NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after a grass fire burned for nearly two hours and threatened homes south of Lake Maloney in North Platte.

Battalion Chief Jason Trimble of the North Platte Fire Department says he believes the fire had spread 100 acres by the time he arrived to the scene Thursday. Assistance was requested from several other fire departments, and Trimble says local farmers helped combat the blaze as well.

Trimble says he doesn’t know what caused the fire.

Today: Scattered snow showers before 10am, then a slight chance of rain showers between 10am and noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. South wind 5 to 11 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Tonight: Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable.
Saturday: Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 77. Northwest wind 5 to 14 mph becoming southeast in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. South wind around 14 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. North northwest wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 76.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have postponed a vote on bill that would prevent counties from killing black-tailed prairie dogs when residents complain about the animals on their property.

Lawmakers adjourned for the week on Thursday without taking action. Sen. Al Davis, a rancher from Hyannis, is trying to kill the measure.

The 2012 law gives counties the power to adopt management programs to keep them from spreading.

Advocates say the animals are an important native species and the current law infringes on private property rights. Opponents say counties have the right to intervene because prairie dogs ravage ranchland by digging holes that can injure cattle and damage equipment.

Sen. Galen Hadley, the speaker of the Legislature, says debate on the bill will continue early next week.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A 25-year-old Scottsbluff man has been convicted of beating his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter.

Court records say Cody Olbricht was found guilty on Wednesday of intentional child abuse resulting in serious injury. Sentencing is scheduled for May 1.

Records say the girl was hospitalized in September after her grandmother noticed the girl had a fever and was lethargic and vomiting. Doctors determined the girl had several injuries, including a lacerated liver and a brain contusion. A court document says Scottsbluff police inspected the home and found little food in the refrigerator. Police say clothes and bedding in the girl’s room were stained with urine and stank.

The girl’s mother, 25-year-old Cassandra Miller, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of negligent child abuse. Her trial is scheduled to begin July 6.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A well-known Nebraska senator is facing more criticism for comparing police to a terrorist group, and one lawmaker is calling for his resignation.

The backlash continued Thursday against Sen. Ernie Chambers following comments he made in a hearing.

Chambers said “my ISIS is the police” because they’re licensed to kill and pose a threat to his Omaha neighborhood. He said if he carried a gun, he would use it as protection against police and would want to shoot first and ask questions later.

Freshman Sen. David Schnoor of Scribner called on Chambers to resign. Many senators condemned the comments, but some defended his free-speech rights.

Chambers says he’s used to criticism and won’t resign. He accused lawmakers of showing a “mob mentality” but seeking his help when they need it.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska voters could once again decide whether to let lawmakers serve an extra four years in office under a proposal in the Legislature.

Lawmakers began debate Wednesday on a ballot measure that would allow future senators to serve up to 12 consecutive years.

Term limits went into effect in 2006 under a voter-approved constitutional amendment that limited lawmakers to two consecutive four-year terms.

Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus says he introduced the measure because it takes time for lawmakers to build the experience needed to govern effectively.

Some opponents argue that lawmakers should respect the will of voters, who rejected a ballot measure in 2012 that would have let lawmakers serve three consecutive four-year terms.

Today: Isolated showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northwest 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of snow showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Blustery, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 78. West northwest wind 5 to 13 mph becoming southeast in the morning.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Breezy.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska senator facing criticism for comparing police to a terrorist group is defending his comments, despite calls for an apology.

Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said Wednesday he would not apologize for the statements during a gun bill hearing last week.

Chambers said at the time that “my ISIS is the police” because they are licensed to kill and pose a threat to his Omaha neighborhood. He said if he carried a gun, he would use it as protection against police and would want to shoot first.

Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha called on Chambers to apologize to police, saying his comments were offensive. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer deemed them “reprehensible.”

Chambers points to an Omaha police officer who resigned this week for fatally shooting a robbery suspect.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill designed to reduce Nebraska’s prison crowding and expand parole services is slated for debate by lawmakers.

A legislative committee voted 5-0 Wednesday to advance a measure sponsored by Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha.

The bill is intended to slow population growth in the state prison system, which was 59 percent above its design capacity as of January. Supporters say it also would reduce relapses into criminal behavior in a system criticized for ineffective parole policies, and use probation for low-level offenses.

The measure resulted from an investigation into the Department of Correctional Services last year.

Speaker of the Legislature Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney has designated the bill one of his 25 priority bills.

A 22-year-old North Platte man is facing several charges after he caused a scene with his ex-wife and others at a local restaurant.

At around 10:00 p.m., on March 24, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to a disturbance at Wild Bill’s Wings and Bowling, 1100 South Jeffers Street.

A 32-year-old female told officers that Zachary Spencer, who was intoxicated, had assaulted her and his 25-year-old ex-wife.

She said Spencer then drove North on South Dewey at a high rate of speed.

Officers spoke with Spencer’s ex-wife, who said she had arrived at the eatery with some friends when she observed Spencer in the establishment.

She alleged that Spencer grabbed her by the wrist and attempted to get her to go onto the dance floor.

When she refused, police say Spencer became angry and left the area.

According to the victim, Spencer then returned and tried to fight with one of the victim’s male friends, before he began to push her and several other people, including an employee who tried to intervene.

He then reportedly left the scene again.

Officers eventually located Spencer and placed him under arrest.

He was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center, and charged with 3rd degree domestic assault, 3rd degree assault, disturbing the peace, driving under the influence of liquor and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

According to jail records, Spencer is being held on $5,000 bond.