RIVERTON, Neb. (AP) — A former village clerk in south-central Nebraska has taken a plea deal in her theft case.
Online court records say 31-year-old Kelly Jackson pleaded no contest Monday to misdemeanor theft. Prosecutors had lowered the charge from a felony in exchange for her plea. Jackson’s sentencing is set for Feb. 13.
Court documents say an audit by the Nebraska state auditor’s office alleges that Jackson paid herself $15,830 more than her monthly approved income of $400.
Several former and current board members told investigators that a village official signed blank checks so Jackson could pay city bills. Officials say that Jackson instead wrote checks to herself.
Judith Marie (Chadd) Akers, 74, passed away on November 5, 2016 at the North Platte Care Center.
She was born on March 27, 1942 to Alva and Pearl (Cederburg) Chadd. After graduating high school in North Platte, she enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps from 1960 to 1963. She was stationed in Fort McClellan, Alabama. Judy then moved to California where she married Glenn Simmons on July 1, 1964. They divorced on July 12, 1979. While they were married, they were very active with the Boy Scouts of America. On November 11, 1984, Judy married Lee Akers. They divorced on September 10, 1997. She returned to North Platte to be with her family. Judy was an active member of the Harvest Christian Fellowship. She had a strong belief in her Lord Jesus Christ and loved to write cards and letters for the writing ministry. Judy held many different jobs during her lifetime, but her favorites included care giving and volunteering at the North Platte Community Child Care as a Grandma. Judy lived a full rich life and will be remembered for her love of people. She loved to write cards and letters to people to encourage them to live life with gusto.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Alva and Pearl Chadd; her brother, Larry Chadd; and sisters, Twila (Chadd) Shafer and Marilyn (Chadd) Houck.
Judy is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends throughout various states.
Memorials are suggested in her name and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Judith will be laid to rest on December 2, 2016 at 3:00 PM at Fort McPherson Cemetery with Pastor Jeremy Rinke officiating. Adams and Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to 21 to 26 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a northwest wind 14 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 19. West northwest wind 6 to 11 mph.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 40. West northwest wind around 6 mph.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials say they will try to change the state’s death penalty protocol in an effort to get around the logistical problems that have prevented them from obtaining the necessary lethal injection drugs.
The proposal announced Monday would allow the state corrections director to choose which drugs are used in an execution. Condemned inmates would have to be told which drugs were chosen at least 60 days before the Nebraska attorney general’s office requests an execution warrant from the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Nebraska hasn’t executed an inmate since 1997, when it used the electric chair. The state has never used its current three-drug protocol consisting of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride.
Nebraska voters reinstated the death penalty earlier this month, overturning the Legislature’s decision to abolish the punishment.
FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (AP) — Firefighters from five departments have put out a fire that engulfed a home in rural Fort Calhoun in eastern Nebraska.
Authorities say the fire was first reported around 7:40 p.m. Sunday and was under control less than 90 minutes later. Some firefighters remained on the scene to monitor hot spots.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man who pleaded guilty to a fatal 1984 stabbing in Lincoln is hoping he’ll receive a commutation after being on probation for 20 years.
The Nebraska Board of Pardons will consider 53-year-old Terry Taylor’s request for a commutation on Thursday.
Taylor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 1985 in the death of his 18-year-old roommate Ben DeBaets Jr. The Nebraska Parole Board voted to release him in 1996. Taylor moved to Texas and has continued to be on probation and under supervision. He says his clean record while on parole shows he’s not a threat to society, and that his crime was one of passion.
If Taylor’s sentence is commuted to a definite term, his parole could be ended.
Taylin McNair, seated 3rd from left signs National letter of intent to play volleyball at North Platte Community College
North Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights volleyball team has announced the signing of Taylin McNair from Imperial for the 2017 season.
A North Platte woman was seriously injured Friday evening when she was struck by a vehicle and drug.
According to Investigator John Deal, officers responded to the report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle near Philip Avenue and Tabor Street at around 7:26 p.m.
Officers arrived and found 39-year-old Emma Heinemann, of North Platte, laying in the eastbound lane of Philip Avenue. A rescue unit from the North Platte Fire Department soon arrived and transported Heinemann to Great Plains Health with head and leg injuries. Deal said she was later transported to Kearney’s CHI Good Samaritan, where she remains in unknown condition.
Witnesses told officers that Heinemann had been crossing the street when she was struck by a blue Ford Explorer. It was determined that the Explorer had been driven by 48-year-old Virgil Apodaca, who was still on the scene. Initially, Apodaca indicated to officers that he was a witness, but his account was soon disproven by numerous witnesses.
It was reported that Heinemann was crossing the street in a diagonal fashion from the northwest corner of Philip and Tabor to the southeast corner of the intersection. Deal says it appears that Heinemann was in the middle of the intersection when Apodaca turned left onto Philip from Tabor and stuck her.
According to Deal, Apodaca drug Heinemann for about 75 feet before he realized that he had hit her. He claimed he did not see Heinemann in the roadway and stopped once he realized he had hit something.
Further investigation revealed that Apodaca had a 15-year license suspension in effect. As a result, he was placed under arrest and charged with felony driving under suspension.
Deal said Apodaca did not appear to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the accident, but he was taken to GPH for a blood draw. Police are still awaiting the results of the blood test.
Apodaca was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center. The accident remains under investigation.
RIVERTON, Neb. (AP) — A former village clerk in south-central Nebraska has taken a plea deal in her theft case.
