OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a decision to return a baby to its biological parents, who had given up the child in 2013 to friends who could not have children of their own.
The couples had been friends. The biological couple, listed only as Teresa and Monty S. in the ruling, agreed to conceive a child for their friends, listed only as Rebecca and Jason W.
The adoption was to be “open,” meaning the biological parents would be allowed to be part of the child’s life. However, that agreement soon fell apart, and Teresa and Monty filed to invalidate the adoption.
In upholding the invalidation on Friday, the high court said that while Nebraska law allows for open adoptions of foster children, it does not allow open private adoptions.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two men have been hospitalized with burns suffered in a fire that damaged a house in northeast Omaha.
Authorities say the father and son were in the house basement when the fire was reported at 4:50 a.m. Friday. Firefighters report that three other people who’d been in the house were found uninjured in the front yard.
Fire officials say the blaze was controlled within 10 minutes of the firetrucks’ arrival. The fire cause is being investigated.
FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Fremont man is scheduled to be sentenced in July for the shooting death of his best friend.
Andrew Marty pleaded no contest and was convicted of felony manslaughter and misdemeanor assault on Wednesday in Dodge County District Court. Prosecutors dismissed a weapons charge and a threats charge in exchange for Marty’s pleas. His sentencing is set for July 13.
Fremont officers responded to an apartment on Jan. 25 and found 19-year-old Kevin Kennebeck had been mortally wounded. An arrest warrant affidavit says Marty reported that he was cleaning his .223-caliber rifle and had pointed it at Kennebeck when it went off.
Marty’s attorney, Leo Eskey, says Marty is “totally destroyed by this. This was his best friend.”
GERING, Neb. (AP) — Gering police are looking for a 24-year-old who’s accused of robbing his grandparents and tying them up in their basement.
An arrest warrant for Levi Hartman says he’s charged with felony robbery. Police Capt. Jason Rogers says John and Marsha Hegwood were robbed at their home around 1 p.m. Sunday by two men.
Marsha Hegwood says she was sprayed with pepper spray and saw that her grandson, Levi Hartman, was one of the men. The other man hasn’t been named. John Hegwood says the unidentified man knocked him down.
The Hegwoods were taken to their basement and tied up in chairs.
They say their two vehicles were stolen as well as $155 cash and two credit cards. One of the vehicles has been found.
CHICAGO, Ill. – The United States Hockey League today announced that Tri-City Storm Head Coach and General Manager Jim Hulton has been named the 2014-15 USHL General Manager of the Year as determined by a vote of league coaches and general managers.
It was the first full season for Hulton with Tri-City after taking over midway through the 2013-14 season. He guided the Storm to a 37-17-6 record (80 points), finishing just one point back of first place in the USHL Western Conference standings. It was the most wins in a season for the Storm since the 2003-04 season (43), and the team qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Hulton guided the Storm to a 10-game winning streak from January 9th to February 7th, equaling a team record. The team also won 10 straight home games from January 9th to February 28th which tied for a USHL season high and established a new Storm record.
Tri-City was among the league leaders in multiple categories, most significantly first in team defense by giving up the fewest goals (158) over the 60-game regular season. They also ranked second in power play conversion (25.1%) and sixth overall in goals scored (202).
Hulton and the Storm began building the 2014-15 roster through the 2014 USHL Draft, adding some key pieces during Phase Two. Forward Mason Appleton was the team’s first-round selection and went on to score 40 points (12g, 28a) this season for Tri-City. Goaltender Alec Dillon was selected in the second round and proved to be a huge difference maker, posting a 23-11-4 record while leading all USHL goaltenders with a 2.27 goals-against-average.
Off-season moves also bolstered the lineup, including the acquisition of Bobby Nardella from Sioux City. He would put up 42 points (10g, 32a), tying for third in scoring among USHL defensemen, and was key to the Storm power play as he dished out 22 assists on the man-advantage. The Storm also added Nick Master who spent the previous season in Cedar Rapids. Master thrived with Tri-City, tying for third on the team in scoring with 42 points (23g, 19a) and leading the squad with a plus-20 rating. Jake Wahlin was another acquisition by Tri-City that paid dividends as he put up 41 points (15g, 26a) in his first full USHL season.
During the season, Hulton made some key moves to help solidify the roster and make a run towards the playoffs. In December, the team acquired Jared Rutledge who played a significant role as a backup goaltender, posting a 13-3-1 record over 20 appearances. A February trade with the Bloomington Thunder brought veteran defenseman Vince Pedrie to the Storm. He would add seven points (4g, 3a) and post a plus-18 rating over 23 games down the stretch run of the regular season.
Veteran Storm players also thrived under Hulton’s guidance. Chris Wilkie tied for the USHL lead with 35 goals which also tied a team record. Captain Garrett Gamez finished second in scoring on the team with 44 points (15g, 29a) in 44 games.
A total of 25 players that suited up for the Storm this season are committed to play NCAA Division I hockey. Additionally, three were selected to compete in the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game; forwards Wilkie and Matthew Freytag, along with defenseman Tory Dello.
Hulton has compiled a 54-43-8 record over the past two seasons in the USHL. He is the second Storm GM to be named the USHL General Manager of the Year, joining Bliss Littler who earned the award following the 2003-04 season.
Tri-City is preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas June 15-21.
FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A Fremont woman has been charged with helping a man who’s accused of providing alcohol to the woman’s teenage brother, who died after being found outdoors in bone-chilling cold last fall.
The Fremont Police Department says 19-year-old Yesenia (yeh-SEHN’-yuh) Valdez is charged with a felony: aiding and abetting the procurement of alcohol to a minor. Online court records don’t list an attorney who could be contacted to comment on her behalf.
Police say Valdez helped 21-year-old Dakota McDonald provide alcohol to Valdez’s 16-year-old brother, Jaime (HEYE’-may) Valdez. Jaime Valdez was found the morning of Nov. 16, when, according to the National Weather Service, Fremont’s temperature was 2 degrees, with a wind child of minus 16. Police say the boy died later that day of hypothermia associated with acute ethanol intoxication.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have signed veteran offensive lineman Ryan Harris a day after losing perennial Pro Bowler Ryan Clady to a torn knee ligament.
Harris was set to join the Broncos at practice Friday, the final day of this week’s on-field work.
Harris, who spent his first four NFL seasons in Denver, started 15 games last season for Kansas City. Before that, he spent two years in Houston with current Broncos coach Gary Kubiak.
Clady tore his left ACL in a pass-blocking drill Wednesday, but the severity of the injury wasn’t realized until he was tested Thursday.
With Clady’s injury, quarterback Peyton Manning will have four new starting linemen protecting him this season. The only returning starter is right guard Louis Vasquez.
Tierra Williams advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second straight season with a long jump PR 20-10 1/2 (6.36m). (Photo Courtesy Walt Middleton)
Austin, Texas – Five members of the Nebraska track and field team punched their tickets to the NCAA Championships with their performances on Thursday at the NCAA West Preliminary Round at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus.
Over the course of the three-day meet, the Huskers will compete to earn top-12 finishes in their events to secure a bid to the national meet in Eugene, Ore., in two weeks.
On a first day that featured strong wind and two lightning delays, Nick Percy (discus), Tierra Williams (long jump), Jazmin McCoy (long jump), James White (high jump) and Landon Bartel (high jump) became the first five Huskers to lock in a spot at the NCAA Championships. Four of the five NU qualifiers were freshmen or sophomores.
Percy, a freshman from Ventnor, England, threw the discus 182-8 (55.69m) on his second attempt to finish ninth in the event and become the first Husker to qualify.
Williams, a sophomore from Auburn, Neb., will make a repeat trip to nationals after unleashing the best jump of her career, 20-10 1/2 (6.36m) on her first jump. She finished first in her flight and sixth overall. McCoy, also a sophomore, jumped 20-5 3/4 (6.24m) on her last attempt to finish ninth in the competition. The Kansas City, Mo., native will also make a repeat trip to nationals.
White, a senior high jumper from Grandview, Mo., will make his first NCAA Outdoor Championships appearance after clearing a season-best 7-2 1/2 (2.20m) on his first try to place fifth. Bartel, a freshman from Ashland, Mo., cleared 7-1 1/2 (2.17m) and finished ninth to earn his first NCAA bid.
In preliminary action, Drew Wiseman advanced to Friday’s 400-meter hurdle NCAA quarterfinal with a time of 51.88, good for second in his heat and the 15th-fastest time overall.
Levi Gipson and Jake Bender both qualified for the 400-meter quarterfinal. Gipson’s time of 47.03 was 20th overall and was fourth-best among non-automatic qualifiers to earn him a bid. Bender earned an automatic bid, charging down the stretch to finish second in his heat at 47.05.
Shawnice Williams advanced to the 800-meter quarterfinal by running 2:09.52. She earned the final non-automatic qualifying spot in the field.
Competition will continue on Friday at Noon with the women’s discus. Fans can follow live results or watch the action via a free live stream, which begins at 4:30 p.m. (CT).
Huskers Advancing to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon
Nick Percy, Discus (9th)
Tierra Williams, Long Jump (6th)
Jazmin McCoy, Long Jump (9th)
James White, High Jump (5th)
Landon Bartel, High Jump (9th)
Huskers Advancing to NCAA Quarterfinals on Friday
Drew Wiseman, 400m hurdles
Levi Gipson, 400m
Jake Bender, 400m
Shawnice Williams, 800m
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a decision to return a baby to its biological parents, who had given up the child in 2013 to friends who could not have children of their own.
