CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — A football player at a small college in western Nebraska has died following the team’s practice Thursday.
Chadron State College officials said 20-year-old freshman Eric Goll of Haines City, Florida, was taken from the practice field to Chadron Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 12:30 p.m.
No cause of death was announced. Chadron police and the Dawes County Attorney’s office are investigating.
Coach Jay Long said Goll was one of the happiest people had ever met and that the hearts of the players and coaches are broken for Goll’s family.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A proposal to allow casino gambling in Nebraska has failed to qualify for the November general election ballot.
Secretary of State John Gale announced Thursday that organizers of a petition drive didn’t submit enough verified signatures to put the issue before voters.
Gale says organizers turned in 119,666 signatures for the proposed constitutional amendment, but 41,710 were rejected by county election officials who reviewed them. At least 117,188 valid signatures were needed.
Gale says more than 24,000 signatures were rejected because signers weren’t registered in the county indicated on the petition sheet. Nearly 4,600 were rejected as duplicates and more than 3,000 were rejected because signers were not registered voters.
Petition organizers had spent nearly $1.4 million on the campaign as of July 26.
The Nebraska State Patrol has identified the man and woman arrested following a Thursday afternoon pursuit which ended in Cass County.
The male driver of the vehicle has been identified as Donnell Johnson, 30, Sunrise, Florida. He has been lodged in the Cass County Jail on charges to include, felony flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, no operator’s license, attempted theft by unlawful taking and possession of a financial transaction device.
The female passenger in the vehicle has been identified as Brijeth Garcia, 22, Orlando, Florida. She has been lodged in the Cass County jail on charges to include accessory to a felony, and possession of a financial transaction device.
Johnson and Garcia, were taken into custody Thursday, August 11, just south of Plattsmouth following the pursuit which started in Kansas.
The Nebraska State Patrol continues to investigate the incident in conjunction with Kansas authorities.
A pursuit that started in Kansas ends in Nebraska after the vehicle driver and passenger are taken into custody near Plattsmouth.
Just before 2:30 p.m., Thursday, August 11, the Nebraska State Patrol was notified by the Kansas Highway Patrol that it was in pursuit of a white Hyundai SUV and the vehicle was headed into Nebraska on Highway 75. The Nebraska State Patrol attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle on Highway 75 in Richardson County. The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.
Troopers pursued the vehicle north on Highway 75 before terminating the pursuit just south of Auburn. The pursuit lasted approximately nine minutes and reached speed of more than 100 mph.
The vehicle continued north on Highway 75 and was followed in the air by the Kansas Highway Patrol Helicopter which was joined by the Nebraska State Patrol fixed wing aircraft near Nebraska City.
Spike strips were successful in flattening the vehicles tires just south of Plattsmouth on Highway 75. The vehicle came to a stop at the intersection of Osage Ranch Boulevard and US 34/75 Junction.
The male driver and a female passenger both fled the vehicle on foot. The male driver, attempted to enter several vehicles on a nearby car lot before being taken into custody inside the dealership. The female, ran into a field near where the vehicle stopped and was taken into custody.
The male driver and female passenger are not being identified at this time.
The Nebraska State Patrol continues to investigate the incident in conjunction with Kansas Authorities.
The suspects once identified will be lodged in the Cass County Jail on charges to include felony flight to avoid arrest, attempted theft and accessory to a felony.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration isn’t going to reclassify marijuana and remove it from the list of the most dangerous drugs.
The Drug Enforcement Administration says in a lengthy notice in the Federal Registry that it consulted with the Health and Human Services Department and concluded that marijuana will remain in the class of drugs that have “no accepted medical use in the United States.”
The agency is opening the door to further medical research of the drug by expanding the number of agencies that can legally grow marijuana for research purposes. Currently, only researchers at the University of Mississippi have the government’s permission to grow pot.
The DEA says it reviewed the classification for marijuana after requests from the former governors of Rhode Island and Washington state.
DENVER (AP) — A mix-up in paperwork by a prosecutor has once again postponed a hearing for a northern Colorado nurse charged with inappropriately touching six women under his care in Colorado and three more in Nebraska.
Thomas Moore was due in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. The hearing is now scheduled for Aug. 22.
A public defender for Moore did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Moore faces eight felony and three misdemeanor counts of sexual misconduct.
It was another delay in a case after his public defender in June cited problems meeting with Moore.
The investigation raised questions about gaps in licensing and screening processes for those hired to work with vulnerable patients.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An investigative report from the State Fire Marshal’s Office says Metropolitan Utilities District workers didn’t mark the natural gas line that was breached and sparked a massive fire that destroyed a building in downtown Omaha.
The report is the basis of a June 23 letter notifying the district that the Marshal’s Office is preparing to conclude that the utility violated state pipeline-safety regulations.
The report says that the underground excavators who hit the pipe while drilling in the area couldn’t have known of its existence without the markings of nearby gas lines.
The district has previously said that it properly marked the lines.
The “notice of probable violation” letter is marked “draft.” Both the district and the Marshal’s Office say the investigation is continuing.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police say an officer has been left with broken ribs after a fight with a suspect.
Police say the incident occurred Wednesday afternoon when officers responded to reports of a man lying on the ground outside a Lincoln apartment complex. Police say when the first officer arrived, the 27-year-old suspect ran inside the complex’s clubhouse, then punched and struggled with the 59-year-old officer, who called for backup.
The man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer, trespassing, resisting arrest and failing to comply with a police order.
The injured officer was taken to a Lincoln hospital, where doctors found he had two broken ribs.
Myron W. Barnes, 77, of North Platte, passed away August 9, 2016 at Premier Estates Senior Living. He was born May 19, 1939 to Earl and Alice (Hopkins) Barnes at Callaway. Myron grew up in Custer County and later moved to Thedford, graduating with the class of “57”. Myron was united in marriage to Delores Elliott on September 15, 1957 at Thedford. He worked in the Sandhills for different ranchers and later at feedlots in the area. Myron had a strong work ethic and was devoted to his family. He enjoyed ice fishing, horseshoes and playing cards. Myron is survived by his five children, Randy (Roberta) Barnes of Halsey, Wyatt (Kelli) Barnes of Brady, Julie Parks of Emporia, KS, Mark (Jaime) Barnes of Billings, MT and Vickie Trisdale of Brady; 21 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Josephine (John Paul) Morris of Thedford. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Delores in 2007; a brother, Harold Barnes and a great grandson Frankie Ruiz. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. A memorial has been established in his memory. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 13, 2016 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with Pastor Robert Litzenberger officiating. Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m. at the Hillcrest Cemetery at Thedford, NE. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in charge of arrangements.
STANTON, Neb. (AP) — A man sought in a Kentucky slaying has been found in northeast Nebraska.
Authorities say 34-year-old Maurice Candies, of St. Louis, was taken into custody around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday on a Warren County, Kentucky, arrest warrant. He was found hiding in a cabinet at a trailer home in Stanton, Nebraska, where he’d been staying.
He’s suspected in the shooting death of a man in Bowling Green, Kentucky, earlier this month. It’s unclear whether Candies has an attorney who could comment for him.
He’s being held in Madison County Jail, awaiting extradition.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a former prosecutor and two educators were among a dozen people arrested or cited in Lincoln as part of a national effort against sex trafficking.
The arrests and citations occurred July 29 in conjunction with the National Johns Suppression Initiative. It ran from July 1 through Sunday. Officials say 32 underage girls lured into human trafficking were rescued and more than 1,300 charges have been filed.
Lincoln police say the three included a Lincoln schoolteacher, a man who taught classes at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and an attorney who’d been a prosecutor. Online court records showed Thursday that none of the three has been formally charged. The Associated Press generally doesn’t name people who haven’t been charged.
News Release from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office:
More than 1,300 sex buyers – a record – were arrested across 18 states in this summer’s National Johns Suppression Initiative aimed at reducing sex trafficking, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.
The operation by a national coalition of law enforcement agencies recovered 32 underage girls lured into human trafficking and made 71 human trafficking arrests. The operation lasted approximately one month, from July 1 to August 7. **
This is the 12th operation for the nationwide initiative, which Sheriff Dart launched in 2011 to highlight the role of sex buyers – or ‘johns’ — as perpetrators in this violent and exploitive industry. The initiative has so far resulted in the arrest of more than 5,800 johns by more than 70 arresting agencies across 22 states.
This summer Sheriff Dart welcomed 10 new partners, including New York City and Philadelphia police departments. Initiative partners now cover the nation’s 10 largest cities.
This summer’s initiative also focused on ensuring that victims of sex trafficking were connected with appropriate social services. For departments without existing ties to service agencies, the initiative helped equip front-line officers with information to connect to the national human trafficking hotline to gain access to local services providers.
Cumulative numbers from the 12th National Johns Suppression Initiative campaign are as follows:
71 sex trafficking arrests
1,358 sex solicitation arrests (johns)
More than $1 million in fines
More than 1,300 charges (felony, misdemeanor and ordinance violations)
58 adult victims recovered/offered services
32 juvenile victims recovered
2,015 johns deterred (includes texts, calls and webpage re-directs to inform sex buyers of the harmful impact of the sex industry)
421 vehicles towed/impounded/seized
60 percent of arrests stemmed from online advertisements, of which 99 percent were on Backpage.com.
Noteworthy anecdotes from this sweep include:
Cook County Sheriff’s Police Investigators arrested a 15-year-old attempting to buy sex
The Las Vegas Metro Police Department recovered 22 girls who were identified as victims of sex trafficking.
Oakland Police Department arrested a male buyer who left his 7-year-old daughter in the car. The child got out of the vehicle and wandered around the motel parking lot. She was rescued during the operation. He was charged with child endangerment in addition to solicitation.
Seattle Police arrested two three-member bachelor parties.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigations rescued a 12-year-old girl who had been abducted in Texas and trafficked to Tennessee for purposes of commercial sex.
Agencies with the most arrests:
Cook County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Office: 230 [43 in partnership with suburban agencies Lansing Police Department, Matteson Police Department and Broadview Police Department]
Seattle Police Department: 204
Columbus (Ohio) Police Department: 167
Harris County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office: 143
Houston Police Department: 82
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation: 74
Portland (Ore.) Police Department: 63
Boston Police Department: 57
McLennan County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office: 55
Oakland (Calif.) Police Department: 42
Other law enforcement partners combined for approximately 250 of arrests made: Glendale (Ariz.) Police Department; Phoenix Police Department; Mesa (Ariz.) Police Department; Tucson (Ariz.) Police Department; Little Rock (Ark.) Police Department; San Diego Police Department; Denver Police Department, DeKalb (Ga.) Police Department; Arlington Heights (Ill.) Police Department; Lake County, (Ill.) Sheriff’s Office; Lansing (Ill) Police Department; Matteson (Ill.) Police Department; Howard County (Md.) Police Department; Prince George (Md.) Police Department, Maple Grove (Minn.) Police Department; Lincoln (Neb.) Police Department; New York City Police Department; Las Vegas Police Department; Reno (Nev.) Police Department; Wood County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office; Dauphin County (Penn.) Police Department; Pittsburgh Police Department; Philadelphia Police Department; Upper Merion Township (Penn.) Police Department.
Sheriff Dart reminds the public that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.
CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — A football player at a small college in western Nebraska has died following the team’s practice Thursday.
