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Phyllis Arlene Roblyer

Phyllis Arlene Roblyer, 87, of North Platte, passed away Oct. 28, 2017, at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Phyllis was born on Jan. 7, 1930, in Cowles to Corbin and Ruth (Waller) Hansen.

She moved to North Platte in 1963, where she worked at the Super 8 Motel for 13 years. She was baptized in the Congregation Church in Cambridge. She was a volunteer at the Lincoln County Historical Museum and was known to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Jean Barrett; brothers, Keith, Carleton and Gerald Hansen; half brother, Robert Hansen; and sister, Irene Holst.

Phyllis is survived by her daughter, Cynthia (Doug) Slaymaker of Centenniel, Colorado; son, Richard Roblyer; five grandchildren; and other extended family members and friends.

A memorial has been established in her name. Online condolences may be shared at adamsswanson.com.

Private family services will be at a later date. Cremation was chosen. Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Homeland official resigns after report of racial remarks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the Homeland Security Department’s office of faith-based partnerships has resigned following a CNN report on racially inflammatory remarks he made before joining the federal government.

Rev. Jamie Johnson was appointed in April to lead DHS’ Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, which works with churches and community organizations on disaster response.

CNN reported that before his appointment, Johnson was a fixture in Iowa Republican politics and often appeared on conservative talk radio.

In one clip posted by CNN, Johnson said, “America’s black community … has turned America’s major cities into slums because of laziness, drug use and sexual promiscuity.”

In a statement Thursday announcing Johnson’s resignation, DHS acting press secretary Tyler Q. Houlton says such remarks “clearly do not reflect the values of DHS and the administration.”

 

Federal tax package creates uncertainty for Nebraska budget

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials say the tax package working its way through Congress is creating a great deal of uncertainty for the state budget because it could affect tax collections.

Legislative Fiscal Office Director Michael Calvert told senators Thursday that the state’s finances face a significant risk that can’t easily be predicted.

Nebraska’s tax system is closely linked to the federal system, so changes at the federal level can influence the state’s tax collections. State officials also suspect investors may be reluctant to sell right now because they’re hoping for reduced tax rates on capital gains in the future.

The comments came during a meeting of the Legislature’s Tax Rate Review Committee.

Omaha community college repays fed money used to buy cars

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Metropolitan Community College has agreed to pay the federal Department of Labor more than $151,000 for using a grant to buy vehicles that weren’t part of the grant program.

Metro President Randy Schmailzl says the federal government initially wanted $297,848, but the college negotiated the payment down by close to half.

The Metro board unanimously approved the payout after a closed session at its meeting earlier this week.

Schmailzl says that when it came time to close out the grant this year, the acquisition of 11 cars was questioned. He says some of the vehicles were wrongly purchased in duplicate, and some didn’t fall within the grant’s intent.

Sierra Club urges Nebraska to reject Keystone XL

AMHERST, S.D. (AP) — The Latest on a pipeline leak in South Dakota (all times local):

The Sierra Club is urging Nebraska regulators to reject the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline after TransCanada Corp.’s existing Keystone pipeline leaked an estimated 210,000 gallons of oil in South Dakota.

Sierra Club Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign director Kelly Martin said Thursday that the only way to protect Nebraska communities is to “to say no to Keystone XL.”

The commission will announce its ruling on Monday after spending months evaluating arguments for and against the long-delayed project.

President Donald Trump issued a federal permit for the project in March.

TransCanada said that crews shut down the Keystone pipeline Thursday morning after a drop in pressure was detected resulting from an oil leak that’s under investigation in South Dakota.

TransCanada says the safety of the public and environment are the company’s top priorities.

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Keystone pipeline leaks 210K gallons of oil in South Dakota

AMHERST, S.D. (AP) — TransCanada Corp. says its Keystone pipeline has leaked an estimated 210,000 gallons of oil in South Dakota.

The company said that crews shut down the pipeline Thursday morning after a drop in pressure was detected resulting from an oil leak that’s under investigation.

The section of pipe in Marshall County, South Dakota, has been isolated and the company says emergency response procedures were activated.

Brian Walsh, an environmental scientist manager at the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, says officials don’t believe the leak has affected any surface water bodies or threatened any drinking water systems.

TransCanada says that expects the pipeline to remain shut down as the company responds to the leak.

The Keystone pipeline is part of a 2,687-mile system that also is to include the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

Bernie Madison retiring from position as head football coach at North Platte High School

Bernie Madison shared with players that he will be retiring from Head Football Coach effective at the end of the 2017 season on Thursday, November 2nd. Coach Madison has been a head football coach for Kearney Catholic and North Platte Public Schools. In his resignation letter, Coach Madison was thankful for all the great opportunities given to him as Head Coach at North Platte HS. He stated he enjoyed working with and learning from colleagues for the past nine years and is ready to move on to the next phase of his life.

Coach Madison will remain a physical education teacher for NPHS and supporter of the football program through this transition.

Principal James Ayres commented about Coach Madison – “Coach Madison’s ability to build and form relationships with his players and students was evident the first day he was at North Platte High School. He is always out greeting students and patrons who come to the school. His enthusiastic and down to earth approach makes it easy for him to build these relationships.”

Activities Director Marc Mroczek noted, “I would like to thank Bernie for all his hard work and dedication to the Bulldog football program the past nine years. I wish him all the best in the future.”

North Platte High School Activities Director, Marc Mroczek, will be working with administration to post the position and hire a new Head Coach for the 2018 season.

Grand Island police officer accused of assaulting woman

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A Grand Island police officer has been placed on leave after being accused of assaulting a 26-year-old woman.

A news release from the department says the 31-year-old officer is on paid administrative leave. The release says he’s accused of assaulting the woman while he was off duty the night of Oct. 30 in a Grand Island residence.

Capt. Jim Duering said the incident “was not a domestic offense.”

Police say the case has been sent to the Hall County Attorney’s Office for consideration of any criminal charges. Police decline to comment further on the allegation.

The officer has been on the force since 2013. The Associated Press is not naming him because he has not been charged with a crime.

Police chase down 3 bank robbery suspects in west Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Customers and employees at a shopping mall on the western edge of Omaha found themselves in the midst of a cops-and-robbers scene when police chased down three men suspected of robbing a bank.

Police say the three were suspected of having robbed First State Bank & Trust in Fremont at gunpoint Wednesday morning. A vehicle suspected of carrying the robbers sped off when a Nebraska State trooper tried to pull it over on U.S. Highway 275. Authorities say it later stopped on West Dodge Road near the mall.

Police say the three men — a 44-year-old Council Bluffs man, his 27-year-old son and a 25-year-old man from Omaha — ran from the vehicle. Police converged on the area and arrested two of the men in a Best Buy store and found the third in a ravine.

No bystanders were injured.

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