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Papillion woman dies after getting stuck in home elevator 

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) – A 25-year-old Papillion woman died after becoming stuck in a home elevator.

The Sarpy County sheriff’s office says deputies and Papillion firefighters were called to a home about 1 p.m. Thursday and found the woman stuck between part of the vertical lift system and the main floor of the residence. The woman, who was unconscious, was identified as Asha Chaudhuri.

It took the first responders about 20 minutes to free Chaudhuri. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Chaudhuri often used the lift to move between floors of the home.

Authorities say the death appears accidental but an investigation will continue.

Pursuit ends in Omaha following self-inflicted gunshot wound

The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) has asked the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a pursuit that began in Saunders County and ended in Sarpy County. At the conclusion of the pursuit, the suspect died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No shots were fired by law enforcement during the incident.

The pursuit began just before 3:00 p.m. when the Saunders County Sheriff’s Department began pursuing a suspect in connection with a theft in Wahoo. The suspect’s vehicle, a black Ford F-150, fled at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour on Highway 92.

As the vehicle entered the Omaha metro area, the truck continued at a high rate of speed and at times drove against oncoming traffic. NSP became the primary agency in the pursuit at approximately 3:08 p.m. near 192nd and Harrison. Two minutes later, the vehicle entered a residential neighborhood and came to a stop with a flat rear tire near 181st and Gertrude St. At the point, a trooper heard a single gunshot.

Upon approaching the vehicle, the trooper found the driver with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The driver of the truck was later pronounced deceased at the scene. There were two women in the vehicle as well. Neither woman was injured.

At the request of NSP, the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting the investigation.

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Nebraska prisons head says execution appeared to go normally

Carey Dean Moore (NE Dept. of Corrections Photo)

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s corrections director says the execution of convicted double-murderer Carey Dean Moore was similar to other executions he has witnessed, and Moore never appeared to be in pain.

Director Scott Frakes made the comments to a grand jury in sworn testimony released Thursday, nearly three weeks after the death investigation ended.

Frakes says Moore breathed heavily in August as the first of four lethal injection drugs was administered. He says Moore began to snore, but made no other sounds. He says everything he saw was consistent with his past experiences.

The Lancaster County grand jury concluded that Moore died of respiratory failure due to toxicity from multiple drugs.

The 60-year-old Moore was put to death for the 1979 murders of Omaha cab drivers Maynard Helgeland and Reuel Van Ness Jr.

Janssen Auto Group to offer ‘free safe rides’ home on NYE

A local automobile dealer once again wants to help keep you off of the Hot Sheets on New Year’s Eve.

Janssen Auto group will be offering “free safe rides” home on New Year’s Eve in McCook, North Platte, Kearney, York, Holdrege and Larned, Kansas.

“This is our 10th year offering this service and we are pleased to be able to offer it again this year,” said Dave Janssen of Janssen Auto Group. “While we don’t want to encourage anyone to overindulge this New Year’s Eve, we do want to make sure that everyone makes it home safely.”

The shuttle service will run within a five-mile radius of the cities from 8:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., and is available to anyone free of charge.

In North Platte, contact Lisa May at 308-520-2287 or Jim Brannon at 308-530-6971.

Eagle Radio launches FM 98.1/1410 AM with new format, morning show

North Platte has a new radio station on 98.1 FM and 1410 AM.

Eagle Communications with stations Mix 97.1, QCountry 107.3 have announced the change of ESPN 1410 Radio to 98.1 FM. North Platte’s Greatest Hits from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

98.1 will still be the exclusive Voice of the North Platte Bulldogs and The North Platte Community College Knights but are now a music station with hits from the 70’s 80’s and 90’s.

Starting Thursday, January 2nd listen to Mornings with Scotty C and Kyle from 5a to 10a with Entertainment, Local News, Weather, and Sports plus Local happenings from around the Community.

All Eagle Radio stations can be streamed in high-definition at www.northplattepost.com.

Nebraska man charged with abuse after bedridden wife dies

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have charged a Nebraska man with abuse of a vulnerable adult after his bedridden, malnourished and badly injured wife died at their home.

The Lincoln man was charged Wednesday as a John Doe because officials don’t believe either of the names he goes by is his real one. A judge set his bail at $250,000 and scheduled his next hearing for Jan 23. Court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for him.

Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said investigators are trying to piece together the man’s real identity and determine whether he is in the country legally.

According to prosecutors, the defendant called 911 early on Dec. 19 and said that his wife, 68-year-old Delanie Manning, was unconscious and wasn’t breathing, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. Medics were unable to revive her.

The man said Manning had been bedridden due to medical issues over the past six months and that he brought her water, soda pop and meals but had moved her out of the bed only three times since June. He told investigators that he wanted to take her to a hospital or a doctor, but that he didn’t because she was scared doctors would “put her away,” an arrest warrant affidavit said.

The defendant said his wife couldn’t chew or swallow food in her final three days. He told her the day before she died that she looked bad and he was going to call 911, but he was afraid he would get in trouble, according to the affidavit.

An autopsy showed that Manning was malnourished, had a broken left femur, multiple ulcers and exposed bone on her right ankle and knee.

Authorities say woman died in northern Nebraska house blast

CHAMBERS, Neb. (AP) – Authorities say a 93-year-old woman died in an explosion and fire at her home in northern Nebraska.

The Holt County attorney’s office says firefighters, medics and sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the home near Chambers on Sunday evening. Investigators blamed the blast on a propane gas release inside the residence.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined she died of injuries suffered in the explosion and fire. Her name hasn’t been released.

Federal shutdown forces closure of Homestead monument

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A shutdown of parts of the federal government has forced the closure of buildings at Homestead National Monument of America near Beatrice.

Homestead Park Superintendent Mark Engler told the Beatrice Daily Sun on Wednesday that buildings at the monument will be closed but outdoor trails and parking lots would remain accessible. However, if it snows during the shutdown, Engler says trails and the lots won’t be maintained except for emergency situations.

The monument, about five miles west of Beatrice, commemorates the Homestead Act of 1862, which granted 160 acres of free land to claimants.

Longtime Nebraska athletic trainer George Sullivan dies

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — George Sullivan, the head athletic trainer at Nebraska for 20 years and a member of the athletic program’s medical staff for more than 50, has died. He was 91.

Current head athletic trainer Jerry Weber said Sullivan died Tuesday.

Sullivan was regarded as a pioneer in athletic training practices and was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1976. Memorial Stadium’s athletic training room is named for him.

He retired from full-time work in 1994 and continued as a consultant to the athletic department and other organizations.

Sullivan grew up in Rockville and served in the Army in Germany and France during World War II. He studied physical education and physical therapy and played football at Nebraska upon his discharge. He was hired full-time as an athletic trainer in 1953 and treated players on national championship football teams coached by Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne.

Nebraska motorists urged to prepare for winter driving conditions

As another round of winter weather has prompted storm warnings and advisories across the state, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) and Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) are urging motorists to be prepared.

“This storm is expected to potentially bring up to a foot of snow in some areas of Nebraska,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “It’s important that people finishing their holiday travel are prepared for winter driving conditions and drive safely.”

Travelers are urged to check the most up-to-date travel conditions available through 511, Nebraska’s Advanced Traveler Information System.  The system is available at all times via phone by dialing 511, online at www.511.nebraska.gov, or on Nebraska 511’s smartphone app.

“With holiday travel on all our minds, we encourage our fellow Nebraskans to be fully informed about the weather and travel conditions, said NDOT Director Kyle Schneweis. “We recommend travelers keep tabs on the weather and take every precaution to keep themselves safe and always remember to buckle up.”

NDOT workers and equipment will be out to clear the highways and monitor changing conditions firsthand. NDOT has more than 630 snow plows and 1,000 team members prepared to handle snow removal across the state. The NDOT State Operations Center is staffed during any winter weather event to help keep Nebraska 511 up to date and provide assistance to crews in the field.

State Troopers will also be on the road to assist drivers if necessary. Anyone who becomes stranded can call *55 to reach the NSP Highway Helpline. Call 911 for any emergency.

Additionally, motorists will likely encounter snowplows while driving.  NDOT urges drivers to not crowd the plow and keep plenty of distance for all workers to do their job clearing the road.

Motorists should avoid distractions while driving, increase following distance, never drive faster than conditions allow, and always buckle-up. NSP and NDOT also recommend keeping a winter survival kit in the vehicle to use in the event travelers become stranded.

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