Post Staff – Page 175 – North Platte Post Archive

University of Nebraska system enrollment dips

Posted on September 5, 2018

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials say the University of Nebraska system’s enrollment has dipped a percentage point this fall.

The new total across the five campuses is a little under 52,000 students.

Only the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and the two-year Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis reported increases: 1.6 percent for the medical school campus, to nearly 4,000 students, and 5.7 percent for the ag school, to 335 students.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s enrollment dropped 1 percent, to a little under 26,000. The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s fell 1.9 percent, to around 15,400. And the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s enrollment declined by 1.1 percent, to a little above 6,300 students.

Civil liberties groups sue US over pipeline protest plans

Posted on September 4, 2018

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Civil liberties advocates have sued the U.S government alleging law enforcement agencies are maneuvering to crack down on anticipated protests over the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and its Montana affiliate filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Missoula on Tuesday against the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Interior and Justice.

The groups want the court to order the release of all records pertaining to cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement and private security companies.

Government agency representatives declined immediate comment.

The suit cites prior efforts by law enforcement to disband Native Americans and other protesters opposed to a separate project, the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Keystone XL would transport crude oil from Canada through Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska.

High-speed pursuit ends with arrest in Lincoln

Posted on September 4, 2018

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a man following a high-speed pursuit that originated on Interstate 80 in Lincoln.

The incident happened at approximately 7:50 p.m. Monday, September 3, when a trooper observed a westbound Ford Mustang traveling in excess of 120 miles per hour near mile marker 400 on I-80. Radio communication was made with another trooper further ahead on I-80. That trooper pulled over to wait for the Mustang. When the Mustang passed the trooper at more than 120 miles per hour, the trooper initiated a pursuit.

The Mustang exited I-80 at NW 48^th St. and began traveling north. The trooper then observed the Mustang increase its speed to 132 miles per hour in the 45 miles per hour zone on NW 48^th St. near Gary Gately St. At that point, the trooper discontinued the pursuit out of a concern for safety of the public.

A short time later, the vehicle was seen turning east into a neighborhood. The trooper was able to locate the vehicle as it parked in front of a home on NW 45^th St. The driver, Holden Ludwig, 20, of Lincoln, was arrested for speeding, willful reckless driving, and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest. Ludwig was lodged at the Lancaster County Jail.

Plane diverted to NP airport, man arrested

Posted on September 4, 2018

A man is in the Lincoln County jail after he was arrested for causing a disturbance on a flight from Las Vegas to New York City.

According to North Platte Police, officer and deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to Lee Bird Field after receiving a report of an unruly passenger on a charter flight.

Airline personnel say the flight was diverted because a passenger on the plane, 23-year-old Maurice Paola, of Las Vegas, was threatening to harm crew members and other passengers and was throwing things on the plane.

Officers boarded the plane and took Paola into custody, but say Paola was not cooperative and resisted officers.

Paola was eventually removed from the plane and transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center where is being held on charges of terroristic threats and resisting arrest.

Police say charges may be filed by other agencies as well.

2 Omaha women charged in fatal Aug. 23 shooting of man

Posted on September 2, 2018

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say two women have been charged and are being held on $1 million bail each in the shooting death of an Omaha man.

29-year-old Angel Wiley and 25-year-old Laquetta Flood-Drummond have been charged with being accessories to a felony in the fatal Aug. 23 shooting of 22-year-old Keith Chambers. Wiley faces two counts, and Flood-Drummond faces one.

Police say they are still looking for the person who shot and killed Chambers. Police say Chambers was shot outside an apartment complex in north Omaha. He died Monday at an Omaha hospital.

Investigators say Wiley drove the shooter away from the scene and that both women lied to detectives about what happened.

Nebraska power utility urges caution over zebra mussels

Posted on September 2, 2018

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s largest utility is reminding anyone with a boat to take steps to prevent the spread of invasive zebra mussels.

Nebraska Public Power District environmental specialist Justin King says zebra mussels can create major problems. For instance, boating has been shut down at Cunningham Lake in Omaha because of the mussels.

The small black-and-white striped mussels, native to eastern Europe, are voracious eaters, gobbling up plankton that many native freshwater fish need to survive.

The mussels can also attach themselves to dam and utility mechanisms, causing damage to motors and facilities.

Tips for preventing the spread of zebra mussels can be found at www.neinvasives.com .

Police say man died at hospital after Bellevue collision

Posted on September 2, 2018

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say an 88-year-old man died after a collision in an Omaha suburb.

The accident occurred a little before 5 p.m. Thursday on Nebraska Highway 370 in Bellevue. Police say an eastbound vehicle turned left and struck the driver’s side of a westbound vehicle on the highway.

Police identified the man driving the westbound vehicle as 88-year-old Raymond Mills. He was pronounced dead at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The other driver was identified as 54-year-old Leslie Sharp, who suffered minor injuries.

A third vehicle also was hit. It’s unclear whether the unidentified driver of that vehicle was injured.

Medicaid expansion opponents appeal dismissal of lawsuit

Posted on September 2, 2018

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Opponents of a proposal to expand Medicaid in Nebraska are appealing a judge’s dismissal of their lawsuit to keep the issue off the November ballot.

State Sen. Lydia Brasch and former state Sen. Mark Christensen filed notice Wednesday that they plan to challenge the Lancaster County district judge’s ruling.

Judge Darla Ideus rejected their arguments that the petition drive to place the issue before voters violated Nebraska law and the state constitution.

Supporters say the measure would extend health care coverage to an estimated 90,000 low-income residents who don’t qualify for traditional Medicaid or federal tax subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.

Secretary of State John Gale has said petition organizers gathered more than enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot.

Man gets 10 years in Lincoln embezzlement case

Posted on September 2, 2018

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man accused of stealing more than $2 million from his Lincoln employer has been sentenced to federal prison.

Mark Ackerman was given 10 years during a hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court in Lincoln. He’d pleaded guilty to 15 counts of wire fraud after prosecutors agreed not to pursue charges for money laundering.

The Crete resident had been the office manager for Vertical Horizons Contracting. The contractor services the telecom, manufacturing, oil and gas, and utility industries. The lawsuit says Ackerman began working there in October 2007 and was fired Oct. 13 last year.

$2.2M federal grant will help Lincoln add 15 firefighters

Posted on September 2, 2018

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials say a $2.2 million federal grant will help bolster the ranks for Lincoln’s firefighters.

Mayor Chris Beutler said Thursday that the three-year grant requires local matching funds. The grant covers 75 percent of the salaries and benefits for the first two years and 35 percent in the final year. The city pays the rest.

Fire officials say the grant will help reduce overtime costs and firefighter burnout as rescue calls rise with the city’s growth.