A former railroad worker says the money he was awarded for injuries received on the job should not be subject to a federal railroad retirement tax, but the U.S. Justice Department disagrees.

Eddie Heckman, of Alliance, sued BNSF railroad in 2004 and was awarded $145,000 in 2011. BNSF paid the award, but deducted $6,200 to cover the tax withholding it says it must pay on compensation for lost wages.

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.

The matter will be argued before the Nebraska Supreme Court on May 28. In a friend-of-the-court brief, the Justice Department says the lower court’s order “may interfere with federal tax collection.”

 

State wildlife officials are asking the public to share the sandy shores of Lake McConaughy in western Nebraska with endangered birds.

Visitors to Nebraska’s largest lake are being asked to be mindful of nesting interior least terns and piping plovers, which are currently raising their young.

Visitors are asked to not enter marked or fenced-off nesting areas, to obey all signs and to keep all pets on leashes.

Interior least terns and piping plovers are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act and the Nebraska Nongame and Endangered Species Act. Anyone convicted of killing, harming, disturbing or harassing the birds, or allowing their pets to do so, face up to a $100,000 fine and a year in jail.

Those wanting to evaluate and plan a farming business can get training and support this month from a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension program.

The UNL Extension will hold its first Farm Beginnings Program on May 25 at the Lincoln-Logan-McPherson Extension office in North Platte. Sessions run through October.

Participants engage in a mentorship experience and network with a variety of successful, innovative farmers and attend practical seminars, field days and conferences.

Several successful farmers will participate as presenters, explaining first-hand the nuts and bolts of their farming operation. Most of the presenters come from small to medium-sized farming operations, and many direct-market their products.

The cost to participate is $500, and scholarships are available. A brochure, application and contact information are available at https://bit.ly/10nJ0kS.

(AP) — Many Americans admit they’ve done it, but safety experts say drowsy driving is a problem motorists are just starting to wake up to.

A fatigue expert on the National Transportation Safety Board says drowsy driving can be as bad as drunken driving.

Police today can easily determine how much alcohol is in a driver’s blood or whether someone has taken illegal drugs. But proving a driver’s drowsiness is not as easy.

A bus driver was recently acquitted of manslaughter and negligent homicide in a 2011 New York City bus crash that killed 15. Prosecutors alleged he was all but asleep at the wheel, but a jury decided there wasn’t enough proof to convict him.

Federal statistics show more than 11,000 deaths were attributed to drowsy driving from 2000 to 2010.

A 48-year-old Naponee man has been convicted of child abuse resulting in death for the killing last year of his 2-year-old grandson.

Peter Draper was convicted Friday by an Adams County jury of intentional child abuse resulting in death and intentional child abuse resulting in serious injury.

Prosecutors say Draper beat Joseph Rinehart Jr., who died in April 2012 at Franklin County Memorial Hospital in Franklin. An autopsy showed the little boy died of head and internal injuries caused by blunt force trauma

Draper faces up to life in prison when he’s sentenced Aug. 1 in Franklin County.

Draper’s trial was moved to Adams County at the request of his attorney.

A North Platte woman is facing a Felony charge after she helped an inmate at the Lincoln County Detention Center contact his wife whom he allegedly assaulted.

On May 8, the North Platte Police Department (NPPD) learned that Melissa Eckhoff had helped Quincy Shugart contact the victim of his crime, his wife.  Shugart is currently incarcerated for Domestic Assault and several other charges.

An investigation revealed that Eckhoff arranged for contact both over the phone, and via email.

On one occasion, Eckhoff allowed the victim to use her cell phone to contact the jail and speak to Shugart, at which time he attempted to convince her to drop the domestic assault charges.

The victim had blocked Shugart’s ability to contact her directly from the jail, which is why Eckhoff’s assistance was needed.

NPPD Officers contacted Eckhoff and charged her with Aiding and Abetting Tampering with a Witness, a Class IV felony.

The Lincoln County Attorney’s Office also filed Witness Tampering charges against Shugart.

 

• Steven Herman Carlstrom, 61, Sutherland NE and Julie Ann Welsh, 51, Paxton NE

 

• Jeffrey Scott Cox, 48, North Platte and Carol Lynn Holloway, 49, North Platte

 

• William Brouder Freeman, 36, Bellevue NE and Natasha Cole Montez, 29, North Platte

 

• Chad Eric Farmer, 40, Stapleton NE and Heather Lynn Booker, 39, Stapleton NE

 

• Paul Garth Sorensen, 40, Salt Lake City UT and Brandi Jay Brandt, 35, North Platte

 

• Colby Tyler Dewey, 21, North Platte NE and Brianna Marie Hopkins, 20, North Platte

 

• Tracy Michael Bargmann, 28, North Platte and Kaily Marie Crawford, 26, North Platte

 

An arrest has been made in the case of Landon Shcroeder, a three-year-old boy who nearly drowned.

On Friday, May 10, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Investigators arrested the boy’s stepfather, Trevor Perry, and charged him with Felony Child Abuse.

Through an extensive investigation, Deputies learned that Perry took Landon to a remote fishing spot near North Platte, where they fished from 12:00 p.m. until at least 6:30 p.m.

According to a Deputies, at some point during the day, Perry became inattentive for an extended period of time.  He eventually found Landon underwater about 15 feet from the shoreline.

Perry told Investigators that Landon was not conscious when he removed him from the pond.

Authorities say Perry did not call for assistance, instead, he walked Landon to his vehicle, loaded his property and drove to his residence.

Landon’s mother immediately recognized that Landon was in great distress and immediately took him to Great Plains Regional Medical Center.  Landon was then transferred to a Denver hospital via helicopter.

Perry was booked into the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Child Abuse is a Class II Felony in the State of Nebraska.

Landon remains in critical condition.  According to family members, he has been removed from life support and is breathing on his own.

A bake sale this weekend will benefit an amazing group of athletes.

The North Platte Special Olympics is hosting a bake sale this Saturday, May 11, at Gary’s Superfoods.  The group is made up of about 35 athletes who participate throughout the year in Bowling, Basketball, Swimming, Track and Field and Bocce Ball.

On May 22, the athletes will be traveling to Omaha for the Annual State Games which will involve 17 local athletes.  Events will take place from Thursday, May 23 through Saturday, May 25.

Because the athletes have special needs, they rely on others for support and transportation.  Also, many of the athletes have very limited budgets.

The athletes are responsible for raising all of their funding.

They will also accept any donation of merchandise, which could be used as raffle items, or cash donations to help with costs.

All proceeds from this weekend’s bake sale will benefit the North Platte Special Olympics.

A man who spent nearly 14 years in a Nebraska prison for a murder he did not commit is on pace to receive $500,000 from the state.

Lawmakers gave first-round approval Friday to the payout for Darrel Parker. Parker was wrongfully convicted in the 1955 killing of his wife in their Lincoln home.

A federal appeals court overturned his conviction in 1969, saying his confession was coerced. Parker was paroled, and later received a full pardon after another man confessed to the murder.

Parker filed a lawsuit against the state. Last year, Attorney General Jon Bruning conceded Parker’s innocence and announced that his office would not fight the claim.

The 81-year-old Parker now lives in Moline, Ill.