Marlene Houchin, 65, of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died March 14, 2017 in Kearney, NE.
Memorial Services will be held on Monday, March 20, 2017, 10:30 am, Evangelical Free Church 1721 Lake Avenue, Gothenburg, NE.
Memorials may be directed to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312
Lewis “Doc” “Lou” Shipley, 82, of Arnold, Nebraska, died March 15, 2017 at Gothenburg Health.
He was born December 27, 1934 in Dora, MO, son of AlFonso and Martha (Freeman) Shipley.
Lou married Delores Price on November 8, 1953 at Fairfax, MO; to this union four children were born.
Lou worked as a mechanic for many years and enjoyed working on cars. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, tending to his garden, and spending time outdoors hunting and fishing.
Surviving are wife, Delores Shipley of Arnold, NE, two daughters, Nancy (Matt) Vickers of Arnold, NE, Christy (Tim) Knapp of Fort Worth, TX; five granddaughters, Lisa (Jay) Lindholm of Gothenburg, NE, Valerie (Ray) Ferris of North Platte, NE, Travi Franssen of Gothenburg, NE, Brynn (Nicole -Friend) Geiser of Omaha, NE, Robbin Knapp of Fort Worth, TX; three grandsons, Rudy (Trish) Vickers of Arnold, NE, Jed (Ali) Geiser of Gothenburg, NE, Mike (Jenna) Knapp of Fort Worth, TX; great-grandchildren, Tracyjay (Allison), SkyeAnna, and Rhett Lindholm of Gothenburg, Alex and Evan Geiser of Gothenburg, NE, Drake, Clayton, and Camden Ferris of North Platte, NE, Maddix, and Khloe Knapp of Fort Worth, TX, Drew, Charli and Hudson Vickers of Arnold, NE, Emilee and Michon Franssen of Gothenburg, Zoann Boller of Fort Worth, TX ;three great-great-grandaughters, Charlee and Ali Lindholm of Cozad, NE, Jaylynn Lindholm of Gothenburg, NE; sister-in-law, Alice Shipley of Yerington, NV; brother, Sonny (Glenda) Shipley-Homan of Yerrington, NV; two sisters, Treva Peterson of Sanger, TX, Linda Lee of Fernley, NV; sisters-in-law Sharon (Charlie) Jones of Tarkio, MO and Wanda (Don) Thaden of Waco, TX; special friends, Joe & Cheryl Fisher of North Platte.
Lou was preceded in death by his parents; son, Lewis “Butchie” Shipley, Jr.; daughter, Peggy Jo Ellison; four sisters, Lorene Driskell, Maxine Hale, Ella Mae Hunter, Lola Weller; three brothers, Al Shipley, Jr., Lee Shipley, Johnny Shipley, In-laws, Mildred and D.A. Price.
Memorial services will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Monday, March 20, 2017 at 2:00 pm with Rev. David Boyd officiating.
Memorials may be given to the Callahan Oncology Center, or the American Heart Association. To sign the online guest book, go to www.blasestrauser.com.
Jason was blessed with two beautiful children, Leyha Jane and Hunter Gerald. They were the light of his life. Princess Leyha lost her battle with cancer at the age of six in November of 2012. Hunter is his daddy’s boy, and Jason was very proud of him.
One of Jason’s most recent adventures involved assisting Scott Williams hanging billboards. He also spent the past few years working for Matt Hatch. He was doing the things he enjoyed, while learning about life from his friend. They always played the short side.
Jason was a member of TAP pool league. He loved the game of pool, whether it be with a friend or a foe. If he liked you, he might even “let you win”.
He was preceded in death by his daughter Leyha, brother Jeremy, sister-in-law Becky, his grandpa Gerald Brown, grandparents Melvin and Alice Bartels.
Survivors include his son Hunter (7), mom Kathy Hoffman, father Mike Bartels, step-dad Ron Hoffman, sisters Jill Miller, Angel Hoffman, Lexi Bartels, and Ricki Bartels; grandma Velma Jean Brown, nieces Harley, Preslee and Ashlyn, nephew Brock, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Memorials may be made to The Princess Leyha Scholarship Fund.
Visitation will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Monday, March 20, 2017, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
Funeral Services will be held at Brady School, Old Gym, Brady, NE, Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 1:00 pm. with Pastor Mark Hoffman officiating.
Interment will follow in the Gaslin Cemetery, Brady, Nebraska.
Memorials may be made to The Princess Leyha Scholarship Fund. To sign the online guest book, go to www.blasestrauser.com.
Rebecca “Becky” Nichole Bartels, 33, of Brady, NE, died March 14, 2017 as the result of an auto accident.
Rebecca was born July 13, 1983 in North Platte, NE to Harlan and Kathleen Stevens. She was baptized at Svea Dal Church near Brady and confirmed at the American Lutheran Church in Gothenburg.
She attended school in Brady and Gothenburg, graduating in 2002. While in high school, she was a member of FFA and was Home Coming Queen. She played basketball and volleyball.
While living in Brady, she met and fell in love with Jeremy Bartels. They married on August 8, 2008; they settled down in Brady where they raised their two beautiful girls Harley and Preslee. Becky went on to help coach elementary girls basketball and volleyball teams. She played on a pool league.
Becky worked many places but there are two that stand out. She enjoyed her job preparing food at the Gothenburg Senior Center for 10 years. She made countless friends while making memories. She then took a job as a cook at the Hitchin’ Post in Brady where she was employed until her death. Becky enjoyed flower arranging, gardening, canning, fishing, camping and most of all cooking.
Survivors include her parents Ken & Barb Stevens, Kathleen & Gary Pfleider, her daughters Harley and Preslee; sister LaDonna (Jeff) Brock of Gothenburg and their sons Ty (Saraid) and their daughter Brinlye; Dade and Dakin; sister Jolene (Chris) Morris of Cozad and children Alyssa, Morgan & Elias; sister Tiffiny (Melissa) Stevens of Westminster, CO and children Alec, Emily & Ian; Kari (Jeff) Perry of Polk, NE and daughter Brandie; brother Jeremyah Stevens of Cozad and children Justin and Jaya; brother Darby (Beth) Stevens of Brady and children Mariah, Jayden, Ashton, Hunter, Kennedi; brother Patrick (Brittany) Stevens of Kearney and children Adyn and Adyson; special friends – Kara Johnson, Molly Miller, Chelsey Dennis, Catie McNew, Gena Brown.
She was preceded in death by her father Harlan Stevens, husband Jeremy Bartels, brother-in-law Jason Bartels, grandparents – Orvin & Lorene Stevens, Ed & Luella Stevens, Robert & Ruth Kruse; nephew Mickale Rosner and niece Leyha Bartels.
Visitation will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Monday, March 20, 2017, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
Funeral will be held at Brady School Old Gym, Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 2:00 pm with Lonna Grabenstein officiating.
Interment will follow in the Gaslin Cemetery, Brady, Nebraska.
Memorials may be given to Ken and Barb Stevens or LaDonna and Jeff Brock for her girls Harley and Preslee. To sign the online guest book, go to www.blasestrauser.com.
Today
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have arrested 26 people in Minnesota, marking the largest ICE operation in the state since the Trump administration vowed to increase immigration enforcement.
The arrests are part of a broader operation that also resulted in 32 arrests in Nebraska, 23 in Iowa, four in North Dakota and one in South Dakota.
ICE says the operation was routine and targeted those with criminal convictions. It also targeted immigrants who illegally re-entered the U.S. after prior deportations and immigrants with orders for removal — both low priorities under the Obama administration.
Brad Capoch works at Incarnation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, which caters to the Latino community. He tells the Star Tribune (http://strib.mn/2mTSOrO) that aside from the shift in priorities, the operation appeared similar to those under Obama’s administration.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two Nebraska state senators say judges should take defendants’ ability to pay into account when they set bail or impose punishments for unpaid fines.
Bills heard in a legislative committee Thursday would require courts to do everything they can to avoid jailing low-income people before their trial or because they can’t pay fines.
Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln, the bail measure’s sponsor, says courts need to make sure people jailed before trial are supposed to be there and not just unable to pay bonds. Lancaster County Public Defender Joe Nigro says the current bond system criminalizes and punishes poverty.
A measure sponsored by Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln would allow people who cannot afford to pay fines to do community service or pay in installments instead.
Shortly after a red flag warning was issued by the National Weather Service, fire crews from North Platte, Hershey and Wallace are battling a wind-driven grass fire near Range Road and Walker Road.
A Red Flag Warning means conditions are favorable for the rapid development of range fires.
Use caution when operating machinery, discarding cigarettes or using anything that may cause sparks.
RED FLAG WARNING
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON... .The Red Flag Warning will continue for southwest Nebraska and the western Sandhills. Relative humidity has lowered into the single digits with abnormally warm temperatures and gusts in excess of 30 mph. With the setting sun, conditions should improve. NEZ204-206-210-219-170100- /O.CON.KLBF.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-170317T0100Z/ Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR- Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest-Frenchman Basin- Loess Plains- 258 PM CDT Thu Mar 16 2017 /158 PM MDT Thu Mar 16 2017/ ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT /7 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 204, 206, 210, AND 219... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zone 204. Fire weather zone 206. Fire weather zone 210. Fire weather zone 219. * WIND...West to west northwest at 15 to 25 MPH with gusts to 35 MPH. * HUMIDITY...As low as 7 to 15 percent. * IMPACTS...any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and show extreme behavior. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A third person has been imprisoned for the slaying of a Lincoln man last year.
Court records say 23-year-old Elizabeth Reddish was sentenced Wednesday to 3½ years in prison. She’d pleaded no contest to an accessory charge in the slaying of 27-year-old James Carr on Jan. 4, 2016. She also pleaded no contest to a drug charge.
Authorities say Reddish supplied a gun used by Matthew Pavey to kill Carr. Pavey’s been sentenced to 75 years to life in prison. Authorities say the woman who lured Carr to where he was shot, Tiffany Welch, has been given 15 to 20 years in prison.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a bill that would lift Nebraska’s ban on public school teachers wearing religious garb such as habits, hijabs and yarmulkes in the classroom.
Senators voted 41-1 Thursday to send the bill to a final vote. Speaker Jim Scheer says he introduced the measure so public schools don’t punish teachers for what they wear. He learned about the issue after a nun was rejected for a substitute teaching job in Norfolk.
It would repeal a ban enacted in 1919 under pressure from the Ku Klux Klan. Thirty-six other states had similar bans, and all but Nebraska and Pennsylvania have repealed them.
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha was the sole no vote on the bill. He says all displays of religion are inappropriate in public school classrooms.
