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Month: November 2017

Bail set at $1M for Omaha man charged in fatal crash

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 22-year-old Omaha man accused of being drunk when he caused a crash that fatally injured a teenage passenger remains behind bars after his bail was set at $1 million.

Bail was set during a bond hearing Wednesday for Alberto Antonio Castro-Sanabria, who is charged with motor vehicle homicide while driving drunk.

Authorities say 17-year-old Luis Alberto Castillo-Cabrera, of Omaha, died Monday from his injuries.

Police investigators say Castro-Sanabria was drunk when the vehicle he was driving crashed around 2:20 a.m. Saturday near 31st and Marcy.

If convicted, Castro-Sanabria faces up to 20 years in prison. His preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 2 in Douglas County Court.

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Officials: Nebraska boy accidentally shoots self in leg

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GREENWOOD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in eastern Nebraska say a boy was hospitalized after accidentally shooting himself while checking animal traps in Cass County.

The juvenile shot himself in a leg Tuesday morning. Officials say he approached a deputy at the Greenwood Fire station around 11:55 a.m. and told the deputy what had happened.

He was taken to an area hospital and is expected to recover.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is investigating the shooting.

Ricketts launches performance pay plan for state workers

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Gov. Pete Ricketts

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is launching a new performance-based pay system for approximately 3,000 non-union state employees who have traditionally received cost-of-living increases.

Ricketts announced the change Wednesday as a way to run state government more like a business.

Starting in January, discretionary and classified rules employees will receive merit increases rather than cost-of-living increases based on goals those workers have set with agency leaders. The program will allow bonus increases for employees deemed top performers.

The governor’s office says the employees affected include managers and professional employees who aren’t subject to the union contract. The administration says it could introduce the proposal when the next state employee contract is negotiated in 2018.

The “pay for performance” program will be funded with existing dollars traditionally used for cost-of-living increases.

Former Nebraska senator to serve on disclosure commission

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Sen. Kate Sullivan

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former state senator has been chosen to serve on the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission.

The commission announced Wednesday that Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids will serve a term that expires in 2020. Sullivan was appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts.

The commission enforces Nebraska’s laws that regulate campaign finance issues, lobbying and conflicts of interest.

Sullivan served in the Legislature from 2009 to 2017, including a stint as chairwoman of the Education Committee. She also was member of the tax-focused Revenue Committee.

By law, the commission’s membership is balanced politically and geographically. Sullivan is a registered Democrat.

NP man sentenced on child pornography charges

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Gale Robert Gibbs

Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that Gale Robert Gibbs, 67, formerly of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 37 months in prison by Senior United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for possessing child pornography.  Gibbs was also ordered to pay $1,000.00 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.

The North Platte Police Department was contacted by a technician at a computer shop in North Platte after Gibbs took his computer in for repairs.  While examining the computer the technician found a number of thumbnails of images depicting child erotica and child pornography.

On August 31, 2016, the North Platte Police Department obtained a search warrant for Gibbs’ residence and seized the laptop.  After forensic examination approximately 67 images were found on his computer, including 27 images identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as known victims from outside the State of Nebraska.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visitwww.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the North Platte Police Department.

NPCC volleyball signs Sutherland’s Haiden Kreber

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Sutherland High School volleyball player Haiden Kreber, center, signed a letter of intent to play volleyball for North Platte Community College. Sutherland Volleyball Coach Valerie Kershner, left, and NPCC Coach Alexa McCall look on.

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights volleyball team has announced their third signing for the 2018 season.

Haiden Kreber, a 5’ 11 middle blocker from Sutherland signed a letter of intent to play volleyball for the Lady Knights.

Alexa McCall, head coach of the Lady Knights said, “We are excited to add Haiden to our recruiting class. She is a local girl that is going to add depth and offer some good experience in the middle.”

Kreber joins Sydney Mullin from Maxwell and Gabby Menghini from North Platte in the 2018 recruiting class for the Lady Knights.

Barbara “Bobbie” Jean Anderson Wertz

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Barbara “Bobbie” Jean Anderson Wertz, 86, died Nov. 16, 2017, in Bozeman, Montana.

The daughter of Thomas and Stella Nona Anderson, she was born on July 21, 1931, in North Platte. She married her college sweetheart, Ronald Duane Wertz, on March 18, 1951.

Bobbie was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.

She is survived by her children, Rick (Kathy) Wertz of Lafayette, Sheryl Wertz (Bob Morrow) of Boulder, Colorado, Judy (Scooter) Bolton of Durango, Colorado, Chip (Sue) Wertz of Centennial, Colorado, and Kris (Jim) Hall of Bozeman, Montana; and grandchildren, Alexis Wertz, Andrew Wertz, Jasper Bolton, Matt Wertz, Becky Wertz, Sarah Bolton, McKinley and Laina Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Bozeman Health Foundation for the Bozeman Health Cancer Center, 931 Highland Blvd., Suite 3200, Bozeman, MT 59715; or CU Foundation, School of Arts and Sciences, Psychology and Neuroscience Student Scholarship Fund, 1800 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203. Online condolences may be shared at dokkennelson.com.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 24, at Crist Chapel, 3395 Penrose Place, Boulder, Colorado. Burial will be at 1 p.m. at Green Mountain Cemetery, 290 20th St., Boulder. Viewing will be at 10 a.m. prior to services. Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service & Crematory, Bozeman, is in charge of arrangements.

Rex Eugene Fenner Death Notice

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Rex Eugene Fenner, 94, of Gothenburg, died Nov. 24, 2017, in Lincoln. Services will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Zion Lutheran Church with Pastor Carol Mapa officiating. Burial will follow in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Gothenburg. Visitation will be from 1-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1, at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, with the family present from 6-8 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Zion Lutheran Church, 77191 HWY 47, Gothenburg, NE 69138. Online condolences may be shared at blasestrauser.com. Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Velma Jean Elizabeth (Peterson) Brown

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Velma Jean Elizabeth (Peterson) Brown, 85, of Brady, passed away Nov. 24, 2017, at Great Plains Health with her loving family surrounding her.

Velma was born on Jan. 6, 1932, the youngest child of Clarence and Mary (Stevens) Peterson. She grew up in Valentine and graduated from Valentine Rural High School with the class of 1950. She completed her teaching degree at Chadron State Teachers’ College.

Velma married Gerald Brown on Nov. 15, 1952, in Pierre, South Dakota. To this union five children were born, Mike, Pam, Kathy, Deb and Shelle.

Velma was a teacher at heart. She loved children and always provided an opportunity for those around her to learn something new. After 38 years of teaching elementary grade students in one-room schools and larger public schools, she retired from Maxwell Public School.

Velma was a loving wife who cared deeply for her husband. She was especially fond of her family, and her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the joy of her life. Holidays were always a festive occasion where she enjoyed having her family together and decorating her home for the holiday seasons.

In her last days, she had her family over for Thanksgiving. Baking was a passion of Velma’s, and her talent of decorating cakes was shared when she baked birthday cakes designed uniquely for each grandchild. She also decorated cakes for weddings, graduations and any other special occasion.

Velma touched the lives of many people throughout her life, and she will be remembered for her love, nurturing and caring.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald; parents, Clarence and Mary; brothers, Carl, Laurence, Clarence and Ralph and their wives; sisters, Luellabel Groome and Irene Laleff and their husbands; twin infant sisters; grandchildren, Brianna Brown, Jeremy (Becky) Bartels and Jason Bartels; and great-granddaughters, Lehya Jane Bartels and Madison Joy Lee.

Velma is survived by her children, Mike (Sandi) Brown of Lincoln, Pam (Jack) Mann and Kathy Hoffman, both of Brady, Deb Franzen of Rifle, Colorado, and Michele (Stacey) Blagdon of Brady; 19 grandchildren, Josh (Melanie O’Donnell) Brown of Omaha, Cassandra (Dan) Lee of Mahomet, Illinois, Chantel Brown of Omaha, Hillary (Logan) Collins of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Whitney (Ryan) Brown of Kearney, Lucinda (Dan) Robison of Brady, Luke (Kim) Mann of Clayton, North Carolina, Jill Miller of Brady, Angel Hoffman of North Platte, Chris (Priscilla) Franzen of Greeley, Colorado, Keith (Lakyn Parrish) Franzen of Fort Morgan, Colorado, Justin (Kelsey Hauge) Franzen of Sidney, Holly (Korry) Kinnison of Ovid, Colorado, Dylan (Bailey Maddox) Blagdon of North Platte, Cameron (Kellie) Ristine of Lincoln, Torey (Matt) Franzen of North Platte, Mark (April) Hoffman, Karen (Lonnie) McClellen and Sarah Hoffman; 38 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Joan (Orrin) Thiede of Springview, Janice (Tim) Cook of Bassett, Jalene Duggan of Ontario, California, and Judy (Lyle) Nickerson of Imperial; numerous nieces and nephews; the surviving classmates of VRHS Class of 1950; and special longtime friend, Wanda Maxey of Pico Rivera, California.

Memorials are suggested to the Brady Volunteer Fire & Rescue, P.O. Box 31, Brady, NE 69123. Online condolences may be shared at blasestrauser.com.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. today, Nov. 28, at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel with Pastor John Pauls officiating. Burial will follow at Gaslin Cemetery, Brady. Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, is in charge of arrangements.

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