LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A handcuffed inmate escaped from the Dawson County Courthouse in Lexington but was quickly found a few blocks away.
The Kearney Hub reports 19-year-old Luis Sandoval-Magana had been terminated from drug court on Monday for violating terms of the program and was sentenced to five days in jail. Soon after being handcuffed, he managed to flee the courtroom.
Sheriff’s office deputies and Lexington police began a search and found Sandoval four blocks away from the courthouse.
HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — Crews have contained a large fire at a Hastings fertilizer plant.
The fire was reported about 11:30 p.m. Thursday at the CPI Dry Fertilizer Plant and was contained just before 4 a.m. Friday.
The blaze forced authorities to close U.S. Highway 6, but the road was reopened early Friday.
Authorities urged residents to keep their windows closed and turn off air conditioners if they have health conditions that could be exasperated by smoke.
No injuries were reported and the extent of damages to the plant weren’t clear.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say an off-duty mall security guard faces charges after using his vehicle to chase suspected shoplifters in an incident that also saw an off-duty sheriff’s deputy fire a gun at one of the suspects.
Police say the incident began Wednesday night, when the off-duty deputy spotted a white vehicle belonging to the security guard trying to run a minivan off the road in southwestern Omaha. A witness later told police he saw the minivan accelerate toward the off-duty deputy, who was loudly ordering the driver to stop. The deputy then fired a gun at the minivan, but no one was hit.
Omaha police, who are investigating, say the van’s three occupants were found and questioned. Police believe they had stolen items from a store in Oakview Mall, and the security guard tried to stop them as they left in the minivan, then chased and threatened to shoot them.
The security guard was arrested on suspicion of three counts of making terroristic threats. It’s unclear whether the three in the minivan face charges.
As part of National EMS week, Great Plains Health hosted an educational symposium for regional emergency responders. The event was co-sponsored by LifeNet and featured an awards ceremony in which area EMS departments and individuals were recognized for going “beyond the call.”
All honorees were nominated by their peers, medical directors or EMS captains as going above and beyond the call in this past year. Great Plains Health Emergency Department Medical Director, James Smith, MD and Co-Medical Director Renee Engler, MD presented the awards to departments, including Frontier County Ambulance Service, Arnold Volunteer Fire Department, Priority Medical Transport Providers and McCook Fire Department. In addition, awards were presented to TJ Williams and Trev Kleinow from North Platte; Michael Schoenemann, Tyler Neff and Don Lannigan from McCook; Tammy Weinman, Heather Hagler, Cassie Delosh, Renee Summers and Eric Nelson from Arnold; and Kellie Benzel, Stephen Benzel, Sidney Bierfreund, Pat Liakos, Ruth Soukup and Misty Reitz from Frontier County.
Karie Sheets, Great Plains Health trauma coordinator thanked the 80+ emergency responders in attendance, saying, “Each one of you is worthy of receiving recognition for the exceptional service you provide to our communities every day.”
Following the awards, Dennis Edgerly, MEd, EMT-P presented trauma and cardiac case studies for continuing education credits for those in attendance.
TJ Williams (left) and Trev Klienow, Priority Medical Transport. From the nominations: “Trev Kleinow has worked nearly always as a fulltime ALS provider while at the same time being a managing partner of Priority Medical Transport. He shows a tireless commitment and leadership to bringing these services to the region.”
Frontier County was honored for their quick thinking for scene activation of the helicopter and lifesaving efforts while awaiting response from NPFD.Arnold was honored for their lifesaving efforts and quick thinking when they responded to an active code. They assessed the patient, started care and requested tiered response from NPFD – all measures that saved the life of the patient.McCook Fire Department received recognition for their quick response and lifesaving efforts on a specific call where they were able to use their training and education to act quickly and save the patient.“Priority Medical Transport was honored, not as an individual, but as a group of EMS providers that is always striving to become the best, to never stop learning, to assure the care they provide to their patients is beyond reproach.”
Merilyn R. Mitchem, age 93 died May 23, 2019 at North Platte Care Center. Services are 1:00 pm Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel. Burial will be at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 pm Sunday at the funeral home. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are setting the groundwork for a plan to get as many residents as possible to participate in the 2020 Census.
Lawmakers gave first-round approval Thursday to a bill that would allow a special committee that would develop the plan on the state’s behalf.
The bill by Sen. Matt Hansen, of Lincoln, would place Nebraska among the vast majority of states that have already created a committee. South Dakota is the only other state that has not.
The committee would operate under the Nebraska State Data Center and would rely on private money. It would terminate on Jan. 1, 2021.
The measure advanced 39-2 through the first of three required votes. Two senators argued the committee would be duplicative of the federal government’s outreach efforts.
WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate has passed a long-overdue $19 billion disaster aid bill to help to a number of states and Puerto Rico recover after a series of hurricanes, floods and wildfires.
The widely-backed legislation passed by an 85-8 vote.
Republican leaders agreed to a demand by Democrats to toss out President Donald Trump’s $4.5 billion request to address a record influx of Central American migrants who are fleeing violence in Guatemala, Honduras and elsewhere and coming to the United States.
Trump says he’ll sign the measure and is promising that the U.S-Mexico border money he wants will pass soon.
The disaster relief bill was most eagerly sought by Trump’s GOP allies in states such as Georgia, Florida, Iowa and Nebraska. But the bill was held up for months, first by a battle over aid for Puerto Rico and then by failed negotiations on border aid.
LINCOLN, Neb. – Private landowners have until June 14 to enroll their land in the Open Fields and Waters (OFW) Program. Through OFW, landowners can earn additional income for allowing walk-in hunting, trapping and/or fishing access on their properties.
According to John Laux, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s upland habitat and access manager, OFW is a “win-win” for both private landowners and hunters. “Participating landowners benefit from the extra income and our hunters and anglers [who help fund the program] have more places to go,” said Laux. With over 97 percent of Nebraska’s land-base in private ownership, obtaining access to private lands continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing today’s hunters and anglers.
Increasing public hunting opportunities is a primary objective outlined in the Berggren Plan, Game and Park’s five-year initiative aimed at improving the pheasant hunting experience in Nebraska. “Last year, we added nearly 60,000 acres and hope to continue to expand the program in 2019,” said Laux. Over 700 landowners participated in OFW in 2018, opening over 316,000 land acres, 600 acres of ponds/lakes, and 42 miles of streams to public access across the state.
In addition to receiving annual, per-acre payments, participating landowners are also afforded protection from liability under the Nebraska Recreation Liability Act. Payment rates vary from 50 cents to $15 per acre, depending on habitat type and property location. Game and Parks biologists post boundary signs and enrolled properties are published annually in the Nebraska Public Access Atlas, which is available at OutdoorNebraska.org/PublicAccessAtlas/.
Private landowners interested in enrolling in OFW should contact their nearest Game and Parks district office: Lincoln (402-471-5561), Norfolk (402-370-3374), Alliance (308-763-2940) or North Platte (308-535-8025).
A North Platte woman has been federally indicted on drug charges.
According to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office in Omaha, Sarah Waugh, age 29, of North Platte, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on or about March 13, 2019.
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Waugh and two others were arrested in March after police received a report of drug activity at a house in the 800 block of South Sycamore Avenue.
In Lincoln County, Waugh was arrested for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (class 1D felony), distribution of a controlled substance (class II felony), and possession of a destructive device (class IV felony).
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Police in Lincoln, Nebraska, are investigating an assault on a Muslim woman as a possible hate crime.
Police tell the Lincoln Journal Star that the 18-year-old victim was walking Wednesday night in west Lincoln when two white men approached her, made derogatory comments and threats and then knocked her to the ground and kicked her. Police say the woman suffered bruises and cuts to her forearms and both sides of her face. No arrests had been reported by Thursday afternoon.
Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said the attackers’ threats and comments led police to open a hate crime investigation in the assault. Bliemeister said his agency “will not tolerate hate crimes.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the attackers.
LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A handcuffed inmate escaped from the Dawson County Courthouse in Lexington but was quickly found a few blocks away.
