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Court-martial date set for airman charged with murder

Timothy Wilsey

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — An Offutt Air Force Base judge advocate general has set a court-martial hearing on April 3 for an airman accused of killing another airman in an Offutt dormitory last year.

Airman 1st Class Timothy Wilsey faces life without parole if he’s found guilty of strangling 20-year-old Airman 1st Class Rhianda Dillard on Aug. 1, 2016.

Offutt officials say surveillance footage recorded three days before Dillard’s body was found showed Wilsey walking into Turner Hall with Dillard and walking out alone a short time later. He then went absent from the base without leave.

Wilsey was arrested 11 days later in Emporia, Virginia. An investigator says a journal written by Wilsey found on him at the time of his arrest described the killing in lurid detail.

Nebraska to build wind farm to power Facebook center

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WAKEFIELD, Neb. (AP) — Utility officials say a new wind farm being built in northeastern Nebraska to power a planned Facebook data center will distribute $80 million in property tax and landowners payments in its first 20 years.

The Rattlesnake Creek Wind Project will be built between the towns of Allen, Emerson and Wakefield.

Enel Green Power North America Inc. is spending $430 million on the project. The farm will cover 32,000 acres and generate up to 320 megawatts of power, making it the second largest wind farm in the state.

Facebook’s data center, which will be located 100 miles away in Papillion, will receive 200 megawatts from the farm. The rest of the power will be available for other buyers.

More than 100 landowners are involved in the project.

Anita Joan (Sander) Wills

Anita Joan (Sander) Wills, 69, of North Platte entered into eternal peace on November 12, 2017.  Her family was by her brave, courageous side until the very end.

Anita was born on July 26, 1948, to William and Marianna (Heskamp) Sander.  She grew up and attended school in Meade, KS.  Her family later moved to Dodge City, KS, where she attended Saint Mary’s of the Plains College.  It was at Saint Mary’s where she met her best friend and partner in life, Arthur Wills.  The couple was married on September 14, 1968.  They built a life together in North Platte, NE, where they raised their three children and made many lifelong friends.

Professionally, Anita enjoyed a career in banking and commercial real estate, most recently working as the Office Manager for Commercial Investment Services before retiring in 2010.  However, her family and friends were always her priority and passion.  She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.  She loved traveling to spend quality time with her children and four grandchildren, and was always there when they needed her.  Anita treasured her many friendships, entertaining them at her home or gathering for coffee and lunch.  She also cherished her time outdoors caring for her beautiful rose garden.  She was a lifelong member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where she volunteered her time over the years supporting various events and the CCD program.  Anita lived her precious life to the very fullest, sharing with the rest of the world her deep faith, grace, optimism, sense of wonderment and adventure, and witty sense of humor.

She will be truly missed.

Anita was preceded in death by her parents, William and Mariana Sander; and two of her three brothers, William and Daniel Sander.

She is survived by her husband, Arthur Wills, of North Platte, NE; her three children, Shawn Wills, of Omaha, NE, Heather (Greg) Von Behren, of Rockville, MD, and Alisa (Kevin) Wills-Keely, of Centennial, CO; her four grandchildren, Dawson and Hanna Wills, of Omaha, NE, Alexander Von Behren, of Rockville, MD, and Zoe Wills-Keely, of Centennial, CO; her brother, Dennis (Judy) Sander, of Liberal, KS; and a number of extended family members and dear friends.

A memorial has been established to the Salvation Army and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.

The visitation will be held from 9am to 7pm, followed by a rosary service, on November 16, at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held the following day, November 17, at 10am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Reverend James Novakowski as celebrant.  The burial will follow at the North Platte Cemetery.   Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Robert Lee “Bob” Liska

Robert Lee “Bob” Liska, 86, of North Platte, NE passed away Monday November 13, 2017, at his daughters home in Espanola, NM. He was born July 10, 1931 in Crete, NE to Frank and Zdenka Liska. Bob worked for the State of Nebraska and James E Simon Construction, where he helped build the North Platte Telegraph and several churches and banks in the area. He loved to travel and received his Pilot’s License at a very young age and enjoyed flying. He had a Piper Cub and a Luscombe. He also loved his roses, gardening and hunting. His later years were spent on Lake Maloney, where he loved to fish. Bob always knew the exact spots to catch fish.

He is survived by his brothers, John Liska and James Liska; sister, JoAnn Stickler; children, Bradley (Marcia) Liska, Brian (Dana) Liska, and Barbara Liston; seven grandchildren; seven great grandchildren, with a little one on the way; one great great grandchild; and many other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and wife, Jean H. Liska. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. A memorial has been established in his memory. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, November 17 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Douglas A. Delp officiating. Burial will follow at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Thursday, November 16, 2017 from 5 -7 p.m. at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in care of arrangements.

 

Man hospitalized following fall from tree stand

LINCOLN, Neb. – A Gretna man was hospitalized with apparent pelvic injuries after falling from a tree stand Nov. 14 while hunting in Dixon County northeast of Obert.

Todd M. Church, 44, had just climbed into a hang-on tree stand at approximately 3:15 p.m. when one of the ratchet straps failed, causing the stand platform to drop down. He fell approximately 17 feet.

Church, who was able to make a cell phone call to another hunter in the area, was transported by Wynot Fire and Rescue to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conservation officers are investigating. They found no sign that a fall-arrest system was used with the tree stand. To prevent similar incidents, Game and Parks urges tree stand hunters to make safety the top priority and to use a fall-arrest system.

A fall-arrest system is the gear needed to keep a tree stand hunter from falling to the ground. It includes a full-body harness and a means to attach the hunter and harness to the tree from the time he or she steps off the ground until the final step back down. The fall-arrest system harness should fit snugly over hunting clothes. Jackets and coats can be worn over top of the harness.

According to the Treestand Manufacturers Association (TMA) and Tree Stand Safety Awareness Foundation, falls from tree stands account for 36 percent of all hunting accidents and are the No. 1 cause of serious injury and deaths during deer hunting season in the United States.

Both fall-arrest systems and tree stands should meet TMA standards. Tree stand hunters should always use a fall-arrest system rated for his or her weight. Ropes should never be used as a substitute for a fall-arrest system.

In addition, hunters should:

— be sure their tree stand is in proper working order,

— unload firearms when climbing into and out of tree stands,

— use a haul line to raise and lower gear into the stand,

— and maintain three points of contact when climbing the stand.

For information about hunter safety or hunter education courses, visit outdoornebraska.ne.gov/huntereducation or call Hunter Education Coordinator Wendy Horine at 402-471-6134.

Man wanted in Nebraska arrested after chase in Iowa

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man wanted in Nebraska for parole violations has been arrested in Iowa after leading state troopers there on a chase.

A trooper had stopped 21-year-old Elias Mendoza for a suspected seat belt violation Tuesday morning in Mason City. The patrol says Mendoza then fled the stop in his vehicle. The Iowa State Patrol gave chase, intentionally hitting Mendoza’s car. Troopers say Mendoza then fled on foot and was arrested inside a nearby apartment.

Mendoza now faces 11 misdemeanor counts in Iowa. He is being held without bond in Cerro Gordo County Jail, and Nebraska authorities have place a hold on him, indicating they’ll seek to extradite him to Nebraska.

It was not clear Wednesday whether Mendoza had an attorney.

Omaha man accused of rape, robbery faces new charges

Stephen Prior

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man accused of a home-invasion robbery and rape in Sarpy County has been ordered to stand trial, and more charges have been filed against him.

52-year-old Stephen Prior waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday on charges of first-degree sexual assault, false imprisonment, burglary, robbery and a weapons count. He is now also charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possessing or receiving a stolen firearm and making terroristic threats.

Prior’s next court hearing is scheduled for later this month.

His arrest came last month after a woman reported being robbed and raped in her home just southwest of Omaha by a masked man with a gun.

Prior’s attorney has said Prior plans to plead not guilty.

Workers repair hydrogen leak at Cooper Nuclear power plant

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A coolant leak in one of Cooper nuclear power plant’s turbines in southeast Nebraska has been repaired.

Nebraska Public Power District spokesman Mark Becker said the hydrogen leak was repaired before 6 p.m. Tuesday. The leak was discovered earlier that day by maintenance workers.

The utility says the leak didn’t represent a safety threat, and it wasn’t in the power plant’s nuclear systems. The hydrogen is used to help cool the turbine.

The plant near Brownville, Nebraska, continued operating after the leak was found Tuesday morning.

The utility notified regulators about the problem, and issued what the Nuclear Regulatory Commission calls a notice of unusual event.

Omaha fire chief nixes plans for flaming-hot 2018 calendar

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — There will be no smoldering firefighter calendar coming from the Omaha Fire Department next year.

The department’s fire chief has nixed plans for a sizzling 2018 charity calendar.

Omaha Fire Chief Dan Olsen says the calendar is not in keeping with the department’s mission statement that calls for its members to act with integrity, professionalism and compassion.

The department’s calendar for this year — which featured bare-chested firefighters holding shelter puppies — was a hot seller, raising enough funds to help the department buy an advanced thermal imaging camera costing several thousand dollars.

Lincoln-based keno operator closing, selling most operations

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln-based keno operator convicted of illegally extending credit for bets has begun closing or divesting from operations in 27 Nebraska communities.

Zeilinger Keno will continue to operate in Hickman, Roca and Sprague as part of a tentative deal with state regulators.

An attorney representing the state’s charitable gaming division says the consent agreement should be finalized in the next two weeks.

Todd Zeilinger also will still offer keno under a different business at the Daily Double Steak House in Denton. His other locations are expected to change hands or close by Dec. 31.

Zeilinger was initially accused of concealing $1.28 million in illegal bets. In September, he pleaded no contest to a single misdemeanor count of extending credit for lottery tickets and was sentenced to probation.

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