May 2015 – Page 3 – North Platte Post Archive

Sentencing for Teen in Fatal Nebraska Jail Guard Attack Delayed

Posted on May 30, 2015

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — Sentencing has been delayed for a teenager convicted as an adult of helping plot a fatal attack on a Scotts Bluff County jail guard.

The Scottsbluff Star-Herald reports (https://bit.ly/1K0Zr0w ) that 18-year-old Guy Eagle Elk had been scheduled to be sentenced Friday, but a judge on Tuesday ordered a 90-day evaluation of the teen.

The order says sentencing will be rescheduled at a later date. Eagle Elk faces up to 50 years in prison.

Eagle Elk was convicted in March of aiding and abetting assault in the Feb. 14, 2014, strangulation of Amanda Baker. Prosecutors said Eagle Elk showed then 15-year-old Dylan Cardeilhac how to strangle Baker. Prosecutors say Cardeilhac wanted to escape and needed Baker’s keys.

Cardeilhac was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to at least 60 years.

FDA Says It Won’t Allow Lethal Injection Drug Into US

Posted on May 30, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s governor and top prosecutor, who are vowing to see the executions of 10 death row inmates carried out, may find the federal government blocking any such attempt.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the state cannot legal import a drug needed to carry out lethal injection in Nebraska.

Gov. Pete Ricketts said Friday that he doesn’t plan to cancel the shipment of sodium thiopental. His comments came in the wake of the Nebraska Legislature’s vote this week repealing the death penalty over his veto.

As first reported by The Omaha World-Herald, the FDA says it has no indication that sodium thiopental has recently been imported into the U.S. by state officials.

FDA spokesman Jeff Ventura said Saturday the FDA would refuse to allow the drug into the U.S.

Nebraska Man Convicted of Molesting Child to Get New Trial

Posted on May 30, 2015

Phillip Armstrong (NE Dept. of Corrections Photo)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Sarpy County man convicted of sexually assaulting two children, agreeing that his defense lawyer was so ineffective that it denied him a fair trial.

The ruling Friday came in the case of 73-year-old Philip Armstrong, who was convicted in 2009 of sexually assaulting two children he had babysat.

Court records show that Armstrong’s defense attorney provided Armstrong with a recording of investigators’ interview of the victims. Armstrong then showed the recording to several of his family members — a violation of state law.

In its ruling, the high court said Armstrong’s attorney did not explain to the jury why one witness’ testimony was stricken and why other family members were never called.

Roger Edward Thalacker

Posted on May 30, 2015

Roger Edward Thalacker, 91, of North Platte, NE, passed away at home on Friday, May 29, 2015.

Roger was born May 6, 1924, to Carl Gustav and Jessie Ann Kruger Thalacker at Mondovi, WI. He graduated from Eau Claire High School then moved to Seattle, WA and went to work in the shipyards until he joined the U.S. Army in 1943. Roger served overseas in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.

Following his discharge in 1945, Roger returned to Eau Claire and worked for the Martin Motor Division of National Pressure Cooker. On July 3, 1948, Roger married Vesta Marie Bucklew in Eau Claire where they lived for six months before moving to Maxwell, IA. He went to work for Montgomery Ward in Des Moines, IA and later transferred to North Platte where he was manager of the Tire Department. He retired from there in 1986.

Roger had been a member of the First Baptist Church for 52 years.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 67 years, Vesta, of North Platte; three daughters, Joanne (Larry) Jurjens and Brenda (Dale) Oberg, of Farnam, NE, and Lynette (Glen) Waltemath, of North Platte; six grandchildren, David (Raquel) Jurjens, Lisa (Brandon) Shimmin, Cory (Diane) Waltemath, Kevin (Carrie) Waltemath, April (Grant) McCloskey and Heath (Sara) Oberg; 19 great-grandchildren; a great great-granddaughter; and many nieces, nephews and other family.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Jessie; three sisters, Annabell Peterson, Vera Schoeneck and Lovis Grinder; and a brother, Ron Thalacker.

Funeral service will 10 a.m. Monday, June 1, 2015, at the First Baptist Church with Pastors David Logsdon and Peter Brick officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Fort McPherson National Cemetery. Visitation will be 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 First Baptist Church. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Huskers Secure Four More NCAA Championships Bids

Posted on May 30, 2015

Senior Will Lohman qualified for nationals in both the hammer throw and shot put. (Photo Courtesy Nate Olsen/NU Media Relations)

Austin, Texas – The Nebraska track and field team earned four more bids to the NCAA Championships on Friday, bringing the total to nine after two days at the NCAA West Preliminary Round at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Senior Will Lohman highlighted the day by qualifying for nationals in both the hammer throw and shot put. Lohman earned his second straight trip to nationals with a hammer throw of 215-10 (65.79m), good for fourth place in the event. The Chewelah, Wash., native was an honorable mention All-American in the event last year and is the Husker school-record holder. He then recorded a 61-4 (18.69m) throw on his last shot put attempt to finish 10th and reach the NCAA finals in the event for the first time in his career.

Marusa Cernjul clinched a bid in the high jump. The senior from Celje, Slovenia took care of business by clearing 5-11 1/2 (1.82m) to punch her ticket. It marks the second career NCAA Outdoor Championships appeareance for Cernjul. The 2015 indoor second-team All-American has not been to the NCAA Outdoor Championships since her freshman year in 2012 after battling injuries the past two seasons.

Drew Wiseman snatched a bid in the 400-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 50.49 to place third in his heat and earn the automatic berth. The sophomore from Bismarck, N.D., entered the week seeded 26th in the event, but his career-best effort in Friday’s race was the seventh-fastest time overall. He will make his first trip to nationals in an individual event after running in relays three times already in his career.

Antoine Lloyd qualified for Saturday’s 110-meter hurdle NCAA quarterfinal, as he ran 13.83 to place third in his heat and earn an automatic bid. Sean Pille’s time of 13.88 was good for fifth in his quick heat and was fast enough to earn him a spot in Saturday’s quarterfinal.

Ricco Hall will also race on Saturday, as he reached the 200-meter quarterfinal with a season-best time of 20.79 to finish second in his heat and automatically qualify for the quarterfinal.

The NCAA West Region Preliminary Round will conclude tomorrow as the Huskers will look to qualify more athletes for the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fans can follow live results and watch a free live stream throughout the day’s events.

NCAA Championships Qualifiers (Eugene, Ore. – June 10-13)
Will Lohman (Hammer Throw)
Will Lohman (Shot Put)
Marusa Cernjul (High Jump)
Drew Wiseman (400-meter hurdles)
Nick Percy, Discus*
Tierra Williams, Long Jump*
Jazmin McCoy, Long Jump*
James White, High Jump*
Landon Bartel, High Jump*

* = qualified on Thursday

Huskers Advancing to Quarterfinals on Sunday
Antoine Lloyd (110-meter hurdles)
Sean Pille (110-meter hurdles)
Ricco Hall (200 meters)

Bettis loses No-No in 8th, but Rockies beat Phillies 4-1

Posted on May 30, 2015

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chad Bettis retired the first 18 batters and took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, Troy Tulowitzki hit two solo homers and the Colorado Rockies beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Friday night.

Cody Asche singled through a shift to end Bettis’ no-hit bid with one out in the eighth. Bettis (2-0) lost a perfect game in the seventh when shortstop Tulowitzki made an error on Ben Revere’s grounder up the middle.

The 26-year-old Bettis allowed two hits and tied a career-high with seven strikeouts in eight innings in his 12th start in the majors.

Tulowitzki had two homers in 154 at-bats this season before going deep his first two times up against Cole Hamels (5-4). Ben Paulsen hit a two-run homer for the Rockies, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Cain hits tiebreaking double in 8th, Royals beat Cubs 8-4

Posted on May 30, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) — Lorenzo Cain hit a tiebreaking RBI double and scored in a three-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-4 to snap a four-game losing streak on Friday.

Alcides Escobar homered on the game’s first pitch. Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez also went deep, and the Royals won after squandering a 4-1 lead.

Mike Moustakas walked leading off the eighth against Pedro Strop (1-3). Cain then drove him in with a double to the base of the wall in right-center and the Royals scored two more thanks to an error by center fielder Dexter Fowler.

He dropped Omar Infante’s liner trying to make a shoestring catch with runners on first and second, then fell trying to pick up the ball. Cain and Eric Hosmer scored, making it 7-4.

Kelvin Herrera (1-1) gave up a tying solo drive to Addison Russell in the seventh but picked up the win.

Pavement Work Could Hamper Traffic in Northern Nebraska

Posted on May 30, 2015

ATKINSON, Neb. (AP) — Resurfacing work is scheduled to begin next week on Nebraska Highway 11 in northern Nebraska.

The Nebraska Roads Department says the pavement project will run north from Atkinson for eight miles.

Flaggers and a pilot vehicle will be used to control traffic.

The project is expected to be finished by late June.

Nebraska Lawmakers Conclude Historic 2015 Session

Posted on May 29, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have concluded a 2015 session marked by high-profile votes on taxes, immigration, state spending and the death penalty.

Senators and Gov. Pete Ricketts focused on their policy agreements Friday and played down the veto override votes on this year’s most contentious issues.

Ricketts set aside his recent defeats and congratulated lawmakers on their efforts to lower property taxes and slow state spending. Ricketts says officials need to pursue additional tax relief next year.

His comments came after lawmakers overrode his veto of a death penalty repeal bill and legislation to give driver’s licenses to certain young immigrants who were brought to the country illegally. Senators also increased the gas tax over his objections.

Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley praised senators for their willingness to tackle tough issues.

More Cancer Success with Drugs That Enlist Immune System

Posted on May 29, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) — A major study has shown that a drug targeting the body’s disease-fighting immune system may improve survival for the most common form of lung cancer.

These drugs have transformed treatment of melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer. Studies presented at a medical conference Friday in Chicago suggest these immune therapies can play a broader role in more common cancers. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths nationwide.

The new study tested Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo (op-DEE-voh). It blocks a protein that prevents the immune system from attacking cancer cells. It worked better than chemotherapy for a form of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Opdivo patients lived on average three months longer. It might not seem like much but advanced lung cancer is incurable and any success is considered promising.