FALLS CITY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a fire has engulfed a restaurant in downtown Falls City in southeast Nebraska.
Other departments had been called in to help battle the blaze, which broke out Wednesday morning in a complex of buildings that includes the site for Potrillos Mexican Grill. Nearby business owners smelled smoke when they opened their doors at 9 a.m. and called 911.
No injuries have been reported. The fire cause is being investigated.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A complaint filed with Nebraska campaign regulators accuses the Lancaster County treasurer of using county employees to manage his political Facebook page.
Chairman Todd Wiltgen of the Lancaster County Board Commissioners filed the complaint Tuesday with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission against Andy Stebbing. Wiltgen says Stebbing had a county technician work on Stebbing’s campaign and personal business websites.
Stebbing called the allegations untrue. The staffer resigned after reporting what he characterized as violations of county policy.
Stebbing also is criminally charged with falsifying bills of sale, filing fraudulent state income taxes and selling cars without a license. The charges stemmed from a state investigation into Stebbing’s sales of vehicles and the income he generated. He’s denied those accusations as well.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has pleaded not guilty to a charge stemming from a collision that killed a bicyclist in southeast Nebraska’s Lancaster County.
Court records say 66-year-old Zygmunt Spicha entered the written plea last week to vehicular homicide while under the influence. The records don’t list a trial date.
Prosecutors say 52-year-old Randall Gibson was riding his bike east on Sept. 23 when he was struck by Spicha’s eastbound SUV about 3 miles (5 kilometers) west of Sprague.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — About half of the more than 3,000 known letters penned by Pulitzer-winning novelist Willa Cather have been compiled, digitized and annotated. And soon, they’ll be available online.
“The Complete Letters of Willa Cather” will be available Jan. 16 through the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Cather graduated from the university in 1895. Her novels told of Great Plains frontier life, and she was awarded a Pulitzer in 1923 for her book “One of Ours.” She died in 1947.
In the letters to friends, family and colleagues, Cather describes her process and inspirations while also expressing frustrations and doubts.
Archive editor Andrew Jewell says new letters will be periodically added to the database over the next few years.
Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) have completed a special enforcement over the holidays focused on removing drunk drivers from the road. The “You Drink & Drive, You Lose” campaign was held in conjunction with dozens of other law enforcement agencies in Nebraska and many more throughout the country.
During the enforcement, which ran from December 15 to January 1, NSP troopers removed 63 drivers from the road for Driving While Intoxicated and four for Driving Under the Influence of Drugs. The campaign included vehicle checks, saturation patrols, and specific enforcement zones.
“Our troopers are dedicated to public safety and campaigns like this over the holiday season demonstrate that,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Removing drunk drivers from the road is an important part of keeping Nebraska roads safe.”
In addition to the drunk and drugged driving arrests, NSP made 102 arrests for drug possession and 28 for reckless driving. Troopers also issued citations for speeding (1,233), driving under suspension (88), no proof of insurance (63), minor in possession (15), open container (25), no seat belt (70), and improper child safety restraint (19).
Troopers also assisted 730 motorists in need of help, many during the frigid temperatures of the final week of 2017.
The “You Drink & Drive, You Lose” enforcement was made possible thanks in part to a grant for $27,320 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers will begin their 2018 session with a looming state revenue shortfall that could make it harder to pass new spending measures or tax cuts.
Senators will spend some of the 60-day session debating familiar issues, including proposals to lower income and property taxes. But lawmakers and Gov. Pete Ricketts have said balancing the budget is their top priority during the session that begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
State budget officials have said Nebraska faces a projected $173.3 million shortfall in the current two-year budget cycle. The revenue shortfall could force lawmakers to cut services, take from cash funds outside of the general fund, or withdraw money from the state’s emergency cash reserve. Raising taxes is likely off the table because it would face strong opposition.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a suspect in the slaying of a 19-year-old in Grand Island.
Police say 24-year-old Herbey Portillo Jr. was found hiding in a Grand Island garage Tuesday and was taken into custody without incident.
He’s accused of shooting to death Trevor Sok, whom officers found wounded around 3:45 a.m. Monday at a Grand Island home. Police say he died later at a hospital.
Court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for Portillo.
COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A Clarkson man is accused of using customers’ Social Security numbers to create bogus accounts for stealing money from the rent-to-own store he was managing in Columbus.
43-year-old Michael Schnelle is charged with identity theft and related theft crimes. His lawyer didn’t immediately return a call Wednesday from The Associated Press. Schnelle’s next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11.
Authorities say a store audit uncovered around $250,000 in losses in missing merchandise.
Court documents say store employees told investigators that, under Schnelle’s direction, they were told to create bogus accounts by using customers’ Social Security numbers but changing the names on the accounts. The employees say Schnelle told them the fake accounts were being used to “prop up” store sales numbers.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a homeless man suspected of killing a 19-year-old in Grand Island.
Police said in a news release Tuesday that the warrant for 24-year-old Herbey Portillo Jr. lists charges of first-degree murder and a weapons crime. Police say he may be armed with a semi-automatic handgun.
He’s accused of shooting to death Trevor Sok, who officers found wounded around 3:45 a.m. Monday at a Grand Island home. Police said he died later at a hospital.
No arrest has been reported. Court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for Portillo.
The Nebraska State Patrol says they will not be releasing any information after a person apparently jumped from the Buffalo Bill Avenue Interstate 80 overpass.
Just after 10:00 a.m., on January 2, law enforcement and rescue personnel responded to the report of someone jumping from the overpass and onto the Interstate.
The Post has confirmed through a law enforcement source that one person did die in the incident, but a spokesperson for the Nebraska State Patrol says they will not be releasing any details at this point.
The NSP says the Interstate was not completely closed during the incident.
If new information becomes available, we will update this story.
