Listen to Jim Griffin, Director of the Lincoln County Historical Museum, talk about Chautauqua and the Heritage Festival which kicks off this week. For more information, visit www.lincolncountymuseum.org.
https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/jim-griffin-talks-about-chautauqua-and-the-heritage-festival
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Nebraska man accused of a fatal hit-and-run in western Iowa is set to stand trial later this summer.
44-year-old Tracy Peniska has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatality accident and obstructing prosecution. His trial has been set for Aug. 9.
If convicted, Peniska could face up to seven years in prison.
Police say Peniska was driving his car March 9 on the Interstate 480 bridge in Council Bluffs when he hit a pedestrian, 29-year-old Brett Jensen. Police say Peniska reported his car stolen to Omaha police later that night, but eventually told police he had made up the stolen-car story.
Peniska is free on $5,000 bail. A phone number for Peniska could not be found Saturday.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An 11-year-old girl who had her scalp partially torn off nearly a month ago when her hair got caught in the gears of a carnival ride says she’s ready to go home.
Elizabeth “Lulu” Gilreath briefly spoke to reporters Friday at a news conference held at the Omaha hospital where she’s been a patient for four weeks.
Her injury occurred May 7 at a Cinco de Mayo festival in Omaha. Witnesses have said the girl’s ponytail got caught in the ride’s moving parts. She was taken to Nebraska Medical Center after the incident, where she’s had several surgeries. She could go home as soon as Monday.
Nebraska investigators found no indication that the spinning ride was malfunctioning when the incident happened.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Those interested in bees, butterflies and other pollinators and how to protect them can take part in a number of free workshops being held in north-central and northeast Nebraska this summer.
The first of seven Nebraska Game and Parks workshops on the power of pollinators was held Wednesday in Norfolk. The other six will take place in Neligh, Battle Creek, O’Neill, Bassett and again in Norfolk at various dates through Aug. 26.
Pollinators are critical to the environment, food supply and economy, but their numbers are in decline. Establishing backyard pollinator gardens as a source of food and shelter for pollinators can help protect those populations.
Those who attend a workshop will receive a pollinator garden planting guide, a pollinator invertebrate identification book and milkweed seedlings, critical for monarch butterflies.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has organized an event aimed at helping families that are new to camping.
The Becoming an Outdoors-Family Campout is scheduled for June 25-26 at Two Rivers State Recreation Area. The recreation area sits about 3½ miles southwest of Waterloo in eastern Nebraska.
There will be lake fishing, kayaking, archery and shooting sports, guided by expert instructors. Other workshops will cover geocaching, aquatic ecology and outdoor cooking.
Go online at OutdoorNebraska.gov/bof to downtown an application form. Call 402-471-5547 or email christy.christiansen@nebraska.gov. for more information.
ASHLAND, Neb. (AP) — A staff member at a Nebraska summer camp has the mumps.
Officials at the Carol Joy Holling Camp in Ashland say Friday that the virus was identified quickly when the staff member noticed symptoms. He has seen a doctor and was quarantined at home. Officials say he was vaccinated but incubated the illness at a nearby university. They didn’t say which university.
The camp is not yet in session, but typically serves 1,600 campers and 20,000 other guests yearly. It is run by the Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries.
Nebraska health officials announced earlier this week that the number of mumps cases related to an outbreak at Midland University in Fremont increased from 10 to 21.
The viral infection’s symptoms include swollen salivary glands, fever, jaw pain and muscle aches.
A North Platte man was jailed on felony charges after a father-son dispute turned violent.
Investigator John Deal says officers responded to the disturbance in the 2200 block of West Fourth Street at around 7:57 p.m., on Thursday.
According to Deal, Dale Husemoller lives at the residence, which is owned by his father Ronald Husemoller.
Police say the elder Husemoller went to the house to contact Dale about not paying his rent.
Witnesses say an argument took place at the front door and Dale attempted to shut the door and end the conversation.
At that time, Deal says Ronald put his foot in the door and both men ended up in a wrestling match in the front yard. When Ronald got into his vehicle to leave, Dale allegedly went into the house, retrieved a baseball bat, came back outside and began striking his dad’s truck.
Ronald became upset and exited the vehicle, at which time investigators say Dale struck Ronald in the arm with the bat. Deal said Ronald had injuries consistent with being struck with a bat.
In the end, Dale was jailed and charged with 2nd-degree assault, use of a weapon to commit a felony and criminal mischief.
Ronald was cited for trespassing and disturbing the peace, and released.
They’re not getting away that easy.
The four members of the Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo team who qualified for nationals will be sent off in style June 7.
There will be an open to the public reception for the team from noon to 1 p.m. at the North Platte Community College South Campus cafeteria. Continue reading “Send-off planned for MPCC cowboys”
DAVID CITY, Neb. (AP) — A 51-year-old Omaha man has been given probation for causing a collision that fatally injured two brothers from Rising City.
Christopher Pokorny was sentenced last week in Butler County to two years of probation, 400 hours of community service and was told to pay two $500 fines. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor vehicular homicide.
Authorities say Pokorny was driving east on Nebraska Highway 92 on May 2 last year when his pickup ran into the back of an eastbound minivan that was slowing to turn left. Authorities say two van passengers, 8-year-old Caleb Prellwitz and his 18-year-old brother, Joshua, were injured and died later at a Lincoln hospital.
BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A 53-year-old man is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 3 in Gage County for stealing cattle.
Cork Tyan has taken a deal in which he pleaded guilty to theft and attempted theft. Prosecutors lowered one of the theft charges in exchange for Tyan’s pleas Wednesday.
Authorities say Tyan went to a Gage County sale barn and tried to sell some calves that later proved to have been stolen from a rancher in Hayes County. Authorities also say Tyan admitted stealing barbed wire from a Beatrice store.
Tyan has been living in Lincoln.
