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Police still pursuing Nebraska homicide case 10 years later

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) – Police say they aren’t giving up on a 10-year-old central Nebraska homicide case and are still actively pursuing leads despite having no suspects.

Kearney Police Department Captain Mike Kirkwood says officers work on the Kelcey Fike murder investigation on almost a daily basis. He says police remain confident they’ll find Fike’s killer, particularly once technology advances to test and decipher the DNA found on the victim’s body.

Kirkwood has shared more details about Fike’s death at her trailer in Kearney in June 2008. He says police believe there’s a high probability the killer knew Fike and that an attempted sexual assault may have occurred.

An autopsy found that Fike died of a ligature strangulation and blunt force trauma to the torso and head.

NSP seeking public’s help in locating man wanted for kidnapping, other felonies

Kody Huff

The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) is seeking the public’s help in locating a person wanted on multiple charges.

An arrest warrant has been issued in Chase County for Kody G. Huff, 30, for the following offenses: first-degree assault, kidnapping, terroristic threats, use of a weapon to commit a felony, possession of a weapon by a prohibited person.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Kody Huff, please call the NSP tip line at (308) 535-8137.

Family Night moves ‘under cover’ due to soggy arena

One of the feature events of Nebraskaland Days, Family Night, will go on as planned but will be moved under cover.

NLD Executive Director David Fudge said recent moisture has left the arena floor at the Wild West Arena “soft and muddy.”

Fudge says the event will go on as planned but will take place in the Wild West Arena Pavilion.

5:30 pm

NebraskaLand Days FAMILY NIGHT
When: Mon, June 18, 5:30pm – 8:00pm
Where: Wild West Arena Pavilion, 2400 N Buffalo Bill Ave, North Platte, NE 69101, USA (map)
Wild West Arena Gates will open at 5:30 pm 5:30-7pm | Job, Peter and Chuck Music 7-8pm | Rascal Martinez in the Wild West Arena Free Ice Cream and Cookies provided by Men in the Gap A Petting Zoo, Fun Jumps, Blinko, Golf, Spinning Wheel & Etc around the pavilion

Maxine Olene Wilson

Maxine Olene Wilson, 84, of North Platte, NE, died Friday, June 15, 2018, at Centennial Park Retirement Village in North Platte.

Maxine was born May 19, 1934, to John Orth and Iva Cora (Plant) Frazier at Council Bluffs, IA. Three years later the family moved to Harrisonville, MO, where Maxine grew up and graduated from Harrisonville High School in 1952. She then moved to Omaha and went to work at Brandies Department Store for the next five years. When the family was going through some tough times back in Harrisonville, Maxine returned home to help the family. After three years she took a job with Bendix Aviation in Kansas City, MO, then moved to California to work for McDonald Douglas Aviation until 1963 when she moved back to Council Bluffs.

On April 21, 1963, Maxine was united in marriage to Harold Harry Wilson at the First Baptist Church in Eastlynne, MO, and they made their home in Council Bluffs. Harold’s job with the railroad brought the couple to North Platte in 1971. Maxine then went to work for Beatty, Morgan and Vyhnalek Law Office for the next several years and they had a lawn mowing business for 10 years.

Maxine was a good dancer and enjoyed playing the piano and singing. She was a member of the Union Pacific Old Timers and P.R. Halligan Post #163 American Legion Auxiliary.

She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Darlene and Bill Butler, of Harrisonville; as well as other family and friends including Gary Bassett, of North Platte, and Lois and Ron Reed, of Nevada.

Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; parents, John and Iva Frazier; and sisters, Ann Davis, Shirley Osborn and Thelma Francey.

Cremation was chosen and services were held at Fort McPherson National Cemetery. Condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Lloyd Elmer Dowhower

Lloyd Elmer Dowhower, age 95, of North Platte, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, April 28, 2018.

Lloyd was born January 30, 1923, to Elmer Albert and Alice Hattie (Stoddard) Dowhower in North Platte where he grew up. He graduated from high school in 1940.

Lloyd was united in marriage to Florence Erma Payne and they made their home in North Platte. The couple raised three children and were married for 67 years when Erma passed away in 2007.

Lloyd was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945 and served in the occupation forces in Japan following World War II. After his discharge in 1946, he returned to North Platte and hired on with the Union Pacific Railroad as a Machinist. Lloyd worked for 43 years and especially enjoyed working in the air room and teaching apprentices.

He was an active member of the Restoration Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ and was blessed that members of his congregation were so helpful in his final years.

Lloyd enjoyed helping others, especially when it had to do with mechanical things.  He also liked camping, motorcycling, boating and traveling (the mountains were his favorite place) and got a kick out of entertaining people with well-told, mostly true stories. Lloyd loved his family and he loved God.

He is survived by his children, Janet (Robert) Webster, of Solon, IA, Alan (Johnita) Dowhower, of Sibley, MO, and Kerby (Trudy) Dowhower, of Independence, MO; 9 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 4 great great-grandchildren; sister, Florence Ziarko, of Byron, NY; brother, Virgil Dowhower, of Eugene, OR; sisters-in-law, Jean Dowhower, of Lemoyne, NE, and Cecelia Dowhower, of Marlow, OK; and other family.

Along with his wife, Erma, Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Alice; sister, Alice Violet Grim; brothers, Raymond, Dennis, Albert and Donald; sisters-in-law, Lorraine, Betty, Barbara, Beverly and Dolly Dowhower, Irene Peterson and Faye Crozier; brothers-in-law, John Ziarko and Gerald Grim; and grandsons, Neal and Jacob.

Cremation was chosen. Memorial Service will be 10 a.m. Friday, June 22, 2018, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Norm Morash and Wayne Godfrey officiating. Inurnment with military honors will follow in Fort McPherson National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the church. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.

Elton “Al” Albert Coleman

Elton “Al” Albert Coleman, age 88 of North Platte, NE passed away Friday June 15, 2018 at Great Plains Health.

Al was born August 7, 1929 in Taylor, NE to Albert Elton and Ida Florence (Lewis) Coleman.  He grew up in Loup County and graduated from Taylor High School in 1946.  He worked on different ranches and married Gertrude Pearl “Trudy” Yocum on June 4, 1950 at Trudy’s parents’ farm in Loup County.  They resided in Loup County for 2 years before moving to Broadwater, NE in 1952 and North Platte in 1956.  He worked for Miles Cleaners until 1966 and then went to work for Adams & Swanson Funeral Home.  He attended the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in Dallas, TX and graduated in August 1972, returning to Adams & Swanson Funeral Home in North Platte.   He worked for a period of time at the Odean Colonial Chapel until his retirement in 1998.  He was a member of the Grace Community Bible Church.  Following the death of Trudy in 1998, he married Audrey Beener on November 23, 1999.

Al is survived by his children, Robert (Kim) Coleman of Lincoln, NE, Linda Jo (Charles) Krenzel of Minneapolis, MN, and Dennis (Donna) Coleman of North Platte, NE; 8 grandchildren Dan (Nicole) Krenzel, Trisha (Ben) Prescott, Eric (Rachael) Krenzel, Denise (Matt) Sesker, Crystal (Matt) Seluk, Kayla Coleman, Nate (Jackie) Coleman and Abbey Coleman;18 great grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren; 2 stepdaughters Patricia (Larrie) Patterson, and Carol Wescoat;  brother Clyde “Dick”  (Joan) Coleman; sisters-in-law Nancy Coleman and So Cha Coleman; as well as other extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Ida Coleman; wife Trudy in 1998; wife Audrey in 2017; son-in-law Dan Zuger; step daughter Elaine Kay Finch; brothers Chester and Rex Coleman; and sister Alice Tracy.

Memorials are suggested to the Grace Community Bible Church and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.  Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday June 22, 2018 at the Grace Community Bible Church with Rev. Mike Wing officiating.  Burial will follow at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens.  Visitation will be Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. with Family Receiving Friends from 6:00 until 8:00  at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements.

 

 

Officials still searching for missing southeast Nebraska man

Edward Parker

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are still searching for a southeast Nebraska man who has been missing for more than two weeks.

Authorities say 37-year-old Edward Parker, of Beatrice, was last seen around June 1. Friends and family are asking anyone with information to contact Beatrice police.
Beatrice Police Sgt. Jay Murphy says there have been some leads in the case, but all so far have been dead ends.

Murphy says the department has seen missing person cases in the past where a person left town and didn’t tell anyone. But he says Parker lived with his brother and was very close to him, and it seems unlikely he would have left without telling his family.

Lincoln man drowns in Nebraska lake; son hospitalized

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a Lincoln man has drowned in an eastern Nebraska lake and his son was hospitalized.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says 28-year-old Christian Montoya died Sunday at Pawnee Lake in Lancaster County, west of Lincoln. His son, 2-year-old Christian Montoya Jr., was taken to a hospital in good condition.

Eyewitnesses told authorities the father and son were on a flotation device that was blown out of a designated swimming area, and they both eventually ended up in the water.

A citizen on a personal watercraft picked up the boy and returned him to shore, but authorities say the elder Montoya had disappeared when the citizen returned to pick him up. His body was recovered at 6:30 p.m. The father and son were not wearing life jackets.

Authorities investigate shooting death of 47-year-old man

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 47-year-old man was killed in an early morning shooting in Omaha.

Omaha police say Terry Warren was pronounced dead Sunday shortly after officers arrived at the scene around 5 a.m. Authorities say he was found on the ground in a northeast Omaha neighborhood.

Police offered few other details but urged anyone with information to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers by phone at 402-444-STOP or online at www.omahacrimestoppers.org. Tips leading to the arrest of a homicide suspect are eligible for a $25,000 reward.

Police say they’re still investigating the incident.

Lincoln program helps suspended students stay on track

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln officials say a longtime after-school program is helping suspended students change their behavior and keep up with schoolwork.

Nearly 80 students participated in the Alternative Suspension Program, a pilot project with two high schools and two middle schools that Lighthouse hopes to see continue.

“This is the biggest no-brainer partnership,” said Bill Michener, Lighthouse executive director. “We learned a ton and we know it’s beneficial. We want kids to be successful. Like Lincoln Public Schools, we want them to graduate.”

Lincoln High School has been working to reduce out-of-school suspensions, which last up to five days and can be a hardship on working parents. Michener said students who are suspended often fall farther behind and become more alienated from school.

Lincoln High and Lighthouse worked together with some students in 2015-16 and expanded the program last year to include Southeast High and Lefler and Irving middle schools.

“We found it worked pretty well,” said Jason Shanahan, Irving principal. “While out-of-school suspensions are sometimes necessary, they are not a successful behavior intervention — they don’t solve their problem.”

Nearly half of students who participated in the Lighthouse program came from Irving, where the school’s number of out-of-school suspensions hit a four-year low last year, at 107.

Lighthouse offers a “restorative justice” option that helps each student tell their story, understand who their actions harmed and learn how to keep it from happening again.

“We are all about building relationships,” said Pete Allman, founder and board president of the program. “Nothing can happen unless you have a positive relationship.”

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