January 2019 – Page 8 – North Platte Post Archive

Keith County business sells alcohol to minor during inspection

Posted on January 23, 2019

During the evening hours of Friday, January 18, Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) conducted alcohol inspections in Keith County.

This project was supported in whole or part by grant #93.959 under the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Region II Human Services, and DHHS Division of Behavioral Health.

In total, 15 businesses were checked. One of the businesses, Fat Dogs in Ogallala, sold alcohol to a minor for a non-compliance rate of 7 percent. All of the businesses checked the minor’s ID.

The businesses include liquor stores, convenience stores, restaurants, and bars. Businesses that fail the inspections are referred to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. Clerks who sell alcohol to a minor are cited for procuring alcohol for a minor.

Knights BBall: Women fall in CO, Men steal a win

Posted on January 23, 2019

Sterling, CO – It was a late night for North Platte Community College basketball in Sterling Colorado, but ultimately a good one. The women played perhaps their most complete game to date in a losing effort to NJC while the Men had their mettle tested and squeaked out a victory to stay with just one loss on the season.

The women were up first against a very good NJC team (11-4) at home but from the opening tip you could tell that this was going to be a different game for the Knights.

The first quarter featured a lot of time on possessions as both teams were feeling each other out. NJC made the first substitution in the game after about 3 mins of play when they replaced all five of their starters in an effort to jump-start the offense. North Platte was playing excellent defense and was starting to affect the NJC Plainswomen.

The Quarter ended with NJC holding on to a 15-12 lead. Leading the way for the Knights was center Angel Richards who has been battling injury for much of the start of the season.

NJC found their stride at the start of the second when they rattled off a quick 8-2 run prompting a time out by first year head coach Jeff Thurman. After the time out the Knights were able to find a small groove on offense but struggled with the inside out game by NJC. The Knights were outscored 25-13 in the quarter and were down 40-25 at the half. Emily Joesph and Nahatabaa Nacona lead the way for the Knights with 5 points each.

At the start of the third quarter you could tell the Knights were determined and came out with intensity. Teams traded buckets and with 6:45 left in the quarter the Knights took a time out with the score 48-32. Everytime NJC scored a basket the Knights would come down and match, neither team able to go on a run. Another time out at 4:03 left by NJC with the score 52-36. NJC was still in control but the Knights would not go away. NJC would find its groove on offense and finish the third on a 17-8 run to take a 69-44 lead going into the final frame. Late in the third the Knights would lose starting guard Madisyn Francis to injury.

The Plainswomen would be too much for the Knights in the fourth as the team, beset by injuries, would just run out of gas in Sterling. The final score 81-54. The Knights now have almost a week off before taking on Southeast, a division game, at home on Monday Jan 28th.

The nightcap was a game that would go down as one of the best this season for the Knights. The Knights have, for whatever reason, always struggled with the Northeastern Plainsmen (they came into the game with a 36-71 overall record against the Plainsmen). Last time these two teams met it took two overtimes to determine the winner. Tuesday nights game would not disappoint.

NJC would come out guns blazing and show they were not afraid of a Knights team that came in with only one loss on the season. 8 points later the Knights took a quick time out as they looked a bit shell shocked.

That feeling wouldn’t last as the Knights stormed back out of the time out behind guard Ilya Tyrtyshnik who started raining shots from the three point line (5/5 in the first half for 15 points). A flurry of offense would follow and the Knights would jump into a double digit lead and extend it to twelve 26-14 forcing a time out from NJC with 12:03 left in the half.

The rest of the half would belong to the Knights, they were able to get any shot they wanted, at the rim or from distance. The biggest lead of the half was with four minutes left that saw the Knights up by 18, 48-30. NJC would grab some momentum headed into half time as they scored the final six points of the half including a half court shot to beat the buzzer. The score at the half stood at 48-36.

With all the momentum NJC had a feeling they were in the game and it showed. They came out and got the first five points in the second half to cut the lead to seven which got a quick time out from Head Coach Kevin O’Connor.

Whatever he said to his team worked as they came out of the time out with renewed focus and went on a 6-0 run of their own to push the lead back into double digits.

From there the teams would stay fairly even. NJC would hold the slight advantage and with 8:56 left on the clock would take a time out down by six 63-57. The next three minutes would be disastrous for the Knights. NJC would get some support from the home crowd who could feel a momentum swing coming and over those three minutes NJC would go on a 10-3 run to retake the lead 67-66 with six minutes to play. They had come from 18 points down to snatch the lead from the Knights.

From there it was a dog fight. The Knights never allowed NJC to get more then a three point lead from there on out. Teams would trade blow after blow with big shots from Courtney Murrell (25 points, 6 rebs) leading the way for the Knights.

Da’May Jones would be sent to the free throw line for the double bonus with 9.9 seconds left and the Knights down 78-77. Jones would show why he is an 83% shooter from the free throw line, making both and pushing the Knights into the lead 79-78. A final shot from NJC would fall short and they would foul Tim Johnson on the rebound. Johnson would make 1 of 2 and the Knights would steal a win on the road 80-78.

The Knights improve to 14-1 on the season and now await a Western Nebraska team who just fell out of the national rankings on Jan 15th. That game will be Friday Jan 25th in North Platte. Tip Off at 7:30.

Georgene Marie Carlini

Posted on January 23, 2019

As a gifted and talented singer, Georgene Marie Carlini delighted North Platte residents for decades with her beautiful angelic soprano voice, often singing together with her one true love, Ulysses A. Carlini, Sr.

At age 92, on Monday morning Jan 21, 2019 at Great Plains Health with family by her side, Georgene left this world to sing with a new heavenly choir and join her beloved Ulysses and their beautiful, sweet daughter Mary.

As great as her love of music was, Georgene’s greatest love and joy was her faith and family – Ulysses, their 8 children, their 18 grandchildren and their 9 great grandchildren.

“She loved each and everyone of us kids,” said her oldest son Greg Carlini. “She always told us how proud she was of us all, as well as how much she loved her precious little grandkids and her sweet great grand babies.”

“Before she passed she told us how grateful she was to have lived a long, good life, and to be blessed with such a big, beautiful family,” said her daughter Theresa Carson.

Georgene was born on Feb 22, 1926 in Aurora, Ill., to John and Theresa (Kames ) Heitkotter. Since she was born on George Washington’s birthdate, her family named her Georgene.

She received her undergraduate degree from DePaul University in Chicago. And while working on her master’s degree at DePaul, she met and fell in love with Ulysses, who had the opportunity to tutor her. Together they performed professionally in Chicago and throughout the Midwest in the late 1940s. The two were married on Feb. 18, 1950 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aurora, Ill. and lived in Chicago, while Ulysses earned his masters from Northwestern University and worked in radio before becoming a pioneer in television.

The Carlini family moved to North Platte more than fifty years ago in 1968 for Ulysses’ job to manage KNOP-TV. Besides being the busy mother of eight, Georgene was also KNOP-TV’s Community Affairs Director and on the station’s Board of Directors from the 1960s to 1990s. She was even known to pitch in when they needed someone to operate a studio camera during a newscast or two.

At one time or another, all the Carlini kids worked there until Gray Communications bought KNOP-TV and KHAS-TV four years ago. Ulysses “Uly” Carlini,Jr. is GM and Vice President at a Gray Communications TV station in Panama City Beach, Florida, where they successfully weathered the deadly Hurricane Michael last year.

Besides her work at the TV station, Georgene shared her musical talents with North Platte’s Monday Musicale, the Heartland Singers, the community Handbell Choir, St Patrick’s and Holy Spirit Catholic Churches, and as Past President of The North Platte Community Concert Association.

She and Ulysses passed along their musical talents to their children including Judy Ahmadian, who sang professionally with a national theater touring group and their son John Carlini also plays piano professionally in Lincoln and Omaha, and teaches music as well. Georgene also taught private piano lessons for a long time in North Platte to dozens of students throughout the years including her two granddaughters Sonya Cloud and Christina Carlini Souter. Her great granddaughter, Cambria Carson, uses Georgene’s old violin to play at her elementary school concerts in Colorado and another great granddaughter Kyla Cloud sings at her elementary school concerts in Texas. Georgene loved to travel to visit with her kids and grandkids around the country. Georgene was also a founding member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church and was active for years as the organist. She was also an organist at St. Benedict’s in Evansville, Indiana, and at St Patrick’s Church in North Platte. She and Ulysses also sang with the Kentucky Quartet in Evansville, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky.

They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with their family and good friends in North Platte in 2010. Three years later in Dec. 2013 at North Platte’s Fox Theater in honor of Georgene and Ulysses, their family held a special reception and screening of an original documentary short, “Everything is Wonderful,” which was filmed by their grandson, Joe Carlini.

Georgene was always a huge supporter of St. Patrick Catholic Schools, where her kids and grandkids attended including her granddaughter, Teya Carlini, who currently goes there. Throughout her fifty years in North Platte, you would often find Georgene at local sports, musicals and other events cheering on her kids and grandkids.

Her survivors include her children: Theresa (Chris) Carson, of Greenbrook, New Jersey, Greg (Jodi Ritacca) Carlini, of Woodbury, Minn.,Judy (Saeed) Ahmadian, of Houston, Texas, John (Shari Schwartz) Carlini, of Lincoln, Claudia Carlini, of Lebanon, Kansas, Ulysses (Diane) Carlini Jr., of Panama City Beach, Florida, and Lewys (Holly) Carlini, of North Platte; as well as her grandchildren: Christian (Monique) Carson, of Lakewood, Colorado, Kathleen (Joe) Njau, of Manville, New Jersey, Christina Carlini (Tyler) Souter, of White Bear Lake, MN, Joe Carlini, of Los Angeles, Sonya (Mario) Cloud, of Corpus Christi, Texas, Frankie Higgins, of Kenesaw, Nebraska, Nikita (Wes)White of North Platte, Josh (Laura) Schultheiss, of Austin, Texas, Georgene “Georgie” Sommer, of Lebanon, Kansas, Ulysses “Adam” Carlini III, of Panama City Beach, Florida, Angelica (Jake) Morrow, of Grand Island, Alexandra “Allie”Carlini, of Lincoln, Gabriella “Gabbie” Carlini, of Panama City Beach, Florida, Giavanna “Gigi” Carlini, of Panama City Beach, Florida, Dane (Randi) Carlini, of Omaha., Brianna Carlini, of Austin, Texas, Zandra Carlini, of Grand Island, and Teya Carlini, of North Platte; nine great-grandchildren, Cambria Carson, Natalya Carson, Nya Njau, Eva Njau, Kyla Cloud, Aiden Souter, Amira Souter, Claire Carlini and Chloe Carlini and numerous other family members and many friends.

Georgene was preceded in death by her husband Ulysses, who passed at age 89 four years ago on Aug, 24, 2014; their daughter Mary Higgins, who passed at age 62 last June 2018; her sister Kathryn “Kay” Kempiners, who passed last June 2018 at age 103; and their daughter-in-law Verna (Kellum) Carlini (age 35) and their granddaughter Sitarah Carlini, who both passed on Oct 10, 1998.

Christian Wake Services for Georgene will be held at 7:00 pm Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with the Reverend Josh Brown as celebrant. Burial will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell.

Visitation will be 9:00 am- 4:00 pm Thursday at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials can be sent to Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 2801 W E St, North Platte, NE 69101 or St. Patrick Catholic Schools, 302 S Sycamore St, North Platte, NE 69101

LinkedIn to expand workforce in Omaha with new complex

Posted on January 23, 2019

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — LinkedIn Corp. is building a new complex in Omaha, which could lead the company to increase its workforce by more than 500 workers in the next few years.

The professional networking site, owned by Microsoft Corp., plans to open a new 200,000-square-foot, two building complex in Omaha by 2021, The Omaha World-Herald reported. The expansion could allow the company to more than double its Omaha workforce from 450 to 1,000.

The company employed 11 people at the Omaha branch when it first launched in 2007. The city has since become the company’s main center for customer support, said Kelli Pilgrim, a senior director at the company and the firm’s top executive in Omaha.

“Omaha is definitely what we consider the heart of our service operation,” she said.

Most of the expansion will be for global customer and global sales operations, Pilgrim said.

The facility will also emphasize a “work-and-play” attitude that’s exhibited at the company’s current offices, which feature shuffleboard and pingpong tables, scooters and snacks, Pilgrim said. Having the new space appealing to potential employees adds to LinkedIn’s culture and benefits package that make the company a desirable employer, she said.

The company has been happy with the talent in the area, she said.

“The work ethic has been very, very good and our attrition tends to be lower than we would expect in other parts of the country,” Pilgrim said.

The company didn’t receive any state or city incentives for the project, though Gov. Pete Ricketts’ enthusiasm and support were key in securing the expansion, Pilgrim said.

Ricketts said he’s thankful for the company’s commitment to the state.

“Time and again, we were told that Nebraska’s quality workforce was one of the major reasons LinkedIn enjoyed doing business in Omaha,” he said.

Authorities ID man whose body was found by firefighters

Posted on January 23, 2019

UEHLING, Neb. (AP) – Authorities have released the name of an 83-year-old man whose body was found by firefighters battling a house blaze in the Dodge County town of Uehling.

The Fremont Tribune reports that he’s been identified as Clarence Hammond.

Almost 50 firefighters from Uehling and nearby communities responded after the fire was reported late Sunday night at the two-story home.

Fire officials say the fire cause was electrical.

Superintendent placed on leave for fight video quits his job

Posted on January 22, 2019

AUBURN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska school superintendent put on leave over video of a student fight posted on social media has quit his post.

Auburn Superintendent Kevin Reiman announced his resignation at Monday’s school board meeting, saying he’d made a mistake in not ensuring the video remained confidential.

Reiman was placed on leave Jan. 9 after the video posted on social media seemed to record him in his home viewing a security recording of the fight in a school hallway. A voice believed to be Reiman’s on the online video narrates and laughs with others about the fight.

Reiman says he’s taken full responsibility for release of the school security video and says he “should have exercised greater caution while examining the video to ensure that it could not be viewed by my family or released to the greater public.”

Nebraska senators maintain status quo on filibusters

Posted on January 22, 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers aren’t likely to make any changes this year to rules that determine how long senators can mount a filibuster to block bills they oppose.

A proposal to change the legislative rule was withdrawn Tuesday after lawmakers debated the issue. The proposal would have guaranteed a collective 10 ½ hours of extended debate during three rounds of consideration on each bill.

Some senators say legislative speakers need the flexibility to determine the length of debate, a practice that’s been in place for decades.

The number of filibusters has surged in recent years, raising concerns that Nebraska lawmakers aren’t using their time efficiently even though many senators say they’re critical to protect minority rights.

Some senators note that Nebraska’s one-house Legislature doesn’t have a second chamber to counter its actions.

Nebraska couple charged in death of malnourished infant twin

Posted on January 22, 2019

LOUISVILLE, Neb. (AP) — An eastern Nebraska couple is charged with felony child abuse in the death of one of their malnourished infant twin daughters.

Court records show David and Kassandra Krutina of Louisville were each charged with one count of child abuse resulting in death, negligently, and child abuse negligently causing serious bodily injury.

The charges stem from the death of their 6-month-old daughter, Samantha. The Krutinas took her and her twin sister Charlotte to a hospital Sept. 1. Both were underweight, and Samantha died.

An autopsy says Samantha died of a bacterial infection caused by malnourishment.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the couple appeared Friday in Cass County Court. A judge set their bonds at $10,000.

A lawyer for the couple hasn’t responded to a request for comment.

Lincoln man sentenced for burglary of Nebraska coach Frost

Posted on January 22, 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Lincoln man to prison for burglarizing the Lincoln home of Nebraska football coach Scott Frost.

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong on Tuesday sentenced 21-year-old Andrew M. Williams to three to five years in prison. He could be eligible for parole in just over a year.

In December, Williams pleaded guilty to burglarizing Frost’s home on July 29 as well as possession of methamphetamine in a separate case.

At the hearing, Williams apologized to Frost.

Two 17-year-olds also were arrested in connection with the burglary. They are awaiting trial in adult court.

Virginia official to lead Nebraska Health and Human Services

Posted on January 22, 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A social services director from Virginia has been chosen to serve as the next leader of Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Tuesday he has selected Dannette R. Smith to serve as the agency’s new chief executive officer.

Smith was selected through a national search. The governor’s office says she has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, most recently as the director of the Virginia Beach Department of Human Services.

Ricketts says Smith is a “customer-oriented, results-driven leader” who will build on the work of her predecessor, Courtney Phillips. Phillips left the position to become executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Smith previously held jobs in Washington state, Georgia and North Carolina. She will earn $220,000 annually in Nebraska.