A disturbance on Sunday morning ending with a North Platte man facing felony charges.
According to North Platte Police, at around 11:45 a.m., officers responded to the 500 block of North Adams Street on the report of an assault.
Upon arrival, officers met with a 41-year-old male who reportedly had a visible injury to his nose, which was bleeding.
The victim alleged that he had been at his residence when 42-year-old Edward Harvey kicked in his front door, came inside and punched the victim in the face, knocking him down. The victim stated that, once he was on the ground, Harvey kicked him in the ribs and back.
Investigator John Deal says the victim ran from the residence and went to the neighbor’s house, where he contacted police.
Deal says the victim told officers that he and Harvey knew each other, and he believed Harvey was upset with him over a prior incident.
Additionally, the victim discovered that his cell phone was missing and it was believed that Harvey took it.
Later in the afternoon, an officer located Harvey driving his pickup near the 2100 block of West 4th Street and initiated a traffic stop.
Harvey was placed under arrest and charged with felony 1st-degree assault and burglary. Deal says the victim’s phone was found in the pickup.
Harvey was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center. The victim received treatment for a broken nose and broken ribs.
Aloysius L. Wiegand, 86, of North Platte, passed away May 24, 2017 in Grand Island.
He was born in a small box-like house in Overton, Nebraska on October 23, 1930, welcomed by his three older sisters and a brother. When he was five, the family moved to Kearney where he started school. He attended St. James through the eighth grade, enjoying recess, playing football and basketball the most and the strict disciplinary rules and customs demanded by the nuns the least. In the eighth grade he was given permission to play football with the public school teams. His ego surpassed his performance with each game when praise came from the local newspaper. Attending public high school brought new experiences, knowing most his classmates through summer activities, playing baseball and swimming. His study habits bringing average grades so he could participate in sports. He earned letters in four sports his sophomore and junior years, two in his senior year. He won honors in football and boxing (with two state champion trophies). The summers were spent picking up potatoes, detassling corn and playing baseball. At seventeen baseball became a money maker, playing for as many as four teams, earning twenty-five dollars a game. Making enough money to buy a car and put savings in the bank. After finishing high school, he enrolled at Kearney State College in 1949. His dad, a civil service employee, transferred to Rapid City, SD, so he and his brother went to live with their sister and her husband. When school was out they worked at the local TB Hospital for their room and board and one dollar an hour as painters. Some weeknights and every weekend were spent playing baseball for several town teams. Opportunity to play pro-ball was an option. He had visits with scouts of three different ball clubs, one being the Brooklyn Dodgers offering a nice bonus, he decided to stay in college one more semester and sign in the spring. That fall semester, the Korean War was declared and everyone was in a panic about being drafted. So in 1951, two buddies talked him into enlisting in the Navy. Three weeks later, on January 25, 1951, he was sworn into the Navy for four years. Boot camp, another whale of new experiences, told what you must do, when to do it and marching was not his cup of tea. After nine weeks, he was a member of the crew on the infamous U.S.S. Mattiponi A041, an oil tanker. Their primary assignment was delivering fuel oil from oil refineries to port facilities. Home port was San Pedro, CA. His trips took him to Hawaii, Alaska, Korea, Iceland, Panama Canal, Aruba and several U.S. ports. On January 27, 1955, he was discharged after four years and two days. After his honorable discharge, Al bought a 1955 Chevrolet, drove to South Dakota to spend some time with his parents and then on to North Platte. While in North Platte he became involved in a small business adventure with his sister, Verna and her husband, Jerry. After deciding it had no future he returned to Kearney State College, graduating in 1958 and lettering in football and golf while getting a degree in Education. On his graduation day, May 28, 1958 he became a proud father of a baby girl, Christine, after marrying in the fall of 1957. The next five year he taught and coached football and track at Hershey and Pierce High Schools. Four boys joined the family, Mike, Troy, Joel and Andy. In 1962, they lost Troy due to an automobile accident. Al also tried the insurance business, ending up in Hastings as a district sales manager. While living there, Cathy was born, making them a family of five again. They moved to Bellevue for a short time when an offer for an administrative job at Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte. His work as a business manager for the college was his most rewarding time. They were able to buy a few acres and build a six bedroom house. Country living was great!
Al leaves behind his children, Christine (Richard) Rosane, Michael (Joy) Wiegand, Joel (Sharon) Wiegand and Andrew Wiegand; seven grandchildren, Ryan, Jenna, Cameron, Michael, Matthew, Troy and Sawyer; one great grandson, Kalieb.
Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Cremation was chosen. Graveside services will be 1:00 pm June 23, 2017 at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.
Maria Helen Delgado, 74, of North Platte, NE, died Tuesday, June 13, 2017, at Great Plains Health.
Maria was born July 2, 1942, in Oklahoma to Alfonzo and Refugia Razes Delgado and the family lived in different states. Maria eventually moved to Nebraska where she lived in Gothenburg before moving to North Platte.
Maria had various jobs during her life that included picking cotton and cleaning homes. She was a great mother who stayed home with her kids.
Maria enjoyed being outside, going to “Bag Day” at the Thrift Store, and getting ice cream at Cody Park. She liked watching Andy Griffith and Cornhusker Football and listening and dancing to Elvis. Maria especially loved her children and grandchildren.
She is survived by her children, Sam Alegria and fiancé, Jodie Hill, of North Platte and Ramona and husband, Loren Biltoft, of Hoxie, KS; four grandchildren, Alexandrea Delgado, Spencer Lewis, Tim Lewis and Shawn Alegria; seven great-grandchildren, Bella Delgado, Daniel Delgado, James Delgado, Jr., Paige Delgado, Ezekeil Lewis, Tamia Pfiefer and Adrian Lewis; her sister, Sara Gonzales, of Frederick, OK; brothers, Joe and wife, Lupe Delgado, of Minden, NE, and Dave Delgado, of Henryetta, OK; as well as other family members.
Maria was preceded in death by her parents, Alfonzo and Refugia Delgado; brothers, Manuel and Pete Delgado; and sisters, Josephine Riveras and Blossan Flores.
Cremation was chosen. Memorial Service will be 2 p.m.Monday, June 19, 2017, at the Salvation Army with Captain Tony officiating. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.comor at the service. Arrangements are with Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore.
Frances Lillian Steele passed away with her family at her bedside on Monday, June 12, 2017, at the age of 97.
Frances was born January 9, 1920, to Francis Barney and Silva (Benson) Tripp in Superior, NE. She grew up in Nelson, NE, and graduated from Grand Island High School in 1938. The Tripp family later moved to Grand Island from Wilbur, NE.
On December 2, 1939, Frances was united in marriage to John E. Steele in Grand Island. They made their home in Omaha and Grand Island as John was transferred in his work with the Union Pacific Railroad. They later moved to Sidney, NE, remaining there until 1943 when they moved to North Platte. When John was drafted into the army in ’44, Frances moved back to Grand Island to live with her parents until he returned from the service in March of 1946.
John and Frances spent the rest of their lives in North Platte, living at Lake Maloney for many years. They later moved into an apartment, built especially for them, in the old North Platte Fire House building at 620 North Vine. After John passed away in 2002, Frances remained in the apartment until a few months ago when she moved into Linden Court. She enjoyed the many residents there as well as the staff. She frequently escorted her visitors to the front door as they attempted to keep up with the fast pace of her walker.
Frances had been a member of the Union Pacific Employee Club since 1946, the First United Methodist Church since ’48 and Order of Eastern Star since ’52. She was also active with the North Platte Shrine Auxiliary and Social Order of Beauceant. Frances enjoyed playing cards with her many friends until her eye sight failed.
She is survived by her children, Lawrence Eldon “Larry” (Sue) Steele and Barbara Ann (Dennis) Kohler, of North Platte; daughter-in-law, Janice Steele, of Ellsworth, KS; six grandchildren, Shaun (Kurt) Williams, of Ellsworth, KS, Sherry (Bob) Tuetken, of Omaha, and John Ray Steele, Scott (Melissa) Steele, John Jacob Kohler and Amy Kohler, all of North Platte; 10 great-grandchildren, Tyler (Jessica), Chelsey (Mark), Amber, Whitney, Tawni, Randi, Syndi, Michael (Allison), Kort and Baylee; 10 great great-grandchildren, Caden, Tatum, Paxon, Jacob, Kyle, Ryan, Owyn, Deandray, Kahne and Preston; nieces, Janice Todd and Diane Todd; nephew, Steven (Susan) Todd; and other family.
Along with her husband, John, Frances was preceded in death by their son, Donald; her parents, Francis and Silva Tripp; and sister and brother-in-law, Patty Ann and Leo Todd.
Memorial Service will be 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 15, 2017, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Douglas A. Delp officiating. Private family burial will be in Fort McPherson National Cemetery. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday 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 First United Methodist Church or the North Platte Shrine Transportation Fund.
North Platte – Seven members of the 2017 Region IX Division II champion North Platte Community College Knights softball team were named to the All-Nebraska Two-Year College softball team.
Samantha Gill, catcher, Samantha Foster, pitcher, Shelby Belloni, outfielder, and Sarah Beaton were named to the first team, while Alyiah Franco, Shelly Heredia, and Erin Renwick were named Honorable mention.
The team was named by the Omaha World Herald and includes both Division I and Division II junior colleges in the state of Nebraska.
Lauren Oxford of Western Nebraska Community College was named honorary captain. The complete list can be found at www.omaha.com.
Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D., is the steer wrestling champion at the 2017 Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte. The rodeo is part of NebraskalandDays, which continues through June 25. Photo by Don Christner.
North Platte, Neb. (June 17, 2017) – Austin Foss knows he needs to persevere, and on a Saturday night in North Platte, that’s exactly what he did.
The bareback rider, on the last night of competition at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo, turned in the highest score of the week, an 87.5, to win the 2017 title of champion bareback rider.
He gave kudos to Beutler and Son Rodeo’s bronc Pendleton Whisky’s Red Bandana, the horse he rode. “It’s a horse a guy is pretty happy to see his name next to,” the Terrebonne, Ore. man said. “He’s really strong right out of the chute, and he’s just honest. I was really blessed to have him.”
Foss, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, has had last year to let his body heal a bit. He didn’t rodeo hard, choosing to go to only a few, and that was good. “I wanted a year for my body to recoup. There’s guys my age who have had hip surgeries and all kinds of things. I don’t like the knife, so I try to do everything I can to keep myself away from it.”
Foss, who is 25 years old, is ranked eighteenth in the PRCA’s world standings. His check for $2,639 from the Buffalo Bill Rodeo should vault him up a few steps. “I’m climbing,” he said, of the goal to be in the top fifteen in the standings, to qualify for the Wrangler NFR. “Slowly but steady.”
He knows it’s a marathon, not a sprint, to the end of the pro rodeo season, which finishes Sept. 30. “Just keep persevering and keep pushing forward all the way to the end, because you never know, anything could happen,” he said.
It was déjà vu all over again for a Kansas cowboy.
For the second time, Cody Quaney, Cheney, Kan., claimed the title of tie-down roping average winner at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.
He won the title in 2012 and did it again this year with his time of 19.7 seconds on two head.
The cowboy, who is 27 years old, is having the best year of his pro rodeo career. He’s ranked twelfth in the PRCA’s world standings.
The biggest difference for him this year, he says, is horsepower. He rode his own horse for his first run in North Platte, but has ridden his traveling partner Ace Slone’s horse, Ripple, for most of the year and for his second run in North Platte, 8.4 seconds, which won him first place in the second round.
A good horse makes all the difference, Quaney said, and Ripple is good. The twelve-year-old sorrel “can really run and has pretty good timing.” Ripple is owned by the Justin Martin family from Evanston, Wyo.; Slone leases the horse. “It all starts with the horse,” Quaney said. “You have to be on the right horse to give yourself a chance.” And if the calf isn’t a good one, “the horse can make the majority of the calves in the pen better than they are.”
Quaney sat out about half of last year, after an ankle injury caused from a pickup game of basketball. He never went to the doctor to see if it was broken. “I probably should have (visited the doctor), looking back, but I did not.” He tried to rodeo with the injury, but it wasn’t 100 percenT. It may not be back to 100 percent now, “but I don’t notice it.”
He realizes that there are so many factors in rodeo that can dictate success, but he’s prepared to handle them. “It’s a roller coaster, and it’s going to be good, and it’s going to be bad, and you can’t worry about the bad.”
In the bull riding, Sulphur, Oklahoma’s Trevor Kastner topped the boards with an 87 point ride to win the 2017 title. The 29 year old cowboy rode the Beutler and Son Rodeo bull No. 124 for the win.
It’s a bit slower year than normal for the three-time Wrangler National Finals qualifier. He broke ribs at the Extreme Bulls competition in Rapid City in January, and took off a few weeks for them to heal. Then, while riding a colt on his Oklahoma ranch, he tore a meniscus. Surgery was March 1, where the doctor removed the meniscus, and he was out a few more weeks.
After ten years in the PRCA, he’s rodeoing smarter this year, taking fewer long trips to rodeos and flying less, “trying to be more efficient,” he said. He has qualified for the Prairie Circuit Finals, the regional championship rodeo for Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma, three times.
The 2017 Trail Boss Award was awarded to Dr. Lawrence Schufeldt. Schufeldt, a chiropractor, has volunteered his expertise at the rodeo since the early 1990s, helping cowboy and cowgirl contestants stay in good physical shape, so they can compete. Schufeldt grew up on the family ranch south of Whitman; he is married to Jeannie and they have three grown daughters.
Other 2017 champions include steer wrestler Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D.(8.8 seconds on 2 head), saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla. (86.5 points), team ropers Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla. and Billie Jack Saebens, Nowata, Okla. (4.8 seconds), and barrel racer Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas (17.17 seconds).
More NEBRASKAland Days activities take place from now until June 25. The U.S. Cellular Summer Jam Concert Series is Fri., June 23 with Alan Jackson and special guest Dwight Yoakam. The Sat., June 24 concert is Chris Stapleton, with special guest Brothers Osborne. For more information, visit www.NebraskaLandDays.com.
Results, North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo 2017
Bareback riding – 2017 champion: Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore.
1. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore. 86.5 points on Pendleton Whisky’s Red Bandanna; 2. David Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 85.5; 3. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 84; 4. Orin Larsen, Ingles, Manitoba 83.5; 5. Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas 82.5; 6. Trey Moore III, Anniston, Alberta 82; 7. (tie) Evan Jayne, Marseille, France and Grant Denny, Minden, Nev. 81.5 each.
Steer wrestling – 2017 champion: Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D.
1st go-round
1. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. and Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla. 4.0 seconds each; 3. John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo. 4.1; 4. (tie) Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis. and Jake Johnson, Mound City, Kan. 4.3 each; 6. (tie) Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., Mitchell Gardner, Dover, Okla. and Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas 4.4 each.
2nd go-round
1. Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D., Blair Jones, Colby, Kan. and Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah 4.1 each; 5. Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan. 4.3; 6. Cole Edge, Durant, Okla. 4.5.
Average
1. Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D. 8.8 seconds on 2 head; 2. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc. 9.0; 3. John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo. 9.1; 4. (tie) Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. and Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah 9.3 each; 6. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. and Kyle Whitaker, 9.5 each.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 46-year-old Lincoln man has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.
Christopher Rueter was sentenced Friday to four years and nine months.
Rueter had pleaded guilty. He was ordered Friday to pay $1,000 restitution to the victim and spend five years on supervised release.
Lincoln police searched his apartment Aug. 16 as part of an investigation into computers sharing child pornography files on the internet. Rueter admitting to using file-sharing software to download files.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police are investigating a shooting overnight that left one man dead.
Police say the shooting happened in northeast Omaha around 12:55 a.m. Saturday. Officers who arrived found 44-year-old Virjillo Gurrero-Quiros with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
No arrests had been reported by late Saturday afternoon, and police say the investigation into Gurrero-Quiros’ death continues.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Businesses, museums and other attractions are clamoring to get into a state program that promotes tourism throughout Nebraska.
The Nebraska Passport program has become so popular with the public that many of the 80 participating sites are seeing a surge in business as hundreds of new visitors arrive at their doors.
Nebraska tourism officials expect 40,000 people to request a passport booklet or download the app this year. The passport program lists stops throughout the state where visitors can get stamps, which they can use to collect prizes.
Nebraska Tourism Commission officials say they received 187 applications from businesses and other sites that wanted a listing.
The program started small. During its first year in 2010, 278 people participated.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Four tornadoes have been confirmed in the storms that hit eastern Nebraska on Friday, and thousands of people may remain without power for days.
The National Weather Service said two tornadoes caused damage in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue Friday evening before the storm moved into western Iowa. Two other tornadoes were confirmed in northeast Nebraska near Madison and Hoskins.
Residents of areas hit by the storm spent much of the weekend cleaning up debris.
Omaha Public Power District crews continued working to restore power on Sunday, but the utility said power might not be restored to everyone until sometime Wednesday because of the extensive damage.
On Sunday morning, more than 24,000 utility customers lacked power. That’s down from a peak outage of 76,000 after the storms.
North Platte – Seven members of the 2017 Region IX Division II champion North Platte Community College Knights softball team were named to the All-Nebraska Two-Year College softball team.
