Post Staff – Page 486 – North Platte Post Archive

Woman gets jail time for relationship with prison inmate

Posted on August 2, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln woman has been sent to jail for having a forbidden relationship with an inmate while working as a caseworker at the Nebraska State Penitentiary.

Erin Harris was sentenced Tuesday to 300 days. She’d pleaded no contest to unlawful acts by a corrections employee.

Authorities say a Nebraska Correctional Services Department intelligence officer discovered several unauthorized phone calls and emails over a two-month period between Harris and a 30-year-old inmate serving time for burglary.

Judge Jodie Nelson told Harris during the sentencing hearing that if Harris wanted to have a relationship with the inmate, she needed to have resigned first.

Trump administration grants Nebraska disaster declaration

Posted on August 2, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Trump administration has provided a disaster declaration for 18 Nebraska counties.

The declaration announced Tuesday allows federal assistance for storm damage, June 12-17.

The counties are Banner, Box Butte, Butler, Cass, Cuming, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Morrill, Polk, Sarpy, Saunders, Sheridan, Sioux, Thurston and Wayne.

The counties will be eligible for public assistance for emergency work and repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

Parents sue over girl’s sex assaults by Omaha teacher

Posted on August 2, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The parents of a student sexually assaulted by an Omaha math teacher have sued the district and some administrators, saying school officials did nothing to stop the teacher.

The federal lawsuit filed last week says the officials didn’t act on reports and suspicions that Brian Robeson was grooming and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old student on and off grounds at Alfonza W. Davis Middle School.

The district and the officials and their lawyers have declined to comment or didn’t return calls.

Robeson pleaded guilty to sexual assault and in October last year was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

The girl’s parents seek undetermined damages for emotional distress, the girl’s ongoing mental health struggles and medical treatment for her physical and emotional injuries.

Nebraska mother, son sentenced for synthetic marijuana sales

Posted on August 2, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge in Lincoln has sentenced mother and son business owners to prison and has fined them millions, calling the synthetic marijuana they sold poison.

Allen Peithman was sentenced Tuesday to nearly 10 years in prison, and Sharon Elder was sentenced to more than five years. The millions in fines levied are in addition to a $1.2 million monetary judgment entered against the two.

The sentencing stems from a 2015 federal indictment saying Lincoln head shops Dirt Cheap and Island Smokes were responsible for distributing drugs, paraphernalia and financial crimes. The indictment was on the heels of more than 100 local residents being treated in the hospital after smoking a drug often called K2, potpourri or synthetic marijuana.

Defense attorney Korey Reiman says he plans to appeal the decision.

Sessions: US prosecutors will help addiction-ravaged cities

Posted on August 2, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions says the Justice Department will dispatch 12 federal prosecutors to cities ravaged by addiction.

The prosecutors will focus exclusively on investigating health care fraud and opioid scams that are fueling the nation’s drug abuse epidemic.

Sessions unveiled the pilot program during a Wednesday speech in hard-hit Ohio, where eight people a day die of accidental overdoses.

Sessions is calling the group of prosecutors the “opioid fraud and abuse detection unit.”

The attorney general says prosecutors will rely on data in the efforts to root out pill mills and find health care providers who illegally prescribe or distribute narcotics.

More than 52,000 Americans died of overdoses in 2015 — a record — and experts believe the numbers have continued to rise.

Driver dies, another hurt in Kearney collision

Posted on August 2, 2017

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a driver was killed when his car collided with a sport utility vehicle on the east side of Kearney.

The collision occurred around 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, on East U.S. Highway 30. Police say the car was pulling out of Cabela’s parking lot when it collided with the SUV.

Police identified the car driver as Daniel Swanson, who lived in Ashland. The SUV driver was identified as 17-year-old Harley Scheuffele, who lives in Litchfield. Scheuffele was treated at a local hospital and released.

Nebraska patrol accused of requiring pelvic exams for women

Posted on August 2, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new federal lawsuit has accused the Nebraska State Patrol of forcing female recruits to submit to invasive, medically unnecessary pelvic exams before they can be hired.

State Trooper Brienne Splittgerber filed the lawsuit Tuesday against the patrol, the state and various other people, accusing them of creating a hostile work environment for women.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, saying women recruits for years have been required to undress from the waist down for a vaginal and rectal exam. The lawsuit says Splittgerber was told the exam was required to check for hernias, but male recruits were generally not required to undress or undergo such invasive exams.

The lawsuit says Splittgerber sued after her complaints about the exams went unanswered or investigated by officials.

Ex-school superintendent allowed to withdraw guilty plea

Posted on August 2, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge has allowed a former Nebraska school superintendent to withdraw his guilty plea to the theft of $314,000 from a federal program.

The change came in Lincoln’s federal court on Wednesday, when former Santee Community Schools superintendent Paul Sellon was set to be sentenced.

At a hearing last month, the judge expressed concerns about a portion of the plea agreement where the government agreed not to file charges against Sellon’s wife, Sue Ann, if he pleaded guilty.

He was accused of stealing the funds between 2010 and 2013.

Prosecutors say Sellon contracted with Mastery Learning and Achievement, paying $683,000 in funds from an annual school improvement grant. Authorities say Sellon told the company it needed to pay him some of the grant money it received for its service as a pre-condition to being hired in Santee.

Myron Lee Garth

Posted on August 2, 2017

Myron Lee Garth, 89, passed away July 14, 2017, at the Kansas City Hospice House.

Myron was born to Lucille and Merle Garth on June 5, 1929, in Emporia, Kansas. He attended Rosedale High and Rockhurst University. He served honorably in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

He married Catherine A. Mulvihill of Kansas City, Missouri, on June 25, 1949. Myron and Catherine raised six children in south Kansas City, where they were founding members of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. Myron faithfully served his parish and school for more than 50 years as a lector, finance minister and wherever needed.

Myron enjoyed camping, fishing and gardening and was an avid supporter of his children’s activities. Myron could often be found in his backyard, grilling and enjoying the help of his grandkids while preparing dinner for family and friends. Myron worked for South Western Bell and ATT for 36 years.

Myron was proceeded in death by his wife, Catherine, after 50 years of marriage.

Myron is survived by six children, Rose Mary Garth of Indianapolis, Indiana, Michael (Therese) McCarthy-Garth of North Platte, Rita (Pat) McGrath of Farmington, New Mexico, Teresa Gutierrez and Ann Garth, both of Overland Park, Kansas, and Tom (Carole) Garth of Kansas City, Missouri; 12 grandchildren, including Dr. Timothy (Michelle) Garth of Little Rock, Arkansas, Katie Garth of Omaha and Danny Garth of Chesterfield, Missouri; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to the Serra Club, Kansas City Hospice House or the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be shared at floralhillsfuneralhome.com.

Mass of Christian burial was on July 18 at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church.

Richard Dennis Schrotberger

Posted on August 2, 2017August 4, 2017

Richard Dennis Schrotberger, 63, of Bloomfield, passed away July 29, 2017, in Bloomfield.

He was born on July 28, 1954, in Grant to Frank Sr. and Gloria Schmidt Schrotberger.

Richard received a bachelor of arts degree from Mid-Plains Community College. He worked 27 years for the city of North Platte.

Richard was from a military family and was very active with the VFW. He was the manager of Bingo at Sun Ray Casino and retired in 2016. Richard loved to sing and dance with his friends. He also loved his Harleys and went to Sturgis for years. Family was everything to him and Richard was a very happy, loving person.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Sr. and Gloria Schmidt Schrotberger.

He is survived by his wife, Julie Schrotberger; daughters, Relissa (Chad) Williams, Rachel Schultz and Jeri (Pat) Luce-Desmond; brothers, Frank Jr. (Roxanne) Schrotberger, Mike (Mary) Schrotberger and Jon T. Schrotberger; sister, Marsha (Don) Jones; four granddaughters, Hope, Isabella, Rosa and Cora; four grandsons, Daniel, Devon, Torin and Tiernan; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richard’s name to VFW Post 2182, 5513 Hwy. 64 in Farmington. Online condolences may be shared at farmingtonfuneral.com.

Services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 4 at the VFW Post 2182, 5513 Hwy. 64 in Farmington with Sarah Mahaffey officiating. Farmington Funeral Home, 2111 W. Apache St., is in charge of arrangements.