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Ricketts Names New Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent

state-patrol-logoLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has chosen an Elkhorn emergency services official to lead the Nebraska State Patrol.

Bradley Rice will assume the new role on March 23. He currently serves as communications director for Sarpy County Nebraska E911.

Rice is a retired Nebraska State patrol commander who oversaw 23 counties in northeast Nebraska. He also spent time as a trooper, police service dog handler, sergeant and lieutenant.

Rice is a graduate of the 152nd School of Police Staff and Command at the Missouri Highway Patrol Training Academy and Nebraska State Patrol Basic Training.

Ricketts says he’s confident Rice’s integrity will direct his decisions as he works with patrol members around the state.

Rice’s annual salary will be $90,000.

Lincoln Woman Charged After Bomb Threat to Cable Company

Mikka Phillips
Mikka Phillips

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police say a 23-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with threatening to blow up a local cable company after getting stood up for an appointment.

Police say Mikka Phillips of Lincoln waited hours for a technician to arrive and install cable service on Tuesday, but didn’t know Time Warner Cable had tried to reschedule.

Authorities say Phillips threatened to blow up the company’s building after speaking with a representative who told her the appointment had been canceled and that they’d have to reschedule it.

The company’s building was evacuated and Lincoln authorities searched for a bomb but didn’t find one. The company said in a statement that it takes every threat seriously.

Phillips has been charged with false reporting.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Phillips has an attorney.

Lancaster County Official Charged with Theft Says He Forgot to Pay for Part

police-lights-redLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lancaster County commissioner charged with theft in nearby York County says he’s occasionally forgetful but is no thief.

71-year-old Larry Hudkins is accused of stealing a tractor part from York Equipment Inc. last month.

Hudkins said he took the part on Feb. 18 and had even left his business card atop the tractor he took the part from. Hudkins says he had an arrangement with the previous owner of the business that he’s patronized for nearly 50 years. Hudkins says the previous owner let Hudkins take items from the store and pay for them later. But this time, Hudkins says, he forgot to go back and pay for it.

Hudkins says he’s paid York Equipment.

Charlotte Jean Griesfeller


griesfeller

Charlotte Jean Griesfeller, 72 years, of North Platte, NE, passed away at home surrounded by her family on Wednesday, March 11, 2015.

Charlotte was born January 8, 1943, to Hubert James and Hattie Sophie Lange Weedman at North Platte where she grew up. Charlotte graduated from North Platte High School in 1961 then married Don Meyer and to this union four children were born. They later divorced and Charlotte raised the children herself. She later met Russell Lucas Griesfeller and they were married at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on September 22, 1978, at North Platte where they made their home for over 36 years. Russ was a kind, caring and great husband who helped Charlotte get the children raised and on their own.

Charlotte started working at the age of 12 at Johnny’s Cafe (she was so little she would stand on a milk crate to reach her orders) and in later years owned it for a short time. In 1970 she went to work at the 215 Club and was there 20 years. She later worked for Subway and Kwick Stop.

In 1970 Charlotte was baptized and confirmed at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church then joined the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1990. She was a member of the Cooties, Eagle’s Auxiliary and the V.F.W. auxiliary where she was Auxiliary President from 2011 to the present.

Charlotte enjoyed collecting salt and pepper shakers, something that began with a set of elephants when she was young, and her collection grew to over 1500 sets. She enjoyed bowling, playing shuffleboard, going to garage sales, and her teams were the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Braves. She also liked camping, working in her garden and flower beds, and taking trips to the Black Hills.

Charlotte loved her family and believed you should always stay close to one another. She also believed one of the most important things in life is to live a day at a time, enjoying it, because you never know what is next. The other is to never be ashamed to tell someone you love them or to give them a hug. The day will come when you will wish you would have done it more.

Charlotte leaves behind her loving husband, Russ, and children, Donnie (Kammi) Meyer, Lafe (Shary) Griesfeller, Chris (Sarah) Griesfeller, and Carolyn ‘Carrie’ Griesfeller, all of North Platte; 16 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, James (Donna) Weedman, of North Platte; her little neighbor buddy, Cooper Lange; and many nieces, nephews and other family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Hubert and Hattie Weedman; and two brothers, Hubert ‘Lee’ and Billy Weedman.

Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Monday, March 16, 2015, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Chaplain Gary Smith officiating. Cremation will follow the service. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Memorials are suggested to the VFW Easter Egg Hunt. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

NPCC Lady Knights Earn Postseason Awards

npcc-knightsThe North Platte Community College Lady Knights recently concluded their season, finishing 14 – 14.  Three Lady Knights were selected to the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference (NCCAC) All-Conference team. Two were selected to the All-Region IX Division II team and one was named to the All-Region IX Tournament team.

Sophomores April Stull from Sweeny, Texas and Aliyah Brown from Omaha Burke, were selected to the All-NCCAC team and the All-Region IX team.

Freshmen Sarah Mahr from Sidney was named Honorable Mention on the NCCAC team and was selected to the Region IX All-Tournament team.

Stull led the Knights this season in scoring with a 15.3 points per game average.  She also led in rebounding with 8.4 rebounds per game.  Stull finished in sixth place on the Lady Knights All-time scoring list with 757 career points. Stull also led the Lady Knights in blocked shots with 31.

Brown averaged 10.3 points per game for the Lady Knights, led the Lady Knights with 3.5 steals per game and 1.8 assists per game.  Brown’s quickness and defense were one of the keys to the Lady Knights this season.

Mahr averaged 7.5 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game.  In the Region IX semifinal game against Central Community College Mahr scored 17 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had three steals.

NP Post Podcast: Scott Carlson with Kris “Tanto” Paronto on Benghazi, Libya Attacks Sept, 12, 2012

post-podcastNorth Platte Post News Director, Scott Carlson, sat down with Kris “Tanto” Paronto to discuss his upcoming presentation at NebraskaLand National Bank.

Mr. Paronto was part of the CIA Annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the US Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya, September 11th, 2012, helping to save over 20 lives while fighting off terrorists from the CIA Annex for over 13 hours.  Mr. Paronto’s story is told in the book “13 Hours” written by Mitchell Zuckoff and his five surviving annex security team members.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase.  The book, “13 Hours” is the riveting story that takes readers into the action-packed story of heroes who laid their lives on the line for one another, for their countrymen, and for their country.

The event will take place on March 12, 2015 at NebraskaLand National Bank Main Branch, 1400 South Dewey.  The public is invited to join us for a Meet and Greet with Kris Paronto and a book signing from 3:00-5:00pm.  A special flag dedication will be performed at 5:30pm by members of our local VFW in memory of Cal Stratton.  Following the flag dedication, Mr. Paronto will begin the presentation, entitled “13 Hours: the harrowing, true account from the brave men on the ground who fought back during the Battle of Benghazi”.  The lecture will take place in the 3rd Floor Banquet Room.

NP Post Podcast-Scott Carlson with Kris “Tanto” Paronto-On Benghazi, Libya Attack Sept. 11, 2012 by Scott Carlson on Mixcloud

St. Louis County Police: 2 Officers Shot in Ferguson

st-louis-county-policeFERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar says two officers were shot around midnight at a Ferguson, Missouri, protest.

He said a 32-year-old officer from Webster Groves was shot in the face and a 41-year-old officer from St. Louis County was shot in the shoulder.

He says both are conscious.

Belmar says he did not know who shot the officers.

The shots were fired as protesters had gathered following the resignation of Ferguson’s embattled Police Chief Thomas Jackson on Wednesday.

Jackson was the sixth employee to resign or be fired after a Justice Department report cleared a white former Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson, of civil rights charges in the shooting of black 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson last summer. Wilson has since resigned.

Nancy Rivera Pending Notice

Nancy Rivera, age 85 of Omaha, died March 11, 2015 at her home. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday March 16, 2015 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Internment will be at the North Platte Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 p.m. until 7p.m. Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Man Acquitted in 2014 Shooting Death of Teenager in Omaha

gavel-and-scaleOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 22-year-old man has been acquitted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of an Omaha teen.

Jurors deliberated about eight hours before finding Dennis Brewer Jr. not guilty Wednesday in the fatal shooting of 18-year old Tielor (TYE’-lur) Williams, who died in April 2014 as Brewer robbed someone else.

Brewer was not accused of being the shooter, but prosecutors charged him under a Nebraska law that holds accomplices accountable if someone dies while a felony is committed. Another man, Adrian Lester, is accused of firing the shots.

Brewer’s attorney says Brewer and Lester were acting separately that night, and Brewer therefore wasn’t an accomplice in Williams’ slaying.

Brown says he understands that the Williams family wants justice, that that he didn’t commit the crime.

North Platte Weather-March 12


forecast graphic march 12 2015

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. South wind 6 to 8 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. West wind 5 to 11 mph becoming north in the evening.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Breezy, with a north wind 13 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. North wind 12 to 17 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 68. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77

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