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This Hour: Latest Nebraska news, sports, business and entertainment

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NEBRASKA CAPITOL FOCUS

Nebraska lawmakers push toward session's end

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska lawmakers are forging ahead slowly this year with the state budget, a new school funding formula, and an overhaul of juvenile services. But some of the most contentious priorities will likely have to wait.

With three weeks left in the session, supporters of a Medicaid expansion bill are still short of the votes they need to return it to the floor for debate. The measure was halted by a filibuster, as was a proposal to repeal the death penalty.

Many supporters say they're now looking to next year on both bills. Speaker of the Legislature Greg Adams says he won't allow the Medicaid bill back onto the agenda unless supporters can garner at least a two-thirds majority needed to overcome a filibuster.

OFFICER BITTEN

Omaha police say woman bit, punched officer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - An Omaha police officer is recovering after being bitten and punched by a 19-year-old woman who didn't want to follow instructions.

Officer James Shade says police were called to a west Omaha apartment building around 2 a.m. Saturday because a man wanted a woman removed from his apartment.

Officers escorted the woman out and told her to leave, but that's when she attacked Officer Michael Decker.

The woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer and possessing drug paraphernalia.

DRUGSTORE STANDOFF-REMAINS

Neb. gunman's girlfriend admits helping hide body

ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) - A 20-year-old Hemingford woman has admitted helping hide the body of a Denver man in northwest Nebraska months before her boyfriend died in an armed standoff.

Rose Siefke (SEHF'-kee) pleaded guilty Friday to being an accessory to a felony in the death of 38-year-old Josh Bullock.

Siefke's trial was scheduled to begin Monday, but she agreed to plead to the reduced charge after a judge ruled that some of what she told investigators couldn't be used.

Prosecutors say Siefke helped her boyfriend, Andres Gonzalez, hide the body of Joshua Bullock in December 2011.

Gonzalez was killed last June after a daylong standoff with police in Alliance where he wounded three officers. Before his death, Gonzalez told police he had killed Bullock and buried the body in Dawes County.

FLOOD RECOVERY PROGRAM

Nebraska landowners can enroll in flood program

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Eligible landowners are being urged to enroll cropland affected by the 2011 Missouri River flood into two federal land conservation programs.

The Missouri River Post Flood Habitat Recovery Program provides eligible landowners incentives for enrolling cropland into the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program.

All lands eligible for CRP and CCRP located on the 500-year Missouri River Floodplain are eligible for the flood recovery program. There will be a 1-time incentive payment of $100 per acre for each CRP acre enrolled with Farm Services Agency.

The next general signup starts today and runs through June 14th. Landowners interested should contact Scott Luedtke at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at 402-471-5561 or Scott DOT Luedtke(at)Nebraska DOT gov.

HUNTING PERMIT APPLICATIONS

Nebraska sets application deadlines for big game

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The first application period for big-game hunting permits begins Monday and runs through June 7th.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says that for deer, residents and nonresidents may apply for one permit in any one draw unit. The draw units are Republican Mule Deer, Platte Mule Deer Conservation Area, Platte Whitetail, Frenchman Mule Deer Conservation Area and Frenchman Whitetail.

Residents and eligible landowners may apply for one antelope buck or either-sex firearm permit or one muzzleloader permit.

Residents and eligible landowners may apply for one elk permit.

Residents have preference over nonresidents in the application process. The permits will be drawn in mid-June.

All remaining big-game permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning July 8th.

HABITAT TOURS

Tours show off habitat management techniques

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska landowners who want to create or protect habitat for wildlife are invited to tour well-managed lands in the state.

The Nebraska chapters of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are hosting tours of 17 different locations in the state this spring and summer.

The tours began Thursday with a cedar tree removal project near Linwood. The final event is a rangeland management workship on August 16th in Holt County.

The tours are meant to show habitat management practices in action and provide information on how landowners can take part in conservation programs.

More details about the free tours are available online at WWW DOT NebraskaPF DOT com. Anyone interested in attending can register by calling Pam Grossart at 308-850-8395.

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