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Diane Louise McMurry Cleveland Evans

Diane Louise McMurry Cleveland Evans, 48, went to her Lord June 16, 2018, in Dallas, Texas.

She was born on May 17, 1970, in McLaughlin, South Dakota, to Robert Wayne and Anita McMurry.

She is survived by her mother, Anita McMurry of Maywood; father, R. Wayne McMurry of North Platte; brother, Jerome Reinert of Maywood; sister, Donna Benell of Maywood; nephews, Brett of Stapleton and Jesse of Maywood; a niece, Lacie Benell of Maywood; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends.

Celebration of her life was on Monday, July 9, under the cover at Cody Park. Cremation was chosen.

Kay Anne (Gillette) Krueger

Kay Anne (Gillette) Krueger, 76, entered into rest July 3, 2018.

She was born on June 25, 1942. She grew up in Monett, Missouri, and attended Burge School of Nursing in Springfield, Missouri, where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in nursing and became a registered nurse.

She married Darrell Krueger on June 15, 1963, and started her career at Burge Hospital. She and Darrell moved to Hastings, where she worked at Mary Lanning Hospital, and then moved again in 1979 to North Platte, where she began her long career at Great Plains Medical Regional Center. Her nursing career spanned the areas of surgery, emergency room, same day surgery and recovery room.

She loved her flowers and enjoyed spending countless hours in her garden. She also loved music, in particular, rock’n’roll. She went to many concerts of the hard rock variety, for which Darrell provided body guard support. She also enjoyed traveling and was able to go to Hawaii three times, Australia once and visited various states. In 2012, she moved to Plano, Texas, to be by her two daughters and families.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Neil Gillette and Alma Kathryn Jerome-Gillette; and sister, Dorothy Gillette-Carrithers.

She is survived by her husband, Darrell Krueger; her two daughters, Dara Adams and Jennifer Becker; her son, Brandon Krueger; and 10 grandkids.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested in honor of Kay Krueger to UT Southwestern Medical Center, Development Office, PO Box 190888, Dallas TX 75390-0888, and on the check memo, put to the Simmons Cancer Center fund or donate online at engage.utsouthwestern.edu/donate-now and select designation Simmons Cancer Center.

Services will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 23, at Hunters Glen Baptist, Plano, Texas.

Michael C. Keith

Michael C. Keith, of La Center, Washington, passed away June 12, 2018.

He was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and graduated from high school in North Platte with the class of 1995. He attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, and University of Nebraska Agriculture School in Curtis.

He was a fire sprinkler fitter and a member of UA No. 669. He was employed by McKinstry Inc.

He was a beloved husband, son, brother, uncle and friend. He loved life to the fullest and enjoyed anything outdoors. His mantra was “Trials and tribulations, laughter and love, life is a beautiful thing.”

He coached his sons in baseball and soccer. He had a zest for fishing, camping, hiking, golf and the beach.

He was preceded in death by his father, Michael L. Keith of Omaha; and grandmother, Dona McIntosh of North Platte.

He is survived by his wife, Shanna; two sons, Michael, 13, and Carson, 11; his mother, Christine; stepfather, Gaylord “Punky” Poff of La Center; his stepmother, Mary Keith of Omaha; his grandfather, Jerry McIntosh, and grandmother, Marion Keith, both of North Platte; two sisters, Nicole Judd of La Center and Jennifer Poff of North Platte; two brothers, Joey Poff of Sacramento, California, and John Keith of Omaha; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

A celebration of life will be at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 15, at the Centennial Park Gazebo, North Platte. Casual dress is requested. Bring your lawn chair. A light lunch will follow the celebration.

Michael Scott Holsten

Michael Scott Holsten, 60, of North Platte, NE, died Wednesday, July 4, 2018, at Great Plains Health.

Michael was born October 31, 1957, in Omaha, NE, to Roger Wendell and Barbara Ann (Cox) Holsten. He grew up and attended school in North Platte. As a teenager, Michael began drywalling with his dad and continued doing so throughout his life.

Michael was very artistic. He enjoyed fishing and being outdoors, and especially cared for his dog, Stewie, and his cats.

He is survived by his sisters, Kimberly Whitson, of North Platte and Bobette Morris (Bill Johnson), of Panama City, FL; special friend, Phyllis Smith, and her son, Joey Smith, of North Platte; aunts and uncles, Beverly Cox, of Hershey, NE, Deb Forbes, of North Platte, Sandie Davidson, of Orting, WA, Clarence (Deanna) Cox, of Yakima, WA, and Stanley Holsten, of Grand Island, NE; niece, Leah Holsten; nephew, Chase Whitson; and other family.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Barbara; sister, Sherri Holsten; brother-in-law, Woody Whitson; uncles, Ray Cox and Dennis Forbes.

Cremation was chosen. Private family inurnment will be at a later date in the North Platte Cemetery. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Man dies after Omaha motorcycle crash

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man died after his motorcycle crashed in Omaha.

The crash occurred around 6 a.m. Sunday. Police say the man lost control of his motorcycle after it struck a curb.

Police say the man was pronounced dead at Nebraska Medical Center. He’s been identified as 33-year-old Troy Minnifield, who lived in Omaha.

Couple dies after pickup hits tree near Seward college campus

SEWARD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man and his wife died at hospitals after their pickup truck hit a tree in the eastern Nebraska city of Seward.

The crash occurred around 1:10 p.m. Friday near the Concordia College campus.

Seward police say it appears 80-year-old Richard Roth was driving when he had a medical problem before his pickup struck the tree.

Police say he and his 80-year-old wife, Eleanor, were taken to Seward Memorial Hospital. He was pronounced dead there. She died after being transferred to a Lincoln hospital.

The couple lived in Seward.

Man accused of shooting at officers gets 30 years in prison

William Stanfill III

SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) — A man who led officers on a chase from eastern Nebraska into western Iowa has been sentenced to 30 years in prison on several Iowa charges.

Fremont County District Court records show 28-year-old William Stanfill III pleaded guilty July 2 to two counts of assault on an officer, eluding, criminal mischief and two weapons charges. Prosecutors dropped two counts of attempted murder in exchange for Stanfill’s pleas.

Authorities say Stanfill fired at officers while he and 37-year-old Jacqueline Streich were being chased April 25 in connection with a road rage shooting the day before in Bellevue, Nebraska. The chase ended with a crash near the Iowa-Missouri state line.

Streich’s trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 17.

2 kayakers rescued from fast river water in eastern Nebraska

BATTLE CREEK, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say two kayakers were rescued from the high, fast water of the Elkhorn River in eastern Nebraska.

Personnel from the Battle Creek and Norfolk fire departments responded to a 911 call from one of the kayakers Sunday afternoon. Her companion had already tipped over and was hanging onto tree debris, and the caller couldn’t get her kayak away from the debris either.

The rescuers pulled the women to safety ashore before a rescue boat could be employed.

Their names haven’t been released.

Nebraska prairie dogs rescued after university land sale

CRETE, Neb. (AP) — Volunteers have rescued about 230 prairie dogs that came under threat after a Nebraska university sold its research lab land to farmers who planned to dispose of the animal colony.

Doane University sold its 320-acre (130-hectare) Fillmore County property to soybean farmers in April. Conservationists and animal lovers had criticized the more than $2.6 million sale of the Aldrich Prairie Research Site for endangering the prairie dog colony.

The land had been used for student research into prairie dog behavior for years. Maureen Franklin, Doane’s former vice president for academic affairs, had said in a letter to the university that its decision not to protect the prairie dogs was “academically short-sighted and not in keeping” with the school’s ethical values.

Conservation groups Nebraska Wildlife Rehabilitation and Audubon of Kansas oversaw about 30 volunteers who trapped and relocated the prairie dogs to Hutton Niobrara Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary near Bassett last month.

The Prairie Dog Coalition of Boulder, Colorado trained volunteers on how to properly handle the animals, said Laura Stastny, executive director of Nebraska Wildlife. The process involves baiting small cage-traps with sweet horse feed.

Stastny said the rescued animals are integrating well into their new sanctuary and consolidating into family groups.

The project cost an estimated total of $35,000, Stastny said. The university donated $20,000 to the cause.

Nebraska Wildlife will keep about 50 young prairie dogs at its Fort Calhoun facility until August.

Stastny said prairie dogs are often seen as a nuisance, but are key to prairie ecosystems. Prairie dogs serve as prey to badgers and hawks, as well as homemakers for insects, squirrels and burrowing owls, she said.

“A lot of states kind of villainize prairie dogs, so their colonies are being eradicated,” she said. “But they are an exemplar of the interconnectiveness of nature.”

Nebraska senator to lead new economic development group

Sen. Jim Smith

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker is leaving the Legislature to become the executive director of a new economic development group.

Blueprint Nebraska announced Monday that state Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion will help lead the organization. Smith has served in the Legislature since 2011 and was slated to step down in January because of term limits.

Smith is a small businessman who served as chairman of the Legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee and the tax-focused Revenue Committee. He introduced numerous bills to cut taxes during his tenure, including some championed by Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Blueprint Nebraska describes itself as a statewide, citizen-led economic development initiative. The group says it’s looking to create a proactive plan to stimulate economic growth while making Nebraska more competitive and building on the state’s strengths.

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