We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Everett Fred Berglund

everett-berglund

Everett Fred Berglund, age 93, formerly of Brady, NE, died Tuesday, May 2, 2017, at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Everett was born February 15, 1924, to Albert and Della Berglund at Lewellen, NE. The family later moved to a farm northwest of Brady, NE, where he grew up. Everett graduated from Brady High School then worked on the farm until he joined the U.S. Army. Following his discharge in 1944, Everett returned to Nebraska and went back to farming, which he did all his life.

He is survived by his cousins and other family.

Everett was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Della; and brother and sister-in-law, Byron and Blanche Berglund.

Cremation was chosen. Graveside Memorial Service will be 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, in Fort McPherson National Cemetery with military honors. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or at the graveside. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

2 men injured after falling from pickup; driver charged

Jesse Rabago
Jesse Rabago

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police say a Lincoln man was arrested after two men fell out of the back of his pickup truck.

Court records say 33-year-old Jesse Rabago is charged with two felony counts of failing to stop and render aid. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for him.

Police say the two fell out of the pickup about 10 minutes apart at different locations in Lincoln on Tuesday night. One man was taken to a hospital for treatment of a brain bleed. The other also was treated for a head injury.

Man accused in deadly Iowa jail escape agrees to extradition

Wesley Correa-Carmenaty
Wesley Correa-Carmenaty

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man accused of killing a deputy and wounding another while escaping from an Iowa jail before being recaptured in Nebraska is going back to Iowa to face charges.

Wesley Correa-Carmenaty agreed during a hearing in Omaha on Thursday to be extradited to Iowa to face charges of murder and attempted murder, among others.

Matthew Wilber, the head prosecutor for Iowa’s Pottawattamie County, says officials will likely wait until after the slain deputy’s funeral on Monday to retrieve Correa-Carmenaty. They have 10 days in which to do so.

Authorities say Correa-Carmenaty had just been sentenced to 45 years in prison in an unrelated case when he managed to grab one of the two deputies’ guns while being transferred to a Council Bluffs, Iowa, jail. He shot them both and used a van to escape but was recaptured across the state border in Omaha. d shoot them, killing one and wounding the other.

Crews rescue man from southeastern Nebraska grain elevator

police-lights-redRAYMOND, Neb. (AP) — Rescue crews have saved a man trapped inside a southeast Nebraska grain elevator.

Officials were called shortly after 11 a.m. to the grain elevator in Raymond on reports of a man being stuck in the grain below the waist.

Officials say the man was in the middle of the bin in about 5 to 6 feet of grain, but was surrounded by walls of grain 20 feet high, which threatened to bury him if the grain collapsed.

Crews were able to cut hole on the side of the bin to get grain out. The man was freed after about two hours inside the bin.

Nebraska lawmakers split on online sales tax proposal

taxesLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are debating requiring online retailers to collect sales tax or notify buyers that tax is due.

Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse said Thursday that he sponsored the bill to encourage collection of sales tax for online purchases. He says most people pay taxes when they know they owe them but are unaware that online purchases should be taxed.

Nebraska loses between $30 million and $40 million annually from unpaid sales tax on online purchases.

A 1992 Supreme Court decision says states can only tax businesses with locations within the state. Businesses can voluntarily collect the tax, and Amazon announced in December it would do so.

Senators who oppose the bill have promised to filibuster it. Gov. Pete Ricketts has said he will not sign it.

NP 13-year-old struck by vehicle while riding bicycle

north_platte_patchA North Platte teenager was injured on Thursday morning after being struck by a vehicle.

At around 8:08 a.m., North Platte police responded to the report of a vehicle versus bicycle accident at the intersection of Philip and McDonald.

According to Investigator John Deal, a blue 2010 Nissan Rogue, driven by 77-year-old Judith Carstens, was traveling eastbound on Philip Avenue and had stopped at the four-way stop at the McDonald intersection.

Deal says Carstens continued traveling eastbound and struck 13-year-old Raquel Bujanda who was properly crossing on a bicycle in the crosswalk.

Bujanda was transported to Great Plains Health for injuries to her hip and upper leg.  Deal says the injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.

Deal says investigators spoke to several witnesses to the accident and it appears that the sun was possibly shining in Carstens’ eyes and she could not see Bujanda.

No citations were issued.  The vehicle sustained minor damage.

 

 

WCDHD: All tests for measles negative

wcdhdThe West Central District Health Department reports testing on all suspected cases is negative.

WCDHD’s current investigation shows only one confirmed Measles case at this time. The time frame for contacts of the one confirmed measles case to begin showing signs and symptoms of measles is 7-21 days. This time frame ends for Lincoln County on May 4, 2017.

We are still encouraging medical providers to contact us, if you are having any patients with symptoms.

For more information on measles and for updates as the investigation continues, please visit the WCDHD website at https://wcdhd.org/measles2017.html or follow our Facebook page.

Lincoln accountant accused of embezzling more than $310K

gavel-moreLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An accountant has been accused of embezzling more than $310,000 while on the job in Lincoln.

Sarah Batenhorst is charged with stealing from the Nebraska Rural Electric Association, where she’d worked for more than 10 years. A federal court hearing for her is scheduled for Thursday. Her attorney didn’t immediately answer a message from The Associated Press.

Court documents say that between March 1, 2011, and Jan. 31, 2016, she defrauded the association by several means, including adjusting account ledgers to raise her salary for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The association is a nonprofit organization for utilities providing electric service in rural areas and small towns in the state.

___

Family of boy killed on Kansas waterslide to receive $20M

Schlitterbahn-Water-ParkKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Court documents say the family of a 10-year-old boy who died on a giant waterslide at a Kansas water park will receive nearly $20 million in settlement payments.

$14 million of the payment to Caleb Schwab’s family will come from SVV 1 and KC Water Park. The two companies are associated with Texas-based water park company Schlitterbahn.

The rest of the money will come from the general contractor, the raft manufacturer and a company that consulted on the 17-story “Verruckt” waterslide that was dubbed the tallest in the world.

The waterslide at the park in Kansas City has been closed since Caleb’s death on Aug. 7, 2016.

The settlements were announced previously, but the amount involved wasn’t disclosed.

Sex assault charge against Aurora man dismissed

Ross Carstensen
Ross Carstensen

AURORA, Neb. (AP) — A Hamilton County sexual assault case against an Aurora man has been dismissed.

Court records say 41-year-old Ross Carstensen had pleaded not guilty to the charge of forcible sexual assault. An 18-year-old woman told police that she’d met a man on Facebook and that he raped her last October when they met at a park. Carstensen’s attorney has said the sex was consensual.

Court records say the prosecution moved for dismissal, which was granted by a judge Wednesday. The request didn’t cite a reason for the request. A spokeswoman for the Nebraska attorney general’s office, which handled the case, didn’t immediately return a call Thursday.

Because the case was dismissed without prejudice, it can be refiled.

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File