Clara Ione Negley, age 78, formerly of North Platte, passed away Wednesday April 17, 2019 in Sutherland, Nebraska. Arrangements are pending at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home, 421 West 4th Street, North Platte, NE.
Month: April 2019
‘Trip Set’ gang members arrested on Federal warrants in Omaha
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced today that members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Omaha Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service conducted an early morning operation in Omaha, armed with arrest warrants for six individuals on federal and state charges for firearms and narcotics violations. During this investigation, the ATF and the Omaha Police Department seized 41 firearms, ten of which were stolen. In addition to the stolen firearms, approximately 31 ounces of marijuana were seized.
This investigation focused on the TRIP SET gang that relied on violent crime and narcotics sales to make money for the gang. Their crimes included armed robberies, home invasions, burglaries and credit card fraud. Between June and October 2018, this gang was responsible for six felony assaults. This group became prevalent in the Omaha area over the past three years and has approximately 154 documented gang members and associates in Omaha. Omaha Police also confirmed additional TRIP SET gang members in Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, Tennessee, Washington, South Dakota, and Utah.
“This operation involving the Omaha Police Department, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service removed some very dangerous individuals from our community,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly, “We are very pleased with the determination, coordination and cooperation among these agencies, as well as the Douglas County Attorney’s Office, in this very successful investigation.”
“In partnership with the Omaha Police Department, ATF will continue to identify and bring to justice, those who use or illicitly supply firearms to be used in violence,” said Acting ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred Winston.
“The operation is impactful to public safety as it addressed active gang members procuring firearms illegally. I want to thank our federal partners and all the Omaha investigators that worked tirelessly for the public on this.” said Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.
In addition to today’s arrest warrants, six other individuals were already in custody and charged federally prior to the operation. Attached are the names and charges of individuals arrested in this investigation. One individual remains at large. Attached is the list of those in custody.
TRIP SET INVESTIGATION
Targets and their indicted offenses
- Jal CHUAR
Count 1: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 2: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
Count 3: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
- Kuiny GACH
Count 1: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 2: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
Count 3: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 4: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
- Ammanuel JIEL
Count 1: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 2: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
Count 3: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 4: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
- Emmanuel JOHN
Count 1: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
Count 2: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
Count 3: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
Count 4: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
- Kandaru JOHN
Count 1: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
Count 2: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
- Gatroul PUOL
Count 1: Conspiracy – Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (21 USC 846)
Count 2: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 3: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 4: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
Count 5: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 6: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
Count 7: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
- Giel RIAK
Count 1: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 2: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
Count 3: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 4: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
- Reuben ROWE
Count 1: Distribution Marijuana (21 USC 841)
Count 2: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
- Dajuan SHARRON
Count 1: Robbery of Personal Property of the United States (18 USC 2112)
- Kan TAP
Count 1: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
Count 2: Distribution Methamphetamine (21 USC 841)
Count 3: Possession of Firearm During Drug Trafficking Offense (18 USC 924(c))
Count 4: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
Count 5: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 USC 922(g)(1))
- Loing YAR
Count 1: Distribution Methamphetamine (21 USC 841)
Nebraska lawmakers unveil tentative property tax package
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska lawmakers have unveiled a new plan to reduce property taxes by boosting state aid for K-12 schools, raising the state sales tax and eliminating tax exemptions.
Members of the Revenue Committee announced the proposal Wednesday but say it’s still subject to change.
The measure would increase state equalization aid to schools from roughly $1 billion to $1.5 billion a year in an effort to reduce the taxes schools generate through local property taxes. School property taxes would decline by an average of 20 percent.
It also would raise the state sales tax rate from the current 5.5 percent to 6.25 percent and eliminate sales tax exemptions for junk food, bottled water, storage, plumbing and HVAC repairs.
Gov. Pete Ricketts opposes any plan that lowers one tax by raising another.
Nebraska advances scaled-back bill aimed at wind energy
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a scaled-back bill that could make it harder to install wind-energy transmission lines on private property if landowners object.
A new version the measure that was previously defeated won first-round approval Wednesday on a 40-1 vote.
The original bill would have barred Nebraska’s public power organizations from using eminent domain to install transmission lines for use by privately developed wind-energy farms. Opponents say it would have stifled wind energy development in Nebraska.
Senators agreed to revive the measure, however, and reached a compromise. The new version still allows eminent domain for renewable energy projects but gives opponents a better opportunity to challenge such projects in court.
The bill was introduced by state Sen. Tom Brewer, of Gordon, whose district includes Nebraska’s scenic Sandhills.
Young woman ‘infatuated’ with Columbine is found dead
Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader said 18-year-old Sol Pais was discovered by the FBI with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The manhunt had led to the closing of Denver-area schools as a precaution.
During the manhunt, the FBI said Pais was “infatuated” with Columbine and made threats ahead of Saturday’s anniversary of the attack that killed 13 people at Columbine High School in 1999. The FBI described her “extremely dangerous.”
The Miami Beach high school student flew to Colorado on Monday night and bought a pump-action shotgun and ammunition, authorities said.
“We deal with a lot of threats at Columbine,” John McDonald, executive director of security for the Jefferson County school system, said when the manhunt was over. “This one felt different. It was different. It certainly got our attention.”
Agents had focused the search around the base of Mount Evans, a popular recreational area about 60 miles southwest of Denver.
All classes and extracurricular activities for about a half-million students were canceled as a precaution, though sheriff’s spokesman Mike Taplin said the young woman’s threats were general and not specific to any school.
Authorities said Pais was last seen not far from Columbine — in the Jefferson County foothills outside Denver — in a black T-shirt, camouflage pants and black boots. Police were instructed to detain her for a mental health evaluation.
In Pais’ hometown of Surfside, Florida, Police Chief Julio Yero asked that the family be given “privacy and a little time to grieve.”
“This family contributed greatly to this investigation from the very onset. They provided valuable information that led us to Colorado and a lot of things that assisted in preventing maybe more loss of life,” he said.
Pais’ parents last saw her on Sunday and reported her missing to Florida authorities on Monday night, Surfside police said.
Because of the threats, Columbine and more than 20 other schools outside Denver locked their doors for nearly three hours Tuesday afternoon, and some canceled evening activities or moved them inside.
Adam Charni, a Miami Beach High School senior, said Pais dressed in black and kept mostly to herself. He said he was “baffled” to learn she was the person authorities in Colorado were searching for.
Two teenage gunmen attacked Columbine on April 20, 1999, killing 12 classmates and a teacher before taking their own lives.
NP man accused of holding gun to woman’s head
A North Platte man is in jail and no injuries were reported after he allegedly held a handgun to a woman’s head during an argument.
At around 2:34 p.m., on April 16, North Platte police responded to the report of a disturbance in the 1900 block of West 3rd Street.
Officers met with a female victim who alleged that she had been involved in an argument with 53-year-old Joseph Brosius.
According to police, the victim stated that Brosius pointed what she believed to be a handgun at her head and asked her if she wanted him to leave. He then allowed the victim to leave without harming her.
A short time later, officers observed Brosius driving in the vicinity of A and Erma Streets. A high-risk traffic stop was conducted and Brosius was taken into custody without incident.
Police say officers believed that Brosius was under the influence of alcohol and he later blew a .245 on the breathalyzer.
Brosius was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center jailed. He’s been charged with use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony (Class IC Felony), terroristic threats and driving under the influence of liquor.
Police say the handgun that Brosius allegedly pointed at the victim was a BB gun.
Barbara Ann Conley (Hudson)
Barbara Ann Conley (Hudson), 83, passed away April 14, 2019 at her home in North Platte, Nebraska.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 17, 1935 to parents Betty (Adams) and Henry Hudson, and was an only child.
After high school, Barb attended Michigan State University and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education. She met her husband, James Michael Conley, who also attended MSU and they were married on June 22, 1957. They re-located to Kansas City, Missouri then Des Moines, Iowa and settled in North Platte in 1968. She raised three children: Jim, Jana and Jay and had four grandchildren: Michael, Jacob, Harris and Carter.
Barb was very active in her community volunteering throughout the years. Platte Valley Swim Club (AAU), 4-H, and Clean City Committee. She was an active member of the Great Plains Medical Center Volunteer Auxiliary Committee, the P.E.O. Sisterhood – Chapter HO, the American Baptist Women’s Ministries, and the Jones Girls Stock Club of North Platte. She also worked as a Nutri-System counselor, and English as a Second Language Teacher. In 1990 she became the Director of Senior Ministries at First Baptist church. Barb was passionate about her position at the church and started “Ladies Night Out’ for women in the church to get together throughout the year for food, fellowship and fun. Her kind, giving and loving spirit touched many lives.
In 1990, Barb began a Weight Lifting career competing internationally, winning several Senior World Championships and traveled to and competed in every continent in the world. She later became an official referee in the sport and worked at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Barb’s passions were cooking, entertaining, Cornhusker football and women’s volleyball, love of cats and dogs and animals of all kinds.
Barb is survived by her husband, James Michael Conley; three children, James Michael Conley II and his wife, Peggy of North Platte, Jay Scot Conley of North Platte, and Jana Ann Conley of San Francisco; four grandchildren, James “Michael” Conley III of Lincoln, Jacob Mackenzie Conley of Omaha, Harris Conley Brown of San Francisco and Carter Hudson Brown also of San Francisco, California. Brothers-in-law, Jon Barre Conley and wife Kay of Los Angeles, California, Phil Conley and his wife Carol of Norman, Oklahoma along with many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by father, Henry Hudson; Mother Betty Culligan and husband Mr. Bill Culligan.
Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church.
A Celebration of Barb’s life is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 19th First Baptist Church with the Reverend Clint Walker officiating. Burial at Floral Lawns Cemetery immediately following the service. Visitation will be Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in care of arrangements.
Group takes state step toward recall of Omaha mayor
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Some critics of Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert have taken a step toward mounting a recall drive.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that a group called the Coalition to Recall Stothert filed paperwork earlier this month to raise funds for a possible recall petition drive. Organizers would have to gather the signatures of nearly 35,000 Omaha voters to force a recall election.
Spokeswoman Heather Aliano said the group is recruiting volunteers and getting support from people angry about potholes , city trash contract changes and Stothert’s interactions with critics.
Stothert declined to comment about the group or its efforts. The Republican was first elected in 2013 and re-elected in 2017.
Debate on Nebraska cellphone tax bill ends without vote
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill that would require Nebraska cities to get voter approval before raising occupation taxes on cellphones could be in jeopardy.
Lawmakers passed over the measure Wednesday without voting on it after some senators argued that it would hurt local governments.
Sen. Tony Vargas, of Omaha, says he introduced the bill because Nebraska has some of the nation’s highest cellphone taxes. The original bill would have cut cellphone taxes across the board, but Vargas agreed to narrow it so it only applied to occupation taxes.
Opponents say the measure would take money out of city coffers and potentially force those governments to raise property taxes. The bill could cost the city of Lincoln an estimated $4 million in lost revenue out of its $178 million general fund.
Driver arrested following pursuit in Lincoln
Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, with the assistance of the Lincoln Police Department, have arrested a man following a pursuit in Lincoln during the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 17.
At approximately 3:30 a.m., a trooper observed a Chevy Silverado failing to stay in its lane and hitting a curb while traveling westbound on Old Cheney near 70th street. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled into a residential neighborhood near 70th and Glynoaks. The Silverado continued through the neighborhood, at times driving onto the curb to avoid being stopped.
After exiting the neighborhood, the truck began traveling southbound on 84th street at speeds over 90 miles per hour. For public safety reasons, the trooper terminated the pursuit. Minutes later, officers with the Lincoln Police Department reported a suspect in custody at the address where the Silverado was registered, near 91st and Pine Lake Road.
The trooper involved in the pursuit arrived at the location and confirmed that the truck and driver were those involved in the pursuit. The driver, Dustin Miller, 30, of Lincoln, was arrested for willful reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, driving with a revoked license, open alcohol container, refusal to submit to a preliminary breath test, and numerous traffic violations. Miller was lodged in Lancaster County Jail.