July 2014 – Page 57 – North Platte Post Archive

911 Dispatcher Takes Call Involving Her Own Son

Posted on July 10, 2014

MARYSVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A 911 dispatcher in California was startled when a caller turned out to be her fiancee reporting their infant son was choking.

Dispatcher Britney Melchor said she was training another dispatcher who took the call and wrote down the home address.

Melchor realized it was her own son who needed medical attention.

Melchor says she initially panicked. But then her training took hold, and she dispatched paramedics to her home.

Her 14-month-old son, Maverick, had swallowed a metal washer, starting the May 27 ordeal. The boy’s father, Robert Kimball, was able to dislodge the washer just as help arrived.

Melchor is a dispatcher in Marysville, a small city about 40 miles north of Sacramento.

Lincoln Man Gets 9 Years in Child Porn Case

Posted on July 10, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 40-year-old Lincoln man has been given nine years in federal prison for receiving child pornography.

Prosecutors say David Romanski was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Lincoln. He must also serve five years of supervised release after he leaves custody, and he must register as a sex offender.

Prosecutors say he’d received pornography from about October 2008 until sometime in May last year.

Investigators say they found on Romanski’s computer and other devices more than 1,300 videos depicting sexually explicit conduct of children under the age of 18, including a number of videos that were shared on a peer-to-peer network.

June Nebraska Storms Caused $13M in Public Property Damage

Posted on July 10, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The June tornadoes and thunderstorms that pummeled Nebraska caused an estimated $13.2 million in damage to roads, bridges, utilities and other public property.

A spokeswoman for the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that the state will apply for federal assistance to cover the damage in 12 counties. The town of Pilger, devastated by a tornado, accounted for $2.6 million of the public property damage.

The state’s public damage estimate doesn’t count private property, so the total cost is likely far greater. NEMA spokeswoman Jodie Fawl says officials are still tallying that number.

The counties with damage were Cedar, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Franklin, Furnas, Harlan, Kearney, Phelps, Stanton, Thurston and Wayne.

Grandma Sentenced After Toddler Drinks Meth Tea

Posted on July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

IDYLLWILD, Calif. (AP) — A woman whose 2-year-old granddaughter drank methamphetamine-laced tea has pleaded guilty to child endangerment and possession of a controlled substance.

Cynthia Ann Watson entered the pleas Tuesday in a Riverside County court. She was sentenced to 60 days in custody, including 43 days in a work-release program.

She’s also ordered to stay away from her grandchildren.

Authorities say the 51-year-old resident of Aloha, Oregon, was visiting her family in Garner Valley — a community near Idyllwild — last month when she prepared the meth-laced tea to get high but left it unattended.

Her granddaughter drank some. The toddler tested positive for methamphetamine at a hospital but is expected to make a full recovery.

Betty Jane Pinkston McDowell

Posted on July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

Betty Jane Pinkston McDowell, 89, passed away peacefully July 9, 2014 at the Callaway District Hospital in Callaway, Nebraska.
She was born on February 17, 1925 in a sod house near Arnold to Homer and Leona Cook Pinkston. She graduated from Arnold High School with the class of 1941. After graduation she taught school in the sand hills north of Arnold.
On March 14, 1942 she married Robert Lavern McDowell in Grand Island, NE. They celebrated their 66th Anniversary in 2008. They had 3 daughters, Sandra, Jane and Betty Jo. She lived on the McDowell ranch for 66 years where she was a partner in the farming and ranching operations. Bob and Betty developed a guest ranch with fishing lakes, hunting and homemade meals. Besides the ranch she was employed by Arnold Jack and Jill grocery store and she also operated the Arnold Swirly Top. While her daughters were in school she was active as a Girl Scout Leader. Through the years she was a 4-H supporter, 4-H parent, grandparent and 4-H Council member.
Her hands were never idle because she was always, knitting, crocheting, quilting, or creating needle point works of art. Friends and family were often recipients of her beautiful needlework.
One of her joys in life was time spent with her dog Rudy. He was her constant companion. Her family was very important to her and she loved watching her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She is survived by her two daughters, Sandra (Roger) Stockall of Hershey, NE and their son Justin (Tonya Hoelting) of Scott City, KN and daughter Jane (Richard) Hornung of Arnold NE, their children Holly (Scott) Remund of Arnold, NE, Heidi (Joe) Hornung-Scherr of Lincoln, NE, Adam (Nicole) Hornung of Hong Kong, and Heather (Kyle) Schroer of Lincoln, NE and grandson Sam (Holly) Sennett of Omaha, NE, sister in law, Mildred Pinkston of Arnold, NE; great grandchildren Sawyer Hornung-Scherr, Seneca Hornung-Scherr, Sadie Hornung-Scherr, Rio Remund, Riata Remund, Rayce Hornung- Relka, Scout Schroer, Syler Sennett, Mya Sennett, Ada Hornung and, Mae Hornung; and step great-grandchildren Tyler Remund, Emily Remund, Paul Remund, and Paige Hoelting.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert, daughter, Betty Jo Sennett, brothers John and Gene Pinkston, sister in law Fannie Pinkston, sister, Ena Maroney and parents Homer and Leona Pinkston.
Memorials are suggested to the Arnold Rialto Theater, Arnold Fire and Rescue, and Custer County 4-H Horse Committee.
Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com.
Services will be held on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at the Arnold Community Building at 2:00 p.m. Visitation will be on Monday, July 14, 2014 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with family receiving friends at Carpenter Memorial Chapel and on Tues from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. prior to the services at the Arnold Community Building. Carpenter Memorial Chapel of North Platte is in charge of arrangements.

Former Grand Island Firefighter Gets Prison for Child Porn

Posted on July 10, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Grand Island firefighter has been given seven years in federal prison for receiving and distributing child pornography.

Prosecutors say 51-year-old Mark Fhuere was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Lincoln. He had pleaded guilty. Fhuere must register as a sex offender and serve five years of supervised release after he leaves custody.

The crime was committed between May 2, 2011 and May 29, 2013.

Fhuere resigned his position as a firefighter-paramedic with the Grand Island Fire Department on May 31 last year. He’d worked for the department since 1996.

Omaha Man Gets Probation for Health Care Fraud

Posted on July 10, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 64-year-old Omaha man has been given five years of probation for health care fraud.

James Holt was sentenced on Wednesday. He’d pleaded guilty nine federal misdemeanors.

James Holt and his company, UMOJA, provided mental health services. Authorities say Holt and his company stole money by billing Nebraska Medicaid for services that weren’t actually provided. Investigators say 231 false claims were submitted for payment.

Holt and the company must make total restitution of more than $15,500.

Heineman Traveling to National Governors’ Conference

Posted on July 10, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman is traveling to Nashville for an annual meeting of the nation’s governors.

Heineman is scheduled to leave Thursday for this year’s National Governor’s Association conference. The gathering for Democratic and Republican governors runs through Sunday.

Organizers say the event will focus on education, workforce development, health care, veterans and jobs.

The National Governors Association represents the governors of all 50 U.S. states and five U.S. territories. Heineman served as the group’s chairman from July 2011 through July 2012. He was the first Nebraska governor to hold the title in 50 years.

Three Huskers to Attend Big Ten Media Days

Posted on July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

Lincoln – A trio of Nebraska football players will be in Chicago later this month to represent the Huskers at Big Ten Media days. I-back Ameer Abdullah, wide receiver Kenny Bell and safety Corey Cooper will be in Chicago on July 28-29.

Abdullah, a first-team All-Big Ten performer and Doak Walker Award semifinalist in 2013, rushed for 1,690 yards last season, the most by a Nebraska player since 1997, and this fall he could become the first Husker to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He is also the nation’s active career leader in all-purpose yards and is on track to become Nebraska’s all-time leader in that category.

Abdullah will also speak at the Kickoff Luncheon on Tuesday, July 29, on behalf of the players in attendance.

Bell has been the Huskers’ leading receiver during his Nebraska career and enters the 2014 season with 134 career catches for 1,901 yards and 15 TDs. Bell enters his senior season poised to become the school’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yardage. As a junior, Bell had 52 receptions for 577 yard and four scores, while also averaging 26.5 yards on kickoff returns.

Cooper, a Maywood, Ill., native, started all 13 games at safety last season and led the Blackshirts with 91 tackles, including five for losses, to earn honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors in 2013. He had four games with at least double-digit stops, including 10 tackles in the Huskers’ Gator Bowl win over Georgia. A three-year letterwinner, Cooper has played in 38 games during his Husker career, including every game the past two seasons.

The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, July 29, and features a new format for the 2014 event. Beginning at 10 a.m. CT, fans in attendance will take part in an autograph session with the head coaches and one former player from each school, while current players will take part in brief, live interviews highlighted by questions from fans on-site and through social media channels. Coaches and current and former student-athletes will be available for a photo session around 11 a.m.The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. and will showcase interviews with all 14 head coaches, and include speeches by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, Rose Bowl President Rich Chinen and Abdullah of Nebraska.

A limited number of tickets remain available for $110 per seat or $1,100 per table (10 seats). Contact Josh Munk at the Big Ten office at 847-696-1010, ext. 105, orjmunk@bigten.org to purchase tickets.

I-80 Work Expected to Slow Traffic Near Sidney

Posted on July 10, 2014

SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — Work is scheduled to begin next week on eastbound and westbound Interstate 80 and on the Sidney east and west interchanges.

The Nebraska Department of Roads says temporary crossovers and temporary ramps will be set up, and traffic will be reduced to one lane.

Construction is expected to be finished by October.