Hershey’s Maintenance Superintendent is in some hot water following a disturbance early Thursday morning.
At around 2:28 a.m., deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a man threatening people with a gun in the 700 block of West 2nd Street, in Hershey.
Deputies arrived and made contact with a female who alleged that her boyfriend, 50-year-old Ronnie Stewart, had assaulted her and pointed a shotgun at another subject. The victim stated that she and the other person were able to flee the scene.
Deputies made contact with Stewart via telephone and asked him to come outside. Stewart reportedly exited the home without incident and was detained.
According to Chief Deputy Roland Kramer, deputies then searched the residence to ensure that there were no other subjects inside. While inside, deputies observed drug paraphernalia and several firearms, two of which had been reported stolen at an earlier date.
Following the initial investigation, it was determined that probable cause existed to arrest Stewart and charge him with 3rd-degree domestic assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, possession of a stolen firearm and felony terroristic threats.
Stewart was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center. Kramer says the investigation is ongoing.
A bull rider competes at the 2016 Buffalo Bill Rodeo. This year’s rodeo runs through June 17. Photo by Dott’s Shotts.
North Platte, Neb. (June 14, 2017) – Hardy Braden didn’t have to call home tonight to let his parents know how he did at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte.
Butch and Tammy Braden were on hand to see their son take the lead in the saddle bronc riding after the first night of competition.
The Welch, Okla. cowboy rode the Beutler and Son Rodeo Co. horse Painted Desert for 86.5 points to take the lead.
It was a bit of revenge for the 28-year-old cowboy. He’d rode the horse, a twelve-year-old gelding, in Burwell, Neb., three years ago. “Last time I got on her, she kind of made me look stupid, actually. She got me behind (in spurring) and I couldn’t catch up, and she just made me look like a stepchild out there,” Braden said.
Braden, who has been competing since he was 18 years old, is having the best year of his rodeo career. He’s sitting fourth in the PRCA world standings, the highest he’s ever been. “It’s unbelievable, actually,” he said. “It hasn’t really sunk in. It’s been like a dream, almost.” He’s competed at about 28 rodeos so far, well under the 100 that saddle bronc riders are allowed to count for the world standings, to be in the top fifteen to qualify for the elusive world championship, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December.
He doesn’t keep track of where he is in the standings; his mom does that. “I try not to look,” he said. “No sense in it. I’m just going to go out there and do the best I can, and let the cards fall where they may.”
He’s had some pretty big wins so far this year, winning first in Red Bluff, Calif. in April, Claremore, Okla. last month, and getting checks in Santa Maria and Redding, Calif., and Strong City, Kan.
Drawing good horses is part of his successful year. “I’m just drawing good,” he said. “I may be riding a tick better, but the last three or four years, I feel like I’ve been riding the same. I’ve been drawing decent the whole year, and that’s a big plus.” A successful year would result in his qualifying for his first ever Wrangler NFR, where the best fifteen cowboys in each event battle for the world championship.
His dad Butch is on hand to work as a pickup man at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo, and his mom, while helping with the pickup horses, cheered as her son rode. Braden loves the support. “My family, they’re pretty awesome. My dad’s picking up here, so it’s kind of a family affair. It always makes it awesome for me, especially when I ride decent.”
The busiest part of the rodeo season is about to kick off, and Braden will head to Pleasant Grove, Utah on Saturday, then go on to Reno, Nev., Lehi, Utah, and then Greeley, Colo. for the Fourth of July.
He’s not changing his strategy for the rest of the year. “I’ll do what I always do, hit the same rodeos as I always have,” he said.
And hopefully he’ll end up in Las Vegas for the Wrangler NFR in December.
After the morning’s slack and the evening competition, other leaders are bareback rider Orin Larsen, Ingles, Manitoba (83.5 points), steer wrestlers Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. and Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla. (4.0 seconds each), tie-down roper Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D. (9.0 seconds), team ropers Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo. and Wyatt Cox, Arroyo Grande, Calif. (5.3 seconds), barrel racer Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas (17.17 seconds) and bull rider Tanner Bothwell, Rapid City, S.D. (74 points).
The 2018 Miss Rodeo Nebraska was crowned, with the title going to Kristin Kohmetscher of Lawrence, Neb. The 24 year old cowgirl is a student at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the daughter of Duane and the late Laurie Kohmetscher.
The second of four nights of rodeo takes place Thursday, June 15 at 8 pm. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to show awareness of breast cancer, and proceeds will be donated to the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte. Tickets are available at www.NebraskalandDays.com and at the gate.
Results, 1st Performance and slack, June 14, 2017
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo
Bareback riding
1. Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba 83.5 points on 202 Stardust; 2. Trey Moore, III, Anniston, Alberta 82; 3. Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 79.5; Seth Hardwick, Ranchester, Wyo. 71.
Steer wrestling
First go-round results
1. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. and Ryan Swazye, Freedom, Okla. 4.0 seconds each; 3. (tie) Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis. And Jake Johnson, Mound City, Kan. 4.3 each.
Tie-down roping
First go-round results
1. Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D. 9.0 seconds; 2. Ace Slone, Cuero, Texas 10.0; 3. L.D. Meier, Texhoma, Texas 10.1; 4. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 10.8; 5. Cody Huber, Albia, Iowa 11.1; 6. (tie) Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D. and Tweety McBride, Brenham, Texas 11.2 each.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A man already in custody has been accused of killing another homeless man in Grand Island.
Police say 23-year-old Ahmed Said is charged with second-degree murder in the April 13 slaying of 41-year-old Abdulma Khamis. Police say Khamis was fatally struck with a blunt object April 13 and was found unresponsive a couple blocks west of Pier Park.
Said’s attorney in an unrelated assault case didn’t immediately respond to a message Wednesday from The Associated Press.
COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A powerful thunderstorm has left a trail of downed trees and power lines in eastern Nebraska.
The storm struck around 8 p.m. Tuesday, packing winds reaching 75 mph at Columbus airport. Authorities say a semitrailer was blown over north of Columbus, near Humphrey.
Lightning set a Columbus house aflame and firefighters also responded to minor grass and tree fires just outside of town.
No injuries have been reported.
Tennis ball-size hail was reported north of Atkinson and on the west side of Hastings.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Environmental experts in Nebraska say transmission lines to power pumping stations for the planned Keystone XL pipeline would threaten endangered whooping cranes.
Representatives from environmental groups including the Sierra Club and Bold Nebraska submitted written testimony on Monday to the Nebraska Public Service Commission.
They say they object to the $8 billion pipeline’s impact on natural resources. The commission regulates the pipeline route through Nebraska.
Bird expert Paul Johnsgard says the preferred route of the pipeline would mean nearly 70 miles (110 kilometers) of new power lines in the state would pass through migration areas where whooping cranes roost and feed. He says that increases the risk of bird deaths from collisions.
Pipeline developer TransCanada says it’ll review comments but that the route doesn’t cross critical habitat for whooping cranes.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A nonprofit is providing veterans with disabilities in the Omaha area with new flags and flagpoles.
Cliff Leach and his family founded the organization 13 Stripes 50 Stars last year. So far, the group has given flags to 14 veterans.
Flags and poles are funded solely by donations and business sponsorships. Leach says he and his wife install the poles themselves.
In exchange, Leach asks that the Pledge of Allegiance be said after raising the flag and that he get at least 10 minutes of the veterans’ time to listen to their experiences.
He says many veterans who were previously reluctant will open up to him about their stories of war and sacrifice.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is sending its first shipment of beef to China under an agreement that allowed the U.S. to resume exports after a 14-year hiatus.
The first boxes from Greater Omaha Packing went out Wednesday. Gov. Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach helped load the first boxes.
China cut off exports in 2003 after mad cow disease affected some American herds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday that it had finalized an agreement with China to restart exports.
Ricketts says Nebraska is the nation’s top beef processor and exporter, and China is the world’s second-largest beef importer. The governor had urged Chinese officials to lift their ban on previous trade missions.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A state commission that will review a proposed route for the Keystone XL pipeline through Nebraska has set another public hearing to gather input.
The Nebraska Public Service Commission says it will hold the hearing at the Divots Conference Center in Norfolk on June 28, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Doors will open at 9 a.m.
Commissioners will accept comments on a first-come, first-served basis. Speakers will have three to five minutes to give their comments.
The commission has held similar public hearings in York and O’Neill and will hold a more formal hearing with legal arguments Aug. 7-11 in Lincoln.
The pipeline would transport oil from Canada, across Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska, where it would connect with an existing pipeline to Texas Gulf Coast refineries.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Law enforcement in southeastern Nebraska say a traffic stop on Interstate 80 led to the discovery of 118 fraudulent credit cards.
Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner says a sport utility vehicle driven by a 49-year-old Hollywood, Florida, was stopped around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday on the interstate in Lincoln on suspicion of speeding.
Deputies say they searched the SUV and found the credit cards inside a bag hidden in the wheel well.
The driver and a 31-year-old passenger from Grand Island were arrested on suspicion of criminal possession of a financial transaction device.
Wagner said the investigation is ongoing and deputies are trying to determine to whom the card accounts belong.
BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) — A 15-year-old boy in the Denver area has been charged with killing a 10-year-old girl and could be tried as an adult.
Adams County District Attorney Dave Young said Wednesday after a closed hearing that the boy was charged with first-degree murder with intent to kill after deliberation, and first-degree murder of a child under 12 by someone in a position of trust.
Young said he intends to prosecute the boy as an adult. Authorities have not released the boy’s name.
Kiaya Campbell of Thornton was found dead June 8 after her family reported her missing the previous night.
