March 2015 – Page 19 – North Platte Post Archive

Altha Leanore Babbitt

Posted on March 25, 2015March 25, 2015

Altha Leanore Babbitt, 95 years, formerly of Sutherland, NE, passed away Monday, March 23, 2015, at Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, NE.

Altha was born October 22, 1919, to Rolland Arthur and Cecelia Burgetta (Outson) Frame in Lisco, NE. The family lived near Hershey, NE and she graduated from Hershey High School in 1937. Altha then attended Kearney State Teachers College, graduating in 1941 with a degree in Business Education and later earned graduate hours from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

Altha went to California where she was employed by the Lockheed Aircraft Factory in Burbank. When she returned to Nebraska, Altha worked for Mars Clothing Shop and Hansen & Fuenning Accounting Firm in North Platte before starting her teaching career.

Altha taught high school business classes at Scotia, Bloomfield, Hershey and Sutherland. She then taught business and sponsored various clubs at Sutherland High School for 25 years and was sponsor of the yearbook “The Log” from 1963 to 1978. Altha retired from teaching in 1978.

On August 14, 1949, Altha married Paul DeLancey Babbitt at Hershey, NE, and they lived in Sutherland where they raised their son, Gregory.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church for 60 years and was active with the United Methodist Women and served in different positions. Altha was also a member and officer in the Sutherland Woman’s Club and on the Library Board.

In 2004, Altha moved to the Skyline Retirement Center in Omaha to be closer to Greg. Here she was active in attending the Omaha Community Playhouse until her health declined. She also enjoyed playing bridge.

She is survived by her son, Greg Babbitt, of Omaha; a sister, Patricia Ulrich, of Omaha; sister-in-law, Evelyn Frame, of Hershey; and several nieces, nephews and other family.

Altha was preceded in death by her husband, Paul; her parents, Rolland and Cecelia Frame; and brothers, Perry and Gayle Frame.

Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Friday, March 27, 2015, at the Sutherland United Methodist Church with Pastor Kola Akinnigbagbe officiating. Burial will follow in the Riverview Cemetery south of Sutherland. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Memorials are suggested to the Sutherland UMW or United Methodist Church. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

North Platte Weather-March 25

Posted on March 25, 2015

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 53. North wind 11 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. North wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
Thursday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 1pm, then a slight chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Light and variable wind becoming northwest 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. North wind 11 to 16 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 65. South wind 6 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76.

Nebraska to Get Help with Prison Segregation Alternatives

Posted on March 25, 2015March 24, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A national group has agreed to work with Nebraska corrections officials to safely reduce the number of prisoners in segregation.

The Department of Correctional Services said Tuesday it was selected to participate in an initiative led by the Vera Institute of Justice.

Nebraska is one of five states that will receive technical assistance to analyze its use of segregated housing for inmates. The review will include recommendations by the Vera Institute, a national nonprofit.

Corrections director Scott Frakes says the efforts will ensure Nebraska’s reforms are focused, effective and research-based.

Segregation is supposed to be used to isolate inmates who are deemed threats. But corrections officials say the department has increasingly used it to punish inmates, protect the vulnerable or temporary house those who are awaiting a transfer.

Lincoln Children’s Zoo Seeks Land for Expansion

Posted on March 24, 2015March 24, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Children’s Zoo is seeking three acres of land to expand westward.

The zoo wants to expand it facility to include new exhibit space and a permanent home for the Zoo School, which is part of the Lincoln Public Schools’ system. The land that is being considered includes where the Ager Play Center and the city’s Parks and Recreation Office are located. The play center and the office would be used by the zoo.

Zoo Executive Director John Chapo says that he hopes that at least a portion of the zoo can be kept open year-round instead of only April to October.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is scheduled to decide whether to endorse the land-use proposal in May. If the board approves, a feasibility study will be conducted.

Huskers Extended Winning Streak with 7-2 Win Over Titans

Posted on March 24, 2015

Lincoln – The Nebraska baseball team (18-6, 3-0 Big Ten) extended its winning streak to 11 games on Tuesday night with a 7-2 victory over the Cal State Fullerton Titans (11-12, 0-0 Big West). It was the Huskers first-ever win over the perennial power Titans, who had won the first eight meetings between the two teams. The Huskers are now 11-0 this season at Hawks Field, the best start at home since 2008 when the Huskers also started 11-0.

Freshman Garett King improved to 2-0 on the year, as the Anaheim Hills, Calif., native struck out a career-high five batters and didn’t issue a walk over a career-high 5.1 innings. The Titans had a runner on in each of the first four innings, including their leadoff batter three times, but only managed one run off King.

CSF freshman Connor Seabold also struck out five over 5.1 innings, but allowed three runs on seven hits in the loss and fell to 2-2 on the year.

Ben Miller led the NU offense on the night with a 3-for-4 performance, including his second career two-double game. After notching NU’s first hit of the game with a single in the second inning, the sophomore from Clive, Iowa, delivered a double in the sixth and an RBI double in the seventh to put the Huskers ahead 7-2.

Tanner Lubach and Scott Schreiber each recorded two hits on the night, including Lubach’s fourth double of the year and Schreiber’s second triple. Schreiber’s triple in the second came with two outs and put the Huskers on top, 1-0.

Holding a 2-1 lead, the Husker offense gave its pitching staff a cushion in the sixth, thanks to a two-out Titan error. Following a RBI groundout by Austin Darby that put the Huskers ahead 3-1, the Titans were on pace to get out of the inning when Schreiber hit a routine groundball to shortstop Timmy Richards, but Richards threw wide of first base and Miller scored. Freshman pinch-hitter Luis Alvarado stepped in and worked a full count before dropping a RBI double down the right-field line that gave the Huskers a 5-1 lead.

The Titans got a run back in the top of the seventh, but the Huskers responded with two more runs in the bottom of the frame. Colton Howell came in the pitched two innings of scoreless relief to finish off the Huskers’ 11th-straight victory.

The Huskers and Titans wrap up their two game series tomorrow at Hawks Field, with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m.

Ricketts Names Army Veteran from Omaha to Lead State Agency

Posted on March 24, 2015March 24, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A U.S. Army veteran from Omaha will serve as Nebraska’s next director of Administrative Services.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Tuesday that he has chosen Byron Diamond as the agency’s new director.

Diamond recently retired as executive director of logistics for the Nebraska Military Department, where he oversaw the department’s supply chain and equipment maintenance programs. He also served as an executive for the department’s information technology operations.

Diamond replaces Larry Bare, a chief of staff for former Gov. Dave Heineman who served as the department’s temporary acting director.

The department includes state-government programs including accounting, personnel, and building services.

Diamond retired after 28 years of service as a U.S. Army Colonel in February 2015.

He will start March 30. His annual salary will be $115,000.

NFL Unveils Plans to Mark League’s 50th Super Bowl

Posted on March 24, 2015

PHOENIX (AP) — The Super Bowl turns 50 this year and the NFL is planning a golden yearlong celebration.

The league unveiled plans that include sending a gold-colored football to the high school of every player or head coach who played in the big game. The football will have the player’s name and the name of the high school.

The league also will have the number 50 on the 50-yard line in gold and teams will host Super Bowl reunions.

In addition to the Super Bowl trophy, which is still silver, there are big, Tiffany-crafted numbers 5-0 that will go to the Super Bowl winner. The numbers are cast in bronze, plated in 18-karat gold and weigh nearly 33 pounds.

There will be 19 games between past Super Bowl opponents during the preseason and regular season.

Nebraska Senators Advance Bill to Streamline Aging Services

Posted on March 24, 2015March 24, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill to establish resource centers for Nebraska’s aging and disabled residents has advanced through first-round debate in the Nebraska Legislature.

Senators voted 27-0 Tuesday on a pilot program introduced by Sen. Kate Bolz of Lincoln. The bill would create centers to assist elderly and disabled residents and their caregivers who are navigating myriad services for long-term, in-home care.

Advocates say the measure would save Nebraska money by streamlining services and keeping elderly or disabled residents who wish to live independently safe and out of costly state facilities.

The measure would fund three centers to provide counseling on issues like public transportation, home care providers and public benefits. Evaluations will be presented to lawmakers in 2016 and upon the program’s completion in 2018.

Nebraska Lawmakers to Debate Allowing Research on Cannabis Derivitive

Posted on March 24, 2015March 24, 2015

mLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lawmakers will debate a bill allowing patients with seizures to legally access a marijuana derivative under the supervision of University of Nebraska researchers.

A legislative committee voted 6-0 Tuesday to advance a measure creating a pilot study of cannabidiol to gauge its effectiveness treating severe seizures. Cannabidiol has extremely low levels of THC, the compound responsible for the marijuana high.

Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha told the committee the $250,000 project would be funded by the Nebraska Research Initiative, a state-funded grant program administered by the university, rather than state general funds.

Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue has introduced the measure and designated it as her priority bill, increasing the odds that senators debate it this year.

Court: Lincoln Man’s Sex Assault Conviction Stands

Posted on March 24, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska court has ruled to uphold a 38-year-old Lincoln man’s conviction of sexually assaulting a young girl.

The Nebraska Court of Appeals issued an opinion Tuesday, saying trial errors alleged by Mitchell Bogenreif’s attorneys were unfounded. Bogenreif was convicted of first-degree sexual assault of a child and aggravated third-degree sexual assault in May based on testimony from a then 8-year-old girl.

Defense attorneys argued the girl’s testimony wasn’t sufficient for the jury to convict Bogenreif, primarily because there was no physical evidence of sexual assault. They also said Bogenreif never admitted the alleged sexual abuse to the girl’s mother. But the concluded that the verdict ultimately came down to credibility, which is a question for the jury.

Bogenreif is serving 44 to 65 years in prison.