A Sutherland man has been arrested and charged with child abuse.

According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies responded to Sutherland at around 4:00 p.m. on October 6th, after receiving a report of an uncontrollable juvenile.

While conducting the investigation, Deputies discovered injuries on the juvenile’s neck.  Upon further questioning, the juvenile advised Investigators that 47-year-old Kenneth McConnell had lifter her up by her jacket, causing her to have difficulty breathing.  She said McConnell then dropped her and struck her in the back of the head.

Deputies then spoke with McConnell who said the juvenile was not doing what she was told and was being disrespectful.  He said he lifted the girl up to control her.

On October 10th, after an extensive investigation, McConnell was arrested and charged with Felony Child Abuse.

He is currently free on bond.

The American Red Cross Nebraska/SW Iowa Region sincerely thanks all of the community members and partners that supported the Red Cross disaster relief effort during the South Platte River flooding event in western Nebraska.

In the days following the deadly Colorado Flooding, County Emergency Management reached out to the Red Cross for help to create plans for potential devastating flooding here at home. The Red Cross immediately mobilized additional resources from Kearney, Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha including two emergency response vehicles. We quickly worked with emergency officials to identify communities that would be impacted by rising water and positioned supplies to open shelters should residents need a safe place to go when the water levels threatened their safety.  Nearly 30 volunteers from across the state left the comforts of home, ready to deliver disaster relief supplies to people in the path of the rising water. Nearly a half a dozen local businesses reached out to the Red Cross offering their support and donations food, water, snacks and sport drinks to the Red Cross, donations that were distributed to sandbaggers and first responders. Throughout the week, caring well-trained Red Cross women and men worked nearly 613 hours to deliver more than 6,000 bottles of water or sports drinks, meals and snacks to sandbaggers and first responders in communities such as: Big Springs, Hershey, Roscoe, North Platte, Sutherland, Brady and Maxwell.

The American Red Cross is committed helping communities prepare, respond and recover from disasters. The flooding two weeks ago brought together dozens of Nebraskans, rallying around what matters the most – living “The Good Life”.  The North Platte Red Cross is honored to work with you and serve our community on a daily basis. The American Red Cross Nebraska/SW Iowa Region invites you to join our team of nearly 4,000 region wide volunteers who answer the call for help when ever a disaster happens. Whether it is down the street, across the country or around the world, you can count on the Red Cross.

 

Sincerely,

 

Kyle Shepherd
Disaster Specialist
American Red Cross Nebraska/SW Iowa Region

North Platte Police are investigating the death of a local infant.

According to Investigator John Deal, police and paramedics were dispatched to the 1200 block of North Bailey Street at around 7:18 p.m on Thursday on the report of an unresponsive three-month-old boy.

Deal said paramedics transported the boy to Great Plains Regional Medical Center where the infant was pronounced dead approximately 30 minutes later.

Police have identified the boy as Braxton Curtis and say the initial investigation has revealed no signs of foul play.

An autopsy has been scheduled for today.  Nebraska state law requires that an autopsy be performed anytime the deceased is under 19-year-old and the cause of death is not immediately apparent.

The investigation is ongoing and no further details have been released.

Nebraska Public Power District is warning customers of a phone scam targeting electricity users that has spread across the country to its customers in Nebraska.

The scam involves callers claiming to be from the power company telling customers they are behind on their power bill. The scammer’s caller ID is falsified so that it appears to originate from the utility.

The caller usually threatens to cut electric service to the customer’s home, then instructs the customer to buy a prepaid debit card, load it with money and hand over the serial number.

NPPD is warning customers not to make any payment and contact the utility at 877-275-6773 to report the request. Customers are also encouraged to contact local law enforcement.

(AP) — Farmers in many states are surprised at the abundance of corn coming from their fields, and record harvests are likely in many states including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio.

In southeastern Nebraska, farmer Ben Steffen says his first field brought in 168 bushels an acre, above the average of 140.

The best crops are in areas with adequate rain and where corn pollinated amid cooler temperatures.

The positive surprise is welcome after the dismal harvest for many farmers last year when drought spread across the country reducing corn and soybean crops.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates this year’s harvest to bring in 13.8 billion bushels of corn, beating the 2009 record of 13.1 billion bushels. Some analysts believe farmers may exceed the estimates.

(AP) — A former hospital executive who’s a member of Alliance’s police advisory board has been charged with child pornography possession.

Court records say 65-year-old James Parks was arrested Tuesday and has since been released on bond. A public phone listing for Parks was not in service Thursday. The records list seven felony counts against Parks and don’t list his attorney’s name.

The Nebraska State Patrol says its four-month-long investigation began after a report from Box Butte General Hospital officials raised questions about information found on Parks’ work computer.

Authorities say a search of an email account of Parks showed conversations of a sexual nature about young girls between Parks and another man. Authorities say the account showed evidence the two men had exchanged videos and photos that depicted children sexually.

Authorities say an autopsy showed no evidence that a crime was involved in the death of a 30-year-old North Platte man.

The body of Dustin McEntire was found in his apartment around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

North Platte Police Officer Rodney Brown would not elaborate Thursday on the cause or circumstances of McEntire’s death, saying only that an investigation is continuing.

• Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Windy, with a south southwest wind 18 to 23 mph becoming west northwest 26 to 31 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 44 mph.
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. West northwest wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Southeast wind 3 to 7 mph.
• Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 9 to 14 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.
• Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 49. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

(AP) — A Franklin man accused of fatally beating his grandson has been sentenced to a minimum of 109 years in prison.

Attorney General Bruning announced the sentence Thursday for 48-year-old Peter Draper in connection with the April 2012 death of Joseph Rinehart. An autopsy showed he died of multiple blunt force traumas to his body.

Draper was given 60 years to life in prison for one count of committing intentional child abuse resulting in death and 49 to 50 years in prison for one count of child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. The sentences will run consecutively. Draper was convicted of the charges in May 2013.

Joseph’s mother and grandmother were also convicted of child abuse in the boy’s death. Each has been sentenced to multiple years in prison.

(AP) — Work has begun on a rain garden that will beautify Cody Park in North Platte and help solve a water problem.

On Wednesday workers were preparing about 630 square feet of ground on the east end of the park.

The area has often held standing water after rainstorms, and pumping of nearby storm drains was sometimes required.

Officials say the plants that will be put in this coming spring will create more pore space for water to drain into the ground.