(AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission recently placed tracking collars on 11 elk in north-central Nebraska to better determine the population and to track the animals.

The state hired a helicopter animal capture crew to tranquilize and place GPS tracking collars and ear tags on the animals.

A bull, two cows and a female calf were collared near the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge on Friday. Later that day, a bull and six cows near Bassett were tagged and collared.

At Fort Niobrara, biologists are using the data to determine if there are enough elk in the area to warrant hunting on the refuge.

Six elk in that region received collars by the same process in 2013.

(AP) — Education groups are supporting a Nebraska lawmaker’s effort to increase the number of students eating breakfast at school.

Sen. Bill Avery of Lincoln introduced a bill that would encourage schools to create alternative breakfast programs, such as grab-and-go breakfast or breakfast in the classroom through a grant program.

The bill was presented to the Education Committee on Monday. Avery says Nebraska has one of the lowest school breakfast participation rates in the country. Supporters of the bill say eating breakfast leads to better educational outcomes for students.

Norris School District Superintendent John Skretta testified in support of the bill.

Skretta says his school has seen higher participation rates at schools with grab-and-go breakfast than those with a traditional breakfast.

(AP) — Douglas County authorities are investigating a weekend crash that killed a 23-year-old man near Omaha.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s office says the crash happened early Sunday morning on 72nd Street.

Officials say Brandon Fry was driving north in his Volkswagen Jetta when he struck a tree. The impact broke Fry’s vehicle in half and killed him.

A second vehicle was found in the ditch near Fry’s car, but it didn’t appear that the vehicles had hit each other. Investigators contacted the other driver, and are continuing to investigate.

(AP) — Police say a teen has been shot to death in north Omaha, and another teenager has been arrested.

A news release from police says officers were called to the area shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, where they found 17-year-old Dominique Hollie dead inside a home.

Police say a suspect, another 17-year-old boy, was found and arrested a short distance away.

That teen is being held in the Douglas County Youth Center on suspicion of criminal homicide and use of a gun to commit a felony.

Anyone with any information about the shooting is urged to contact the Omaha Police Homicide unit at 402-444-5656. Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers at 444-STOP (7867), www.omahacrimestoppers.net, or by texting “OPD” to 274637.

(AP) — Omaha police ticketed dozens of teenagers for possessing alcohol at a party this weekend and cited a 20-year-old man for providing it.

Officers were called to the party in midtown Omaha around 12:15 Sunday morning.

Police ticketed 52 juveniles for possessing alcohol, and a 20-year-old man was ticketed for procuring alcohol for minors and possessing a small amount of marijuana.

(AP) — Omaha police want to get to know community members outside the constraints of emergency and crisis situations. To do that, they’re inviting the public to sit down for a cup of coffee.

The invitation is part of a nationwide movement by law enforcement agencies called “Coffee with a Cop.”

The concept is a simple: Police and residents come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues and build relationships over a cup of coffee.

Omaha’s first “Coffee with a Cop” will be held at 8 a.m. Tuesday at the Heartland Café in the Elkhorn community. Another will be held at 8 a.m. March 3 at McDonalds on North 30th St. in Omaha.

(AP) — An elderly horse that drew worldwide attention for his owner’s refusal to comply with a local ordinance barring livestock inside city limits has died.

Peter Rabbit, a Morgan-quarter horse crossbreed, died in mid-January at the age of 38 — or about 120 in horse years.

Veterinarian Kelly Anderson took Peter Rabbit to live on his property just south of Hickman in 2009 following the horse’s eviction from town. Anderson says this year’s harsh winter may have contributed to the horse’s death.

The horse became a celebrity after its owner, 82-year-old Harley Scott, fought Hickman City Hall for two years in an effort to allow Peter Rabbit to live out his life in the pasture where he was born in 1976.