UPDATE:

Stanley M. Frye bonded out of the Lincoln County Detention Center around 2 PM today in regards to his Cruelty to Livestock charge after posting bond, 10% of $5,000.00.  Lincoln County Court has issued authorization to release the remaining hogs and payment of approximately $1,518.00 to the City of North Platte for expenses incurred in the management and caring of the livestock.  The swine will be loaded and continue to their destination, Jim’s Farms Meat in Winton, CA later this evening after temperatures have cooled. 

 

(NORTH PLATTE) (N.P.P.D.)-At around 12:43 PM on 07/31/12 Officers and Animal Control Officers responded to the area of South Bend Rd. near West North River Rd. on the report of a semi truck and attached livestock trailer broken down at that location.  Officers learned that the trailer had been parked at that location since around 9 AM due to mechanical problems.  The trailer also contained around 225 head of swine in various states of distress.  The semi driver and suspect, Stanley M. Frye told officers that had picked up the load of pigs around 1130 PM on 07/30/12 from their broker in Iowa and were in route to California to unload.  Frye told police that the semi suffered mechanical problems, which forced him and another passenger to stop at the above location and attempt to repair the truck.  They were waiting on parts for the semi when officers first made contact.  The parts were finally delivered to them at around 230 PM.  Due to the lack of air, breeze and water, members from the North Platte Fire Department were dispatched to the scene in an attempt to cool the animals with water.  Pigs are known to have inadequate sweat glands.  At around 2 PM it was approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit with very little wind.

Following a joint investigation between NPPD, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Dept. and the Nebraska State Patrol it was determined that there was probable cause to arrest Frye for Abandonment or Cruel Neglect to Livestock 54-903, (I Mis).  Frye was cited for Driving Under Suspension and at least one other carrier violation.

Eventually the semi was repaired and the swine transported to the Lincoln County Fair Grounds, where they are currently being cared for and kept.  Dr. Rick Keeten, of the North Platte Vet Clinic and members of the Lincoln County Fair Board also aided in assessing and caring for the live stock.  At the time of this press release only one animal has perished.   Efforts are being made to determine their future destination.

(NORTH PLATTE) A fantastic new addition to the Great Plains Regional Medical Center (GPRMC) is on the way! The new building is aimed at Modernizing the facility to enhance the patients experience by providing private rooms for each patient thus creating more space for family members. Also the new plans will install new efficiencies for staff and patients, reducing travel between buildings, and allowing more privacy for patients.

The new building will incorporate a design with redundancy  to create the efficiencies. Areas such as Intensive Care, Women’s & Children s area, and the Medical/ Surgical department  have capacity increasing design, also featuring a new parking lot to be finished by November/December.

The total investment of this project lands at approximately $100 Million dollars primarily funded through bonds, to bring to the GPRMC an additional 210,000 square feet of new space, a five story inpatient tower to provide 116 private rooms and additional space for families, a new lobby, new kitchen and cafeteria, conference center, new sleep lab, updated cardiac and pulmonary equipment, information technology addition and a new central Utility Plant.

Construction began in July 2012 for the new Information technology addition. The completion date of the patient tower is expected to be in the Spring/Summer of 2015.

Hospital Board Chair David Pederson says in a statement:

“What is being presented here today is by far the largest locally owned undertaking in the history of this region. “

GPRMC wants to take advantage of the beautiful state of Nebraska by adding features that make the beautiful skies of the state shine, as well as other features to integrate into the design like the sand-hills and with the tower design there will be more natural light shining through. The landscape will also feature a healing garden .

Additionally all services will continue throughout the construction. A high priority will be placed on directional flow of patients and providing parking for visitors and patients. A new temporary main entrance will be located east of the current entrance. A temporary entrance for Same Day Services and Cardiology will be located just south of the ER entrance and the temporary main entrance will include patient registration, information desk and gift shop.