(AP) — The Lower Republican Natural Resources District will let farmers transfer some of their water allotment from one field to another.

The district board held an emergency meeting Tuesday in Alma because so many farmers had appealed to the district to let them pump more water. The river basin remains in extreme or exception drought.

The district had already limited farmers to 10.5 inches of water per field from one center pivot irrigation system this growing season. The restrictions were placed to help keep the state in compliance with the Republican River compact with Kansas.

At the meeting the board approved letting farmers transfer 2 inches of that allotment from one field to another.

A North Platte bar did not get the support of the North Platte City Council in its request for an extension on liquor sales for a special event.

Under Nebraska State law, licensed liquor establishments are allowed to sell alcohol until 1:00 a.m.  However, an establishment can serve liquor until 2:00 a.m. with the approval of a special permit by the local governing body.

On Tuesday night, the North Platte City Council voted not to grant this privilege to a local bar.

Sculley’s Shooters, in North Platte, had applied for an extension on hours for an upcoming event featuring the bands “Saliva,” “Crashing Broadway” and “Dollarhyde” on August 3.

The City Council chose not to send a favorable recommendation to the Nebraska Commission.

The Community Connections Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition has voiced concern that the extension would make it easier for establishments to be granted approval, and would therefore lead to people consuming more alcohol.

The Council vote was 7-1, with Councilman Brook Baker being the only vote in favor of the extension.

 

A 45-year-old Holdrege woman is facing an attempted murder charge after she allegedly attacked a man with a hammer and a box cutter.

Carla Walker was arraigned in Phelps County Court on Monday.

Holdrege Police were dispatched to the home of Robert Johnson, 56, after he reported being assaulted by Walker on Friday.

Police say Walker and Johnson had been a couple and had lived together in the residence in the past, but Walker had moved out in May.

When Johnson came home from work on Friday, he said he noticed Walker’s car parked about a block east of his home.  When he entered his residence, he found Walker hiding in a bedroom.  She then attacked Johnson with a hammer and a box cutter, causing multiple injuries to his head, neck and upper body.

Walker eventually fled the scene and Johnson called the Police.

Walker then entered the Holdrege Police Department covered in blood and told Police they needed to arrest her.

Police complied with Walker’s request and, following an investigation, charged her with Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Use of a Weapon to Commit a Felony, Second Degree Assault and Burglary.

She is being held at the Phelps County Justice Center.

 

(AP) — Officials say higher-than-normal summer temperatures and lower rainfall totals have taken a toll on Nebraska’s dryland corn crop.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday in its survey report for the week ending Sunday that dryland corn was rated 57 percent good or excellent. That compares with 66 percent good or excellent a week ago and 69 percent on average by this date.

Irrigated corn was rated at 81 percent good or excellent, compared with 83 percent last week and 78 percent on average.

Soybeans were rated at 70 percent good or excellent. Thirty-nine percent of the crop was blooming, just 1 percentage point below the average of 40 percent by this date.

 

A Wallace man is facing serious charges after he allegedly threatened to kill his wife.

At around 5:47 am on July 14th, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies were asked to respond to a domestic disturbance in Wallace.

Deputies made contact with 42-year-old Lawrence Kidd of Wallace and his wife.

Ms. Kidd told Deputies that her husband had attempted to strangle her during an argument.  Mr. Kidd did admit that he had strangled his wife.

Additionally, Deputies say Mr. Kidd placed his arm across his wife’s face and asked her she “wanted to die.”

Deputies placed Mr. Kidd under arrest and charged him with Felony Domestic Assault and Strangulation.  He was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Deputies believe alcohol was a factor in the case.

A North Platte man is facing charges after leading Lincoln County Deputies on a high-speed chase.

On July 13, a Deputy on patrol noticed a motorcycle northbound on Highway 83 at the North River Bridge.

The motorcycle began to do a wheelie on the bridge and was driving in a careless manner.

When the Deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver fled.

The chase ended at the Green Acres Trailer Court, just off of North River Road, and the driver ran and hid in a trailer.

Deputies eventually located the driver, 21-year-old Ryan Craighead, and placed him under arrest.

Craighead told Deputies that he was just leaving a “Stop” (defensive driving) course for a previous ticket he had received.  Deputies confirmed Craighead had been a student in the class.

Craighead was charged with misdemeanor Flight to Avoid Arrest and Exhibition of Acceleration.

 

A North Platte man is being charged after he allegedly held his wife at knife point.

On July 13th, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a domestic dispute at 9110 South Canal Road in North Platte.  Authorities were advised that 38-year-old Paul Schwager had assaulted his wife and was holding her against her will with a knife.

Upon arrival, the victim told Deputies that she was asleep in bed when Schwager pulled her from the bed by her hair and began pushing and shoving her, eventually pushing her down some stairs into the garage.

Deputies say Schwager then grabbed a knife and a struggle ensued, with the victim receiving a cut to the hand.  The victim stated that Schwager eventually took her down to the ground and began to punch her in the head.

Deputies then spoke with Schwager who said he did not start the altercation, and claimed his wife had pulled the knife on him.

Following the investigation, Deputies determined there was probable cause to arrest Mr. Schwager for 2nd Degree Domestic Assault.  He was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Deputies say they believe alcohol was a factor in this case.

(AP) — The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first medical scan that can help diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children by measuring brain waves.

The agency cleared the NEBA system to help confirm ADHD for people ages 6 to 17. Doctors can use the device to confirm an ADHD diagnosis or to determine if more testing is necessary.

The device, from Augusta, Ga.-based NEBA Health, measures the frequency of two standard brain waves known as theta and beta waves. Children with ADHD tend to have a higher ratio of these waves than children who don’t have the disorder.

Estimates of ADHD in U.S. children vary, but the American Psychiatric Association states that it affects 3 to 7 percent of school-aged children.

(AP) — Nebraska U.S. Senate hopeful Shane Osborn is reporting that his campaign raised nearly $234,000 during the quarter that ended last month.

The Republican candidate’s campaign announced Monday that Osborn has raised $233,868 between April 1 and June 30. An Osborn spokesman says all of the money was raised in June.

The campaign spent $4,666 during that period.

Osborn, a former Nebraska state treasurer, is seeking to replace outgoing GOP Sen. Mike Johanns, who is not seeking re-election in 2014. Osborn was the first candidate to declare his candidacy.

Omaha attorney Bart McLeay announced last week that he would also run in the primary.

(AP) — It lacks the cultural significance of the original prehistoric monument in England, but western Nebraska’s junk-car tribute to Stonehenge remains a top tourist draw in state — even if it is more likely to attract gearheads than Druids.

Officials in the western Nebraska city of Alliance next week are expected to take control of Carhenge, the 26-year-old mashup monument to English prehistory and the American automobile.

If the deal is approved, the city in October will assume ownership of the Stonehenge lookalike, once labeled the No. 2 wackiest attraction in America.

Carhenge was built in 1987 by Jim Reinders and his family as a memorial to his father. The monument is comprised of 38 automobiles arranged in a circle to closely resemble the stones at England’s Stonehenge.