(AP) — A Milford woman has made a plea deal and been convicted in a perjury case.

Betsy Smith pleaded no contest earlier this week to attempted perjury. Prosecutors had lowered the charge in exchange for her plea. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 12.

Prosecutors say Smith had sought a protection order against a York man, saying he was going “to slit her throat.” She later acknowledged under oath that the man had never threatened to hurt her.

Prosecutors also say Smith lied in a deposition for a criminal case and provided police with false information so they’d start a criminal investigation.

(AP) — A Wisconsin woman is suing an eastern Nebraska strip club where she dances, saying the owner of Shakers of Waverly has not paid her or other dancers an hourly wage or overtime in the three years she has worked there.

Elizabeth Mays says in the lawsuit filed Thursday that the strip club considers its exotic dancers independent contractors to avoid paying hourly wages and overtime.

Vince Powers, an attorney for Mays, says she and other dancers fit the legal definition of employees, because the strip club regulates when and how long they will work, what they wear, how long they dance. He says the dancers are even required to clean the bathrooms.

Powers also points to a 2001 Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court ruling against Shakers that found dancers are employees.

(AP) — Authorities have released more details about a collision in Omaha involving a school bus and a vehicle.

The Omaha Police Department says a vehicle driven by 19-year-old James Jones struck a school bus Thursday afternoon. Jones is accused of driving at a high speed when his vehicle rear-ended the bus.

A police report says Jones told authorities his brakes failed. He and a passenger in his vehicle, 18-year-old Kahla Barnes, were taken to a local hospital.

A driver and several children in the bus were not injured. The report says Barnes suffered facial lacerations. Additional information about the injuries was not released.

Jones received a citation for driving too fast for the conditions, and not having proof of car insurance. He has a court appearance scheduled in April.

(AP) — An Omaha attorney disbarred six years ago after a client lodged a complaint against him is now able to practice law again in Nebraska.

Stephen Smith filed a petition for reinstatement last March, and the Nebraska Supreme Court granted the request on Friday. The state’s high court said Smith’s failure to respond properly to the disbarment charges was due in part to depression.

The high court noted that Smith sought treatment and has taken a course in trust account management. Several letters of recommendation also called for Smith’s reinstatement, and the state’s Council for Discipline did not object.

Smith’s reinstatement is subject to 2 years’ probation, during which time he must retain — at his own expense — an accountant to audit his trust account every six months.

The Nebraska State Patrol is asking citizens for help in finding a wheelchair stolen from its owner as he traveled through Nebraska.

A 29-year old Minnesota man called the Nebraska State Patrol on Wednesday, March 26, to report that his wheelchair had been stolen from outside his parked vehicle. The man, who is a quadriplegic, was traveling with two friends from Colorado to Minnesota on March 21.  They parked to rest overnight on a frontage road just south of the Interstate 80, Alda Exit in Hall County.  The wheelchair was placed outside of the car to allow for the seat to recline. On the morning of March 22, when they went to get the chair, it was gone.

The wheelchair, a TiLite brand, black, custom Aero Z model with spingergy rims, is valued at $5,000.

“We’re hoping someone can help us return this chair to its owner,” said Lt. Dennis Leonard, Troop C-Grand Island.  “If anyone has heard anything or has perhaps seen an online ad matching the description of the stolen chair, we ask that they give us a call.”

Anyone with information that could help in the recovery of the stolen wheelchair is asked to contact the Troop C –Grand Island Headquarters at 308-385-6000.

(AP) — Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 38-year-old man during gambling at his home in north Lincoln.

Officers who were sent to the house early Friday found Nathaniel Morton Sr., who had a bullet wound on the left side of his chest. Police say he died later at a Lincoln hospital.

Police Chief Jim Peschong (peh-SHAHNG’) said that around 20 people had gone to Morton’s home Thursday night to gamble and throw dice. Peschong says Morton argued with one of them over money and got into a fight. Peschong says the other person then pulled a gun and shot Morton.

No arrest has been reported.

(AP) — A Lincoln man faces a felony charge after police say bomb-making materials were seized from his apartment.

39-year-old Jacob Wyrrick is charged with unlawful possession of explosives. Court records do not list an attorney.

Police say the materials were taken from his apartment on March 14. They allegedly included shotgun shells and a can of either gasoline or kerosene.

An affidavit says Wyrrick told police he mixed those materials with drywall pieces to create a firecracker. But he says he never attempted to ignite it.

 

(AP) — A northeast Nebraska man has pleaded guilty to a federal child abuse charge in connection to the death of a 14-month-old boy.

22-year-old Mark Grant entered the plea Thursday in U.S. District Court in Omaha to one count of child abuse causing death. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 19.

Court documents say Grant was caring for Julius Harlan, his girlfriend’s 14-month-old son, on Sept. 10 when the boy received brain injuries. The child died the next day at a hospital.

Grant initially pleaded not guilty to the case in October. Investigators say Grant provided different stories about the circumstance behind the injury.

(AP) — Nebraska’s most-populated counties continue to grow at a fast pace.

New population estimates based on the U.S. Census were released Thursday.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s David Drozd says the fastest growing Nebraska counties between April 2010 and last July were the state’s five biggest counties.

Sarpy County led all counties with at least 1,000 residents with 6.6 percent population growth in the Omaha suburbs.

Lancaster County, which is home to the capital of Lincoln, ranked second with 4.1 percent growth.

Douglas County, which includes Omaha, and Buffalo County, which includes Kearney, both recorded 3.9 percent growth.

Hall County, which is home to Grand Island, ranked 5th with 3.6 percent population growth.

The Census estimates also show that 31 of Nebraska’s 93 counties added population between 2010 and 2013.

(AP) — A 26-year-old Omaha man has been given seven to 12 years in prison for the 2012 robbery of a credit union office in Lincoln.

Online court records say Billy Johnson Jr. on Wednesday was given credit for 469 days already served. Johnson pleaded guilty last month in Lancaster County District Court.

Prosecutors say he got away with nearly $23,000 on July 9, 2012, from Liberty First Credit Union.

Prosecutors say Johnson was identified after investigators matched his left thumbprint on the note he gave a teller.