Post Staff – Page 872 – North Platte Post Archive

Amid protest, Omaha board advances transgender policy update

Posted on August 16, 2016

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha school board has advanced a measure updating the district anti-discrimination policy to include gender identity or gender expression, weathering a stormy debate.

Community members on both sides of the issue spoke at Monday night’s meeting. Some critics of the proposal said the district was opening a Pandora’s box, asking for more trouble. Others said the transgender students needed safe spaces to go to the bathroom or change clothes for physical education classes.

The district’s policy was written in 2014 and bans discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, disability and age. The proposal approved on the board’s first vote Monday would add gender expression and identity to the policy. A final vote is scheduled for next month.

Nebraska official quits amid probe into relationship with parolee

Posted on August 16, 2016

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A state corrections department administrator has resigned amid an investigation into her relationship with a parolee.

Director Scott Frakes of the Nebraska Correctional Services Department said in a news release Monday that the department’s behavioral health administrator, Dr. Lisa Jones, stepped down on Friday.

Frakes says there “is zero tolerance for unprofessional relationships with inmates, and this is no exception.” The investigation has been turned over to the Nebraska State Patrol. Frakes and the department’s spokeswoman would not provide more details on the allegations or provide the parolee’s name

The 48-year-old Jones started work for the department on July 6, 2010, as a psychologist and supervisor of substance abuse clinicians. Frakes promoted her a year ago.

Associated Press attempts to reach Jones to comment were unsuccessful.

Police: 3 girls who drowned in Colorado jumped into deep end

Posted on August 16, 2016

PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — Police believe three girls who accidentally drowned in a southern Colorado swimming pool last week jumped into the deep end.

Pueblo police Sgt. Eric Gonzales said Tuesday that a nearby adult heard the young sisters and their teenage babysitter jump into the 8-foot-deep section of a pool at a mobile home park.

He said that an unidentified adult soon saw one of them floating in the water and notified staffers, who tried to save the girls before police arrived.

Other children were in the pool at the time. There was no lifeguard.

Initial autopsies showed that 17-year-old Joo Hyun Lee, 6-year-old Amaya Gandarilla and her 3-year-old sister Azucena accidentally drowned Aug. 8.

Final autopsy reports will be released in about a month following toxicology tests.

Ford says it will have a fully autonomous car by 2021

Posted on August 16, 2016

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says it will have a fully autonomous vehicle ready to provide ride-hailing or ride-sharing services by 2021.

Ford CEO Mark Fields announced the new goal Tuesday at the company’s Silicon Valley campus in Palo Alto, California.

Ford says its new vehicle won’t need a steering wheel or gas and brake pedals. That’s a break from many other companies, who plan to gradually add self-driving capability to traditional cars.

Ford’s vehicle will be specifically designed for commercial mobility services, like taxi companies, and will be available in high volumes. Ford says personal ownership of self-driving cars will come later.

The company also says it plans to double the staff at its Palo Alto research center by the end of next year to nearly 300 people.

Nebraska inmate convicted in Tecumseh prison riot

Posted on August 16, 2016

TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — A jury has convicted as Nebraska inmate of assault by a confined person for an attack on a prison guard during a riot at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution last year.

The Johnson County jury convicted 60-year-old Roger Weikle on Tuesday after deliberating about 50 minutes following closing arguments.

Weikle faces sentencing in October.

He already is serving a sentence of up to 218 years for first-degree murder and a number of other charges. He is currently serving that sentence at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

Nebraska death penalty backers unveil campaign website

Posted on August 16, 2016

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A group that wants to reinstate Nebraska’s death penalty in the November election has unveiled a website and online video to make its case to voters.

The video released Tuesday highlights crimes committed by Nebraska’s death row inmates. Nebraskans for the Death Penalty says the ad is intended to reinforce that, to keep the death penalty on the books, voters need to vote to repeal the legislation which abolished it.

Nebraska lawmakers eliminated the death penalty in May 2015, overriding Gov. Pete Ricketts’ veto. A petition drive partially financed by Ricketts gathered enough signatures to prevent the law from going into effect until voters decide whether to retain it.

The video is narrated by Steve Zimkilton, the voiceover actor featured in the television series Law & Order.

Bernice Krajewski

Posted on August 16, 2016

Bernice Krajewski, age 82, of North Platte, passed away Saturday, August 13, 2016 at Centennial Park. She was born September 12, 1933 at Rockville, Nebraska to Phillip and Teresa (Slobaszewski) Goc. She attended school at Ashton, Nebraska and was united in marriage to David D. Krajewski on October 4, 1952. Bernice was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Survivors include her son; Tony, of North Platte, grandchildren; Josh, KrissAnn and Jacob. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother; Julius Goc and sister; Dorothy Luce. Private Services will be held at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell. Those wishing to sign the memorial book may do so from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday at Carpenter Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, a memorial is suggested to American Cancer Society. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Dean Raymond Sinden

Posted on August 16, 2016August 16, 2016

Dean Raymond Sinden, 80, of North Platte passed away August 14, 2016 at his home.
Dean was born September 1, 1935 in Steamboat Springs, CO to John and Harriet (Kelly) Sinden.
He graduated from High School in Steamboat Springs, and then ranched with his brother and father. On September 1, 1958 he married Corale Bishop. The two later dairied in Craig, CO, and Wellington, CO before moving to North Platte to farm with their son Gib. He sold his farm in November 2009, but continued to help his son through the years. The couple enjoyed wintering in Arizona the last 7 years. Dean loved farming and spending time with his family. He will be remembered for lifting up a room whenever he came in.
Survivors include his wife, Corale of North Platte; daughter, Phyllis (Jim) Meyer of Denver, CO; sons, Russell (Spring) Sinden of WA, and Gilbert (Kris) Sinden of North Platte, NE; 4 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; sister, Joann Hagerman of OH; and a brother, Roger (Candyce) Sinden of Loveland, CO.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Roland and John.
Memorials may be made in his name and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Cremation was chosen and private family services will be held at a later date. Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

North Platte Weather-August 16

Posted on August 16, 2016

Today

Sunny, with a high near 90. North northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. East wind 5 to 8 mph.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. East wind 5 to 11 mph becoming south southeast in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. South southeast wind 9 to 11 mph.

Thursday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. South wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Thursday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.

Friday

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78.

Friday Night

A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

Saturday Night

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Sunday

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

Sunday Night

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Monday

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Riley: Receivers coach to face consequences for DUI arrest

Posted on August 15, 2016

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska coach Mike Riley says he continues to look into the circumstances surrounding the weekend arrest of receivers coach Keith Williams on suspicion of drunken driving and that there will be consequences.

Williams was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after he rear-ended an Uber driver’s vehicle in downtown Lincoln about 1:50 a.m. Sunday.

According to Lincoln police, the 45-year-old Williams’ blood-alcohol level was 0.15, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08. On Monday, he was charged with misdemeanor DUI and cited for careless driving.

Police spokeswoman Officer Katie Flood said Williams has two prior DUI convictions, both in California in 2004 and 2009.

Riley said “intervention and education” are possible for Williams in addition to other consequences Riley wasn’t ready to discuss.