LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Allowing bettors to wager on horse races that have already happened is needed to save the horse racing industry in Nebraska, a state senator says.
Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh of Omaha says instant racing terminals should be allowed at licensed horseracing tracks as a way to boost revenue for the industry and the state. He says it also could create jobs.
Opponents say adding the machines merely expands gambling and does nothing to help Nebraskans.
The Judiciary Committee on Wednesday heard more than an hour and a half of testimony on Legislative Bill 806, which would allow betting at gambling machines that show races from a library of tens of thousands of old races.
Supporters argue it would not be expanded gambling because the machines would be at horse tracks.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) – A jury has convicted a former Scottsbluff police officer in a child pornography case.
Twenty-seven-year-old Tyler Reinpold, of Scottsbluff, was found guilty of 10 counts of possessing child pornography on Wednesday in Scotts Bluff County District Court. The jury deliberated for about five hours before returning the verdict.
Reinpold faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing is March 9.
Defense attorney Sterling Huff claimed the images were part of an investigation Reinpold was conducting. County Attorney Doug Warner said there was no evidence that the images were part of any ongoing investigation.
The Nebraska State Patrol began investigating Reinpold in August 2010. Reinpold was a Scottsbluff police officer for about three years before leaving in January 2011.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A bill designed to limit the spread of black-tailed prairie dogs in Nebraska has won first-round approval in the Legislature.
Lawmakers voted 30-0 on Wednesday to advance the measure by Ellsworth Sen. LeRoy Louden.
The proposal (LB473) would give counties the power to carry out a management program to help control the animals, which ranchers often view as pests.
The bill is intended to prevent black-tailed prairie dog colonies from expanding from one person’s property to another.
Counties would have the power to notify landowners that a  colony is not being managed, and could require landowners to take action.
Landowners would also have to notify counties that they have moved to address the problem.
The bill requires two more votes before it goes to Gov. Dave Heineman.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska State Patrol is again reminding Nebraskans holding a permit to carry a concealed handgun that, for some of them, it’s time to renew those permits before they expire.
Such permits issued in Nebraska are good for five years. If the permit is renewed before its expiration, the permit holder will not be required to retake a certified training course. The cost for renewing a permit is $50.
Those who allow their permits to expire will be required to retake a certified training course and pay a $100 fee for a new permit.
Since 2007, the State Patrol has issued 16,185 conceal carry permits. Nearly 3,500 were issued within the first year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Sandhill cranes are making a rare appearance in Nebraska this winter.
The majestic gray birds with red caps have been spotted along the Platte River west of Grand Island. About 1,000 cranes have overwintered along the river near the National Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary at Gibbon.
Sandhill cranes normally pass through Nebraska in the fall on their way south. In January, they should be hundreds of miles away where it’s warm.
Ornithologist and author Paul Johnsgard, of Lincoln, says severe drought has devastated the crops in their wintering grounds in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Kent Skaggs, officer manager at Rowe Sanctuary, says they’ve had cranes since mid-November. He says it’s because of the open water, leftover corn in harvested fields and the mild weather.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A bill that would have explored the possibility of building a hydroelectric dam on the Platte River is dead.
The Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee killed the measure Monday after a hearing.
The bill by Omaha Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh would have allocated $2 million to examine the cost and benefits of a dam project in the Platte River valley. But the project likely would have flooded the town of Ashland and thousands of acres of farmland in Saunders County.
Elk Creek Sen. Lavon Heidemann, the committee’s chairman, made a motion to kill the bill. Lincoln Sen. Tony Fulton said the bill was broadly drafted and would take a lot more work to move forward.
Members voted, 6-0, to indefinitely postpone the bill.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Two Nebraska farm groups have endorsed Gov. Dave Heineman’s plan to repeal an inheritance tax collected by counties.
Leaders from the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska Cattlemen said Monday the plan would ease the burden on young farmers who receive agricultural land from their parents.
Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson says the inheritance tax makes it difficult for new farmers because of the vast expanses of land needed to run an operation, and narrow profit margins.
County officials say the loss of revenue would force them to increase property taxes. Heineman has countered that counties should trim their spending, as the state did when it lost revenue after repealing Nebraska’s estate tax.
Heineman unveiled the plan during his State of the State address to lawmakers.

MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) – A 62-year-old McCook man has been sentenced to 14 days in jail for assaulting his 95-year-old father.
Jon Leitner was convicted of disturbing the peace. Court documents say the original assault charge was reduced at the request of the victim.
Police say Leitner assaulted his father at least three times on Sept. 19. An officer found bruises on the chest of Elmer Leitner and he complained of pain.
Jon Leitner was given credit for eight days served.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Republican Attorney General Jon Bruning has filed papers to run for the Nebraska U.S. Senate seat held by outgoing Democrat Ben Nelson.
Bruning submitted his papers Monday to the Secretary of State’s office. He repeated his opposition to the Obama administration’s health care law and EPA regulations he says are killing Nebraska jobs.
Bruning has already announced he would seek the seat, and is in a GOP primary race with State Treasurer Don Stenberg, state Sen. Deb Fischer and investment adviser Pat Flynn.
Nelson announced last month he would not seek re-election.
Former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, a Democrat, has said he’s exploring a possible bid.
Bruning has won endorsements from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood and 27 other current and former state senators.