PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say there are no signs of foul play in the disappearance of a Nebraska woman and her 11-year-old son. Plattsmouth police say Charlotte and Owen Schilling were last seen about 10 a.m. Thursday in the Plattsmouth area, when she checked the boy out of elementary school. They haven’t responded to cell phone calls from relatives. Police say Charlotte Schilling’s vehicle was found Friday near Lake Manawa, which is just across the Nebraska border near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Her wallet and cell phone were in the car. Officer John Hardy said that there is concern about the whereabouts of Charlotte and Owen Schilling but the investigation hasn’t shown evidence of a crime.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Rabies cases are on the rise so far this year in Nebraska. State epidemiologist Tom Safranek says that the numbers of reports is on pace to top rabies cases from each of the past two years. There have been 21 cases reported so far in 2012. There were 53 reports in 2010 and 35 in 2011. Safranek says he expects the state could see close to 90 cases, the number reported in 2009. He’s urging the public to use caution when encountering bats, skunks and foxes and to avoid domestic animals that are behaving erratically.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office is offering a series of reminders for voters as they head to the polls for the May 15 primary election.

Secretary of State John Gale says voters should check their registrations and polling places before heading to the polls, and should bring proper identification if they are newly registered by mail and did not provide identification. Identifications are not required of other voters.

Registered voters who have moved within a county, but out of their former precinct, should go to the polling place associated with their current residence. They will be required to vote with a provisional ballot.

Polls on Election Day are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time.

You’ll be able to view local results right here on The North Platte Post.

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — A mail processing center in Norfolk that was slated for closure has gotten a reprieve.

The center had been scheduled to close Tuesday as part of an effort by the U.S. Postal Service to cut costs. But, the U.S Senate passed a measure last month that gives the postal service an $11 billion cash infusion.

Local media reports that although the bill awaits approval by the U.S. House, the possibility of the funding has prompted the postal service to delay the closures.

Spokesman Brian Sperry told the newspaper that there will be no closures in the coming week and that there will likely be a revised list of closures.

The postal service had predicted it will lose a record $14.1 billion this year.

CHANUTE, Kan. (AP) — A small airplane that crashed in southeast Kansas on Friday was carrying five people with connections to Oral Roberts University to a Christian youth rally in Iowa.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported four of the passengers died and one was badly injured. The fatalities are identified as pilot Luke Sheets, of Ephraim, Wis., Austin Anderson, of Ringwood, Okla., Garrett Coble, of Tulsa, Okla., and Stephen Luth, of Muscatine, Iowa.

Hanna Luce, of Garden Valley, Texas, was hospitalized in critical condition. The recent graduate is the daughter of Oral Roberts trustee Ron Luce, founder of Teen Mania Ministries, which was sponsoring this weekend’s Acquire the Fire rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Oral Roberts President Mark Rutland is asking the university community to pray for Luce and remember those who were killed. He says Luth, Sheets and Anderson were recent graduates, and Coble was a former business instructor at the school.

The National Transportation Safety Board says the twin-engine Cessna 401 went down Friday afternoon west of Chanute, Kan., and caught fire.

The NTSB says the plane lost contact with air traffic control after getting permission to descend to a lower altitude.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — Leadership is changing hands this weekend at Chadron State College.

Local media reports Janie Park will retire Saturday as college president. On Sunday, Vice President Randy Rhine will become the interim president of the school, which has nearly 3,000 students. He’ll serve until a new president has been hired and can begin work.

Park has led the Nebraska State College System campus since August 2005. She says she and her husband intend to return to their home in Red Lodge, Mont.

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the disappearance of a Plattsmouth woman and her 11-year-old son.

Plattsmouth police say Charlotte and Owen Schilling were last seen about 10 a.m. Thursday in the Plattsmouth area. They haven’t been heard from since.

Police say Charlotte Schilling’s vehicle was found Friday near Lake Manawa, which is just across the Nebraska border near Council Bluffs, Iowa.

MITCHELL, Neb. (AP) — A grass fire northeast of Mitchell has scorched about 3,000 acres.

Mitchell Fire Chief Jon Wurdeman told local media that about 55 people from nine fire departments worked to contain Thursday afternoon’s blaze. The fire burned 3,000 acres but was contained to one property.

Wurdeman says the official cause of the fire hasn’t yet been determined but it may have been sparked by heat from catalytic convertors on vehicles used by a fencing crew.

No injuries have been reported.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A suspect has been arrested in a series of violent robberies in Grand Island.

Police say 22-year-old Ryan Greenwood was arrested Friday morning after the most recent robbery. He was charged in Hall County Court with 10 counts that include robbery and attempted robbery.

Police say Greenwood wielded a machete when he robbed a convenience store on April 26 and tried to rob a pizza shop on May 6. He’s also accused of firing a shotgun early Friday at the front door of a bottle shop in an attempt to get inside and then threatening a motel clerk with the gun as he took money.

Greenwood is being held in the Hall County jail on $500,000 bond.

Authorities say Greenwood has no permanent address. Court records don’t list his attorney.

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln business association is urging the City Council to put a proposal to extend anti-bias protections to gay and transgender people on the ballot.

 

The Lincoln Independent Business Association told local media it would be appropriate to allow residents to vote. The group hasn’t taken a stance on measure.

 

A council vote on the measure is set for Monday. If it passes, opponents have 15 days to collect 2,500 signatures to put the issue of the ballot. Groups opposing the measure say they’re considering that.

 

The state attorney general says cities cannot adopt such ordinances because the state’s anti-discrimination laws don’t extend to sexual orientation. However, voters can approve changes to city charters to extend protections to groups not covered by state law.