KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A man charged with robbing a teenage girl in Kearney has pleaded no contest to several crimes.
Online court records say 34-year-old Johnny Tavares is scheduled to be sentenced May 26 on charges of felony fleeing and misdemeanor assault and false reporting. Prosecutors amended the charges and dropped others in exchange for Tavares’ pleas Tuesday.
A court document says Tavares’ van collided with the girl’s vehicle Feb. 13 in Kearney and that he browbeat her into withdrawing $100 from an ATM, telling her the money would keep him from involving the police.
Officers soon spotted the van, stopped it and then chased it after it took off. Police say Tavares abandoned the van and fled on foot after it struck a garage during the chase. He was arrested later.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Auditions to perform the national anthem at College World Series games will be held Saturday at TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha.
Thirty individuals or groups will compete for 17 spots.
A panel of judges chose the 30 vocalists, musicians and musical groups based on applications. The panel reviewed more than 75 applicants from 15 states. Finalists were selected based on a recorded a cappella rendition of the national anthem accompanying their applications.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man has died after he was shot at a residence in north Omaha.
Police say officers were sent to the residence a little after 3 a.m. Thursday. They found the wounded man, and he was taken to Nebraska Medical Center. Police say he died there.
Police have identified him as 29-year-old Brandon Mutum.
Homicide investigators have been assigned to the case. No arrests have been reported.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Legislature has dismissed a challenge asserting a longtime senator does not live in his district.
The leader of the committee that investigated whether Sen. Ernie Chambers lived outside his north Omaha district told lawmakers Thursday that Chambers’ challenger failed to prove his case.
Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse says Chambers has been registered to vote in the district since 1960. Chambers also shared utility bills, receipts for home improvements and his daily print newspaper subscription.
Chambers was seated conditionally at the beginning of the session pending an investigation. Senators voted 42-0 to dismiss the challenge and seat him permanently.
TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — Officials say an inmate punched two guards and bit a caseworker at a Nebraska prison with a history of deadly riots.
The Nebraska Correctional Services Department says the melee broke out Wednesday at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution as staffers removed apparently inebriated inmates from a housing unit.
The department said in a statement Thursday that one of the inmates started throwing punches when he learned he would be handcuffed. Staffers responded with pepper spray. The inmate then bit the caseworker’s thigh.
The guards were treated at a hospital. The caseworker didn’t seek medical care.
The department hasn’t released the inmate’s name.
Two inmates were killed and more were injured during a riot at the facility March 2. Two inmates also were killed there during a May 2015 riot.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska legislative committee has advanced a proposed constitutional amendment requiring voters to show a photo ID.
The Government, Military and Veteran Affairs Committee voted 5-2 along party lines Thursday to endorse the amendment sponsored by Sen. John Murante of Gretna. It now heads to the full Legislature for debate.
Murante says voters overwhelmingly support voter ID bills, but opponents often say voter ID legislation would violate the state constitution. He says a constitutional amendment explicitly giving lawmakers the authority to pass voter ID laws will help. Murante is considering a run for secretary of state.
Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue says she cannot support any measures that would disenfranchise voters, and voter ID requirements would hurt turnout among the elderly, people of color and people with disabilities.
PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — A subdivision surrounding the stadium that hosts Omaha’s minor league baseball games is filing for bankruptcy after falling in over $12.8 million in debt.
Sanitary and Improvement District No. 290 filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy April 14 after debt built up from building roads, sewers and other infrastructure for the land surrounding Papillion’s Werner Park.
Chapter 9 is the portion of the federal bankruptcy code allowing government entities such as the suburb development to seek reorganization of their finances under court supervision.
Martie Cordaro, president of the Omaha Storm Chasers, says the bankruptcy won’t affect the baseball team’s success and high attendance rate at Werner Park.
Papillion City Administrator Dan Hoins says the city still plans to eventually make the area an entertainment district.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the 4/20 marijuana celebrations (all times local):
12:35 p.m.
Seven pro-pot activists have been arrested by U.S. Capitol police while handing out free joints to congressional staffers and people who work on Capitol Hill.
The demonstration Thursday was intended as a protest against federal interference with states that have legal pot.
Possession of up to 2 ounces of pot is legal in the District of Columbia, and the demonstration was held on city land rather than federal property in an attempt to comply with the law.
But in a statement, police say they invoked federal law in making the arrests.
Police say a man and two women were charged with possession with intent to distribute, while four women were charged with simple possession.
One of the organizers, Nicholas Schiller, says police “decided to play politics” with the demonstration.
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10:50 a.m.
Colorado lawmakers have rejected a last-minute proposal to ban marijuana churches where users can congregate inside and smoke pot.
The House vote came Thursday on the 4/20 holiday after it debated whether to try stamping out attempts to use religious freedoms to open places where marijuana users can gather.
Opponents from both parties said telling churches how to worship is a “slippery slope.”
The International Church of Cannabis was set to open Thursday in a century-old building in a tony Denver neighborhood.
The former Mount Calvary Apostolic Church has traditional church features outside and psychedelic paintings inside.
It’s illegal in Colorado to consume marijuana indoors in places considered public.
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10:10 a.m.
From Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to Hippie Hill in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, marijuana enthusiasts are observing their 4/20 holiday with public smoke-outs, parties and, yes, great deals on weed.
The annual celebration of cannabis culture is providing activists an opportunity to reflect on how far they’ve come, with the recreational use of marijuana legal now in eight states and the nation’s capital — but also on the national political tone, with Trump administration officials reprising talking points from the heyday of the war on drugs.
Advocates planned to hand out free joints to Congressional staffers Thursday afternoon. In California, which voted to legalize marijuana last fall, tens of thousands were expected at events ranging from marijuana cooking classes to the annual bacchanal in Golden Gate Park.
Pot shops in some legal marijuana states are offering discounts.
NPCC Vice President Dr. Jody Tomanek presents Richard Thurin a figurine in recognition of his 16 seasons as Lady Knight Basketball coach. Kevin O’Connor NPCC Athletic Drector, center, looking on.
North Platte – The North Platte Community College held their second annual athletic banquet in the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.
Brice Kesler, sports director for ESPN Radio 1410, was the master of ceremonies for the evening.
After the meal, NPCC Vice President Dr. Jody Tomanek opened up the program portion of the banquet with a few words of welcome to the crowd and some of the highlights she experienced with the athletic teams.
Kesler introduced each coach, who gave a recap of the past season for each sport.
Alexa McCall, head volleyball coach, introduced each of her players and mentioned athletic awards given out to various players. Jessica Lovitt and Megan Chintala, were awarded All Nebraska Community College Conference honors. Lovitt, Chintala, and Josie Palmer were named to the All-Region IX and All Region IX Division II Tournament Teams.
McCall also recognized the members of the volleyball team that were named to the Dean’s list and President’s list for the first semester. McCall said that the volleyball team, during the first semester had a 3.74 grade point average cumulative.
Next to speak was Richard Thurin, the recently retired Lady Knights basketball coach. Thurin introduced the members of the team this past season. Jessica Lovitt, Thomesha Wilson and Allison Tichy were recognized for their postseason athletic awards. All three of them were named to the All-NCCAC, All-Region IX Division II and All Region IX Division II Tournament teams.
After recognizing the academic achievements of various players, Thurin thanked all those who supported him throughout his 16 years at NPCC and his 51 total years in the coaching field.
As Thurin left the podium, the crowd gave him a standing ovation for his service to the college.
Janelle Higgins, NPCC head softball coach, called the players up to the front and had them introduce themselves.
Since the season is not completed yet, no athletic awards were given out. Higgins gave a recap of the season so far. The Knights are the number one seed in the upcoming Region IX tournament and will host the Region IX Division II championship series on April 29-30.
Higgins also recognized the softball players who were named to both the Dean and Presidents list.
Kevin O’Connor, athletic director and men’s basketball coach was the last coach to speak. O’Connor had the players introduce themselves and come up front. O’Connor handed out All Conference certificates to Samuel Kearns, Mike Amius, and Diontae Champion. Champion and Kearns were both first team selections and Amius was named to the second team. In addition, Champion was named most valuable player of the conference.
O’Connor also recognized the members of the basketball team that were named to the Dean and Presidents lists.
Thurin was presented a plaque and a statuette by the college for his 16 years of coaching.
To end the evening, O’Connor gave a charge to the student athletes, saying that when you get knocked down, and you will, that you will respond like a solid rock and not a marshmallow.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have kicked off a debate on a bill that would let state officials hide the identities of lethal injection suppliers in an effort to resume executions.
Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell argued Wednesday that his bill would protect drug makers who would otherwise face public harassment from death penalty opponents. Commonly used lethal injection drugs have become scarce because many pharmaceutical companies refuse to sell drugs for use in executions.
Opponents say the state should keep its current transparent process that requires the Department of Correctional Services to disclose its suppliers. Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, a staunch death penalty foe, says the drugs were designed for legitimate medical reasons and shouldn’t be used for executions.
Lawmakers adjourned for the day without voting on the measure.
KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A man charged with robbing a teenage girl in Kearney has pleaded no contest to several crimes.
