A North Platte man is facing serious felony charges after Police say he beat his girlfriend off and on for over two hours.

At around 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 28, North Platte Police responded to the 400 block of south Cottonwood on the report of an assault.

Upon arrival, Officers made contact with the female victim who had been beaten and was in need of medical attention.

The victim told police that her boyfriend, Jeremiah Bloxton, had beaten her and held her against her will for over two hours.  She stated that Bloxton had locked the apartment door and refused to let her leave.

Police learned that Bloxton had fled the scene prior to their arrival, but he was later located at another residence and arrested.

Bloxton had prior arrests for assaulting the same victim.  Therefore, he was charged with Felony 3rd Degree Assualt.  He was also charged with another felony, False Imprisonment, for holding the victim against her will.

Bloxton was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Three North Platte residents are facing charges after they allegedly stole merchandise from Shopko in North Platte.

On Friday, June 28, North Platte Police responded to a call from loss prevention employees at Shopko.  The employees reported that they had observed three individuals working together to conceal and steal merchandise from the store.

According to Police, the three suspects, Toni Allen, 26, Joseph Garringer, 33, and Brian Miller, 21, were eventually detained as they exited the store with the stolen merchandise.

Garringer and Allen were both arrested and charged with Theft by Shoplifting.  Miller was charged with Aiding and Abetting Shoplifting for his involvement.

Additionally, Police found less than a gram of methamphetamine on both Garringer and Allen following a search.  As a result, they were each also charged with Possession of Methamphetamine.

 

(AP) — Several new laws will take effect in Nebraska this September because most state laws take effect three months after they are passed.

Starting Sept. 6, juveniles who commit first-degree murder will face sentences ranging from 40 years to life instead of mandatory life sentences. The change was made because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Anyone convicted of human trafficking in the state will face tougher penalties if they target minors.

Nebraska lawmakers approved a law intended to prevent local governments from artificially increasing the cost of providing public records.

Several other new laws already took effect. Those include a package of tax incentives for wind power and increased funding for higher education to ensure a tuition freeze at the University of Nebraska and state colleges.

(AP) — Flies can be more than a pest for cattle producers because the insects can cause cattle to lose weight.

That’s why University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension expert Dave Boxler says ranchers and feedlots should try to control flies.

Boxler says he’s expecting a fairly normal fly population this year in Nebraska.

One kind of fly that causes problems is the horn fly. Groups of flies gather around cattle and feed off their blood around the horns and neck.

Stable flies also feed on cattle blood, but they attack the animal’s legs.

Another pest is called the face fly, which can irritate the eyes of cattle and cause blindness.

Boxler says there are different ways to control each problem fly, so cattle producers need to figure out what they’re dealing with.

(AP) — Nebraska authorities are reminding boaters and tubers to carry a cell phone in a waterproof container after rescuing a woman from a sandbar in the Elkhorn River on Sunday.

Waterloo Fire Chief Travis Harlow said Sunday’s rescue took longer than it should have because the woman didn’t have a cell phone.

Harlow says the woman wasn’t able to communicate with authorities, so rescuers had to contact hundreds of tubers to find her.

The woman told authorities that she either fell or got pushed off her tube before winding up on the sandbar. She sustained cuts and scrapes, but should be OK.

(AP) — A new monthly survey suggests the economy remains strong in nine Midwest and Plains states and business will continue to improve in the months ahead.

The overall index for the region declined to 55.6 in June from 56.2 in May, but any score above 50 suggests growth.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says business leaders expect slower growth in the next few months. Modest job growth is also expected as the hiring index dropped to 53.7 in June from May’s 59.3.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

The survey of business leaders and supply managers uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below that suggests decline.

• Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming east 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. East wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. East southeast wind 3 to 6 mph.

(AP) — History buffs are celebrating the 100th birthday of the Lincoln Highway at its midpoint in Nebraska.

Two groups of drivers who left from San Francisco and New York met in Kearney, Neb., to celebrate the Lincoln Highway.

The Lincoln Highway was one of the nation’s first transcontinental highways. It was created with private donations and the support of communities along the route.

The centennial celebration began Sunday, and it will continue on Monday.

The Great Platte River Road Archway that crosses Interstate 80 put together an exhibit on the history of the highway.

More than 300 cars and 5,000 people were expected to attend the events.

(AP) — Nebraska lifeguards are invited to a statewide competition in Omaha.

The annual event is scheduled for July 12 at Hitchcock Pool in Omaha.

Each competing team will consist of five certified lifeguards. The completion requires a $10 entry fee, with t-shirts for the top three teams. The entry deadline is July 5.

The event is intended to showcase lifeguard skills and professionalism through competition. Teams will perform six different events to test their skills, including rescue and CPR.

This competition is hosted by Omaha’s Parks & Recreation Department. Anyone who wants more information can call Jessi Brink at 402-932-1080