. Court records say that on Thursday in Scotts Bluff County District Court in Gering, Walker was sentenced to five to eight years for theft and a year for the tax conviction. They’re to be served at the same time.

Walker is a former employee for Western Cooperative Co., also known as Westco. Prosecutors say he sold gasoline under fictitious contracts to customers. Records indicate more than $580,000 was deposited into his personal checking and savings accounts since 2010.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An attempt to repeal Nebraska’s black-tailed prairie dog law has hit a roadblock that will likely kill it for the year.

Opponents managed to derail the bill Thursday just before a final vote in the Legislature.

The law allows counties to control the spread of black-tailed prairie dogs when a landowner’s neighbors complain. The animals are an ecologically important native species that some ranchers view as pests.

A procedural vote initiated by Sen. Al Davis, a Hyannis rancher, kept the bill from passing Thursday.

Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley says he told the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, that lawmakers would debate the bill until 10:15 a.m. Beyond that, Hadley says he won’t allow it back on this year’s agenda.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Underage drinkers who seek medical help for alcohol poisoning could avoid alcohol charges under a bill passed by Nebraska lawmakers.

The measure won final approval Thursday in the Legislature, 44-0.

The proposal by Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln would give limited legal immunity to underage drinkers who are intoxicated, call for medical assistance and cooperate with authorities. Immunity would only apply to alcohol charges.

Morfeld has said the bill is designed to encourage underage drinkers to seek medical attention when their lives are at risk without having to fear a criminal conviction. The proposal is backed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, student leaders and Lincoln police.

A 29-year-old North Platte woman is being charged with a felony after she allegedly stole a money order from her employer.

On April 1, an officer from the North Platte Police Department met with management at Kwik Stop in regards to a suspected theft of a money order.

It was reported that Amber Alcott was an employee at the Kwik Top located at 1421 South Dewey.

Management claimed they discovered that Benitez had printed out a money order for over $500, but had not collected any money to pay for it.

They investigated and discovered that the money order was under the name of Benitez’ father, and the address listed on the money order was the same one she used on her employment application.

Officers made contact with Benitez, who admitted that she had printed the money order out for her own use, and stated that her father had nothing to do with the theft.

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

She is charged with felony theft by unlawful taking.

A 67-year-old North Platte man is facing charges after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl.

On March 21, North Platte Police launched an investigation after the girl reported that she had been at the apartment of David Deluncantonio, 1200 South Oak Street, when he allegedly grabbed her buttocks.

Additionally, after the touching incident, Deluncantonio allegedly went to the victim’s house and showed her a document on a computer requesting that the two have a sexual relationship.  It was also alleged that Deluncantonio gave the girl a camera and wanted her to take nude pictures of herself.  Police say the girl did not comply.

Through their investigation, police learned that the girl and Deluncantonio are not related, but are familiar with each other through family members.

On April 1, officers made contact with Deluncantonio and placed him under arrest.

He was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed on charges of 3rd degree sexual assault of a child (no penetration) and felony child abuse.

Jail records did not list a bond amount for Deluncantonio.

 

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are blaming a fatal Buffalo County blaze on a burn pile fire that got out of control.

A report by the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department says 65-year-old Eldon Schinkel had been burning the pile in a field near his home north of the Kearney Regional Airport on Monday afternoon. The fire went out of control and spread to grassland, trees and three vehicles. Firefighters found Schinkel’s body when they arrived.

An autopsy was ordered.

Today: Isolated showers after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight: Scattered rain showers before 10pm, then scattered rain and snow showers between 10pm and 4am, then a slight chance of snow showers after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. North wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. North northwest wind 10 to 14 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. West northwest wind 6 to 10 mph becoming south southwest in the evening.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 8 to 13 mph increasing to 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 74.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Livestock operations that want to expand will still have to comply with county requirements under a bill that won first-round approval from Nebraska lawmakers.

The legislation would create optional statewide standards for producers that want to build or expand facilities. Lawmakers voted 34-3 Wednesday on the proposal by Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse.

Advocates say the bill encourages growth of animal agriculture by simplifying the permit process for out-of-state producers.

The original bill would have mandated the standards and created a state-level board that could overturn county-level decisions. After three days of fierce debate, senators compromised with a measure that would rely on state, county and university experts to create the standards. Counties would have the option to use them as guidelines.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A proposed tax credit for Nebraska-based renewable energy projects has advanced out of a legislative committee.

The Revenue Committee voted 5-2 on Wednesday to send the bill to the full Legislature for debate.

The measure by Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha would increase the state credit for facilities that generate electricity with wind and other renewable sources. The measure is designed to attract in-state investors and help Nebraska compete with nearby states that offer tax credits.

Facilities could qualify for either a one-time credit or an ongoing credit that would decline the longer it operates.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley says lawmakers are running out of time to debate their main priorities in this year’s session.

Hadley, of Kearney, told senators Wednesday that the Legislature has 34 days to consider 60 priority bills that haven’t yet won first-round approval. Another 22 bills are still sitting in committee.

Hadley says lawmakers will have to debate at least half a dozen bills a day to address all senator and committee priorities. Hadley says dozens of bills also await second- and third-round approval.

Hadley’s comments came as lawmakers debated a proposed fuel tax increase. Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill used his time on the floor to rail against lawmakers for failing to pass charter school legislation.