OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A national advocacy group has ranked Nebraska and Iowa among the nation’s worst in enacting safer driving laws.

The Washington, D.C.-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety group released its annual report Thursday rating each state based on their laws meant to increase safety. Nebraska and Iowa are among nine states to receive the lowest rating.

The group has identified 15 laws it believes ensure safe driving. Both states have just five of the laws on the list.

Jacqueline Gillan, the group’s president, says these states’ secondary offense laws, such as texting while driving and not wearing a seatbelt, allow unsafe behavior.

Fred Zwonechek, Nebraska Office of Highway Safety administrator, said the low rating doesn’t mean the state isn’t a safe place for drivers.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska gun control advocates and opponents are squaring off on a series of new measures in the Legislature.

The Judiciary Committee heard testimony Thursday on three pieces of legislation that would expand gun owner rights and one bill that would limit reckless firing.

The bills would allow for security teams at private schools to carry guns; for lawful aliens and military spouses to meet state residency requirements when applying for a handgun application; and for legal gun owners to store a gun in a vehicle parked outside a business where they’re employed.

A bill by Sen. Jerry Johnson of Wahoo would increase penalties for reckless shooting near buildings or property in smaller towns. The penalties are higher in Omaha and Lincoln.

The North Platte Noon and Sunrise Rotary Clubs are encouraging youth who are sophomores or juniors in high school and have an interest in learning about and developing their leadership potential, to apply for the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) program.

RYLA camp is July 19-24, 2015 in Halsey, Nebraska and is a co-ed leadership camp designed to develop leadership skills through problem solving, communication, and team building while learning about the value of service, the importance of community, and the role of Rotary locally and internationally.

Rotary International is the oldest service organization with 1.2 million members worldwide.

Applications and additional information can be found at www.greatplainsryla.org.

A North Platte man is facing sexual assault charges after his relationship with a 15-year-old girl was discovered by the girl’s mother.

Last September, the North Platte Police Department opened a sexual assault investigation, after receiving a complaint from the mother of a female juvenile.

The mother alleged that her daughter and Eric McClain, who was 23-years-old at the time, were involved in a consensual sexual relationship.

In January 2015, the girl was interviewed at the Bridge of Hope, regarding her relationship with McClain.

According to Officer Rodney Brown, the girl reported that she and McClain had sexual intercourse on multiple occasions at different locations.  The girl said she and McClain had met while she was in 8th grade.

An investigator met with McClain on January 21 and, following further investigation, determined that there was probable cause to charge McClain with felony 1st degree sexual assault.

Nebraska law prohibits anyone over the age of 19 from having sexual intercourse with anyone younger than 16.

McClain was placed under arrest and jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts will call for an additional $60 million a year to lower property taxes in his first State of the State address to lawmakers.

The proposal is part of the governor’s budget recommendations that will be released after his speech on Thursday at 10 a.m. Central Time. Ricketts has said reducing property taxes is his top priority this year.

The proposal would boost Nebraska’s property tax credit fund to $400 million over two years. The state money would help offset what Nebraskans have to pay in local taxes on their property, including homes, farms, ranches and company buildings.

Ricketts says Nebraska has been ranked behind New York state and California in its overall tax burden on citizens. He will also propose other tax relief measures.

• Today: Sunny, with a high near 43. West northwest wind 5 to 11 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
• Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 19. South southwest wind around 6 mph becoming west northwest after midnight.
• Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
• Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. West northwest wind 10 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers could debate a proposal this year to legalize medical marijuana.

Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue introduced a measure on Wednesday along with four co-sponsors.

The bill, dubbed the “Cannabis Compassion and Care Act,” would let doctors prescribe the drug for debilitating diseases such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS and hepatitis C. Recreational use would remain illegal.

Former Attorney General Jon Bruning filed a lawsuit last month to stop Colorado from selling marijuana recreationally, arguing that it’s created problems for Nebraska. The legal challenge by Nebraska and Oklahoma argues that the decision by Colorado voters runs afoul of federal drug laws.

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Three state lawmakers are sponsoring bills that would bar discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Nebraskans.

The measures were unveiled Wednesday before a packed crowd at the Capitol.

Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln introduced a measure that would prohibit employers from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

A bill by Sen. Sara Howard of Omaha would allow two adults to adopt a child jointly, regardless of marital status.

Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha is sponsoring a measure that would prevent sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination when placing children in foster care.

A similar bill was voted out of committee last year but died in the Legislature.

A 21-year-old North Platte woman is facing a felony drug charge following a disturbance on Tuesday evening.

At around 8:20 p.m., on January 20, the North Platte 911 Communications Center received a call regarding a disturbance between a male and female in a red and gray Dodge Dakota, near the 1400 block of East 5th Street.

Officers investigated, and made contact with a 21-year-old male, who alleged that his girlfriend, Sabrena Flores, had struck him in the face multiple times following an argument.

According to Officer Rodney Brown, officers determined that there was probable cause to arrest Flores, and charge her with 3rd degree domestic assault.

Brown said a search of Flores’ person, subsequent to her arrest, revealed a small silver container.

Inside the container, officers found the prescription drug Alprazolam, a Scheduler IV drug for which Flores did not have a prescription.

As a result, Flores was also charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans could be fined for using a cell phone while in the driver’s seat of vehicle under a bill proposed to the Nebraska Legislature.

Sen. Merv Riepe of Omaha introduced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit drivers from using the devices on the road, even to make a phone call.

Riepe says the bill is aimed at texting while driving, but would define all games, photos and data transmission as a secondary driving offense. Officers could only ticket motorists after stopping them for another reason.

The bill excludes emergency phone calls to and from doctors, law enforcement and fire departments. Under the measure, drivers could use their phones only if they have pulled off of the road to a safe stop.