KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) – A California man faces up to 50 years in prison for a stabbing in October at a Kearney hotel.
Larry “Lorenzo” Aguilar, of Riverbank, Calif., pleaded no contest last month in Buffalo County District Court to first-degree assault.
Police say Aguilar stabbed Michael Autry, also of California, outside the hotel on Oct. 23. In exchange for Aguilar’s plea, a second weapons count was dismissed.
Autry underwent surgery for his injuries and has since recovered.
Aguilar, who remains at the Buffalo County Jail, is set to be sentenced June 14.

ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) – A government meteorologist says straight-line winds caused the damage in Alliance last week – not a tornado.
John Griffith of the National Weather Service says radar and other evidence lead him to rule out a tornado. Griffith says photographs showing what looks like a twister likely show a cloud of dust.
Friday’s storm ripped the roof off an Alliance home and pushed six coal cars off the tracks at a Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard on the south side of town.
No injuries were reported.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A bill that would limit the number of frivolous lawsuits prisoners can file at public expense is set for a final vote in the Nebraska Legislature.
Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the bill when they return to the Capitol on Tuesday.
The proposal by Omaha Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh would prohibit prison inmates from filing lawsuits at public expense, once a judge has found that three of their previous claims were frivolous. It would only apply to lawsuits filed after the law has taken effect.
The law includes exceptions if a judge determines that the inmate is in danger of serious bodily injury.
The bill is LB793.

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) – Authorities say dozens of cats have been rescued from deplorable conditions in a house in Plattsmouth in eastern Nebraska.
33 cats were seized on Monday. Officials say there were containers full of feces, which also covered walls and a bathtub, and floors were warped because of urine.
Plattsmouth Animal Control officer Sue Baker says the homeowner had 60 cats a few years ago, and had been working with officials to comply with the ordinance. Officials obtained a warrant after learning she was in violation of the ordinance.
Plattsmouth allows two pets per household.
Baker says the homeowner has faced several tragedies in her life and won’t face criminal charges.

GERING, Neb. (AP) – An 18-year-old Gering man has been given five to eight years in prison for his role in the beating and robbery of a man in Scottsbluff.
Dimas Garza was sentenced on Monday. He’d pleaded no contest to aiding and abetting a felony. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors lowered that charge from robbery and dropped three misdemeanor assault charges.
Prosecutors say Garza was one of four men who beat another 18-year-old man and stole his car last October.
Raymond Furrey was placed on probation for his role. Two other accomplices, Antonio Ybarra and Santana Garza, are scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
Furrey, Ybarra and Santana Garza also are 18.

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) – A 35-year-old Columbus man has been convicted of sexually assaulting his stepdaughter, beginning in 2004 when she was 8.
The man faces a maximum of 120 years in prison when sentenced.
The Associated Press is not using the man’s name, to protect the privacy of the girl, who is now a teenager.
The girl testified that a week never went by from the time she was 8 until 13 that she wasn’t sexually assaulted by her stepfather.
The girl eventually told a schoolteacher about the assaults.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Lawmakers are nearing the end a legislative session that will include new investments in university medical research, an overhaul of child welfare services, and a tax-cut package aimed at low- and middle-income Nebraskans.
Lawmakers have finished most of their top legislative priorities, with three days left in the session. But in nearly every major policy decision this year, lawmakers have shown a greater-than-usual willingness to confront Gov. Dave Heineman, and the Republican often has responded strongly.
Several times this session, Heineman has singled out individual state senators for criticism, and last week he portrayed the session as one that could be tarnished by tax increases and giveaways to illegal immigrants.
Some lawmakers have blasted Heineman’s tax package and assailed his administration’s oversight of child welfare services.

ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) – An apparent tornado has damaged a house and derailed rail cars in Alliance.
Law enforcement officials reported to the National Weather Service that the tornado touched down about 5 p.m. Friday.
Eagle Radio station KCOW reports that a roof was ripped off an Alliance home and thrown into the porch of an adjacent house. Six coal cars were thrown off the tracks at a Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard in south Alliance.
No injuries were reported.