HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) — Medical equipment maker Becton Dickinson and Co. is planning to invest $100 million in its syringe plant in Holdrege, Nebraska.
The New Jersey-based company says it wants to increase production of its syringes for insulin.
The money will be used to update manufacturing equipment and technology at the Holdrege plant.
Roughly 650 people work at the Holdrege plant, which makes 20 different BD products. The company is the biggest employer in Phelps County.
A 36-year-old North Platte man, who police say stole some scrap metal from a local business, is now facing a felony charge.
On Wednesday, at around 6:55 p.m., an officer on patrol observed Nicholas MacMillan walking in the 1100 block of East Seventh Street, carrying some scrap metal.
According to Investigator John Deal, the officer contacted MacMillan and asked him some basic questions, including where he got the metal from.
MacMillan told the officer that he had gotten the metal from Pagel Electric, 819 East Seventh Street. He told the officer that he had been given permission to take the metal, and said he worked for Pagel. He also claimed that the metal was in the garbage at the business, and was going to be thrown away.
The officer made contact with the owner of the business, who denied giving MacMillan permission to take the metal and said he did not even know him. They also denied that the metal was in the garbage and claimed it was on their property.
As a result, MacMillan was placed under arrest and charged with theft. Because of prior convictions, the charge was enhanced to a felony, according to Deal. Court records indicate that this would be his third theft charge.
MacMillan was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center. His bond was set at ten percent of $10,000.
The Nebraska State Patrol, in conjunction with the Cass County Attorney’s Office, has released the names of the Deputy and suspect in the officer-involved shooting in Louisville, in Cass County.
At around 7:12 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, Cass County Deputy Tyler Reiff (WM) 25, made a traffic stop of a maroon 1992 Buick Century, near First and Cherry Streets in Louisville.
The vehicle driven by Austin M. Baier, (WM) 23, of Louisville was stopped following reports of reckless driving.
After initially stopping his vehicle, Baier drove off a short distance. After stopping a second time, Baier got out of the car and confronted the deputy. An altercation ensued, and shots were fired by the deputy.
Life saving measures attempted by Deputy Reiff and medical personnel were unsuccessful and Baier was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputy Reiff was not injured.
Reiff, a four-year veteran of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, has been placed on administrative leave.
The investigation into the incident continues.
Nebraska law requires a grand jury be convened anytime someone dies while in custody or in the process of apprehension.
On Thursday, September 22, 2016, Viola M. Schultz, of North Platte, NE, passed away at Great Plains Health after turning 85 years old. Viola is together again with her husband, Floyd, who died just 3 weeks ago.
Viola was born September 20, 1931, to James Herbert and Viola Ruth Keslar Spidell at St. Joseph, MO. She lived in Missouri until 1946 when the family moved to Nebraska.
On April 25, 1947, Viola was united in marriage to the love of her life, Floyd Lawrence Schultz, at the North Platte Methodist Church. They lived in North Platte, had two sons and two daughters, and enjoyed over 67 years of marriage. On January 7, 1958, Floyd and Viola were baptized into the Church of Christ and had been members ever since.
When the children were young, Viola was active in their school activities, served on the PTA and was involved in Scouts and 4-H. In 1970 she received her GED then went on to take courses at Kearney State College and North Platte Community College. She eventually earned her certification as a Nurse’s Assistant then worked for the Home Health Department at Great Plains Regional Medical Center.
Viola had been a Notary since 1988, was a life member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary and a member of the Eagles Auxiliary, National Association of Nursing Assistants and National Arbor Day Foundation. She found much enjoyment in life. She was a Husker Football fan, liked collecting things, doing arts and crafts, and considered herself a scrapbook enthusiast. Viola especially loved antiques, studying genealogy and quilting. She sewed over 100 quilts which she proudly gave away as gifts. No matter what project she was involved in, her family always came first; she loved them more than words could ever express.
She is survived by her son, Gary Schultz, of North Platte; grandchildren, Skip, Salena, Travis, Trampus, Jake, Marc, Ronda and Carma; five great-granddaughters, Brittney, Madison, Trinity, Jayna and Livia; sister, Elizabeth Lovell, of Knoxville, TN; brother, Raymond (Louise) McKernan, of St. Joseph, MO; and many nieces, nephews and other family.
Along with her husband, Floyd, Viola was preceded in death by their two daughters, Cynthia and Mindy Sue; a son, Jay; her parents, James and Viola Spidell; sisters, Jane McHarness and Rose and Francis Spidell; brother, Robert Spidell; granddaughter, Amanda Diltz; a grandson, Michael J. Schultz; and great-granddaughter, Misty K. Schultz.
Graveside Funeral Service will be 3 p.m. Monday, September 26, 2016, in Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens with her nephew, Larry Henry, officiating. Visitation will be Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the Walker Road Church of Christ.
Thomas Wayne Brown, age 90, of Hershey, NE, passed away Wednesday, September 21, 2016, at Centennial Park Retirement Village.
Tom, the oldest of five children, was born June 11, 1926, to Marion James and Mary Esther Applegate Brown at Sutherland, NE, and grew up on the family farm south of Sutherland. He attended country school during the Great Depression so getting back and forth was a lot of work. The family eventually moved to a new dryland farm closer to town and school, and with perseverance and determination, survived the drought and depression.
After graduating from 8th grade in a class of two, Tom moved in with his grandparents at the Applegate farm so he could easily attend Sutherland High School. By 1941 the rest of the Brown family had moved to this farm as well. Tom graduated from high school in 1943 then joined the U.S. Army in 1945, serving as an M.P. for nearly two years. During the late 1940’s, Tom attended the University of Nebraska. While in Lincoln he worked for a funeral home, driving the ambulance, and worked a couple summers as a combine operator during the wheat harvest from Canada to Oklahoma.
In June 1950 Tom graduated from college then returned to the Hershey area to begin farming for himself and did so his entire life. He loved farming and soil conservation, and promoted the National Farmer Organization (NFO).
On March 26, 1954, Tom was united in marriage to Ruth Lorraine Carlson in Denver, CO. They lived on the Brown farm and had five children during their 62 years of marriage.
Tom was an active in the Hershey community, serving on the School Board, belonging to the Antique Tractor Club and was announcer for the Tractor Pull at the Fall Festival. He was a member of Maria Lutheran Church, charter member and Past President of the Hershey Lions Club, and member of the Sierra Club, which he also served as Lincoln County and State President. He was also member of the Order of the Golden Star, Theta XI Fraternity and Alpha Epsilon 200 from which he received his 50 year pin in 1993. Tom was Treasurer for Nebraska Holistic Resource Management and the Hershey Cooperative Telephone Company, and was active in many conservation organizations. In 1996 he was awarded the Keith Neville Democratic Memorial Award.
Aside from his work on the farm, Tom had a passion for researching the family history. He was able to trace his family roots prior to the War of Independence and to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Because of his genealogical efforts, October 29, 1997, was declared “Tom Brown Day” in Butler County, KY.
Tom leaves behind his wife, Ruth, of Hershey; children, Amy (Steven) Fleecs, of Sutherland, and Eric (Jacqueline) Brown and Scot (Susie) Brown, of Hershey; daughter-in-law, Tammy Brown, of Sutherland; 10 grandchildren, Matthew (Rebecca) Fleecs, Amber (Brian) Cross, Rachel (Matthew) Person, Jordan Brown, Chelsea Brown, Erin Brown, Erica Brown, Logan Brown, Skyler Brown and Chloe Brown; 6 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Robert ‘Bob’ (Della) Brown, of Hershey and James (Kay) Brown, of Plattsmouth, NE; as well as many nieces, nephews and other family.
He was preceded in death by his infant son, David Douglas, and son, John Thomas; parents, Marion and Mary; and sisters, Georgia Martin and Lucille Say.
Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 26, 2016, at Maria Lutheran Church in Hershey with Pastor Erin Dunlavy officiating. Burial with military honors will be in the Sutherland Riverview Cemetery. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to Maria Lutheran Church.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Law officers in six states will be joining in a regional speed enforcement campaign intended to catch speeding drivers.
The Regional Speed Enforcement Campaign will be Sept. 23-25 in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says officers will be concentrating on high traffic roadways in the effort to reduce speeding-related auto crashes.
Authorities say 27 percent of crash fatalities nationwide in 2015 were related to speeding of driving too fast for conditions and that 86 percent of all speeding-related traffic fatalities were on roads where the posted speed limits were 55 miles per hour or lower.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bank robber who made his getaway through a Lincoln storm sewer has been given five to eight years in prison.
Online court records say 48-year-old Wade Winklepleck was sentenced Wednesday in Lancaster County District Court. He’d pleaded no contest after prosecutors lowered the robbery charge.
Prosecutors say he used a fake gun to rob a Union Bank branch in central Lincoln on Jan. 28 and fled the area through the storm sewer system.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Eppley Airfield officials have made changes to ease the parking crunch during construction of another parking garage.
The existing rental car parking garage will be demolished next spring, making way for a six-story parking garage with 3,000 parking stalls. Of those, 900 will be for rental cars. The existing rental car garage has 519 public spaces and 555 spots for rental cars.
During construction, rental cars will be relocated to a new parking lot nearby. A shuttle will take customers to the temporary facilities.
The construction project doesn’t affect the airport’s main parking garage, but a parking guidance system has been installed to show drivers the available spots on each of the six floors in the garage.
