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Month: December 2017

Activists: Nebraska should do more to address Whiteclay

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Activists who fought to close four beer stores in a Nebraska village say state officials need to do more to address lingering problems that they say have bled into a South Dakota Indian reservation.

Critics of the now-shuttered stores say the state should turn its attention to bootlegging on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which they say emanates from Nebraska’s other border towns. The stores in Whiteclay sold the equivalent of 3.5 million cans of a beer annually until state regulators intervened earlier this year.

Oklahoma attorney and documentary filmmaker John Maisch says officials should also establish a cold case unit to review unsolved Whiteclay murders.

A legislative task force issued a report this week calling for a new cell phone tower and detox center in the village.

Water level to be lowered for maintenance at Nebraska lake

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HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) — Central Nebraska public power officials are lowering the water level at Johnson Lake to prepare for a maintenance outage.

The draw-down began Tuesday and will continue gradually until about Jan. 22, when maintenance work is scheduled to begin on a hydro plant immediately below the lake. The reservoir will decline to about 8 feet below its current elevation and then return to normal winter levels while maintenance is performed.

Officials say the schedule for raising and lowering the lake could change by a few days, depending on the presence or absence of ice in the Platte River and a supply canal.

This time, the flashing lights were a good thing

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FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — When Rachel Messing saw the police lights flashing behind her, she naturally wondered what she had done wrong.

Nothing, as it turned out. In fact, it was an early Christmas present.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that police in Fremont, Nebraska, recently used a $5,000 gift from an anonymous donor to hand out $100 bills to 50 drivers. It is the fourth year the donor has provided the money.

Messing cried when she opened the card and saw the money. She plans to use it to buy her mother a new dishwasher.

Lt. Glen Still says the donor’s goal is to provide a nice surprise to community members and create more goodwill between officers and the public.

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Nebraska volunteers build indoor BMX park

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UNADILLA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska bikers may have a new place to train and practice jumps, flips and other high-flying tricks year-round, particularly during the snowy winter months.

Karl Hinkley hopes to open the doors of a heated freestyle BMX park near Unadilla before next winter. Hinkley and his team of volunteers broke ground on the indoor park in October, which he promises will always be free and open to the public.

Hinkley says it’ll be like an indoor skate park but for bikes. BMX racers in the state are often at a disadvantage because there are little to no places to train during the winter.

They have fundraised $18,500 so far. Hinkley says he’ll need to fundraise up to $50,000 to complete the park with volunteer labor.

NSP investigating fatality accident following pursuit

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The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) is investigating a fatality accident that happened following a pursuit involving the Merrick County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Friday, December 22. Shortly before that time, the Merrick County Sheriff’s Office began pursuit of a 2005 Dodge Durango after it failed to stop for a traffic violation in Central City. The vehicle crashed just west of Osceola, in Polk County, and rolled, ejecting both parties who were inside.

Autumn Stadley, 25, of Omaha, was pronounced dead at the scene. Luis J. Elias, 26, of Omaha, was transported by ambulance to the Osceola Hospital, then by helicopter to Bryan Health West in Lincoln with severe injuries.

NSP is investigating the crash and trying to determine who was driving at the time of the crash. The Durango was determined to have been stolen from Iowa.

Under Nebraska law, a grand jury is convened following an in-custody death or a death that occurs during the course of apprehension.

Audrey May (Cash) Coleman

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Audrey May (Cash) Coleman, age 90 of North Platte, passed away Wednesday December 20, 2017 at Great Plains Health.

Audrey was born July 19, 1927 in North Platte, NE to Leo and Mable (Allen) Cash.  She moved to Ringgold, NE at the age of 2, graduating from Stapleton High School in 1946.  In 1946 she married Harold Wescoat.  In 1959 she moved to Lincoln, NE where she attended the National Business School, graduating in 1960; she then moved to Omaha, NE where she worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska until 1968.  She married John Beener on July 18, 1968; John passed away in 1983.  After his death she returned to North Platte.  After her retirement, she did tailoring in her home.  On November 23, 1999, she married Elton A. “Al” Coleman and the couple remained in North Platte.  Audrey accepted Christ at the age of 13 and was a member of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Omaha; she was baptized in the North Platte Berean Church.

Audrey is survived by her husband Elton; daughters Patricia (Larrie) Patterson of Lincoln, NE and Carol Wescoat of Denver, CO; 6 grandchildren, Scott (Lisa Weathermon) Patterson of Lincoln, NE, Michael (Elizabeth) Patterson of Juneau, AK, Jared (Dena) Patterson of Lincoln, NE, and Corey (Lindsey) Patterson of Denver, CO, Cristina (Roberto) Zarcone and Loretta (Luca) Palandri both of Italy; stepchildren, Bob (Kim) Coleman, Linda (Charles) Krenzel, and Dennis (Donna) Coleman;  13 great grandchildren; several step grandchildren and great grandchildren; sister Evelyn Brown of Grand Island, NE; as well as other extended family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter Elaine Kay (Paul) Finch; and brothers Clyde, Dale and Larry; and sister Leona Barner.

Memorials are suggested to the Grace Community Bible Church and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.  Funeral services will be held 10:0 a.m. Wednesday December 27, 2017 at the Grace Community Bible Church with Pastor Mike Wing officiating.  Burial will follow at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens.  Visitation will be from noon until 9:00 p.m. Tuesday December 26, 2017 at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

NPCC to host Mid-Winter Classic youth basketball tournament on February 4

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North Platte –North Platte Community College Knights basketball will host their annual Mid-Winter Classic Youth Basketball Tournament at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Feb. 4, 2018.

The tournament is open to boys and girls in the fifth through the eighth grade.

There will be a maximum of eight teams for each division and each team will be guaranteed three games.

Entry fee is $100.00 per team before January 19, 2018.

Download the entry form here.

For more information, questions or concerns, contact Knights Assistant Coach Chase Grabau at grabauc@mpcc.edu or (308) 535-3729.

To register, please send checks payable to North Platte Men’s Basketball / Kevin O’Connor to 601 West State Farm Road, North Platte, NE 69101.

Donald Dean Hamilton

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Donald Dean Hamilton, age 82 of Maxwell, NE passed away Friday December 15, 2017 at the Fullerton Care Center in Fullerton, NE.

Don was born on May 28, 1936 in Longmont, CO to Robert Bunker and Blanche (Slack) Hamilton.  He graduated from Mead High School and joined the Army National Guard and SAC Division of the Air Force.  After his discharge he lived in Estes Park, CO, Fort Morgan, CO, Boulder, CO, and Maxwell, NE.  He spent time working as an electrical lineman for the City of Estes Park and as a “roughneck” for the US Army Corp of Engineers.  Don was a guard at the US Bureau of Standards in Boulder.  He collected antique firearms.  He enjoyed talking about his time in the Air Force as a tanker crew chief and sharing his personal photos of the planes he worked on.  Don was proud of the family’s military service which included his father Robert (Army), nephew, Mickey Hawkins (marines-killed in Vietnam), nephew, Bart Daniels (Navy), brother, Gerald (Army-injured in the Battle of the Bulge).  He had great mechanical skills and could fix almost anything.  He was a generous man, contributing financially to many organizations.  Don was a staunch conservative, a life member of the NRA, member of the Freemasons being a 32nd Degree Mason (registered with the Denver Consistory), a member of the Elks Lodge, and the Assembly of God Church.

Don is survived by his wife of 31 years, Carol (Peterson) Hamilton; daughter, Jo D Anderson of ID; stepsons, Michael Johnson and Matthew Johnson both of MN; several grandchildren; brother, Robert (Belle) Hamilton of AK; sister, Gloria (Richard) Westbrook of Longmont, CO; as well as several other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gerald; and sister, Phyllis.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested in Don’s name.  The memorials will be applied to the Veteran’s Memorial at Iron Horse Park in North Platte for Hamilton servicemen recognition.  Online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.  Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home with Pastor Gary Goodwin officiating.  Burial will follow at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery with military honors.  Visitation will be from 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. Tuesday December 26, 2017 at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

Elderly couple says 60 pounds of pot was for presents

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marijuYORK, Neb. (AP) — An elderly couple who was arrested in Nebraska with 60 pounds of marijuana in their truck told officers that the drugs were meant to be Christmas presents.

The couple was arrested Tuesday by the York County Sheriff’s Department after they were stopped for a traffic violation.

Officers found the bags of marijuana in the Toyota Tacoma driven by the 80-year-old man and 83-year-old woman. They said they were driving from California to Vermont.

The couple was being held in York County jail on suspicion of felony drug charges.

More than 460 pounds of marijunana seized on Interstate 80

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — More than 460 pounds of marijuana has been seized in a traffic stop along Interstate 80 in the Omaha area.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s department says the drugs were found Wednesday afternoon after a Chevrolet Tahoe pulling a U-haul trailer was stopped.

A police dog was called in after officers became suspicious. The drugs were found after the dog smelled something.

A 31-year-old California woman was driving the SUV. She was arrested on suspicion of dealing drugs.

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