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Omaha receives among last refugees before full ban employed

omahaOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Afghan family became among the last refugees to land in Omaha before President Donald Trump’s executive order freezing all refugee resettlements took full effect.

Rahimullah Rahimi, his wife and three young children arrived at Eppley Airfield on Wednesday after flying from halfway around the globe.

Lacey Studnicka, who helps coordinate refugee resettlement for Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, says the group had a lot of families scheduled to come in February, but that it received cancellation notices.

The president’s order suspends all refugee resettlements for 120 days and bars for 90 days any travel into the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. It also indefinitely barred Syrian refugees and cut the number of refugees that will be accepted this year from 110,000 to 50,000.

Nebraska Legislature continues budget debate with no vote

ne-legislature-13LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers still aren’t any closer to passing a proposal meant to balance the state’s finances during the five months left in the current budget cycle.

The Legislature adjourned for the day Thursday without voting on the bill.

Several lawmakers argued with Gov. Pete Ricketts’ decision to allocate less money than budgeted to agencies earlier in the fiscal year. Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln says the budget lawmakers approve is meant to be followed.

The budget bill would impose across-the board cuts, make withdrawals from cash funds and take back unspent money from departments.

Senators could vote Friday on an amendment to send the measure back to Legislature’s Appropriations Committee to reconsider cuts.

Deal allows Yellowstone bison slaughter

Wikipedia
Wikipedia

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana and federal officials have reached a deal that allows the mass slaughter of wild bison migrating from Yellowstone National Park, while sparing 25 animals that American Indians want.

The Associated Press obtained details of the agreement Thursday.

The spared animals will be kept at a government research facility to monitor for disease and later relocated to Montana’s Fort Peck Reservation.

A dispute over their fate had stalled the park’s plans to kill up to 1,300 bison this winter to curb the species’ migration into Montana.

Park administrators last year proposed relocating a small group of bison to the reservation as an alternative to slaughter.

When Montana livestock officials objected over disease concerns, park officials said they would kill the animals. Gov. Steve Bullock temporarily halted all slaughters on Jan. 19, lifting that order Thursday.

Man sentenced to prison for crash that killed girlfriend

Tyler Wilson
Tyler Wilson

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 23-year-old Lincoln man has been sentenced to four to eight years for causing a motorcycle crash that killed his girlfriend in 2014.

Tyler Wilson was sentenced Thursday in Lancaster County District Court. Wilson pleaded no contest in December to manslaughter in the case.

Wilson was driving his motorcycle with his 21-year-old girlfriend, Jessie McCain, on the back of the bike in July 2014. Prosecutors say he was traveling at more than 80 mph on a street where the speed limit was 40 mph when he hit a Jeep, killing McCain.

Wilson had faced up to 20 years in prison.

NPCC Knights host No. 17 Lamar at McDonald-Belton on Friday

NPCC Knights LogoNorth Platte – The North Platte Community College Knights basketball team will host the National Junior College Athletic Association 17th ranked Lamar Community College Lopes on Friday, Feb 3 at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

The game will be a Region IX South Sub-Region contest. The Knights are looking to avenge a 72-63 defeat in Lamar back on Dec 10.

The Lopes are 19-4 overall and 7-3 in Region IX South Sub-Region play. Two Lopes are averaging in double figures led by Wayne Stewart at 18.7 points per game. The other Lopes’ player to average in double figures is Michael Skinner at 12.8 ppg. Isaiah Martin leads the Lopes in rebounding at nine rebounds per game.

In the previous game, Skinner scored 27 points and Stewart had 14 points. Taylor Shepard added 13 points.

The Knights are 14-5 overall and 4-5 in the South Sub-Region. They are on a three game winning streak. Diontae Champion is one of five Knights averaging in double figures. Champion is at 16.6 ppg. Mike Amius is second on the team at 12.4 ppg, followed closely by Godfrey Rolle at 12.3 ppg. Samuel Kearns is at 11.4 ppg and Victor Lewis is at 11.3 ppg. Amius leads the Knights in rebounding at 5.8 rpg.

The current standings in the South Sub-Region shows Lamar leading the sub-region at 7-3, along with Laramie County. Western Nebraska is next at 6-3. Otero is 6-4, Trinidad State is 5-4. Northeastern is 6-5, followed by North Platte at 4-5. McCook is next at 2-6, with Eastern Wyoming at 0-9. The top eight teams will make the Region IX tournament with the top four hosting a first round game.

Tip-off is at 7 pm CST. There is no radio broadcast but the game will be live streamed at www.npccknights.com.

NPCC Lady Knights host 21-2 Northeast on Friday night

NPCC Knights LogoNorth Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights basketball team will host the Northeast Community College Lady Hawks on Friday, Feb 3 at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

The Lady Hawks are 21-2 and received votes in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Women’s Basketball rankings.

Maddie Egr is one of four Lady Hawks averaging double digits in scoring at 14 points per game. Mykala Baylor is second at 13.3 ppg. Cynthia Jorge at 11 ppg and Aida Santana at 10 ppg are the other two. Baylor leads the Lady Hawks in rebounding at 7.5 rebounds per game. Baylor scored 24 on the Lady Knights in a 91-41 win for the Lady Hawks on Jan 20 in Norfolk.

The Lady Knights are 7-13 on the season. Thomesha Wilson leads the Lady Knights in scoring at 13.2 ppg. Jessica Lovitt is next on the team at 9.5 ppg. Wilson also leads the Lady Knights in rebounding at 8.4 rebounds per game.

Tip-off is at 5 pm. There is no radio broadcast but the game will be live streamed at www.npccknights.com.

Inmate attacked Tecumseh prison worker, department says

nebraska-corrections-patch-TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — Officials say an inmate has attacked a staff member at the state prison in Tecumseh.

The Nebraska Correctional Services Department said in a news release Thursday that the inmate used a blunt, homemade weapon to strike the staffer once in the head Wednesday evening. Other staffers soon subdued the inmate.

The department says the staffer was treated for minor injuries and released.

The department also says the names of the staffer and inmate will not be released.

Last year officials detailed a rash of attacks on corrections officers and staff at various Nebraska prisons.

Mountain lion found on Scottsbluff front porch is killed

File Image
File Image

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have killed a mountain lion that was found on the front porch of a home in Scottsbluff.

Scottsbluff police say the animal was first reported around 11:40 p.m. Wednesday. A Nebraska state trooper in the area talked with the person who reported the sighting and then also spotted it. It was in a field, heading east into the city.

Officers soon found it on the front porch nearby, where it was darted with a tranquilizing agent and then euthanized by a veterinarian.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission policy is to kill mountain lions found within city limits in order to ensure the safety of residents.

Boy struck, killed walking near Wahoo school, officials say

Wahoo,-neWAHOO, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a boy died after he was struck by a pickup truck while walking near his school in Wahoo.

Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz says the boy was struck about 3:45 p.m. Wednesday at a street corner near Wahoo Elementary as he was walking home from school. He was pronounced dead later at Saunders Medical Center in Wahoo.

Authorities identified the boy as 11-year-old Mason Triplett. The pickup driver’s name hasn’t been released.

The accident is being investigated.

Kearney woman pleads not guilty to child abuse charge

child-abuseKEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A 50-year-old Kearney woman has pleaded not guilty to a child abuse charge.

Online court records say Rebacca Hofaker-Zeller entered the plea last month. Her next court hearing is scheduled for March 3. The records don’t show that a trial date has been set.

A court document says a Buffalo County sheriff’s deputy arrested Hofaker-Zeller in December after day care workers discovered bruises and red marks on the face of one of her daughters. The girl and two sisters told social workers about being struck with an open hand and spanked with a belt.

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