Sen. John Murante

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska state lawmaker who was considering a run for Congress says he plans to seek re-election instead.

Sen. John Murante of Gretna announced Monday that he won’t seek the seat held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford of Omaha.

Ashford defeated Republican Lee Terry last year in the race to represent the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Omaha’s Douglas County and parts of Sarpy County.

Murante says he and his wife received an outpouring of support, but now is not the time for him to run.

Murante, a Republican, was elected to his first term in the Legislature in 2012, and is up for re-election next year. He serves as chairman of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two Washington men who helped another man defraud Omaha-based ConAgra have been sentenced for wire fraud conspiracy.

Federal prosecutors say 43-year-old Charles Garcia, of Othello, Washington, was sentenced on Monday in U.S. District Court in Omaha to 12 months and a day in prison and told to make restitution of nearly $606,000. Prosecutors also say 48-year-old Jose Sanchez Jr., of Marysville, Washington, was given five months behind bars and told to make restitution of more than $53,000.

Prosecutors say Garcia and Sanchez, through their companies, helped Donald Wilson, of Bothell, Washington, in his fraudulent scheme. Wilson submitted to ConAgra at least 29 fake vendor invoices from the companies.

Prosecutors say Wilson wasn’t authorized to use ConAgra’s money for his expenses and expenses for a professional softball team he helped sponsor.

CLAY CENTER, Neb. (AP) — A federal livestock facility in Nebraska says it can resume new research after addressing all recommendations of an independent review of its animal care practices.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack halted research in March at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center near Clay Center until better animal welfare oversight procedures were put in place.

The center’s director says it has addressed the recommendations in a report by a U.S. Department of Agriculture panel.

The five-member panel toured the center in March and found no evidence of animal mistreatment. But it said the center’s animal welfare committee wasn’t fulfilling its responsibilities to review and oversee research.

The center conducts scientific studies to help the livestock industry increase the quantity and quality of meat production.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man has been arrested on suspicion of burglary after police say he left a friend’s home after drinking and passed out on a stranger’s lawn in Lincoln.

A 29-year-old man was cited on suspicion of burglary and suspicion of possession of marijuana. Police say he was found Saturday morning passed out next to a 42-inch TV with a package of bacon hanging out of his pocket.

According to police, the suspect broke into a house and took the TV and bacon. Capt. Bob Farber said the suspect told an officer than he got the bacon from a grocery store, but wasn’t sure where the TV came from.

Farber said the suspect had been drinking at a friend’s house and was on his way home.

(Photo Courtesy Nate Olsen/NU Media Relations)

Nebraska fans will have their first opportunity to meet Coach Mike Riley’s 2015 Husker football team at the annual Nebraska Football Fan Day presented by U.S. Cellular. This year Husker fans will have the opportunity to spend an evening at Memorial Stadium with Fan Day scheduled from 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

Fan Day will help kick off Nebraska’s fall camp which will begin later that week. The event is the best opportunity to meet Nebraska players and coaches before the start of the 2015 season. All players that will be part of preseason camp will be in attendance and available to Husker fans.

More details on Fan Day will be available on Huskers.com as the event draws near.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A company says noise rules being drafted in Lancaster County are so restrictive they would discourage wind farms from being developed there.

The Oregon-based company, Volkswind, wants to develop a 50-turbine farm in Lancaster and Gage counties.

A Volkswind project engineer said Thursday the likelihood of violating those proposed rules would be so great that wind energy companies would choose to build in other counties.

A Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department official says the regulations are based on recent studies looking at the potential health impacts of the constant, percussive sound made by turbines, which can cause sleep disturbance.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has suspended the law license of an Omaha attorney for three months over his mishandling of a client’s request.

The high court said Friday that David Steier’s suspension follows his work in 2012 for a client who paid him $800 to file applications for incorporation and tax-exempt status for a cheerleading studio and fitness center.

The Nebraska Counsel for Discipline says the client also gave Steier more than $800 in separate for fees to third parties that were never submitted. Officials say Steier knowingly made false and misleading statements to the client regarding the application.

The high court says Steier acknowledged violating his oath of office and attorney conduct rules.

Steier must also undergo 12 months of monitored probation following his suspension if he seeks reinstatement.