NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Services has issued flood advisories for several eastern Nebraska counties after thunderstorms dumped heavy rain.

A stream flood advisory was to expire later Friday morning in portions of Antelope, Boone and Madison counties. Up to 6 inches of rain was reported in southern Antelope County.

Law enforcement officials say water has covered the roadway on U.S. Highway 275 east of Oakdale and on Nebraska Highway 70 west of Elgin. Storm runoff also covered some streets in northwest and midtown Omaha.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a canine has helped find 70 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Nebraska.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says 50-year-old Raymond Ojeda, of California, was arrested following a traffic stop Wednesday night. He faces charges including possession with intent to deliver.

Authorities say a deputy became suspicious of three large duffel bags in Ojeda’s car during the traffic stop. A canine later indicated the odor of illegal drugs in the car. The drugs were discovered inside the bags.

Court records do not list an attorney for Ojeda.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln officials say problems at a new apartment complex remain unresolved but aren’t serious enough to warrant action by the city.

Tenants who moved into the Prime Place apartment complex over the weekend were met with unfinished units and common areas. Some apartments had clogged bathtub drains.

Officials noted seven building code violations when the complex was inspected last week, but all of them were considered minor.

Building and Safety Manager Terry Kathe says those issues haven’t been resolved as of Wednesday, but none are considered life-threatening.

Kathe says the city has urged the developer and contractor to finish cleaning. The complex’s developer has declined to comment on specific problems.

RALSTON, Neb. (AP) — Ralston officials could face a tough task in persuading lawmakers to help spare city taxpayers from a huge tax increase.

Ralston Mayor Don Groesser is expected to propose a 34 percent property tax increase and a new restaurant tax in the city in response to the Ralston Arena’s financial problems.

But Groesser says he’ll promise to roll back the property tax increase if lawmakers step in with more incentives for the arena.

Several legislators say changing state law to help spare taxpayers from the potential increase would be a difficult sell to the Legislature.

State Sen. Merve Riepe says he’ll do what he can to help but that the city shouldn’t “expect the Legislature to ride in on a white horse to save it.”

 

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A 33-year-old Hastings woman has been accused of stuffing a baby wipe down the throat of a toddler, killing her.

Azudany Serrano-Contreras was arrested Wednesday and charged with committing intentional child abuse resulting in death. Her attorney declined to comment on Thursday.

A court document says Serrano-Contreras was baby-sitting 19-month-old Aliyana Peterson on March 12 when officers were sent to the woman’s home. Serrano-Contreras told officers the she’d wiped the girl’s face with a baby wipe, set it down on a counter and turned to get lotion. She says that when she turned back, the little girl was gasping for air. A hospital nurse later removed the baby wipe from the girl’s throat.

The pathologist who conducted the autopsy ruled the death a homicide.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An October trial has been scheduled for a Nebraska man charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident in Iowa.

Online court records say 29-year-old Dustin Suppi, of South Sioux City, entered a written plea of not guilty on Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court. His trial is set to begin Oct. 13.

Sioux City police say the accident occurred around 3:15 p.m. on Aug. 8, when Troy Ford and his wife stopped to check on a driver slumped behind the wheel of a pickup that was sitting in a roadway. They awoke the driver, who started to speed away. But police say a trailer being pulled by the pickup ran over Ford, fatally injuring him. Suppi was arrested in Plymouth County after officers forced him off a road.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old man convicted of an Omaha slaying has been sent to prison for up to 60 years.

Mitchell Wynne was sentenced Wednesday in Douglas County District Court. In April a jury found the former Northwest High School football player guilty of first-degree murder for the July 14, 2013, shooting death of Darnell Haynes in an Omaha parking lot.

Prosecutors say Wynne, who was 17 at the time, intended to rob Haynes of marijuana when he shot and killed him.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A North Carolina man has been given more than four years in prison for evading federal taxes while he lived and worked in Nebraska.

Prosecutors say 59-year-old Chet West, of Nebo, on Tuesday was sentenced to 51 months and ordered to make restitution of nearly $440,000.

The Internal Revenue Service says West earned taxable income of more than $272,000 while living in Omaha over the tax years of 2007, 2008 and 2009 but didn’t file federal returns for those years. Officials say he should have paid nearly $53,000 in federal taxes. Officials also say that after being informed he was required to file returns, West continued efforts to evade federal taxes.

Prosecutors say the restitution total includes amounts for years beyond the counts of conviction and includes interest and penalties.