Trial is set to begin next week for a former central Nebraska strip club owner accused of pulling a gun on patrons last year.

Jury selection will begin Monday for the trial of 43-year-old William Sheldon.

Sheldon is charged in Buffalo County District Court with use of a firearm, tampering with evidence and making terroristic threats.

Prosecutors say that in June 2012, Sheldon pointed a handgun at two brothers outside the club during a fight and asked them if they wanted to live or die.

Sheldon owned Jammers Roadhouse which was located near the Odessa Exit on Interstate 80.

The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission cancelled Jammers’ liquor license in June of 2012 due to an assault charge Sheldon was convicted of earlier in the year.

If convicted on the newest charges, Sheldon faces up to 60 years in prison.

(AP)–A 15-year-old boy has died in a crash near Overton in south-central Nebraska.

The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office says 15-year-old Jackson Egge, of Overton, died in the Friday night crash.

Officials say Egge was driving a car that appeared to be speeding. The car rolled several times after entering a ditch.

An 18-year-old passenger, also of Overton, was taken with minor injuries to a Lexington hospital.

The sheriff’s office says neither teen was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

A North Platte woman is facing a felony charge after she allegedly assaulted her estranged husband, who would later join her in jail.

At around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, North Platte Police responded to a reported domestic assault in the 200 block of South Cottonwood.

Upon arrival, Officers made contact with Burgess Running-Enemy who said his estranged wife, Jerrita Running-Enemy, had assaulted him.  Burgess told police that Jeritta thought he had been with another girl, which lead to the assault.

Investigating Officers reported that Burgess did have visible injuries from the alleged assault.

Jeritta had left the scene, but she was soon located and placed under arrest for Domestic Assault.  The charge is a felony due to a prior Domestic Assault conviction.

Then at around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, an Officer responded to the 800 block of East 8th after receiving a report that Burgess was in the backyard of a residence.

The reporting party indicated that they had a protection order that forbids Burgess from being within 100 feet of the property.

A Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy made contact with Burgess at 8th and Poplar and, after confirming the protection order, placed him under arrest.

Jerrita and Burgess were both incarcerated the Lincoln County Detention Center.

 

Republican Rep. Adrian Smith will host a series of town hall meetings in the coming week focused on international trade.

Smith’s office says the public meetings are intended to help individuals and businesses better understand the value of global trade and provide information on expanding market access for local products.

Smith is a member of the Trade Subcommittee of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

The first meeting will be held Tuesday morning at the Beatrice Chamber of Commerce. Another meeting will be held Wednesday morning at Mid-Plains Community College in Broken Bow, and the final meeting will be Thursday at the Cheyenne County Community Center in Sidney.

Visit Smith’s website for more details: https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith-releases-public-schedule-august-20-24.

 

• Jim Grant Horn, 54, North Platte and Sandra Ju Haumont, 45, North Platte

 

• Andre Lamont Franklin, 33, North Platte and Jerri Janelle Theus, 30, North Platte

 

• Christopher Jeffery Ningen, 28, North Platte and Sara Lynn Timm, 27, North Platte

 

• Doyle Duane Bird, 69, North Platte and Lucinda Kay Coan, 61, North Platte

 

• Jeremy Leroy Halouska, 31, North Platte and Dove Marie Phillips, 21, North Platte

 

• Michael Dean Monson, 49, Brady NE and Brenda Deane Knoll, 42, North Platte

 

• Mark Anthony Warner, 44, North Platte and Stacey Jo Miles, 43, North Platte

 

• John Wesley White, 22, North Platte and Candace Rae Claudson, 21, North Platte

 

• Zachary Todd Gartrell, 27, North Platte and Sarah Ann Lewandowski, 27, North Platte

(AP) — Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate rose in July to hit 4.2 percent.

The Nebraska Labor Department said in a report released Friday that the rate was two-tenths of a point higher than the 4 percent in June and the 4 percent in July 2012.

The national rate dropped two-tenths of a point last month, to 7.4 percent from 7.6 percent in June.

(AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court says a lower court judge was wrong to order BNSF Railroad to pay the full amount awarded to a former railroad worker by a jury, without deducting federal railroad retirement taxes.

Eddie Heckman, of Alliance, was injured on the job and sued the railroad in 2004. He was awarded $145,000 in 2011. BNSF paid the award, but deducted $6,200 to cover Heckman’s federal railroad retirement tax withholding.

Heckman objected, and a Box Butte County judge ordered BNSF to pay Heckman the $6,200, saying the award was not compensation for lost wages.

On Friday, the state’s high court reversed that ruling, saying that when at least part of a jury award is for lost wages, the whole verdict is considered pay and, therefore, subject to the tax.

(AP) — A 51-year-old Nebraska Panhandle man who sold his father’s farm equipment without permission has been given 10 to 12 years in prison.

Online court records say Kenneth Galinsky, of rural Alliance, was sentenced on Wednesday and given credit for 134 days served. He’d pleaded guilty to theft.

Prosecutors say Galinsky sold $37,500 in farm equipment to an implement dealer earlier this year without the consent of his father, Klaus Galinsky, and kept the money.

• Today: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph.
• Tonight: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 59. East southeast wind around 8 mph.
• Saturday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 7 to 13 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61. South southeast wind 9 to 11 mph.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
• Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.

The Nebraska Tourism Commission says four organizations have been awarded grants totaling $109,500 for working to secure national caliber events.

The Omaha Sports Commission receives $50,000 for the NORCECA Continental Volleyball Championships featuring eight international teams and the Omaha Equestrian Foundation is receiving $24,500 for recruiting and promotion of Olympic caliber competition and riding events.

NEBRASKAland Days in North Platte gets $20,000 for the Great American Wild West Show featuring the original historic Buffalo Bill performance format and the city of Fullerton will get $15,000 for the Communities of Distinction National Broadcasting Television Project.

The Nebraska Legislature appropriated $250,000 in funds for the program to the Nebraska Tourism Commission for this year. Proposals came from 15 applicants.