Post Staff – Page 689 – North Platte Post Archive

Ricketts moving quickly to fill Nebraska senator’s sea

Posted on January 25, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is moving fast to replace state Sen. Bill Kintner, who is resigning under threat of getting expelled from the Legislature.

Ricketts announced Wednesday that he is seeking qualified applicants to fill the vacancy in Legislative District 2, which includes Cass County and portions of Sarpy and Otoe counties.

Kintner’s resignation allows Ricketts to appoint a senator who will serve until at least January 2019. The appointed lawmaker will stand for election in November 2018.

Kintner, of Papillion, is stepping down following a public outcry after he retweeted a comment that implied participants at a women’s march were too unattractive to be sexually assaulted. His resignation goes into effect on Monday.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday. Information is available online at www.Governor.Nebraska.gov.

Man who stole Nebraska patrol cruiser imprisoned for meth

Posted on January 25, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man sent to state prison for stealing a Nebraska State Patrol cruiser has been sent to federal prison for methamphetamine possession for sale.

26-year-old Jacob Barrickman was sentenced to 7 ½ years Monday in U.S. District Court in Lincoln. He’s already serving three to six years in a Nebraska prison for stealing the cruiser.

Authorities say Barrickman admitted there was marijuana in his car after a trooper stopped him for speeding in Lincoln County on April 30, 2015. The trooper handcuffed Barrickman and his passenger and put them in the cruiser. Barrickman got a hand free and then drove off in the cruiser. He was stopped 50 miles away.

Authorities say pot and a pound of meth were found in Barrickman’s vehicle.

Report: Big Ox not cause of odor problem

Posted on January 25, 2017

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) — A report released by Bix Ox Energy says an ongoing sewer odor is not primarily because of wastewater from the company’s plant, but rather the below-code plumbing in dozens of South Sioux City homes.

According to the report released Tuesday, most of the homes reporting “rotten eggs” sewer odors either have insufficient or broken plumbing systems or are sharing a wall with other units that have below-code plumbing. Engineering firm Black & Veatch began testing last week for sulfur-related compounds in the homes that could be causing the odors.

Bix Ox converts organic waste into methane gas, and went online at Roth Industrial Park in September. Shortly after going online, many residents that share a sewer line with the park began complaining of the odor. About two dozen residents were displaced from their homes, and a dozen still remain in hotels.

Slow-moving system dumps snow on northern Nebraska, Iowa

Posted on January 25, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A midwinter storm has deposited more than 18 inches of snow on northern Nebraska and up to a foot on northern Iowa.

The Nebraska and Iowa highway departments said Wednesday that highways are covered with snow and that motorists should be wary of slick spots. Many school districts in both states have canceled classes or are opening late.

Authorities say a woman died Tuesday after she lost control of her vehicle and collided with another on a slickened highway near Le Mars in northwest Iowa.

The National Weather Service says 18 inches of snow was reported Tuesday evening at Bayard in the Nebraska Panhandle. Eleven inches of snow was reported in Iowa’s Sioux County.

The service says the slow-moving, eastbound system has prompted storm warnings in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Lincoln nonprofit to open teen ‘safe space’

Posted on January 25, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A nonprofit is opening a drop-in center in downtown Lincoln for homeless and runaway youth.

Cedars will open the Youth Opportunity Center in a former hair salon Feb. 1.

Cedars Executive Director Jim Blue says the new center is expected to serve about 750 teenagers annually. Staff and volunteers will work to guide the youth toward having permanent living conditions and community services access.

Blue says the number of young people living on their own seems to be increasing. Cedars street outreach program manager Christina Lloyd says many young adults who are too old for foster care aren’t comfortable with looking for help alongside older adults.

Lloyd says the goal is to make the center a “safe space” for teens.

2 accused of killing and dismembering man plead not guilty

Posted on January 25, 2017

DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) — Both men charged with killing and dismembering another Nebraska man have pleaded not guilty to murder and related crimes.

Eighteen-year-old Brayan Galvan-Hernandez made his pleas Tuesday in Dakota County District Court in Dakota City. His trial is set to begin May 9. Online court records say 26-year-old Andres Surber entered his pleas Dec. 29, but the records don’t show that a trial has been scheduled.

The two are accused of shooting to death 41-year-old Kraig Kubik, of Emerson. Parts of his body were found in a car and in a creek about 4 miles away. Authorities say Surber and Galvan-Hernandez had gone to Kubik’s trailer home Nov. 1 and demanded that he give them a car that once belonged to Surber.

Omaha council approves ordinance for entertainment districts

Posted on January 25, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The City Council has approved an ordinance that will allow the creation of entertainment districts in Omaha.

The council voted 7-0 Tuesday to pass the proposal. Under it, people will be able to drink alcohol outdoors in the districts. They will have several eateries that will open into a common area for dining and drinking.

The areas must operate under one promotional organization or have a common owner.

Representatives of Aksarben Village and the Capitol District say their areas will apply.

North Platte Weather-January 25

Posted on January 25, 2017

Today

Isolated flurries before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -2. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph.

Thursday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. Wind chill values as low as -1. West northwest wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Thursday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 14. West northwest wind around 10 mph.

Friday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. Breezy.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 21.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Breezy.

Saturday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Blustery.

Sunday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 23.

Monday

Sunny, with a high near 48.

Monday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 21.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.

Knights and Indians renew Mid-Plains hoops rivalry on Wednesday night

Posted on January 24, 2017

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights and Knights basketball teams will travel to McCook to play the McCook Community College Lady Indians and Indians on Wednesday, Jan 25 at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

Both games are Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference games. Also, the men’s game is a Region IX South Sub-Region contest.

The Lady Indians are 10-9 overall and are 2-1 in the NCCAC. They are averaging 72.3 points per game and allowing 68.1 ppg on the season.

Three Lady Indians are averaging double figures in scoring led by A’Leah Davis and Kaylea Watson, who are each averaging 11.4 ppg. The third Lady Indian to average in double figures is Earica Peet at 10.5 ppg. Peet also leads the Lady Indians in rebounding at 5.2 rebounds per game.

The Lady Knights are 5-11 on the season and 0-1 in NCCAC play. The Lady Knights are averaging 62.1 ppg and allowing 65.9 ppg.

Thomesha Wilson is the only Lady Knight averaging in double figures at 13.4 ppg. Wilson also leads the team in rebounding at 8.3 rpg and has four double-double games on the season.

On the men’s side, the Indians are 10-7 overall, 2-5 in Region IX South Sub-Region, and 3-0 in NCCAC play. The Indians are averaging 88.9 ppg and allowing 84.4 ppg.

The Indians have the two leading scorers in the South Sub-Region. D’Von Moore is averaging 21.3 ppg and Lewis Dinkulu at 18.8 ppg. Two other Indians are averaging in double figures: Dralan Perkins at 17.7 ppg and Brody Sharkey at 13.8 ppg. Diankulu is averaging a double-double with 10.8 rpg.

The Knights are 11-5 overall, 2-5 in the South Sub-Region, and 1-0 in the NCCAC. The Knights are averaging 89.7 ppg and allowing 72.2 ppg.

Five Knights are averaging in double figures led by Diontae Champion at 16.6 ppg. Mike Amius is next at 12.8 ppg. Godfrey Rolle is third at 12.0 ppg. Samuel Kearns at 11.8 ppg and Victor Lewis at 11.0 ppg are the other two. Amius leads the Knights in rebounding at 5.9 rpg.

The games will be broadcast on the radio at ESPN 1410 or on the Internet at www.northplattepost.com. A link to the live video stream can be found on www.npccknights.com.

Tip-off for the women’s game is at 5:30 pm, with the men to follow at 7:30 pm. All times are CST.

Nebraska senator could face expulsion for offensive retweet

Posted on January 24, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska state senator could face expulsion from the Legislature for retweeting a talk show host’s joke implying that three Women’s March demonstrators are too unattractive to sexually assault.

Sen. Bill Kintner’s fellow lawmakers railed Tuesday against his posting, the latest in a long history of inflammatory statements.

Kintner retweeted Los Angeles talk show host Larry Elder, who mocked three women pictured with signs protesting Donald Trump’s comments about touching women inappropriately. Above the photo, Elder wrote: “Ladies, I think you’re safe.”

Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer says senators are drafting a resolution to expel Kintner.

Kintner admitted last year to having cybersex on a state computer with a woman who later tried to blackmail him, but refused to resign. His opponents didn’t have enough votes to expel him.