(AP) — The credit-card bank operated by Nebraska outdoor retailer Cabela’s has been fined $1 million by banking regulators and ordered to pay cardholders restitution for deceptive and unfair acts.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. posted a March 10 enforcement order to its website Friday showing that Lincoln-based World’s Foremost Bank agreed to the sanctions. The bank did not admit or deny violations.

The order comes more than three years after Cabela’s agreed to pay nearly $10.4 million and reform its credit card practices as part of a settlement with the FDIC over assessing improper fees and other issues.

In the order released Friday, the FDIC said World’s Foremost Bank must refund certain interest charges to cardholders and to repay others for add-on credit card services, such as identity-theft protection.

(AP) — It looks like Nebraska and Iowa are in for some stormy weather this weekend.

The National Weather Service says some Saturday afternoon thunderstorms could be seen in western and central Nebraska, with a chance of severe thunderstorms developing late Saturday night in eastern Nebraska.

On Sunday, there is high chance for thunderstorms statewide, with high winds in parts of eastern Nebraska.

In Iowa, sunny skies will turn cloudy by Saturday night, with thunderstorms expected to move into western Iowa by around 9 p.m. Storms will move across the state overnight into Sunday, and could bring heavy rain, hail and high winds. The Des Moines area could see about 2 inches of rain, while parts farther east could up to 2 1/2 inches of rainfall.

(AP) — A 33-year-old Scottsbluff man has been sentenced to up to three years in prison for trying to bribe a juror during his drug trial.

Brian Ross was sentenced Thursday to 18 to 36 months for the felony charge.

Prosecutors say Ross had spoken to a juror upon arriving at the courthouse in December for his drug trial. The juror joined the jury panel and listened to testimony, and then reported the conversation during the lunch break. The juror was replaced by an alternate.

The jury convicted Ross of felony possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanors counts of reckless driving and obstructing a police officer. He was acquitted of attempted assault.

In January, he was sentenced to 540 days on the three convictions.

(AP) — Nurse practitioners say the governor’s veto of a bill that would have allowed less oversight by physicians could limit efforts to attract more of the health care professionals to Nebraska.

Gov. Dave Heineman vetoed the bill last week, citing concerns for patient safety.

The bill would have removed a requirement that nurse practitioners have agreements with physicians, who are available for collaboration or referral if a patient’s condition has been unresponsive to current treatment and requires more of a team-approach.

Without the agreement, nurse practitioners can’t practice in Nebraska.

LaDonna Hart, president of Nebraska Nurse Practitioners, says nurse practitioners are having a harder time finding doctors who will sign the agreement.

Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue says she’ll bring the issue up again next session.

North Platte Public Schools Officials have announced several administrative assignments and one resignation in the district.

Jefferson Elementary Principal, George Schere, resigned last week to accept an administrative position with Hastings Public Schools.

A news release said Schere and his family have been wanting to move closer to family in the eastern part of the state.  Schere served as principal of Lincoln and Jefferson Elementary Schools during his time in North Platte.

Superintendent, Marty Bassett, announced Denise DeGiovanni as the new principal at Jefferson Elementary, starting in the 2014/2015 school year.

Bassett said DiGiovanni has served North Platte Public Schools as a teacher, High Ability Learner Director, Instructional Coach and as principal of Hall Elementary.

“Mrs. DiGiovanni’s diverse experience will be an asset as the Jefferson principal,” Bassett said.

Bassett alson announced that current principal of Eisenhower Elementary, Mary Derby, will also serve as principal of Hall Elementary next year.  He said Derby has experience leading two school buildings, having served a principal of both Hall and McDonald schools previously.

According to officials, these assignments complete the North Platte Public Schools administrative team for the 2014/2015 school year.

They say the district is excited about the opportunities that await students and families next year.

• Fred Dean Zogg, 34, North Platte and Eva Mae McConnell, 30, North Platte

 

• Joshua Ray Walter, 29, North Platte and Chelsea Danene Ray Zogg, 25, North Platte

 

• Knicholos Keith-Lee Brinda, 20, North Platte and Kayla Sue-Ann Mathers, 25, North Platte

 

• Brandon James Herrada, 24, Hershey NE and Rochelle Kay Refior, 24, Hershey NE

 

• Cole Thomas Walther, 18, North Platte and Shelby Lynn McClellen, 20, North Platte

(AP) — A western Nebraska woman has made a plea deal and has been convicted of helping her husband kill himself.

On Thursday 53-year-old Deann Kimble, of Sidney, pleaded no contest to a felony charge of aiding a suicide. Prosecutors dropped a charge of concealing human remains. Kimble faces up to five years in prison when she’s sentenced on June 12.

Deputies have said Kimble told them that she promised 61-year-old Russell Kimble that she would not intervene when he decided it was “his time to die.”

She told investigators that Russell Kimble shot himself on March 22, believing he was gravely ill. Investigators say Deann Kimble then wrapped his body is a shower curtain and sheet and buried it in a shallow grave.

A North Platte man, who is no stranger to theft and other criminal charges, has again been arrested, this time for burglarizing an elderly North Platte man’s home.

According to Officer Rodney Brown, North Platte Police responded to the report of a burglary of a residence in the 1500 block of North Sherman at around 10:oo p.m. on Thursday.

An 71-year-old male told officers the William Dennis Butrick, 22, had forced his way into the home and stole around $300 worth of coinage.

At around 11:30 p.m., officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle, driven by Butrick, near the area of Bryan and East 7th Street.

Following further investigation, Brown said officers found probable cause to arrest Butrick for felony burglary.

Brown said a small amount of money was recovered.

Butrick was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond.

Butrick has an extensive criminal record in Lincoln and Keith Counties, including numerous theft charges.

(AP) — As the spring storm season arrives in Tornado Alley, emergency officials are wrestling with a dilemma posed by man’s best friends.

Many public shelters won’t accept animals, so people end up dashing across town to rescue their pets or staying in unprotected houses rather than hunkering down in safety. Officials say that panicked pets cause problems in shelters when they’re packed inside with people they don’t know.

But many residents won’t leave their pets behind, and some try to ride out dangerous storms in cars parked outside the shelters. Last year, 34 people were killed by twisters in Oklahoma, most of whom were in cars or unreinforced houses.

(AP) — A state senator is working on a possible ballot measure to increase Nebraska’s minimum wage.

Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha issued a call for supporters Thursday to help gather the 80,000 signatures needed by early July. Nordquist has launched a website, ValuingWork.com, as part of an effort to place the issue on the November ballot.

A bill that would have raised Nebraska’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour died in the Legislature in March, after lawmakers fell five votes short of the support needed to advance it through a first-round vote.

Nordquist says a ballot measure would propose raising the wage to at least $9 an hour. He points to a January poll of Nebraskans, in which 60 percent of respondents said they favored raising the wage.