(AP) — The Nebraska Capitol’s south entrance is set to close briefly for repairs.

The south entrance will close starting Friday morning so workers can reset granite steps and repair walkway joints. The work is expected to take about a week before the entrance reopens.

The east, north and west entrances will remain open during construction.

The project comes after Nebraska lawmakers finished this year’s 90-day session.

The Capitol is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

(AP) — A 21-year-old Omaha man has been convicted of killing a 16-year-old who had been wearing a red shirt, the color of a rival gang.

Online court records say Angelo Tolbert was found guilty on Wednesday of first-degree murder, assault and two weapons charges.

Police say the murder victim, Montrell Wiseman, didn’t belong to any gang. A 16-year-old girl also was hit by pellets from two shotgun blasts fired by Tolbert.

Investigators have said Tolbert and four others were driving around in a rival gang’s territory, seeking revenge for the September shooting death of a cousin of one of the men. They spotted Wiseman and two girls outside a house.

(AP) — A U.S. Department of Agriculture official has defended closing a meeting with Nebraska agriculture interest groups from the public and media.

Acting Deputy USDA Secretary Michael Scuse said after Wednesday’s meeting in Lincoln that closing the meeting gives those in attendance a chance for “more open and honest dialogue.”

Dan Steinkruger is state director of the Nebraska Farm Service Agency. He was at the meeting, too, and he later told the Journal Star that “it’s just easier” to close such sessions.

The USDA was discussing efforts to pass the 2013 farm bill with Nebraska commodity groups and state and university representatives.

At stake in the legislation for nonfarming taxpayers are subsidies for crop insurance, for example, and potential cuts to food stamps.

(AP) — The Oklahoma medical examiner’s office says eight of the 20 people killed during last Friday’s tornadoes and subsequent flooding either drowned or probably drowned.

The agency said Wednesday that one person died of asphyxiation and 10 died as a result of blunt force trauma or head injuries. The cause of death was not yet determined for one victim.

Storms that swept through the Oklahoma City area on Friday generated an EF5 tornado and violent flash floods. The tornado was the widest one ever recorded at 2.6 miles.

Oklahoma emergency officials have said many of those who drowned were swept away while taking shelter from the tornado in storm drainage ditches.

(AP) — Taco Bell is firing a California employee who was photographed licking a stack of taco shells.

The shot was made in March at a Taco Bell in Ridgecrest, 100 miles north of Los Angeles.

Taco Bell Products Inc. says the shells were provided for workers to practice making its new Cool Ranch tacos and were thrown out without being sold.

The Irvine-based company says the photograph was taken for a contest showing employees enjoying their first bite of the product. It wasn’t submitted, but a worker posted it to a Facebook page — which violates company policy.

Taco Bell says the worker also violated food handling procedures.

The company says the licker has been suspended and will be fired, while the photographer no longer works at the restaurant.

The twister that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on Friday, killing 19 people, is now the widest tornado on record, according to a researcher with the National Weather Service.

Tornado researcher Howard Bluestein said the tornado that hit west of Oklahoma City and killed four storm chases, reached a maximum width of 2.6 miles. Bluestein said, “This is the biggest ever.”

The previous record holder for the widest tornado was an F4-rated twister that hit Hallam, Nebraska on May 22nd, 2004. Its maximum width reached 2.5 miles.

In addition to revising the width of Friday’s twister, the National Weather Service upgraded its rating from EF-3 to the highest-intensity rating of EF-5. Also, the death toll has now been updated to 19.

(AP) — A South Sioux City man has been sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender.

U.S. Attorney Deb Gilg says 34-year-old Louis Saunsoci was sentenced to 21 months in prison earlier this week in Omaha’s federal court. After his release, Saunsoci must also undergo five years of supervision.

Authorities say Saunsoci was previously convicted in federal court in Oklahoma for having sexual contact with a child. He received a 21 month sentence and was required to register as a sex offender.

Prosecutors say Saunsoci moved to Nebraska and registered with the Omaha Tribe as a sex offender. He listed a residence in Macy, when he actually lived in South Sioux City.

(AP) — A driver has died in the crash of a cement truck in northern Nebraska.

The Nebraska State Patrol says Rollin Kramer was found dead in the truck. The crash occurred a little after 3:45 p.m. on Monday, west of Amelia in Holt County.

The patrol says Kramer’s truck ran off the roadway on 856th Road, entered a ditch and rolled onto its roof.

(AP) — Grief counselors will be available to Fremont High School students Wednesday as they mourn the deaths of three classmates.

Authorities say three 16-year-old boys were fatally injured and another seriously hurt in a car crash Monday night southeast of Fremont.

Two who died at the scene were driver Jackson Blick and passenger Tyler Walling. Trey Hansen died Tuesday night at an Omaha hospital, where his organs were removed for transplants. Another 16-year-old, Jake Burnside, remains hospitalized in Omaha.

All four had been involved in school sports and activities, as well as church youth groups.

The accident was reported around 9:50 p.m. Monday. Dodge County Sheriff Steve Hespen says Blick lost control of his 1966 Mustang while speeding on Old Highway 8, and the car ran into a ditch and rolled.

(AP) — Authorities in Omaha have made another arrest in an investigation into gang-related activity.

Tuesday night, Omaha police arrested 27-year-old Jabari Liggins on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine with intent to deliver and destruction of property. He remained in custody Wednesday, and it was unclear if he has an attorney.

His arrest followed those of two other men earlier in the day. Police are still searching for two more men.

The arrests are part of a nine-month investigation by local and federal authorities called Operation Purple Haze. Four men were arrested late last month on suspicion of drug dealing. Another man faces a federal firearms charge.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer says all the men are considered leaders in two of the city’s most notorious gangs.