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Louise Ann Wallace


Louise Ann Wallace, of North Platte, passed away at home surrounded by
her family on Monday, March 4, 2019, at the age of 86.

Louise was born October 3, 1932, to Ervin and Alice (Wilcox) Garretson
at Havens, Nebraska.  She grew up on the family farm near Silver Creek
and graduated from Clarks High School in 1950.

On June 10, 1951, Louise was united in marriage to the love of her life,
Samuel Charles Wallace, Jr., at Clarks, Nebraska. They were blessed with
63 years of marriage, four sons and many grandchildren.

The Wallace family lived in North Carolina, Clarks, and Salina, Kansas
before settling in North Platte in 1967 with Sam’s job on the Union
Pacific Railroad.  Louise loved being a wife, a mom and being home.

She loved gardening, tending to her flowers and was passionate about
helping others.  Louise was a volunteer at Linden Court and with Meals
on Wheels, did Hospice work, helped with Marriage Encounter, and was an
active member of the First United Methodist Church.

Louise leaves behind her sons, Rex (Maureen) Wallace, of Columbus, Ohio,
and Doug (Vicki) Wallace, Wayne (Renee) Wallace and Larry (Diana)
Wallace, all of North Platte; 10 grandchildren, Keary (Jennifer) Ryan,
Megan Ryan (Alan) Yorke, James Ryan, Joyce (Kevin) Reser, Scott (Kara)
Wallace, Preston (Jasmine) Wallace, Matt (Sarah) Wallace, Sam Wallace
(fiancé, Tenisa Grimsley) Max Wallace and Kylie Wallace; 11
great-grandchildren; sister, Bonnie Garretson, of Central City; brother,
Dennis (Louise) Garretson, of Platte Center; as well as many nieces,
nephews and other family.

Louise was preceded in death by her husband, Sam, Jr.; parents, Ervin
and Alice Garretson; brothers, Rex and Morris Garretson; sister-in-law,
Parnela Dexter; and brother-in-law, LeRoy Dexter.

Funeral Service will be 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at the
First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Douglas A. Delp
officiating.  Burial will follow in Fort McPherson National Cemetery.
Visitation will be from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Odean Colonial Chapel
at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.  Condolences may be
shared at odeanchapel.com.  In lieu of flowers, the family has
established a memorial.

Signing day: Hassett from Hershey commits to Knights for basketball

Hershey, NE – Ashley Hassett wanted to keep playing basketball after high school and she will while staying close to home, which for her is already two notches in the win column.

On March 5th, Hassett signed her letter of intent to play basketball with the North Platte Community College Knights. The team is fresh off a Region IX championship and still fighting for a place at the table in the national tournament. It’s a culture and environment that Hassett felt best fit her talents.

“I’ve gone and hung out with the girls alot, in open gyms and at games. I feel I fit in very well” said Hassett at her signing ceremony.

Coach Thurman was excited to have her on the team saying “Ashley gives us size which we are always looking for, and a scorers mentality. She will fit in well with the culture that we are building for the Knights.”

Hassett was impressive in her years at Hershey with career averages of 11.4 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 30% from 3pt range.

Hassett is the 2nd recruit for the 2019-20 season, joining Isa Valenzuela from Legacy high school in Broomfield, CO.

Knights Women Win Region IX Title

COLUMBUS — The North Platte Community College women claimed the Division II Region IX championship Monday with a 68-60 win over Central Community College.

“I could not be more proud of this team,” North Platte Coach Jeff Thurman said. “We battled all night against a very good team. Our student-athletes showed a lot of heart tonight.”

The Knights came out with a purpose leading, 17-9 after 10 minutes, stretched the lead to 12 points near the end of the second quarter and led 33-23 at the half. The Raiders came out in the third period, and not only seized the lead but went on an 18-3 run to lead by 12 points.

“We could have folded in the third quarter being down 12 on the road,” Thurman said, “but this shows how much growth we’ve gone through in the last month or so.”

North Platte trailed 46-40 at the end of the third period but took the game back in the final 10 minutes enjoying a 28-14 fourth-quarter edge.

The Knights took advantage of opportunities at the line in the second half making 14 of 19 free-throw attempts (73.7 percent) while Central only made it to the free-throw line four times, making two free throws.

NPCC also took advantage of second-chance points 17-9 and enjoyed a 50-47 rebound edge for the game.

Sophomore Madisyn Francis (Houston, Texas) led all scorers with 21 points. Sophomore Nahatabaa Nacona (Chinle, Ariz.) scored 17 points and led the Knights with 11 rebounds. Freshman Emily Joseph (St. Petersburg, Fla.) scored 15 points, which included a three-for-seven showing at the 3-point line.

All three of Monday’s top scorers – Nacona, Francis and Joseph were named to the all-Region IX team. Coach Jeff Thurman was named Region IX Coach of the Year.

North Platte also got a double-digit night from freshman Katie Cox (New Port Richey, Fla.) who had 11 points and eight rebounds

For the game The Knights shot 31.8 percent from the field, made seven of 25 shots from beyond the 3-point line (28.0 percent) and made 19 of 26 free throws (73.1 percent)

Central shot 31.9 percent from the field, made seven of 28 shots from distance (25 percent) and nine of 12 free throws (75.0 percent.

The Raiders finish the season at 10-15.

“Winning the Region was our goal in August and we accomplished it by staying together and playing together,” said Thurman.

North Platte improves to 7-22 and will continues the post-season this weekend with a district playoff game — likely Saturday in North Platte. Official time, date and pairings will be announced.

Named to the Region IX team were:

Nahatabaa Nacona, North Platte CC

Madisyn Francis, North Platte CC

Emily Joseph, North Platte CC

Monica Brooks, Central CC

Day zchay Ion Gardner, Central CC

Emily Zvolanek, F, Southeast CC

Region IX Coach of The Year: Jeff Thurman, North Platte CC

Another charge sought against man accused of woman’s slaying

Aubrey Trail
WILBER, Neb. (AP) – Prosecutors want to add a conspiracy charge to those against a man accused of killing and dismembering a Lincoln woman.

Saline County District Court records say prosecutors filed a motion to amend the charges against 52-year-old Aubrey Trail. He and 25-year-old Bailey Boswell are accused of strangling Sydney Loofe and cutting up her body. The remains were found Dec. 4, 2017, in Clay County , weeks after Loofe was reported missing.

The motion filed Friday says Boswell searched through social media for a victim that she and Trail ultimately selected. It also says the two recruited others to commit murder, bought materials used to kill and/or dismember Loofe and jointly disposed of the remains.

The court records don’t show a similar motion filed in Boswell’s case.

Man accused of breaking 2 bones in leg of 2-year-old

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have accused a Lincoln man of breaking two bones in the right leg of a 2-year-old girl.

Lancaster County Court records say 25-year-old Benjamin Stutzman is charged with felony intentional child abuse. Jail records say he remained in custody Tuesday, pending $50,000 bail. The court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for Stutzman. His next court hearing is scheduled for March 26.

The records say Stutzman told an officer he’d slapped the little girl and then grabbed and jerked her leg in anger after she began urinating while he changed her diaper on Jan. 5.

Proposal to collect online sales taxes advances in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska moved one step closer Monday to collecting online sales taxes from all out-of-state companies in an effort to capture millions of dollars lost every year from buyers who don’t pay the tax.

Lawmakers gave first-round approval to a bill that would require online retailers such as Amazon to collect sales taxes from their own sales as well as from third-party sellers and turn the money over to the state.

The measure advanced on a 44-0 vote. It would go into effect April 1 if it advances through two more votes and is signed by the governor.

The Nebraska Department of Revenue has already told online businesses to start collecting sales taxes on orders placed within the state, but senators haven’t passed a formal law to require it.

“These sellers have had an advantage over brick and mortar retailers for a long time,” said state Sen. John McCollister, of Omaha, the bill’s sponsor.

Nebraska currently requires taxpayers to report their total online purchases and pay the sales tax when they submit their annual state income tax returns, but few people follow that law and it’s difficult for state officials to enforce. By requiring retailers to collect the tax when the purchase is made, lawmakers hope to capture all of the revenue.

The bill was introduced in the wake of last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that lets states tax online sales from out-of-state businesses. Small sellers with $100,000 or less in gross sales or fewer than 200 separate transactions are exempt under the legislation.

State officials predict the sales taxes will generate $30 million to $40 million a year, but Nebraska State Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton warned lawmakers in February that they’ve already factored that revenue into the state budget. Fulton, an appointee of Gov. Pete Ricketts, said he doesn’t expect an influx of money beyond that amount.

The Legislature’s budget-watching Fiscal Office disagrees with Fulton, predicting that online sales taxes would generate an additional $17.9 million for the state’s general fund over two years.

Any extra revenue collected would go into the state’s general fund and two other funds that help pay for road construction projects. Some lawmakers said they’d like to see the money used to lower property taxes.

“I’ve always maintained that any new revenue flowing from (online sales taxes) ought to be directed to property tax relief,” said Sen. Tom Briese, a farmer from Albion. “That’s what Nebraskans expect and that’s what Nebraskans deserve.”

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, chairwoman of the Revenue Committee, said the extra taxes will probably get steered into a tax credit for property owners to help offset their bills.

2 students accused of planning attack sentenced to probation

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. (AP) — Two 18-year-old students accused of planning to attack a high school in south-central Nebraska have been sentenced to probation.

Television station NTV reports Aron McMains, of North Platte, and Joseph Williams, of Oxford, were sentenced Monday to one year of probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor third-degree assault. They previously were accused of terroristic threats but the charges were lowered in exchange for their pleas.

Court records say Williams, McMains and two 17-year-old boys had for months discussed an attack on Cambridge High School. They tried to recruit another student when one student transferred to a different school.

One of the students told police he thought the plan was a joke but wasn’t sure whether the others felt that way.

Both 17-year-olds are seeking to be prosecuted as juveniles.

Great Plains Health COO to lead Medicaid Expansion task force

Ivan Mitchell (Courtesy Photo)

The Nebraska Hospital Association has appointed Great Plains Health Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ivan Mitchell to lead Nebraska hospitals through Medicaid Expansion.

In November 2018, voters approved Medicaid expansion to include approximately 90,000 Nebraskans who are in “the gap” and do not currently have health insurance coverage.

A task force has been formed, led by Mitchell with the intent of addressing Medicaid expansion and its potential impact on Nebraska hospitals. The task force will meet on a regular basis and will have completed its work no later than June 30, 2019. They will work closely with the NHA Advocacy team, key state senators, peer hospital members and researchers at the UNMC Office of Public Health.

“I’m honored to be selected by my peers to lead Nebraska Hospitals on such an important topic.  This selection by our organization shows the respect the rest of the state has for our leadership team and the organization.”

Mitchell will Chair the task force which includes individuals from across the state, including: Russ Gronewold, vice president of finance and CFO at Bryan Health, Jeanette Wojtalewicz CFO at CHI Health, Amy Hatcher senior vice president and CFO at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Jim Ulrich CEO at York General, Todd Consbruck president/CEO at Avera Creighton & St. Anthony’s Hospitals, Chad Jurgens CEO at Jefferson Community Health & Life, David Burd CEO at Thayer County Health Services, and John Mentgen president/CEO at Regional West Health Services.

Publicist: Luke Perry has died at 52 after suffering stroke

Photo By Gage Skidmore (commons.wikemedia.org)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Perry, who gained instant heartthrob status as wealthy rebel Dylan McKay on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” died Monday after suffering a massive stroke, his publicist said. He was 52.

Perry was surrounded by family and friends when he died, publicist Arnold Robinson said. The actor had been hospitalized since last Wednesday, after a 911 call summoned medical help to his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles.

“The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning,” Robinson said in a statement. At Perry’s bedside were his children, Jake and Sophie; fiancée Wendy Madison Bauer and his former wife, Minnie Sharp.

Perry had played construction construction-company owner Fred Andrews, father of main character Archie Andrews, for three seasons on “Riverdale,” the CW series that gives a dark take on “Archie” comics. A fourth season has been slated.

Born and raised in rural Fredericktown, Ohio, Perry gained fame on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” which ran from 1990 to 2000.

Perry has had roles in a handful of films, including “The Fifth Element,” ”8 Seconds” and “American Strays.” He appeared in HBO’s prison drama “Oz” and voiced cartoons like “The Incredible Hulk” and “Mortal Kombat.” In recent years he starred in the series “Ties That Bind” and “Body of Proof.”

The same day he was hospitalized, Fox TV announced that it would be running a six-episode return of “90210” that features most of the original cast, but Perry was not among those announced.

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