July 2015 – Page 42 – North Platte Post Archive

4th Man Takes Plea Deal in Lincoln Slaying

Posted on July 10, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man has taken a plea deal for reduced charges in the August slaying of a Lincoln man during a botched home invasion robbery.

Online court records say 20-year-old Joshua Carr pleaded no contest and was convicted Thursday of manslaughter, attempted robbery and use of a firearm. He’d originally been charged with first-degree murder.

Carr also pleaded guilty to an unrelated robbery charge. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 20. Carr also is known as Joshua Nootenboom-Carr.

He and three other men were charged after the Aug. 30 killing of Maurice Williams.

Records say 23-year-old Derick Lewis, of Alton, Illinois, pleaded guilty Tuesday to robbery conspiracy. In April 23-year-old Jason Holmes and 26-year-old Michael Nevels pleaded no contest and were convicted of being accessories to robbery.

Paroled Nebraska Killer Convicted of Sex Assault

Posted on July 10, 2015

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — A man paroled after serving 41 years for murder has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in southeast Nebraska.

Laddie Dittrich was arrested on Nov. 23, accused of groping the girl at a rural home in Otoe County. A jury convicted him on Thursday.

Dittrich was one of three men convicted in 1973 of the slaying of Omaha trucking company official John Wisotzkey. Police said the men chased down Wisotzkey after he got into an argument with a prostitute over money, beat him and then stabbed him with a bayonet.

In April 2013 the Nebraska Pardons Board commuted Dittrich’s sentence of life in prison without parole to 80 years to life, which allowed Dittrich to seek parole because he’d already served more than half of the 80-year minimum.

Gonzalez hits 3 doubles, Rockies top Braves 5-3

Posted on July 10, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Carlos Gonzalez hit three doubles, Nolan Arenado had three hits for the second consecutive night and the Colorado Rockies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on a rain-soaked Thursday at Coors Field.

Troy Tulowitzki singled to extend his hitting streak to 21 games — longest in the majors this season — for the Rockies, who dealt with another weather delay at home.

Jace Peterson had two hits and two RBIs, and Chris Johnson had three hits for the Braves.

A rainstorm came through two pitches into the bottom of the first inning and sent the players and fans scurrying for shelter. The delay lasted 2 hours, 6 minutes, and ended the night early for both starters.

David Hale, the scheduled starter Friday for Colorado, took over for Kyle Kendrick in the second but left with one out in the third with a mild left groin strain. Hale (3-4) went 1 2-3 innings to get the win.

North Platte Weather-July 10

Posted on July 10, 2015

Today

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South southeast wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Tonight

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 62. South wind 5 to 7 mph.

Sunday

Sunny, with a high near 96. West northwest wind 5 to 11 mph.

Sunday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 64.

Monday

Sunny, with a high near 94.

Monday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 63.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.

McDonald’s Gets Complaints That New Toy Uses Curse Words

Posted on July 9, 2015July 10, 2015

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — McDonald’s says some customers have complained that a talking toy included in recent Happy Meals uses curse words.

The fast-food restaurant introduced a Happy Meal on July 3 with toys inspired by the movie “Minions.”

The Oak Brook, Illinois-based company has issued a statement saying the sounds the small yellow figures make are nonsense words, nothing offensive or profane.

The statement says “a very small number of customers” have been in touch with the company about the toy.

“Minions,” a prequel of the “Despicable Me” movies, premieres Friday.

North Platte 16U Bandits-Red bring home 4th place, look for more this weekend

Posted on July 9, 2015

The North Platte 16U Bandits-Red traveled to Hastings, July 3-5 to compete for the ASA Class B State Softball title.

The ladies showed up with hot bats Friday night and dominated the Chadron Slammers with an 11-1 sweep in just four innings. Calli Groseth, McKenna Johnson, Jayda Paul and Taylar Coleman combined for 6 hits and 8 RBI’s.

Saturday evenings game was another shut out. The defense shut down Fairbury Elite with the help of Taylar Coleman who pitched 5 innings allowing 0 runs on 2 hits and striking out 8 batters. Although they suffered an injury to their first baseman, Madi Christophersen, and had to make a quick adjustment, the girls still ended with a 9-0 finish.

Sunday morning the Bandits faced Hastings Crush. The girls came out swinging and put 2 runs on the board at the beginning of the game. Unfortunately the Crush out hit the Bandits and defeated them 10-2, dropping North Platte into the bottom bracket.

The lady Bandits never gave up. They had to play Grand Island Elite and turned that game into a slug fest! With doubles from Maddie Custer, Jayda Paul and Taylar Coleman, the girls came out on top with a 9-8 win.

With the heat of the day setting in, the Bandits went on to play Gretna Storm. Taylar Coleman gave the team a 2-run blast bringing Mckenna Johnson home in the first inning. The two teams battled back and forth exchanging blows until the fourth inning when Maddie Custer scored on a passed ball to the score to 4-4. The two teams fought hard to gain a lead bringing them to an international tie breaker. After 7 innings the Bandits fell short in an 8-7 loss.

The Bandits-Red came back to North Platte with a 4th place finish in the ASA Class B State tournament. They’ll make the journey to Lincoln this weekend looking to bring home some hardware at the USSSA Class B State tournament.

If you see any of these girls around town give them a hollar, a congrats, and wish the “best of the best” a good luck at State this weekend!

Nebraska Zoo Officials Euthanize Ailing 15-Year-Old Lion

Posted on July 9, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Zoo officials in Nebraska say a 15-year-old lion was euthanized because the animal’s health had deteriorated from a yearslong battle with cancer.

Mr. Big, a male African lion at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, died Thursday.

The zoo says Mr. Big was diagnosed with cancer five years ago and his condition had been closely monitored since then. In June, staff noticed he was lethargic and had lost weight. They later determined the cancer had spread to both his lungs and liver.

Mr. Big had fathered two litters of cubs since 2012.

Royals roll past Rays 8-3 to finish off 4-game sweep

Posted on July 9, 2015July 10, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain and Salvador Perez hit two-run homers, Yordano Ventura went five innings in his return from the disabled list, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 on Thursday to finish off a four-game sweep.

Ventura (4-6) allowed three runs and four hits and three walks, striking out four. It was his first start since June 12, when an elbow condition began causing numbness in his hand.

Eric Hosmer, Cheslor Cuthbert and Kendrys Morales also drove in runs off Nathan Karns (4-5), the latest Rays starter to get pummeled by Kansas City. The Royals scored at least seven runs in every game of their first four-game sweep since September 2008, against Seattle.

Meanwhile, the Rays were swept in a four-game set for the second time in two weeks, after Cleveland did it June 29-July 2. Tampa Bay has lost 11 of 12 overall.

Big Ten announces list of players to appear at media days

Posted on July 9, 2015

The Big Ten Conference announced today the 42 players scheduled to attend the 2015 Big Ten Football Media Days and Kickoff Luncheon presented by Allstate and BMW, held Thursday and Friday, July 30 and 31, at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago.

Nebraska will be represented by a trio of juniors – quarterback Tommy Armstrong, safety Nate Gerry and wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp

Here is a list of players attending the 2015 Big Ten Football Media Days.

Continue reading “Big Ten announces list of players to appear at media days”

Both Nebraska Hemp Associations Request Governor Reject Hemp Rules

Posted on July 9, 2015

Both the Nebraska Hemp Association and the Nebraska Chapter of the Hemp Industries Association today requested Governor Ricketts reject the industrial hemp regulations proposed by the Department of Agriculture and grant their previous requests for a meeting to discuss their proposals for industrial hemp research and development in Nebraska.

The organizations made their first joint request to meet with the Governor on May 15, 2015 to discuss the deficiencies of the proposed regulations and the economic development industrial hemp could provide rural Nebraskans and their communities. The Governor has not yet agreed to any meeting.

Bill Achord, President of the Nebraska Hemp Association, said, “At least 35 other industrial countries promote hemp. Congress and the Legislature authorized research plots over a year and 3 months ago. Nebraska still has no final regulations and those proposed would suppress development. We have a proposal consistent with the information given to the Department and 2 separate legislative committees. We are sending that proposal to the Governor and the Department today.”

“The Hemp Industries Association estimates that the value of retail sales of hemp products in America for 2014 was at least $620 million, up from $581 million in 2013. They forecast North American hemp industry annual earnings to surpass one billion dollars in 2015. Cultivated acres in other North American countries are growing 24% annually,” said Jason Feldman, President of the Nebraska Chapter of the Hemp Industries Association.

“Nearly all the hemp products sold in Lincoln, and across the United States are imported from Canada, European countries or China. Kentucky, North Dakota, Maine, and other states are now permitting hemp to be grown legally. Other states can see the potential and are preparing. Nebraska could be a national leader, given our climate, soil, and expertise. Planting needs to start next spring. But we can’t even get the Governor to listen.”