OMAMA, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service in Omaha has issued a hazardous weather outlook for portions of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

The service says light snow is expected to develop Friday afternoon into the evening. As much as two inches is expected along and northwest of Interstate 80.

But a brief period of sleet could accompany the start of the snow in the afternoon. Wind gusts approaching 20 MPH could cause blowing snow in the evening.

The weekend should be clear, with another chance for snow on Monday.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Arlene Johnson calls the return of her missing wedding rings her Christmas miracle.

Johnson said her husband of 54 years, Rodney, had died in May and that she’d added his wedding band to her ring finger with her wedding rings. But she lost them in early December during a night out dining with friends.

A couple of days later she mentioned her loss while on a visit to her chiropractor’s office. The office manager, Janis Robbins, remembered seeing a Kearney Area Exchange Facebook post about wedding rings. Robbins sent a message to Madison Bressman, who’d found the rings at Napoli’s restaurant where she worked. Robbins then learned that the rings matched the description of those Johnson had lost.

Johnson soon had her rings back.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Possession of a pot brownie will result in a fine in most of Nebraska, but in some western counties it could land you in jail.

Some counties near Colorado are treating marijuana extracts used in food as a Schedule I drug.

Possession of that drug is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. In most parts of the state, simple possession of a pot brownie carries a $300 fine for the first offense, with no jail time.

Deuel County Sheriff Adam Hayworth says he and others are deferring to a prosecutor’s opinion.

Sen. Al Davis of Hyannis says he plans to introduce a bill next month that would require law enforcement to treat marijuana edibles the same as regular pot.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)–Nebraska health officials say they are seeing more cases of the flu across the state in the past two weeks.

Cases of influenza are now considered widespread in Nebraska.

State epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Safranek says the flu season appears to be hitting its peak sooner than usual this year.

Safranek says holiday gatherings can help transmit diseases like the flu, so everyone should be sure to wash their hands and avoid touching their face. If possible, avoid being around sick people.

Experts do still recommend that most people get a flu shot to help build immunity and reduce the severity of the illness.

But it takes about two weeks after the shot to build immunity, so getting immunized sooner would be better.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol intends to resign Dec. 31.

The announcement of Col. David Sankey’s intention was made in a news release sent Tuesday night by the office of Gov. Dave Heineman. The governor named Sankey to the post in March 2011.

The 50-year-old Sankey was commissioned as a Nebraska State Patrol officer on Dec. 11, 1987.

Heineman’s office says Lt. Col. Tom Schwarten, assistant superintendent of the patrol, is expected to take command of the patrol until a successor for Sankey takes over.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska regents are still mulling four candidates for the system’s top spot.

The Board of Regents met behind closed doors for two hours on Tuesday to review feedback submitted by students, faculty and staff regarding the presidential finalists.

Chairman Howard Hawks says board members haven’t started narrowing down the candidate pool. He said a final candidate could be chosen as early as January.

The four finalists were named on Nov. 3. Each has since toured the state and the system’s four universities while meeting with stakeholders. The search has cost the system $211,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s population continued to grow steadily this year, but the rate of growth may not be enough to ensure the state will keep all three of its U.S. House seats after the 2020 Census.

The U.S. Census Bureau released new estimates Tuesday showing that Nebraska’s population had grown to 1.88 million by July 1 of this year.

The state’s population was roughly 0.7 percent higher than the July 2013 estimate of 1.87 million.

The nationwide population grew at a similar rate to 318.9 million this year, but states in the South and West grew at a more brisk pace above 1 percent.

David Drozd, research coordinator for the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Center for Public Affairs Research, says the state has now gained population for 27 years in a row.

Two North Platte women are facing charges following a disturbance Monday night.

At around 7:30 p.m., on December 22, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to a residence in the 1700 block of West 1st Street.

It had been reported by the homeowner that a 32-year-old male at the home was not wanted.  Police say this is the fifth time in the past month that officers have responded for the same complaint.

Upon arrival, officers learned that the male had been invited by a renter at the home, 32-year-old Tanya Barnett.

The homeowner had also told police that illicit drugs were being used in a rented bedroom.

As a result, officers conducted a search and discovered drug paraphernalia.

At this point, authorities say Barnett brandished a kitchen knife and threatened an officer.  She was taken into custody without further incident and charged with felony 2nd degree assault of a police officer, use of a weapon to commit a felony and, because her 13-year-old daughter was residing in the room where methamphetamine was believed to have been used, child abuse.

Further investigation revealed that another resident of the home, 36-year-old Heather Lobdell, was also using methamphetamine in the presence of her 13 and 14-year-old children.  She was placed under arrest and charged with child abuse.

Officers say Lobdell refused to let go of her son after being directed to do so by officers, and as a result was also charged with obstructing the police.

The children were placed in the custody of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Lobdell and Barnett were transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed.

• Today Snow likely with widespread blowing snow before 11am, then a chance of snow between 11am and 5pm, then a slight chance of snow after 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 30. Windy, with a north northwest wind 23 to 32 mph, with gusts as high as 48 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 16 to 21 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
• Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 37. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
• Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. West southwest wind 5 to 7 mph.
• Christmas Day Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Light and variable wind becoming north 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.
• Thursday Night A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19.
• Friday A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A Scottsbluff man convicted in a child pornography case has been sentenced to prison.

Online court records say James Larive on Friday was given five to 10 years for visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and a consecutive sentence of two to four years for possession of pornography. Larive had pleaded no contest after prosecutors dropped other felony counts.

The Nebraska State Patrol says Larive was arrested in March after sharing the porn files. Investigators say they found more than 200 files of porn on his computer.

Online court records say Larive will turn 30 on Tuesday.