January 2015 – Page 31 – North Platte Post Archive

NP Business Owner Receives Prestigious Award

Posted on January 20, 2015January 20, 2015

The Premier Companies, franchiser of rent to own furniture, appliances, computers and electronics, held their 2015 National Convention in Marco Island, Florida last week.

A huge congratulations was extended and goes out to Chad & Rhonda Fosdick, Premier Rental-Purchase franchisees in North Platte, for receiving the Premier Shooting Star Award.

This award is given to new store locations who exceed a particular revenue point in their first full six months of operating.

Only one of these prestigious awards are presented each year.

“2014 was really an awesome year for us and our team,” said Fosdick. “I’ve devoted many years of hard work to provide our customers here in North Platte the best service possible and was excited to be able to open our own store and take that service expectation to the next level.”

“I’m proud to have surrounded myself with a tremendous staff. Katie, James and Mike are the ones that really earned this award and we’re just proud to have been a part of it,” Fosdick added.

During Fosdick’s nine year career in the rent to own industry, he has managed multiple store locations across Nebraska finishing in the top 7% in performance of a 750 store chain. His career also saw growth finishing in the top 10% of a 3,000 store chain in North Platte. Fosdick opened his own Premier Rental Purchase store in January 2014.

“I am extremely happy to have presented Chad this prestigious award. It reflects the dedication and hard work Chad and his team have put into his business,” said Trooper Earle, President & CEO The Premier Companies.

Premier Rental Purchase is located at 105 North Jeffers Street, in North Platte.

Joseph Michael Peterson

Posted on January 20, 2015January 20, 2015

Joseph Michael Peterson, 50 years, of North Platte, NE, formerly of Hesperia, CA, passed away after a long battle with COPD on Sunday, January 18, 2015, at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Joe was born on April 10, 1964, in Puerto Rico to Charles and Betty Price Peterson. He grew up in Puerto Rico, North Dakota and California. He lived in California until 2013 when he moved to North Platte to be closer to his mother.

Joe enjoyed dirt bike riding and racing, and spending time with his family and friends. He was an amazing journal writer and poet, and his family is thankful to have these journals. Joe also enjoyed the past six years living a life of sobriety.

He is survived by his son, Connor Cline, of Folsom, CA; his mother, Betty Peterson, of North Platte; brothers, David (Suzanne) Milleson, of North Platte, Charles R. Peterson, of Hesperia, CA, and Robert (Melloney) Peterson, of Phelan, CA; sisters, Debra, (Vince) Vasquez, of North Platte, JoAnn Fay, of Beaumont, CA, and Carla Bower, of Phelan, CA; extended family, Larry (Sharon) Milleson; 11 nieces and nephews; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and other family.

Joe was preceded in death by his father, Charles Peterson; grandparents, Flora Miller and Clifford and Veronica Peterson; and a nephew, Stephen Johnson.

Joe will be lovingly remembered by his family and friends in North Platte and California as they gather at 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2015, at Centennial Park Retirement Village with his mother, Betty. They will have a short prayer and sharing of memories. Cremation was chosen. Inurnment will be at a later date in California. Condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Jack Hoffman To Drop First Puck At Storm Game

Posted on January 20, 2015

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm will have a special guest at their game against Sioux Falls on Saturday night. Jack Hoffman and his father Andy will make the trip to Kearney from Atkinson, Neb. to watch Tri-City in action at 7:05 p.m.

The Hoffman family will be on the ice for a pre-game ceremony in which Jack will drop the game’s ceremonial first puck.

In addition, the Storm will wear specialty jerseys with the Team Jack Foundation logo. The uniforms will be sold as part of a silent auction during the game, with all proceeds donated to benefit Team Jack.

Another way Tri-City will raise money for the foundation is in the Storm Store. A Team Jack t-shirt is available for purchase, and all proceeds from shirt sales will go directly to the foundation.

Team Jack is committed to raising money for the sole purpose of funding relevant pediatric brain cancer research and works to create national awareness for the disease. As of January 2013, the Team Jack Foundation has committed more than $1.1 million and counting to pediatric brain cancer research.

The Storm have also designated the Team Jack Foundation as a recipient for the month of January in the annual Jerseys For A Cause program, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Tri-City will have a chance to move into second place on Friday night when they battle Omaha before Saturday’s game. Friday’s contest starts at 7:30 p.m.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.

Texas Mortuary Owners Face More Charges in Unattended Bodies Case

Posted on January 20, 2015

DALLAS (AP) — Additional charges have been filed against the owners of a Fort Worth mortuary business where authorities last summer found several decaying bodies left unattended.

Tarrant County prosecutors announced Tuesday that Dondre Johnson and Rachel Hardy have each been indicted on felony theft charges. Prosecutors allege the couple accepted payments for services they never provided.

Johnson and Hardy previously were charged with multiple counts of abuse of a corpse. Hardy also is accused in an unrelated matter of theft of public money for fraudulently receiving public assistance.

They have denied wrongdoing.

Johnson Family Mortuary closed in July due to nonpayment of rent.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office said seven of the eight bodies found there were in advanced stages of decomposition, though none showed signs of trauma or foul play.

Bonnie Grein Fankhauser

Posted on January 20, 2015January 20, 2015

Bonnie Grein Fankhauser, 81 of North Platte passed away January 19, 2015 at Great Plains Health. She was born March 24, 1933 in Hermosa, SD to Frank and Naomi Blanche (Martin) Grein. She attended high school in Rushville, NE. On September 5, 1950 she married John Fankhauser in Scottsbluff, NE. To this union four children were born. In 1952 the couple moved to North Platte, where Bonnie sold Tupperware, worked at K-Mart, and worked as a cashier at 6th Street Food Stores and U-Save for 27 years. Bonnie loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom she made quilts and baby blankets for. She also enjoyed crocheting and knitting. She and John enjoyed traveling, especially to the IMAX in Hastings. She will be remembered as a happy and fun person, full of life who enjoyed meeting and talking to people.
Bonnie is survived by her husband, John; children, Karen (Mike) Steele, Kenneth (Cindy) Fankhauser, Alan Fankhauser, and Joann (Bradley) McDermott; grandchildren, David, Jason, Jeremy, Mark, and Sara Steele, Steven (Samantha) Fankhauser, Darin Fankhauser, Chris (Timothy Garcia) Fankhauser, Daniel (Brittany) McDermott, Johnathan (Kellie) McDermott, and Rebecca McDermott; great-grandchildren, Rhythm, Tai Lynn, Treyson, Genna, Ariez, and Reyanne Fankhauser, Mason Fankhauser, and Scott McDermott.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Robert Grein and Dean Grein; sister, Joan Shepardson; and a grandson, Scott Alan Fankhauser.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org) or to the North Platte animal shelter. Online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Memorial Services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 23, 2015 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home. Inurnment will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Those wishing to sign the register book may do so from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. today and Thursday at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

Nebraska Ebola Doctor to Appear at State of the Union

Posted on January 20, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska doctor whose medical team treated three Ebola patients last year will attend President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.

Dr. Philip Smith, medical director of Nebraska Medicine’s Biocontainment Unit, was invited as a guest of U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse. Obama is scheduled to speak Tuesday starting at 8 p.m. Central Time.

Smith leads the specialized Nebraska team that treated three Ebola patients last year.

Nebraska’s biocontainment unit is the largest in the country and one of just four facilities in the United States equipped and trained to handle Ebola and other highly contagious diseases. Between September and November of last year, doctors in Nebraska successfully treated Dr. Rick Sacra and freelance journalist Ashoka Mukpo.

Sasse praised the medical staff for its courage, precision and hard work.

MPCC Instructors Recognized for Excellence in Teaching

Posted on January 20, 2015

Three instructors from Mid-Plains Community College have been selected as Excellence in Teaching recipients by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD).

The full-time instructors are Nicole Kissinger and Anne Schmit, and the adjunct representative is Carla Long. It’s the first time MPCC has allowed adjunct faculty to be nominated.

“It is always wonderful when we can recognize the accomplishments of our faculty whether they are full-time or part-time,” said Jody Tomanek, area vice president for academic affairs and NPCC. “This particular award is based on nominations from the faculty, themselves, so to be selected is really a recognition by their peers as well.”

NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues.

The three recipients from MPCC will be presented with awards at NISOD’s annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, May 23-26, in Austin, Texas. They will receive a specially cast, pewter medallion, and their names, titles and college they represent will be included in a commemorative booklet.

“Recognizing those individuals who have contributed to student success and their colleges’ mission is something we look forward to doing each year,” said Edward Leach, NISOD’s executive director. “The extraordinary work of these men and women includes not only what they do for their students and colleagues, but what they do for the communities in which they live and work. We’re honored to be able to play a part in celebrating their achievements.”

Created in 1978, NISOD is an organization committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning and leadership at community and technical colleges.

NISOD supports its member colleges by providing professional development resources and learning experiences, including practitioner publications, webinars, the international conference and the excellence awards.

The first NISOD Excellence Award ceremony was in 1989. Response was so positive that NISOD launched what has become the largest gathering to recognize contributions and achievements of community and technical college faculty, administrators and staff.

Nebraska High School Coaches Named as National Coach of the Year Finalists

Posted on January 20, 2015

The National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) and the Nebraska Coaches Association (NCA) announced the advancement of 13 coaches and an athletic director as finalists for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association national coach of the year:

Chad	Lyons	McCook	Assistant Coach of the Year – Boys’
Ann	Purdy	Northwest	Assistant Coach of the Year – Girls’
Bill	Fitzgerald	Fremont	Athletic Director
Bob	Greco	Omaha Westside	Baseball
Russ	Ninemire	Sandy Creek	Girls’ Basketball
Jim	Barker	Scottsbluff	Boys’ Cross Country
Todd	Nott	Plattsmouth	Girls’ Cross Country
Mark	Wortman	Elkhorn	Football
Darrel	Hoffman	Beatrice	Golf
Terry	Graver	Elkhorn South	Softball
Steve	Bischof	Elkhorn South	Tennis
Dave	Sellon	Fremont	Boys’ Track & Field
Alan	VanCura	Hastings St. Cecilia	Volleyball
Doug	Denson	Millard South	Wrestling

Eight finalists from across the nation, in nineteen recognized sports categories will be honored during the National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet which will take place at the NHSACA’s national convention at the Kahler Grand Hotel in Rochester, MN on the evening of June 20, 2015. The highlight of the banquet will be the naming of the NHSACA national coach of the year in nineteen recognized sports categories.

All Nebraska coaches were selected for this national honor by the NCA. The selection is based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years, and winning parentage. The nominees and finalists are evaluated by experts in the field of coaching using a sport-specific rubrics to assign points in each category. NHSACA is the oldest coaches association in the nation formed by coaches, for coaches, and has been recognizing national coaches of the year since 1978.

Detroit Lions, C Dominic Raiola Parting Ways after 14 Years

Posted on January 20, 2015

DETROIT (AP) — Dominic Raiola’s agent says the Detroit Lions have told the veteran center he is not part of their plans next season.

Raiola has played all 14 of his NFL seasons with Detroit, starting 203 games. Agent Kenny Zuckerman says Raiola would like to keep playing, but he’ll have to do so elsewhere. He signed a one-year deal last offseason that kept him with the Lions for 2014.

Detroit made the playoffs this season for only the second time in Raiola’s tenure, qualifying as a wild card. But quarterback Matthew Stafford was sacked 45 times, and the offensive line will now have a different look next season. The Lions picked center Travis Swanson in the third round of last year’s draft.

Police: Norfolk Woman Arrested After Hitting Person with DVD Player

Posted on January 20, 2015January 20, 2015

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — Police say a 29-year-old woman from Norfolk is in custody after hitting another person in the face with a DVD player and scratching officers who tried to arrest her.

Officers were dispatched to an apartment building Sunday night.

When they arrived, officers say they found the 29-year-old being pinned down by a second woman. Police told the second woman to get off the 29-year-old, and when she did, officers say the 29-year-old struck her with a DVD player that was on the ground.

Police tried to handcuff the 29-year-old, who they say struggled and resisted officers’ attempts to take her into custody.

She was arrested for second-degree domestic assault, third-degree assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer and disturbing the peace.