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Nebraska prisons to use $1.5 million for staff retention

prisonLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s prison system is planning to spend $1.5 million in an effort to keep quality employees from leaving.

The retention plan announced Wednesday is part of an effort to address the high turnover rate within the prisons, which has led to staffing shortages and less-experienced employees.

The money will help pay for better training and professional development opportunities, resources to cope with the stress of corrections work, better wellness amenities, and a bonus for those who have to commute to the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution an hour south of Lincoln and Omaha. At least $150,000 will be used to retain staff in the department’s Division of Health Services.

Director Scott Frakes says the plan is based on feedback from staff, policymakers and others with a stake in the corrections department.

Authorities capture escaped LCC inmate in Omaha

Timothy Clausen (NE Dept. of Corrections Photo)
Timothy Clausen (NE Dept. of Corrections Photo)

(Lincoln, Neb.)- At approximately 6:05 p.m., Wednesday, June 15, Lincoln Correctional Center Escapee Timothy Clausen, 52, was taken into custody at a residence at 3226 North 26th Avenue in north Omaha.

The Nebraska State Patrol, Omaha Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s, U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Metro Fugitive Task Force took Clausen into custody without incident.

Leads developed by law enforcement authorities led to his arrest.

Clausen had changed his appearance, cut his hair, shaved his beard and changed his clothing.  A handgun was located near Clausen when he was arrested.

“Clausen’s arrest is the culmination of a lot of hard work and long hours by law enforcement from multiple agencies,” said Colonel Brad Rice, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Our citizens were also a valuable resource and we would like to thank each and every one of them who called to provide a tip or information.”

Clausen has been taken the Tecumseh State Correctional Institute.

Clausen, 52, and fellow inmate Armon Dixon, 37, escaped from the Lincoln Correctional Center on Friday, June 10. Dixon was apprehended Saturday by authorities in Lincoln.

Authorities recover body of Elkhorn boy from Disney Lagoon

Google Maps
Google Maps

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) —Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings says searchers have recovered the body of a 2-year-old Nebraska boy snatched by an alligator at Walt Disney World.

The boy was attacked Tuesday night as he waded in shallow water at the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Grand Floridian resort.

Demings identified the boy as Lane Graves of Elkhorn, Nebraska.

The search team grew to 50 people Wednesday as trappers and divers searched Disney’s network of man-made canals, ponds and lakes. Five alligators were caught and cut open before they found the body. The body was fully intact.

Iowa faces Nebraska trial on 3 counts of vehicular homicide

christopher-coxDAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) — An Iowa man is scheduled to go on trial Sept. 22, charged with three counts of vehicular homicide in northeast Nebraska.

Forty-five-year-old Christopher Cox pleaded not guilty Tuesday in a Dakota City courtroom. Authorities say Cox’s car ran off U.S. Highway 20 west of Jackson on Thursday and struck a concrete creek barrier. He told officers he swerved to avoid hitting a deer.

Two of his passengers died at the scene: 57-year-old Connie Fauzae and 9-year-old Espinoza Lara, both of Council Bluffs, Iowa. A third passenger died later at a Sioux City, Iowa, hospital: 10-year-old Jose Lara, also of Council Bluffs.

Cox was treated for minor injuries. He also is from Council Bluffs.

Nebraska utility to vote on nuclear power plant closure

fort-calhoun-dryOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha Public Power District is set to vote on whether to close the nation’s smallest nuclear power plant in Fort Calhoun.

The district board will vote on the fate of Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station on Thursday.

Once closed, a nuclear plant must undergo a decommissioning process to remove or decontaminate materials and equipment that have been exposed to radioactivity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission requires decommissioning to be completed within 60 years of a plant’s closing.

Cleaning up the site after its closure is estimated to cost about $1 billion.

Power district President and Chief Executive Director Tim Burke has recommended using a decommissioning method that would give the utility the full 60 years to let radioactivity at the plant decay naturally and to fully dismantle the plant.

Authorities ID woman killed on suburban Omaha highway

car-pedestrian-accident

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have identified a woman killed while walking down a suburban Omaha highway.

Sarpy County officials say 61-year-old Patricia A. Hall died in the accident. Deputies were dispatched a little before 2:45 a.m. Wednesday after a call about the woman on U.S. Highway 75 in Bellevue and then got a call from the driver of a vehicle that hit the woman. The 64-year-old man says his sport utility vehicle struck her as he was driving home from work.

Authorities say the woman apparently was walking in the middle of the right southbound lane. Investigators have been unable to determine why she was there.

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Governor names Jeffrey Funke to Nebraska Supreme Court

ne-supreme-courtLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A southeastern Nebraska district judge has been chosen to serve on the Nebraska Supreme Court.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Wednesday that he has appointed Judge Jeffrey Funke of the second judicial district, consisting of Cass, Sarpy, and Otoe Counties.

Funke has been a judge since 2007, when he was named a Sarpy County judge. He was appointed district judge in 2013 by former Gov. Dave Heineman.

Before serving on the bench, Funke worked in private practice, served as a county attorney and as a deputy public defender. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his law degree from the university’s law college.

Funke will replace Justice William M. Connolly, who retires effective Aug. 1.

Inmate makes plea deal on assault charge in prison riot

Ian Yelton (NE Dept. of Corrections Photo)
Ian Yelton (NE Dept. of Corrections Photo)

TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — One of five inmates charged after a deadly riot last year at the Tecumseh prison is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

Online court records show 23-year-old Ian Yelton has pleaded guilty to attempted assault of a confined person. Prosecutors had lowered the charge in exchange for Yelton’s plea. His sentencing is set for June 27. He’s been serving up to 50 years for sexual assault.

No one has yet been charged in the deaths of two sex offenders who were found dead at the prison once order was restored after the rioting that broke out May 10, 2015. Two guards and four inmates were injured.

Karen Lynn Burchell

burchell

Karen Lynn Burchell, 57, of North Platte, Nebraska passed away Friday, June 10, 2016 at her home.
She was born August 31, 1958 in North Platte, Nebraska to William and Arta (Carpenter) Mitchell. She attended and graduated from North Platte high school in 1976. She then pursued a career as a drug and alcohol counselor at Region 2 as well as working at the Pawnee Hotel, and North Platte Opportunity Center.
Karen was preceded in death by her parents, William and Arta (Carpenter) Mitchell and brother Casey Mitchell. She is survived by her daughter, Star (Rob) Slaght of Louisiana; her four granddaughters, Tosha, Skyler, Madacyn, and Malorie; cousin, Gus Branting; special friend Riley Burchell and his daughters Terri Burchell and Tammy Schweitzer.
Private family services will be held. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com.

NPHS student named Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska

Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska Taylor Fugate (Photo by Heather Johnson)
Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska Taylor Fugate (Photo by Heather Johnson)

A North Platte woman has been named Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska 2016. Taylor Fugate was crowned Wednesday morning at the North Platte Community Playhouse in North Platte.

Rebel Sjeklocha, 15, of Hayes Center, was named first-runner up and will fulfill the duties of queen if Fugate is unable to do so.

Fugate, 15, won the horsemanship and appearance categories in the pageant and tied for first place on the written test with Sjeklocha. Sjeklocha also placed first in the speech and personality categories.

Danielle Forster, 16, of Smithfield, won the photogenic award, and Halee Kohmetscher, 16, of Lawrence, took home top honors for congeniality.

Chyanne Friehe, 16, of Culbertson and Maceyn Howard, 15, of North Platte were named the pageant’s Rising Stars.

Fugate is a sophomore at North Platte High School where she competes in volleyball, basketball and track. Her parents are Jeremy and Dustie Cole, of North Platte. Taylor’s previous queen titles include: Miss Ogallala Junior Rodeo and Sutherland Rodeo Queen.

She and the other five teen contestants spent four days this week competing in the 10th annual Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska Pageant.

A new Miss Rodeo Nebraska 2017 will be crowned during the first performance of the award-winning Buffalo Bill Rodeo tonight in North Platte.

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