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Nebraska lawmakers approve budget bill despite opposition

ne-legislature-13LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A proposal to balance the state’s finances for the next five months has passed despite opposition in the Nebraska Legislature.

Senators voted 42-3 Monday to send the measure to Gov. Pete Ricketts for approval.

The budget bill would impose across-the-board cuts, make withdrawals from cash funds and take back unspent money from departments. Withdrawals would include about $2 million from the legislative council. Sen. Bon Krist of Omaha says giving up that money would lead to problems down the road with plans to replace the Capitol’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the Appropriations Committee chairman, says it’s not right to exempt the Legislature from cuts. Nebraska faces a projected revenue shortfall of nearly $900 million.

Tony Lyle Znaniecki

tony-z

Tony Lyle Znaniecki, age 43, of North Platte, NE, died unexpectedly as the result of an accident at home on Friday, February 10, 2017.

Tony was born May 9, 1973, to Lyle H. and Camila Patricia Alonso Znaniecki at Peru, IL, and was raised by his mother and stepfather, Glenn Odvarka. They moved to North Platte in 1975 where Tony grew up and graduated from North Platte High School in 1991. He then attended Mid-Plains Community College and became an Auto Body Technician in 1993. In May of ’93 Tony joined the U.S. Marines and served until 1997.

On January 15, 1995, Tony was united in marriage to Chari Lynn Wilcox in Las Vegas, NV, and they made their home in North Platte. Tony hired on with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1997, first working as a Brakeman then an Engineer. He was still working with the railroad at the time of his death.

Tony was a member of the Nebraska Cornhusker Motocross Association and Tri-State Dirt Riders. He loved his dirt bikes, classic muscle cars, car shows and throwing candy out during parades. If it had wheels and a motor, he liked it! Everything was a race to him. Tony enjoyed life and loved his cats and dogs and doing yard work. But most of all, Tony loved his wife and family. He will be missed so much.

Tony leaves behind his wife, Chari, sons, Markus and Corbin Znaniecki; mother and stepfather, Camila and Glenn Odvarka, and mother-in-law, Marilyn Wilcox, all of North Platte; father and stepmother, Lyle, Sr. and Lori Znaniecki, of Loves Park, IL; brothers, Peter Odvarka, of North Platte and Lyle, Jr. (Jennifer) Znaniecki, of Norwalk, IA; sisters, Maria Odvarka, of North Platte, Rachel Odvarka Gazaway (Jason), of Fort Collins, CO, and Lisa Metcalf, of Aurora, CO; sister-in-law, Tina Gastineau, of North Platte; niece, Kenzie; nephews, Matthew, Ethan and Sebastian; as well as his many friends and other family.

He was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Charles ‘Chuck’ Wilcox.

Funeral Service will be 10 a.m. Thursday, February 16, 2017, at Parkview Community Church of the Nazarene with Pastor Dynette Oberg officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Fort McPherson National Cemetery.

Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. In Lieu of Flowers, memorials are to Fur the Love of PAWS. Condolences may be shared online at odeanchapel.com

Steven W. Gorley

Steven W. Gorley, age 67 of Maryville, IL, born August 14, 1949 in Curtis, NE, passed away on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at his residence.

Steven was an office manager for the SEIU Local #1 in St. Louis, MO.  He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Gorley.

He is survived by his life partner, David Kujawa; his mother, Donna Lee Lewin Bodenstab; three brothers:  Jeff and wife Eileen, Mark and wife Vicki and Scott and wife Melinda; a sister, Susan Lewis and husband Albert, many nieces and nephews; and his canine companion, Maggie.

Upon his request he was cremated and private services will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society and mailed to Barry Wilson Funeral Home, 2800 North Center, Maryville IL 62062.

Gerald (Jerry) Eugene Tipton

tipton

Gerald (Jerry) Eugene Tipton, 81, of North Platte, Nebraska passed away on February 10, 2017. Jerry was born in Akron, Ohio on June 16, 1935.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Tipton, daughter, Linda Payne and husband Cecil, son Gerald Tipton Jr and wife Kathy, daughter Cindy King and husband Mark, daughter Sandra Jones and husband Colin, daughter Elizabeth Cahill and husband Steve, daughter Gina Olson and husband Jeff and Brian Haley and wife Cindy, brother Bill Tipton and sister Beverly, 17 grandkids and 18 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by parents Clarence and Helen Tipton, brother, Robert Tipton, grand-daughter Jennifer Tipton and great grand-daughter Kimberly Payne. Jerry served in the Air Force and was proud to serve.  He was a pillar in the Nebraska bowling community including owning Tipton Bowl in North Bend, Nebraska, pinsetter mechanic at Westbrook Lanes in Columbus, Nebraska and a member of the North Bend Bowling Hall of Fame.

Services are pending at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, North Platte, NE. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com.  Funeral services will be held at Carpenter Memorial Chapel on Monday, February 13, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at Ft. McPherson with military honors. A memorial has been established in his memory. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, February 12, 2017 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in care of arrangements.

North Platte Forecast-February 13

forecast-graphic-february-13-2017Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Calm wind becoming north 5 to 8 mph in the morning.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 22. North northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 51. North northwest wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 23. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light northwest.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 60. West southwest wind 5 to 8 mph.
Wednesday Night
Clear, with a low around 28.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 65.
Thursday Night
Clear, with a low around 28.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 65.
Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 31.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.
Sunday
Partly sunny, with a high near 59.

2 may join Nebraska death row but will executions resume?

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — After briefly repealing its death penalty only to have it reinstated by voters, Nebraska has resumed an effort to acquire drugs needed to carry out executions for the first time in 20 years. That comes just as judges consider whether to increase death row by two men — Nikko Jenkins and Anthony Garica — who between them killed eight people in Omaha.

Nebraska is among the few states where those facing capital punishment have a remarkably good shot at dying of natural causes. Since 2001, four death row inmates have died of natural causes while awaiting execution.

Of the 10 people currently on Nebraska’s death row, Carey Dean Moore has waited 37 years for his murder convictions in the 1979 shooting deaths of two Omaha cab drivers.

Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office produces 3-D renderings of police shooting scene

lancaster-county-sheriffLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A grand jury has been presented with a 3-D reproduction of the scene where a man was shot to death by a Lincoln police officer.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office bought a 3-D scanner in 2015 to assist in crime and motor accident investigations. Attorney Joe Kelly says the renderings can help judges, jurors and attorneys familiarize themselves with the scene of the shooting.

Capt. Josh Clark showed the scanner’s renderings while testifying at the investigation into June 26 killing of Germichael Kennedy.

The scanner has yet to be tested at a criminal trial in Lincoln. Kelly likened the renderings to DNA evidence and says he’s confident it will withstand any legal challenges.

Nebraska mother of quadruplets dies unexpectedly at 36

Tina Moore
Tina Moore

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 36-year-old Nebraska mother of 8-year-old quadruplets has died unexpectedly.

Christina “Tina” Moore died Tuesday. Her family is awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of death.

Moore leaves behind her husband, Aaron, and the quadruplets, Jack, Joseph, Noah and Grace.

Aaron Moore says he feels lucky to have been married to Tina for 14 years. Milestones in the couple’s life were chronicled by the Omaha World-Herald since the children were born in 2008.

Tina Moore always told the newspaper how much she cherished being a mother to the quadruplets.

Tina Moore’s funeral will be held Tuesday in Papillion.

US gas price drops 5 cents over 3 weeks, to $2.31 a gallon

gas-cardCAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average price of a gallon of regular-grade gasoline dropped a nickel nationally during the past three weeks, to $2.31.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said Sunday that the decline comes despite a slight rise in crude oil prices.

Gas in Los Angeles was the highest in the continental United States at an average of $2.87 a gallon Friday. The lowest average was in Cleveland, Ohio, at $1.97 a gallon.

The U.S. average diesel price is $2.56, down a penny from three weeks ago.

NP man arrested in Sunday morning shooting

Dustin Sauer
Dustin Sauer

A 34-year-old North Platte man is in jail after he allegedly shot another man on Sunday morning.

According to Lt. Steve Reeves with the North Platte Police Department, officers responded to the report of a shooting in the parking lot of Nebraskaland National Bank, 121 North Dewey, at around 2:27 a.m., on Sunday.

The party calling 911 reported that her husband, Dustin L. Sauer, had shot a 36-year-old male in the neck.

Reeves says an investigation revealed that Sauer went looking for his wife when she wasn’t at their home.

He eventually found her and the male, as well as another female, in the parking lot of the bank and confronted him.  Reeves says a physical disturbance between the two men occurred and, at some point, Sauer produced a large caliber handgun and shot the man in the neck.

The victim was transported to Great Plains Health via ambulance where he was treated for injuries that are believed to be non-life threatening.

Sauer was taken into custody and jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.  He’s been charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony.

The handgun was recovered at the scene and the investigation is ongoing.

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