BLAIR, Neb. (AP) — The Washington County Planning Commission has recommended against construction of two chicken operations but backed four others.
The commission adjourned early Friday morning, following testimony Thursday night by people for or against the proposals.
The operations could house up to 190,000 chickens each at sites near Blair, Arlington or Telbasta and provide chickens to the Costco processing plant in Fremont, slated to open next year.
Opponents shared with commissioners their concerns about traffic, noise, pollution, disease and property values. Backers said the operations would bolster the local economy and aid local ownership.
The commissioners had moved the meeting to a county courtroom to accommodate the big crowd. Some people wore T-shirts emblazoned with two words: “Neighbors United.”
The final decisions will be made April 24 by the Board of Supervisors.
BLUE HILL, Neb. (AP) — A Hastings hospital has agreed to pay more than $677,000 to settle a case of false claims submitted for Nebraska Medicaid and Medicare.
A news release from the Nebraska attorney general’s office said Thursday that Mary Lanning Healthcare discovered and then reported to authorities the improper billings by a contract doctor who worked at the hospital’s Blue Hill clinic. The false claims were made from January 2010 until April 2016.
The doctor, Daniel Mazour, surrendered his medical license on Dec. 14, 2016, in lieu of further discipline. His license had been placed on probation through Jan. 10, 2020. State records said Mazour didn’t adhere to professional standards in prescribing controlled substances for treatment of pain or other conditions.
Mazour didn’t immediately return a message left Friday by The Associated Press.
FRIEND, Neb. (AP) — A cash-strapped hospital in southeast Nebraska is seeking $800,000 to keep its Medicare funding and continue serving the area after nearly 90 years.
The Friend Community Healthcare System’s hospital will close if it doesn’t update its electrical system by the end of this year, the Lincoln Journal Star reported.
The hospital’s generator is outdated and much of its electrical wiring is out of compliance, according to a 2016 inspection. The state Fire Marshal’s Office ordered the hospital to make repairs by January 2019 or it will lose Medicare funding, which the health care facility can’t operate without.
The potential closure could result in Friend residents traveling 30 minutes away from emergency care.
A bond issue on the May 15 ballot will seek to raise money to update the wiring and prolong the struggling hospital’s life.
The hospital district raised its levy last year to anticipate repair costs. But the district needs the money faster than it can collect, so the bond issue would serve as a loan. Bond payments would be paid off with taxes the district already receives, said Nick Svehla, a hospital board member.
“Everyone hears bond and they’re worried about their taxes going up,” said board member Jim Vossler. “But they shouldn’t.”
Approving the bond doesn’t guarantee longevity for the hospital, which recently operated at a deficit. The hospital generated $4.8 million in revenue last year but spent $5 million.
The hospital saw slight improvements in the number of patients visiting its clinic daily, but these numbers need to continue growing for the hospital to survive, Svehla said.
“We’re one of the largest employers in a town this size, and knowing there’s viable healthcare close to home is extremely important,” Svehla said. “Keeping something like this viable is greatly beneficial.”
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Actor and model Hopper Penn has been released from jail after he and actress Uma Von Wittkamp were arrested on drug charges earlier this week in Nebraska.
Here are some facts about the couple and their arrest:
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A FAMOUS FAMILY
Penn, 24, is the son of Sean Penn, the Academy Award-winning actor, filmmaker and political activist known for his roles in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” ”Mystic River” and “Milk.” His mother is Robin Wright, an actress and director known for her work in the Netflix drama “House of Cards” and movies including “Wonder Woman” and “The Princess Bride.”
Named after Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicolson, Hopper Jack Penn was born in Los Angeles but was largely raised in Ross, a small, exclusive town outside of San Francisco. He and his mother moved back to Los Angeles around the time Wright filed for divorce in 2009.
He’s also the nephew of singer-songwriter Michael Penn and the late actor Chris Penn. His sister, Dylan Frances, is a model and actress.
Hopper Penn has gained some fame of his own. He acted in the film “War Machine” with Brad Pitt, and models eyewear for Fendi, an Italian luxury fashion house. But he has shied from the label “actor,” noting his regular job at a Los Angeles pizza restaurant.
Von Wittkamp is less well-known, but played a role in the 2015 film short “Endings, Inc.”
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STRUGGLES WITH ADDICTION
Hopper Penn told the Evening Standard last year that he fell in with a “bad crowd” during his parents’ divorce, which was finalized in 2010. His spiral apparently began a month after he moved to Los Angeles, when he was badly injured in a skateboarding accident and had to undergo surgery for bleeding on the brain.
Penn has since admitted to using a variety of drugs, including methamphetamine, but said he sought treatment.
“I went to rehab because I woke up in (the) hospital and my dad said, ‘Rehab? Or bus bench?'” he said in the Evening Standard interview. “I was like, ‘I’ll take the bed.'”
A representative for the agency that represents Hopper Penn did not have any immediate comment.
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THE ARREST
Hopper Penn was arrested Wednesday afternoon with Von Wittkamp, his 26-year-old girlfriend, after a Nebraska State Patrol trooper stopped them on westbound Interstate 80 for allegedly failing to signal. A Hamilton County sheriff’s dispatcher said Penn and Von Wittkamp were released Thursday after posting $25,000 bond apiece.
Authorities said the trooper detected “drug activity” in the 1992 Volvo and searched the car. Inside, they said they found 14 grams of marijuana, four amphetamine pills and 3 grams of psilocybin, a psychedelic drug commonly known as mushrooms.
Penn was charged with possession of a controlled substance (psilocybin) and possession of marijuana. Von Wittkamp was charged with possession of a controlled substance (amphetamine) and possession of a controlled substance (psilocybin).
Possession of a controlled substance is a felony in Nebraska, punishable by up to two years in prison, a year of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine. Because Penn allegedly had one ounce or less of marijuana and it’s his first offense in Nebraska, the marijuana charge is only punishable by a citation, a $300 fine and a possible drug-treatment course.
Deputy Hamilton County Attorney Benjamin Dennis said he didn’t have any information about the case beyond what was in court filings.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — University of Nebraska students have expressed mixed feelings to the announcement that a beloved Lincoln fast-food chain will leave the student union next month.
Runza has served the university’s student union for a decade and has deep roots in the state, with its first restaurant opening in Lincoln in 1949.
The university chose out-of-state vendors to take its place in the student union, Runza spokeswoman Becky Perrett told the Omaha World-Herald. The company wanted to stay but had been outbid, she said.
Two new restaurants are lined up to replace Runza, said Charlie Francis, director of the Nebraska Union. He declined to offer specifics because the restaurants haven’t finalized agreements, which is expected to occur in the next several weeks.
Runza has made contributions to the university and its foundation in the past, said Runza Restaurants President Donald Everett Jr. in a letter.
“We received no credit in the bidding process for a sizable contribution to the new College of Business building, for our continuing support of the University Foundation, or the multi-million dollar sponsorships of Husker Athletics,” Everett said.
The university doesn’t consider contributions in an effort to be fair to all vendors submitting proposals, Francis said.
The unidentified restaurants will open by late summer, he said.
Student Robert Keck, 26, said he’s sad to see Runza leave campus.
“Replacing a business that was grown in Nebraska is a mistake,” Keck said. “I think we should support some of the businesses, especially Runza, that were started here.”
Student Kathryn Zielny, 21, was impartial to the decision.
“I’m not from Nebraska, so I’m indifferent,” Zielny said. “I’ll be happy with whatever comes as long as they have fries.”
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature Jim Scheer is trying to get lawmakers to compromise on a property tax reduction bill in the session’s final days.
Scheer invited five key senators to meet in his office Saturday in a last-ditch effort to find something that can win approval. Monday is the last day for bills to receive first-round approval and still have a chance of passing this year.
Senators remain sharply divided over several bills touted as ways to address the issue.
Scheer’s announcement drew criticism from some lawmakers who say his group wasn’t diverse enough. All five are Republicans, and all but one are from rural communities.
Scheer says he didn’t intend to exclude others but wants to keep the group size manageable. He says he’s open to others participating.
One man has been arrested following the discovery of an improvised explosive device in a residence in Stratton.
Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), with assistance from NSP Troop D Field Services, the NSP Police Service Dog Division, NSP Hazardous Device Technicians, and the Hitchcock County Sheriff’s Office, made the discovery while executing a search warrant on a residence at 105 Howard St. in Stratton.
The resident, Fredrick A. Hamilton, 51, is involved in a legal dispute with the village of Stratton. It was reported to NSP that Hamilton has made threats to inflict physical harm or death toward one of the village officials. Investigators had also received information that one of the threats included mention of an improvised explosive device.
Upon executing the search warrant, NSP discovered an improvised explosive device that was consistent with the information given to investigators. The NSP Bomb Squad rendered the device safe.
Hamilton was arrested for possession of a destructive device and threatening to use explosives. He was lodged in Hitchcock County Jail.
Darrell L. Sheets, 78, of Arnold, NE passed away April 4, 2018 at the Nebraska Institute Hospital in Omaha.
Darrell was born April 18, 1939 in North Platte to Sherman and Grace (Bassett) Sheets. He served 21 years in the United States Navy and served 4 tours in Vietnam, one tour for each brother. He received his GED in the Navy. Darrell was an active American Legion member of Arnold, NE. He was on the advisory committee of the Veteran’s Memorial Highway 83, and was on the board of Veteran’s Service Office of Custer County. Darrell moved to California after his naval career and lived in Fresno and Hanford before moving to Arnold, NE in 1998 working as a general construction contractor until his retirement. He was an appreciated member of all communities he resided in. Darrell loved to collect old wrenches, old coins, and hay carriers. He was also co-founder with Mike Harvey of the junk drive for the Arnold American Legion. He will be dearly missed by all.
Survivors include his sons, Dennis Sheets of St. Cloud, MN, Darrell “Chip” (Jan) Sheets of Eden Valley, MN, Shawn Sheets of New London, MN, and Guy Sheets of Litchfield, MN; grandchildren, Corey, Robbie, Shane, Jessica, Ryan, Josh; 6 great-grandchildren; brothers, Bob Sheets of North Platte, Harold Sheets of Durango, CO, and Larry (Donice) Sheets of North Platte; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Sherman and Grace Sheets; sister, Sally Jochum, sisters-in-law, Margaret Sheets and Patricia Sheets.
Memorials may be made to the Arnold American Legion and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Services will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, April 9, 2018 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home with Chaplain Gary Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. – noon Monday, April 9, 2018 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.
Douglas Jason White died April 2, 2018 in Millcreek, Utah. Doug was born on October 2, 1975 in North Platte, Nebraska, where he was raised. He was the youngest child of Phil and Maxine White.
Doug was an ironworker who apprenticed at the Ironworkers Local 751 in Anchorage, Alaska. He loved putting up steel structures of buildings and bridges. Doug worked on construction projects in Alaska, Antarctica, Australia, the Rockies and Midwest. He was proud to have traveled to every continent on earth.
Doug enjoyed scuba diving, rock climbing, hunting, and fishing. He reveled in being the “cool” uncle to his nephews and niece. Doug’s fondest memories were with his high school and working buddies, and friends in AA. Anyone who met Doug instantly fell under the spell of his magnetic smile and generous sense of humor.
Doug is survived by his mother Maxine Chesnut White of North Platte, NE; brothers Phillip White (Susan Hurley), Birmingham, AL, Bradley “Jake” White (Rebel Roy Steiner), Los Angeles, CA; niece Madeleine White, Birmingham, AL; nephews P. Zachary White (Amber), Elkridge, UT; Blake White (Sarah) Cameron, NC, Kyle White, Salt Lake City, UT, and girlfriend Yami Mejia, Millcreek, UT.
He is preceded in death by his father Phil White and sister Jennifer White, and both set of grandparents.
A memorial service will be held at 1 pm Saturday, April 7th at Russon Mortuary,295 N. Main Street, Bountiful, Utah. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Doug’s life. Flowers can be sent to the mortuary. His ashes will be buried at Floral Lawns in North Platte, NE, at a later date. Visit www.russonmortuary.com.
BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man who robbed a bank so he could receive medical treatment in prison has been sentenced to probation.
A Gage County District judge sentenced Terry L. Bailes this week to three years’ probation for attempted robbery after he pleaded no contest. Bailes, 54, will serve probation in Missouri, where a friend agreed to help provide him a support system.
Judge Rick Schreiner acknowledged that a probation sentence is highly unusual in a bank robbery case.
“This was a bank robbery, but your motivation was not profit,” Schreiner said. “I take the motivation for the offense into consideration and the motivation was to survive.”
Bailes developed a hand condition preventing him from doing simple tasks. The condition eventually led to him losing his job and residence.
Bailes demanded money in October from a teller at Great Western Bank in Beatrice, and then asked the teller to call authorities, according to court records. He was unarmed and walked out with $10 in hand. Bailes then purchased cigarettes and waited for authorities to arrive.
He said he thought prison was the only way to receive medical attention because he was homeless and without family.
“I felt as though my back was against the wall,” Bailes said prior to his sentencing. “I know it was a poor judgment. This way, I think I can get medical care.”
Bailes will stay in custody for at least another 45 days to transfer his probation from Nebraska to Missouri, Schreiner said. The judge also required Bailes to earn a GED diploma as part of his sentence.
Schreiner acknowledged Bailes has a criminal history involving theft, but delayed his sentencing last month for Bailes to consider probation. The judge said he doesn’t “believe prison is for the poor and homeless.”
BLAIR, Neb. (AP) — The Washington County Planning Commission has recommended against construction of two chicken operations but backed four others.
