LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after authorities found methamphetamine, money and an assault rifle in his car.

Thirty-nine-year-old Pablo Rodriguez was sentenced Tuesday for possessing meth with intent to deliver and for possessing a firearm during drug-trafficking.

An area drug task force arrested Rodriguez after spotting his car leave a home it was watching. Officers stopped Rodriguez for failing to use a turn signal and found the drugs and an AR-15 assault rifle in the car.

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A Columbus city council member thinks the city won’t be getting enough money from the state for highway maintenance.

Terry Reardon raised his objection at Monday night’s council meeting during a discussion of the newest agreement with the Nebraska Roads Department. Under the annual agreement, the city is paid to seal cracks, fix potholes and do other work along U.S. Highways 81 and 30 in Columbus.

The city will receive a total nearly $38,500 for those services next year, an amount that Reardon says is too low. The per-lane rate has been the same since 2010.

Roads Department engineer Kevin Domogalla says the rate reflects the statewide average for maintenance costs per lane mile and that all communities are paid the same.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The Grand Island Police Department has been awarded six hand-held alcohol breath testing units through a state grant.

The Nebraska Office of Highway Safety provided the devices through a traffic safety grant award. The units are valued at $285 each.

Officials say the grant is part of the state’s efforts to prevent underage drinking and alcohol-related crashes. The portable units display a digital reading of a person’s blood alcohol level.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A Hastings man accused of trying to kill a police officer while escaping has pleaded no contest to charges.

Thirty-year-old Marty Deckert entered the plea Monday in Adams County District Court on charges of attempted second-degree murder, operating a vehicle to avoid arrest and first-degree criminal trespass. A plea deal dismissed other charges.

Authorities say Deckert tried to avoid arrest in July by speeding away in a car while dragging a police officer with him. The car crashed, causing minor injuries to the officer. Deckert escaped but was later arrested.

Deckert is scheduled to be sentenced in February.

FAIRBURY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in southeast Nebraska have added a K-9 to its force.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says Rico is a German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix that was added recently to the department.

Rico and his handler will receive training in Grand Island for the next few months.

Authorities collected donations to pay for the K-9.

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — A Bellevue man has been accused of stealing mail packages worth about $23,000.

Bellevue police say 24-year-old David S. Horvath faces charges of felony theft by unlawful taking and possession of stolen property. Court records do not list an attorney.

Authorities were investigating Horvath in connection to stolen property in La Vista when they matched his vehicle to a suspect vehicle in another theft. They observed several opened mail packages inside his car.

A search warrant was obtained and authorities found mail packages with addresses from Bellevue, Bennington, Ralston, La Vista and Omaha. The stolen items were valued at about $23,000.

Authorities say they’re looking for a woman in connection to the thefts.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha Archdiocese has unveiled a $2 million plan to market Catholic schools in northeast Nebraska’s 23 counties.

The campaign theme will be “Awaken Greatness.” The campaign will focus on what officials say is the difference a Catholic education can make in students’ lives.

The archdiocese’s schools superintendent Patrick Slattery says, “We think we have a great story to tell.”

Archdiocese officials say test scores at the parochial schools consistently are higher than state and national averages and high school graduation rates are above 98 percent.

Enrollment across the archdiocese’s 17 high schools and 53 grade schools is just over 18,900 this year, down slightly from 19,100 last year.