OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say an officer has been injured in a collision with a car driven by drunken driver.

A department news release say Officer Mike Bossman was taken to a hospital after the accident that occurred around 9:40 p.m. Wednesday. Bossman was treated for a shoulder injury and then released.

The department says a car ran a stop sign and hit Bossman’s cruiser in northeast Omaha.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say the death of a 33-year-old woman in the Nebraska Panhandle town of Sidney was accidental.

Hilary Crawford had been found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at her home on April 10.

Local media reports that multiple drug toxicity is listed as the cause of her death. Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub (shawb), acting as county coroner, says autopsy tests showed Crawford had a potentially lethal amount of methadone in her blood. He says Crawford had been given a prescription of methadone for pain relief.

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — Platte County supervisors have decided to beef up security at the Platte County Courthouse.

The board decided at Tuesday’s meeting to move a metal detector from the second floor down to the first floor and restrict courthouse access to one entrance. The detector had been placed on the second floor to help protect courtrooms.

Local media says other entrances will be converted to exit-only doors.

The decision follows a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and addresses concerns raised by county employees.

Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Shepherd said Tuesday, “We’re the target. We’re the government.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha employer has been charged in a federal indictment with two counts of failing to pay taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks.

Daniel Malone is charged in the indictment, handed down Wednesday, with failure to pay nearly $40,000 in federal income and Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes in 2006.

If convicted, the 66-year-old Malone faces up to five years in prison on each count.

Calls to a home phone number for Malone went unanswered on Wednesday. Court documents on Malone’s case do not yet list an attorney for him.

(Scottsbluff, Neb.)- The Nebraska State Patrol conducted surprise commercial vehicle inspections today, Wednesday, June 20, in Scottsbluff/Gering.  The surprise inspections target commercial vehicles that might not travel outside the city or pass through weigh stations as part of their regular routes.

During the special enforcement effort, the Metropolitan Aggressive and Prevention Selective (MAPS) Teams conducted 53 inspections, discovered 236 violations, and took 20 vehicles out of service (not allowed to continue on the road).  Vehicles are placed out of service for a variety of reasons relating to bad brakes or tires, or other problems that pose immediate safety risks. In addition, five drivers were taken out of service (not allowed to continue driving) for No Commercial Drivers License (3), Driving Under Suspension (1), and No Log Book (1).  Officers issued a total of $2,525 in fines.

“The MAPS Team ensures truck operators who rarely leave the city limits are maintaining their vehicles and abiding by safety regulations,” said Colonel David Sankey, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “While most truck owners and operators share our concern for safety, we know some think they can ignore safety standards as long as they avoid the weigh stations. The MAPS Team extends our reach into cities and towns across the state.”

This was the 6^th MAPS Team event of 2012. Inspections have also been conducted in Lincoln, Grand Island, Sarpy County, Omaha & North Platte this year.  More surprise inspections are planned throughout the spring and summer in cities and towns across Nebraska.

The MAPS Team is funded largely by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Troopers check for compliance with federal safety regulations and enforce laws pertaining to weight, size, registration, dyed fuels, and permits associated with commercial vehicles. The MAPS Team was implemented in 1998 and consists of 36 troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division. On average, 20-24 troopers work each MAPS event.

ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) — A city official says a fuse problem required a cutoff of electricity for about three hours in Alliance.

Local media  says the outage began around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday.

City Manager J.D. Cox says a fuse problem cropped up at the Western Area Power Administration substation west of Alliance.

Cox says the utility had to disrupt power and shut down the substation in order to make repairs.

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Public Power District is cutting $15 million from its budget because mild weather led to lower electricity sales this year.

NPPD Chief Financial Officer Traci Bender told the local media that the cuts represent about 1.5 percent of the utility’s $950 million annual budget.

Bender says the mild winter and spring weather has reduced energy sales in Nebraska. And the low price of natural gas has reduced the market price for electricity sold outside the state.

NPPD doesn’t expect to lay anyone off. Instead the Columbus-based utility says it will leave some positions open, reduce outside consultants and delay some preventative maintenance and equipment purchases.

Bender says none of the proposed cuts will affect safety or reliability.