CENTER, Neb. (AP) — A 66-year-old man has taken a plea deal and been convicted of second-degree murder in the slaying of his wife in northeast Nebraska.
Prosecutors had lowered the charge against Phillip Privett from first-degree murder. Privett also pleaded no contest to a weapons charge on Tuesday. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on May 26.
Prosecutors say Privett shot to death his wife, 66-year-old Linda Privett, at their home in Verdigre (VUR’-dih-gree) on Oct. 20.
Privett’s attorneys had been checking into having him plead insanity, but prosecutors say an evaluation of Privett earlier this month showed that he did not fulfill the criteria necessary for such a plea and that he would have been mentally competent to stand trial.
DENVER (AP) — Legalizing marijuana reduces drug arrests but doesn’t solve one of the central goals of drug-policy reformers — ending racial disparities in marijuana enforcement.
That’s according to a new review of Colorado’s criminal justice system before and after pot was made legal.
A report released Wednesday by the pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance examined drug-related arrests in all 64 Colorado counties for two years before and two years after legalization in 2012.
Not surprisingly, the data showed that marijuana-related arrests all but vanished after voters made the drug legal in small amounts for adults over 21.
But the report noted continuing racial disparities in arrest data from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Even after legalization, black people were more likely than white people to be charged with marijuana-related crimes.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s investments will soon include more foods that could be on a menu for his favorite cheeseburger meal once H.J. Heinz’s acquisition of Kraft Foods is complete.
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, which owns roughly half of Heinz, will become the biggest shareholder in the new Kraft Heinz Co. in the deal announced Wednesday.
Buffett is famous for his simple tastes for cheeseburgers, steaks Coke and ice cream. Berkshire already owned Dairy Queen and Heinz, and it’s the biggest shareholder in Coca-Cola.
This deal will give him Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and A.1. Steak Sauce to accompany those meals, and it will create one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world.
Berkshire and its Heinz partner, Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital, will invest $10 billion in the deal.
HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A judge has rejected a Hastings man’s request to withdraw his pleas to charges stemming from the dragging of a police officer.
Thirty-year-old Marty Deckert had accepted a plea deal on charges of attempted second-degree murder and other crimes. But at his sentencing hearing last month, Deckert tried to fire his court-appointed attorney and withdraw his pleas.
Authorities say Deckert tried to avoid arrest in July by speeding away in a car while dragging a police officer.
Deckert said in court on Tuesday that he thought his attorney had pressed him to take the plea deal without fully explaining what it included.
Judge Terri Harder denied Deckert’s motion, saying he didn’t provide enough evidence to back up his argument and had lied at the sentencing hearing.
SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has delayed a decision on a proposal for a Sioux County disposal site for wastewater from oil exploration.
The commission heard 2½ hours of public comment Tuesday at its Sidney headquarters before convening a specific hearing on the proposal from Terex Energy Corp. The Broomfield, Colorado-based company wants to truck salty groundwater and fracking wastewater that result from oil searches and production in Wyoming, Colorado and, eventually, Nebraska, to a ranch north of Mitchell, Nebraska. The water would be injected into an old oil well on the ranch.
Critics of the proposal have cited possible threats to surface water and the Ogallala aquifer. Company officials deny the plan poses any threat to water resources.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln school board has approved a $50 million, 10-year plan that will provide third- through 12th-graders with a laptop over the next three years.
The board voted 6-0 Tuesday, with one member absent. The plan also provides tablets to kindergarten through second-grade classrooms.
The number of computer labs in the district will be reduced by nearly half, saving about $1 million a year. The remaining labs will be used for more specialized classes, such as computer programming, video production and computer-assisted drawing.
Sixth-graders will receive the laptops next year. Upper elementary students, seventh-graders and students at two high schools will receive the devices in 2016-17. Eighth-graders and the remaining four high schools will get them in 2017-18.
The Omaha World-Herald says the district has more than 37,800 students.
North Platte Public Schools Associate Superintendent Tami Eshleman will be recommending James Ayres to the North Platte Public School District’s Board of Education for North Platte High School principal starting in the 2015-2016 school year.
According to Eshleman, The interview team included incoming Superintendent Dr. Ron Hanson, district administrators, building administrators, building staff, and teachers. The candidates interviewed with staff, and toured the high school with students.
Certified positions are posted on the school website, as well as on the Teach in Nebraska website, CareerBuilder, Omaha World Herald and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators website.
“Staff members often turn to James for advice and support,” said recently named Adams Middle School principal, Vikki Carlson, in her letter of recommendation. “He is the one constant that all staff members can rely on no matter if there are times of uncertainty or times of celebration. James is confident, calm, and caring.
Ayres is a graduate of Ogallala High School. He graduated from University of Nebraska-Kearney with a Bachelors of Science in Secondary Education with endorsements in History 7-12 and Physical Education 7-12.
Ayres began his teaching career with the Connestoga Middle School in 1999 and received his Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
He taught for five years before starting his administrative career with North Platte Public Schools, serving as Dean of Students at Adams Middle School.
Ayres has been an Assistant Principal at North Platte High School since 2006.
“Mr. Ayres is a reliable principal and is eager to take the lead of North Platte High School,” said Eshleman. “He has established a positive rapport with students, parents, and staff. He is a team player and has been supportive in his role as assistant principal.”
Ayres’ wife, Angie, is an elementary teacher with North Platte Public Schools. They have three children Madilyn, Brooklyn, and Jackson.
Eshleman said the recommendation will be made at the Board of Education’s meeting on April 14.
KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska-Kearney men’s basketball coach Tom Kropp is retiring at the end of June.
The 62-year-old Kropp has spent 39 years in the Lopers’ basketball program, and he finishes his head coaching career with a 482-245 record in 25 years.
He has been co-head coach with Kevin Lofton the past decade after serving as the program’s sole head coach from 1997 to 2005. Between the 1990 and ’96 seasons, Kropp was co-head coach with Jerry Hueser.
The Aurora native was an All-America basketball and football player at UNK and, after a professional basketball career, served as a graduate assistant and assistant coach under Hueser for 10 seasons.
Kropp will teach full-time in the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences for the College of Education in fall 2015.
PHOENIX (AP) — NFL owners head into their final day of a busy set of meetings with plenty more work to do.
After a flurry of votes and news, several more items on this week’s agenda remain.
A change in overtime that would require both sides to have a possession even if the team receiving the kickoff scores a touchdown is on the table.
So is moving the extra point kick back to the 15-yard line, and a scenario that gives teams that successfully convert a 2-point conversion the chance to immediately add another point from midfield with a “bonus field goal.”
Indianapolis came up with the latter which, if approved, would make a nine-point deficit a one-possession game.
The Colts also have proposed allowing host teams to open a retractable roof at halftime, weather permitting, to enhance fan experience.
Mable L. Johnston, 88, of North Platte passed away March 24, 2015 at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg. She was born December 29, 1926 in Wellfleet, NE to Charles and Lorena (Moyer) Miller. Mable grew up in Wellfleet and attended the public schools there. She married Leonard H. Johnston and the couple had 8 children. Mable enjoyed camping, fishing, square dancing, and having fun with her grand kids and kids.
Survivors include her children, Verna (Gary) Price of North Platte, Gary (Ann) Johnston, Stan (Donna) Johnston all of Texas, Dennis (Melody) Johnston of Florida, Doug (Barb) Johnston of North Platte, Gaylene (Bob) Lueck of Lexington, and Colleen (Don) Dubry of North Platte; 23 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Leonard; daughter, Cheryl; two granddaughters, Sherry and Chasidy; grandson, Charles; brothers and sisters; several cousins; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made in her name and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Services will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Wellfleet Cemetery. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Friday, March 27, 2015 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.
