Post Staff – Page 480 – North Platte Post Archive

Prison inmate charged with 2002, 2004 Omaha rapes

Posted on August 8, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors say they’ve charged a Nebraska prison inmate whose state-required DNA test links him to four rapes reported more than 10 years ago in Omaha.

Court records say a judge ordered Monday that Brandon Weathers be held for trial on four counts of forcible sexual assault — one committed in 2002 and three in 2004. His attorney didn’t immediately return a call Tuesday from The Associated Press. Weathers already is serving 100 to 160 years for raping a 13-year-old child.

A June 5 court order gave officials authority to use force to obtain Weathers’ sample, which he’d refused to provide despite Nebraska law requiring it. Guards held him down and took a sample from a cheek.

Authorities say the Nebraska State Patrol lab connected the sample to the four cases.

Lincoln engineers won’t put school speed zone

Posted on August 8, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — City engineers in Lincoln say they won’t follow an order from the City Council to create a school speed zone at an intersection near an elementary school because the designation would make the intersection less safe.

City engineer Lonnie Burklund told the council on Monday that engineering studies show drivers are less likely to pay attention to a slower school zone in part because the school isn’t visible from the intersection.

He says neither he nor his staff at the Public Works and Utilities Department will sign the required documents allowing the zone at the northeast Lincoln site. The council wants to reduce the speed from 45 to 25 mph.

Parents have been pushing for years to make the intersection safer. Burklund says staff will look for other options.

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$1M bill deposit attempt leads to Iowa man’s drug arrest

Posted on August 8, 2017

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man who tried to deposit what he presented as a $1 million bill has been charged with drug possession in Iowa.

A criminal complaint says Sioux City police officers were called to a Northwest Bank branch Thursday to talk to a man who tried to deposit the bill into his account. The officers asked 33-year-old Dennis Strickland whether he had any more of the bills and that a baggie fell out when he emptied a pocket. The complaint says the baggie contained methamphetamine.

The U.S. Treasury Department says it has never produced a $1 million bill.

Iowa court records say Strickland is scheduled to be back in court Monday. His attorney hasn’t returned a call Tuesday from The Associated Press.

Keystone XL foes question proposed route through Nebraska

Posted on August 8, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline are questioning its proposed route through Nebraska in hopes that state regulators will reject the project or impose restrictions.

The proposed pipeline faced another day of scrutiny Tuesday in a hearing before the Nebraska Public Service Commission, which must decide whether the Keystone XL serves the public interest.

Omaha attorney Brian Jorde asked a consultant for pipeline builder TransCanada why the company hadn’t proposed running the pipeline along the original Keystone pipeline, which was finished in 2010.

TransCanada officials have said their preferred route is the most direct way to transport oil from Alberta, Canada, to an existing pipeline in Steele City, Nebraska. They say their preferred route crosses few major bodies of water.

For 1st time, both national lottery games top $300 million

Posted on August 8, 2017

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — For the first time, U.S. lottery players will have a choice of games offering jackpots topping $300 million.

In the seven years since all U.S. lotteries began selling both Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, both games have never offered prizes so large at the same time.

The jackpot for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing is an estimated $350 million, and the top prize for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing is $307 million. Those prizes are based on annuity options, paid over 29 years. Cash prizes would be an estimated $218.3 million for Mega Millions and $193.2 million for Powerball.

Of course, even with more options for giant payouts, the odds of winning a jackpot remain abysmal at one in 258.9 million for Mega Millions and one in 292.2 million for Powerball.

Woman gets probation for car accident that killed husband

Posted on August 8, 2017

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A 48-year-old Plymouth woman who ran over and killed her husband in Beatrice last year has been sentenced to probation.

Tracy Jurgens was sentenced in Gage County Court to serve 18 months of probation for motor vehicle homicide, a misdemeanor. She also was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. A second charge of careless driving had been previously dismissed.

Police say Jurgens and her husband, Alan Jurgens, were arguing Oct. 27 when he fell out of the vehicle as it was turning and was run over. Prosecutors say the man left the vehicle of his own accord, but that Tracy Jurgens left the scene of the accident, prompting the charges.

Nebraska trade mission to Canada kicks off this week

Posted on August 8, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts and a trade delegation are in Canada to promote business relationships with Nebraska.

Ricketts announced the trade mission in June. During the five-day trade mission, delegates will meet with government, agricultural, and manufacturing officials in Toronto and Ottawa.

Ricketts describes Canada as the state’s best customer and hopes the mission will identify “ways to expand our positive trade relationship with Canada.”

Joining Ricketts on the mission are Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach and Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Courtney Dentlinger, as well as other agriculture leaders from around the state.

Ibach says that in 2016, total agricultural exports from Nebraska to Canada equaled an estimated $468 million.

Grain bin collapse sees 1M-plus bushels of corn on ground

Posted on August 8, 2017

EDISON, Neb. (AP) — Officials estimate a grain bin collapse in southern Nebraska left between $4 million and $5 million worth of corn on the ground.

The collapse happened Sunday night in Edison at the Ag Valley grain elevator site.

Nearly 1.1 million bushels of corn formed a mountainous pile noticeable from about a half mile away on Highway 136.

Company officials say no one was injured, noting that an employee who checked the bin around 8:30 p.m. Sunday said all was fine. A half-hour later, a passerby noticed the damage.

Officials say the cause of the collapse won’t be known until some of the corn and debris is removed.

Eagle Radio Chairman of the Board dies at age 90

Posted on August 8, 2017

Robert E. “Bob” Schmidt, 90, Hays, Chairman of the Board of Eagle Communications in Hays, died early Tuesday morning at his home.

He was preceded by his wife Patricia A. “Pat” Schmidt, who passed away in August 2015.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.

Schmidt was raised in La Crosse and served in the Navy in the Philippines in World War II. He then began a career in radio while at Fort Hays State University as a sportscaster. Upon graduation from FHSU in 1950, he was appointed General Manager of KAYS Radio. He was elected Vice President and Director in 1952 of KAYS, Inc.

In 1989, he purchased control of the corporation and was elected President/CEO. While leading the corporation, the company built or purchased 24 Radio and Television stations and 12 Cable Systems in Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado. Eagle currently owns and operates 28 award-winning community radio stations and serves 60 communities with broadband service including internet, video and voice service.

Schmidt retired as President/CEO of Eagle Communications in 1998 and sold the majority interest in the company to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Nearly 300 Eagle Employee Owners continue to build the company and share in the value of ownership.

Among many other honors, Schmidt was named a member of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2000 and was named to the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in 2003.

(Source: www.greatbendpost.com)

Bradley Dean Herrick

Posted on August 8, 2017August 8, 2017

Bradley Dean Herrick, of North Platte, NE, died at Great Plains Health on Sunday, August 6, 2017, at the age of 45.

Brad was born June 3, 1972, to Jerry Norman and Lorraine Pearl (Hinton) Herrick in McCook, NE. He grew up in Wellfleet, NE, and graduated from Maywood High School in 1990. Brad then earned his Associate’s Degree from Mid-Plains Community College.

He enjoyed carpentry work and did building construction and remodeling. Brad had started Precision Interior and was employed by Steve Ramm, Schultz Construction and most recently, Creative Interiors.

Brad was married to Amy Younghans and they had a daughter, Skylar, then later divorced. On April 29, 2017, Brad was united in marriage to Ann Margaret Johnson in Ord, NE, and they made their home in North Platte.

When he wasn’t working, Brad enjoyed fishing, but always caught a tree. He also like grilling and cooking as well as spending time with his family and friends.

He leaves behind his wife, Ann, of North Platte; daughter, Skylar Herrick, and her mother, Amy Herrick, of North Platte; son, Brandon (Brook) Richardson, of Maywood, NE; stepson, Caden Johnson, of Ord, NE; his father, Jerry Herrick, of Curtis, NE; mother, Lorraine Herrick (Craig Redfield) of Imperial, NE; brother, Justin (Nathlie) Herrick, and grandmother, Donna Swanson, all of North Platte; two grandsons, Conner and Mason Richardson; niece, Rylee; nephews, Jaydn, Jedidiah and Josiah; his many friends, including Scott Seamann and Pat Mackley; as well as his aunts, uncles, cousins other family.

Brad was preceded in death by his grandparents.

Cremation was chosen. Memorial Service will be 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 10, 2017, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Casual dress is requested. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or prior to the service at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for Skylar’s education.