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NP Man Gets 18 to 36 Months for Driving Car Into Canal for Insurance

Josh Salisbury
Josh Salisbury

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — A North Platte man accused of driving his car into a canal so he could collect on his insurance has been sent to prison.

Court records say 32-year-old Josh Salisbury was sentenced on Monday to 18 to 36 months for insurance fraud and other crimes. He’d pleaded no contest and was convicted after taking a plea deal.

Police say Salisbury reported on June 28, 2014, that the car was parked in front of his home when it was stolen. The car was pulled from the canal in Lincoln County on Aug. 11, 2014. Police says investigators later learned that Salisbury drove the car into the canal and collected $27,500 in insurance.

Nebraskan Again Convicted of Beating 2-Year-Old Grandson to Death

Peter Draper
Peter Draper

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A southern Nebraska man has been convicted again of killing his 2-year-old grandson.

An Adams County jury found 51-year-old Peter Draper guilty on Monday of intentional child abuse resulting in death and intentional child abuse resulting in serious injury.

Draper, of Naponee, in January was granted a new trial by the Nebraska Supreme Court as it reversed his 2013 convictions in the death of Joseph Rinehart Jr. An autopsy concluded the little boy died of head and internal injuries caused by blunt force.

Draper appealed his conviction on the grounds that his wife should not have been allowed to be called as a witness for the prosecution.

His second trial was held in Adams County District Court in Hastings because the Franklin County District Court courtroom was inadequate.

Leila Grace Magill

Leila Grace Magill age 106 formerly of Curtis died September 19, 2015 in Oklahoma City, OK.
Leila was born on May 13, 1909 near Orleans, NE to Frank and Carrie Hoffman. She lived her early years in Ragan, NE, Curtis, NE and later in North Platte. On March 17, 1932 she married Dr. Van H. Magill in Curtis. In 1996 she moved to Oklahoma City, OK to be near family. Leila was a member of the Methodist Church all of her life and was also a 73 year member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, in Chapter CG in Curtis, and later Chapter GO in North Platte. She also played piano for the Curtis Easter Pageant for a number of years.
Leila is survived by one son, Vernon (Connie) Magill of Oklahoma City, OK; 3 grandsons Michael (Lisa) Magill of Newburg, OR, Scott (Kathy) Magill of Edmond, OK, and Lee (Ginger) Magill of Mustang, OK; seven great grandchildren, Jessica, Tyler, Marshall, Megan, twins Logan and Garrett, and Erin; a nephew George McCammon of North Platte; and a cousin Dorothy Brylinski of Albuquerque, NM.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1980; son Roger of Los Alamos, NM in 1986; her parents; and sisters Ruth and Hazel.
Memorials are suggested to the First Methodist Church and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com. Graveside memorial services will be held 1:00 p.m. Tuesday November 3, 2015 at North Platte Cemetery with Reverend Dr. Douglas Delp officiating. Adams and Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Omaha Man Who Stabbed Wife Gets 71 to 95 Years in Prison

Donnell Thomas
Donnell Thomas

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 34-year-old man accused of stabbing his wife in the neck with a butcher knife has been sentenced to 71 to 95 years in prison in Omaha.

Donnell Thomas was sentenced Monday. He had been found guilty of attempted murder and terroristic threats.

Prosecutors say Thomas attacked his wife in their home during a confrontation in January before fleeing the scene. The victim was transported to a hospital and survived.

Authorities also say Thomas threatened his wife’s 15-year-old niece who lived with them.

Stratton Man Gets 28 Years for Production of Child Pornography

dept.-of-justiceUnited States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Anthony James “AJ” Horton, 46, formerly of Stratton, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 21, 2015, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 28 years in prison by United States Senior District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for production of child pornography.

After serving his prison sentence, Horton will also be required to serve 10 years on supervised release and continue to register as a sex offender.

Horton had been previously convicted of sexual assault of a child in Colorado in 1995 and was already required to register as a sex offender.  The sentence handed down today will run concurrently with any future state prison sentence imposed upon Horton by the District Court of Hitchcock County for state charges to which Horton has pleaded guilty, including an unrelated sexual assault in Hitchcock County.

In addition to the prison term, the Court ordered the forfeiture to the United States of 25 items of computer and surveillance equipment used by Horton in the commission of the illegal activity.

In October 2014, based on numerous reports of sexual assaults and illegal drug activity, investigators executed a search warrant at Horton’s residence in Stratton, Hitchcock County, Nebraska.  During the execution of that search warrant, various items of computer and camera equipment were located.  A later forensic examination of that equipment revealed numerous videos of sexually explicit conduct that Horton had produced of himself and a minor victim.  Horton pleaded guilty to manufacturing child pornography between April 1, 2013, and September 1, 2013, in the District of Nebraska.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the CODE Drug Task Force.

Stratton is 34 miles west of McCook.

Betty Joann “Jo” Koch Death Notice

Betty Joann “Jo” Koch, 82, of Hershey, NE, passed away at home surrounded by her family on Monday, October 26, 2015. Following Jo’s wishes, she will be cremated and a private family service will be held at a later date. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Delmer F. Brinda

brinda

Delmer F. Brinda 74, of North Platte passed away October 25, 2015 at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver Colorado. Delmer was born January 5, 1941 in Ainsworth, NE to Elmer “Pete” and Freida (Prugh) Brinda. He grew up in Parmelee on the Rosebud Reservation where his parents owned a gas station. The family moved back to Ainsworth when Delmer was 12 where they operated a dairy farm. On February 4, 1959 he entered the United States Army. After basic training and AIT he was stationed at Ellsworth Airforce Base where he served in the newly formed missile section. After that tour, he served in Germany. After his discharge, he married Sharon June Foster in Wessington Springs, SD on May 6, 1962. The couple settled in Valentine, NE, while Delmer worked on several ranches and for Gipe’s Standard Station. They moved to North Platte where he worked at Tomahawk Oil as shift manager from 1969 – 1973, and for Trego Aviation as a line chief fueling air planes from 1973-2007 before retiring.
He was a member of the Master Mason Platte Valley Lodge #32, the Eagles Aerie 2839, American Legion Post 0163, VFW Post 1504, Harvest Christian Fellowship Church, and was a Boy Scout Leader at the Presbyterian Church Troop #295. Delmer was very kind, generous, understanding and forgiving. His wife, children, and grandchildren were the center of his life.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon June of North Platte; mother, Freida Brinda of Lander, WY; children, Wanda (Jeff) Cooper; Delmer Dean (Christi) Brinda; and Albert “Jack” (Amy) Brinda; grandchildren, Jeffrey (Janine) Cooper Jr., Jennifer (Philip Connell) Cooper; Ariel (Ben) Ralls, Emilee (Bobby) Phelps, Abigail Brinda; Desiree Lopez; Knicholos (Kayla) Brinda; Knatoschia (Bobby Arnold III) Brinda; Alexzandria Brinda, Carli Bella, Emerson Bella, and Olivia Bella; great-grandchildren, Caleb Cooper, Eva Cooper, Amelia Cooper, Sayla Ralls, Emmitt Foster Phelps, Helena Phelps, Gabriella Lopez, Angelique Lopez, Vicente Lopez, and Constantina Brinda; brothers, Rodney (Sharon) Brinda of Lander, WY and Charles Brinda of Cheyenne, WY; as well as many other nieces and nephews he loved.
He was preceded in death by his father, Pete; great-grandson, Santos Jose Lopez; brother, Dick Brinda; and father and mother-in-law, William “Bill” and Winifred Foster.
Memorials may be made in his name to the family and a Go Fund Me Account has been set up. Online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Harvest Christian Fellowship with Pastor Jeremy Rienke officiating. Burial will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell with full Military honors graveside. Visitation will be noon until 9:00 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

No Charges to Be Filed in Cambridge Hazing Allegations

state-patrol-logoCAMBRIDGE, Neb. (AP) — Adams County prosecutors have decided not to file any charges connected to allegations of hazing by Cambridge Public Schools students at a summer wrestling camp at Hastings College.

The Nebraska State Patrol investigated after the district reported that two students came forward with complaints. Authorities have not released the specifics of the complaints.

County Attorney Donna Fegler Daiss (deyse) said Monday that the state hazing law doesn’t apply to high school-sponsored events such as the wrestling camp. She says other charges were considered but rejected because the crimes alleged couldn’t be proved.

It’s unclear whether the district will take any further action. Cambridge Public Schools Superintendent Rob Gregory didn’t immediately return an Associated Press message left Tuesday.

MPCC Rodeo Team members lead regional standings

Trey Engel, of Silver Creek, and Reece Weber, of Valentine, hold up the buckles they won at the North Dakota State University Bison Stampede in Fargo, N.D. over the weekend. The Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team finished third in the team standings.
Trey Engel, of Silver Creek, and Reece Weber, of Valentine, hold up the buckles they won at the North Dakota State University Bison Stampede in Fargo, N.D. over the weekend. The Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team finished third in the team standings.

Winning two championships isn’t a bad way to wrap up the fall rodeo season. That’s just how the Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team finished over the weekend during the 50th annual North Dakota State University Bison Stampede in Fargo, N.D.

The rodeo was Friday and Saturday. Members ended up third as a team and took the top three places in bull riding.

Trey Engel, of Silver Creek, won the bull riding. Ethan Lesiak, of Columbus, came in second and Garrett Heinert, of Papillion, was third. Continue reading “MPCC Rodeo Team members lead regional standings”

Nebraska AP high school football rankings: Oct. 27

ap prep rankingsThe Associated Press Nebraska high school football rankings in Classes A through D2. Listings include name of school, season record, previous week’s ranking, previous week’s result and this week’s opponent. The rankings are based on a formula that includes ratings from the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star plus experts for each class. Class A: Dale Miller, Grand Island Independent. Class B: Jeff Fielder, Scottsbluff Star-Herald. Class C1: Tom Behmer, Norfolk Daily News. Class C2: Brent Wasinius, Fremont Tribune. Class D1: Andrew Bottrell, North Platte Telegraph. Class D2: Nick Blasnitz, Hastings Tribune. Continue reading “Nebraska AP high school football rankings: Oct. 27”

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