Nebraska’s largest power utility is seeking work by amateur photographers in communities it serves for use in its 2014 Public Power Calendar.

The Nebraska Public Power District says the calendar will be published late this year. Photo submissions are being accepted through Aug. 1.

Each submission should be built around the contest’s theme: “There is power in …”. All entries must be of outdoor scenes within the state of Nebraska and must not contain people. Both landscape and close-up shots are acceptable, but only horizontal pictures will be considered.

The entry chosen for the front cover will receive a $25 GROW Nebraska gift card.

Complete rules and entry forms can be found at www.nppd.com/photocontest. NPPD employees, its wholesale partner utility employees and their immediate families are not eligibleto enter.

The U.S. Forest Service has announced a $1 million energy efficiency renovation project for the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands headquarters in Chadron.

Chadron radio station KQSK-AM reports (https://bit.ly/10ikNeu) that the building also houses the Pine Ridge Ranger District offices.

The project consists primarily of replacing the heating and cooling system with a geothermal heat pump. It will begin in July and take about a year to complete.

Supervisor Jane Darnell says the 1985 building is the least energy-efficient Forest Service building in the agency’s five-state Region II district.

Lincoln County has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the family of an inmate who committed suicide in a jail cell in 2008.

Kara Hatcher Hawkins, the sister of 27-year-old Phillip Hatcher, filed the federal lawsuit in 2010, saying officials should have known Hatcher might try to kill himself because he was arrested in the middle of a suicide attempt.

The lawsuit was settled in February for an undisclosed amount.

Lincoln County sheriff’s officials have said Hatcher hung himself inside his cell with a sock. He died several days later at a hospital.

A grand jury investigated Hatcher’s death and decided no criminal charges were warranted in the case.

Nebraska parks will soon kick off a summer competitive nature hunt.

Registration for the Nebraska’s Great Park Pursuit has opened.

The challenge is to go as many as 20 different local, state or federal Nebraska parks to search for natural impressions. The parks are located throughout Nebraska. The pursuit goes from May 1 and September 16. The event started to encourage healthy outdoor lifestyles and increases awareness of recreational opportunities.

Participants can register as a group or individual and print park maps online.

Groups follow clues at each park to locate a post, where they make a tracing of a nature impression. Participants are supposed to mail collected impressions to the event organizers.

Prizes are available. The more parks visited increases a group’s chance of winning.

For more information and park locations visit https://www.negpp.org/locations/.

Access to books has a serious impact on literacy rates in our State.

RISE Specialists from all over Nebraska want to change this as they work together on the state-wide Cornhusker Community Book Drive.

RISE Specialists feel that by increasing access to books for adults and youth in our communities, we can overcome the epidemic of illiteracy.

The North Platte community is collecting books that will be donated to the Pawnee Hotel Assisted Living Facility, The Rape and Domestic Abuse Program and the Connection Homeless Shelter.

They are looking for books from the following genres: Westerns, Inspirational, Self-Help, Eductional, Romance, Nonfiction, Biographies and Novels.  Additionally, they will accept all books for children and teens.

Books can be dropped of at these locations:

District #11 Probation

110 East 3^rd Street

North Platte Public Library

120 West 4^th Street

Professional Financial Advisors

501 South Jeffers

More information on the Cornhusker Book Drive can be found by visiting www.serve.nebraska.gov.

The area contact in North Platte is Jessica Spors, RISE Specialist for District 11 Probation.  She can be reached at (308) 534-4350 or by emailing jessica.spors@nebraska.gov.

RISE focuses on providing supportive services for adult and juvenile probationers in a group setting, with one-on-one sessions available as necessary. RISE Program Specialists work with a developed curriculum targeted for specific educational and/or employment skills.  The RISE Program curriculum consists of different tracks to fit the individual probationer.

Adults can participate in the employment track, focusing on attaining and maintaining employment; the education track, focused on attaining a GED (for those who are not high school graduates) and higher education; or a dual track, meaning probationers receive support in areas of education and employment.

The RISE juvenile school support track is designed to specifically target youth struggling in school academically, as well as with attendance and attitude. The Navigator Program adds additional support for those who are assessed as our highest risk probationers.

A state lawmaker is scheduled to speak at the University of Nebraska Kearney’s commencement ceremony in May.

Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney, a professor emeritus at the university, will address more than 700 students who are receiving degrees on May 3.

The university is expected to award 525 undergraduate and 188 graduate degrees, an all-time record.

Hadley was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2009. He earned his Ph.D. in accounting at the university and worked as both a professor and administrator.

He was a member of the Kearney City Council and served as mayor.

The Nebraska Legislature is expected to debate a proposal that would ban new classes of synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of illegal substances.

Omaha Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha, who introduced the bill, says that these drugs are dangerous and need to be outlawed.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office forensic scientist Christine Gabig says law enforcement struggles to keep up with and ban the new forms of synthetic drugs being created.

That’s why she is working with McCoy to craft legislation to ban new generations of chemically engineered drugs that mimic the highs users get while using drugs like marijuana, meth, LSD, ecstasy or psychedelic mushrooms.

Gabig says the drugs have been sold at tobacco and head shops disguised as incense.

• Dustin Jay Meyer, 24, North Platte NE and Ruth Arlene Christensen, 25, North Platte NE

 

• David Randall Iverson, 38, North Platte NE and Jennifer Kay Jackson, 34, North Platte NE

 

• Steve Alan LaHaye, 55, Hershey NE and Debra Jean Knodel, 59, North Platte NE

 

• Joseph Aaron Hansen, 23, North Platte NE and Kelsey Renae Abels, 23, North Platte NE

 

• Zane Michael Piehl, 25, St. Libory NE and Alison Kate Sowders, 25, North Platte NE

 

COURTESY OF THE NORTH PLATTE POLICE DEPARTMENT

04/25/2013

00:18:14

OTHER DISTURBANCE

2300 W 15TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

00:41:54

FAILURE TO SIGNAL TURN

A / MCDONALD North Platte, NE 69101

04/25/2013

00:50:14

THEFT BY EXER CONTROL- ALL OTHER

200 RODEO RD NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

02:38:58

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

1400 W 14TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

03:18:03

LV SCENE OF ACC PROP DAMA

2500 HALLIGAN DR NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

03:21:53

AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT

AIRPORT, 5400 E LEE BIRD DR NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

03:27:51

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

800 W 1ST ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

03:50:04

OTHER DISTURBANCE

E 2ND ST /N BICENTENNIAL AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

04:43:31

VIOL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEV

W A ST /S BUFFALO BILL AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

06:58:11

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-GENERAL

1900 E 4TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

06:52:44

SUSPICIOUS PERSON

2700 W 20TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

07:16:54

AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT

LEE BIRD FIELD, 5400 E LEE BIRD DR North Platte, NE 69101

04/25/2013

07:49:40

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE

1300 MCDONALD RD NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

07:53:57

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE

3900 SUGARBERRY NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

07:57:00

WELFARE CHECK

1400 RODEO RD NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

08:25:39

LOOSE ANIMALS

300 N BARE AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

08:36:34

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

900 W 2ND ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

08:37:59

DISTURBANCE-GENERAL

2400 E E ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

08:40:58

SPEEDING

800 E Philip NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103

04/25/2013

08:44:29

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

1700 E 3RD ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

09:00:09

ANIMAL TRAP

1200 EUGENE AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

09:07:42

THEFT BY DECEPTION

800 W 11TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

10:27:55

CITIZEN ASSIST

700 E 3RD ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

10:34:28

VEHICLE INSPECTION

2300 E 4TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

10:43:59

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

1000 S JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

11:11:34

OTHER DISTURBANCE

200 E 5TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

11:19:09

WELFARE CHECK

1200 S Oak NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103

04/25/2013

11:23:37

THEFT BY EXER CONTROL- FROM BUILDING NO TRESPASS

2000 N DODGE AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

11:36:55

WELFARE CHECK

700 E FRANCIS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

11:51:26

LOOSE ANIMALS

100 N MADISON AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

11:56:09

LOOSE ANIMALS

300 W 4TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

12:45:00

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

2300 E PHILIP AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

12:51:01

HARRASS-ANNOY PHONECALLS

1600 N BUFFALO BILL AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

13:31:50

VIOL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEV

I-80 West Bound Off Ramp / Hwy 83 NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103

04/25/2013

13:47:25

EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION

300 W Rodeo RD NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

13:50:29

LOUD MUSIC

3100 W 2ND ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

13:53:31

VIOL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEV

West Bound I80 Off Ramp / Hwy 83 NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103

04/25/2013

14:02:55

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

1100 S OAK ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

14:07:02

WELFARE CHECK

1200 W 2ND ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

14:54:02

HARRASS-ANNOY PHONECALLS

400 W 2ND ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

15:43:46

THEFT BY EXER CONTROL- FROM BUILDING NO TRESPASS

1800 N MILES AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

15:47:21

LOUD ABUSIVE LANGUAGE

1200 E 4TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

16:05:38

WELFARE CHECK

1200 E 4TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

16:43:55

LOOSE ANIMALS

2300 E PHILIP AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

16:53:57

CARE OF ANIMALS

1100 S Tabor AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103

04/25/2013

17:08:14

FOUND PROPERTY

RODEO RD /N SHERIDAN AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

17:41:28

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

2300 E 6TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

18:12:55

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

4000 SUGARBERRY NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

18:46:09

UNCONTR JUVENILE-OTHER

2000 N DODGE AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

19:15:07

WATCH FOR/INFORMATION

E 15TH ST /N SILBER AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

19:53:44

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

1200 S DEWEY ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

20:36:43

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

800 E 8TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

20:56:36

MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

E 7TH ST /N JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

21:20:59

MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

E B ST /S JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

21:23:57

BURGLARY

1100 N BAILEY ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

21:47:06

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE

3000 S OAK ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

21:56:35

MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

E 4TH ST /N POPLAR ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

22:14:31

NO NEBRASKA OPERATORS LICENSE

W 9TH ST /N BUFFALO BILL AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

22:20:21

ALARM – OTHER

3700 S JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

22:39:20

SPEEDING

E 9TH ST /N JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

22:45:05

SPEEDING

W FRONT ST /N Jeffers ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

22:49:58

SUSPICIOUS PERSON

400 E 10TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

22:59:45

WRONG WAY ON ONE WAY

EAST STATE FARM RD /S JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

23:08:27

MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

W FRONT ST /N WILLOW ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/25/2013

23:09:45

WELFARE CHECK

2000 W 15TH ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

00:06:33

AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT

AIRPORT, 5400 E LEE BIRD DR NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

00:06:56

PREF RIGHT OF WAY-STOP AND YIELD SIGNS

W PHILIP /S OAK NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

00:07:54

SPEEDING

E 2ND ST /N JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

00:36:04

OTHER DISTURBANCE

2300 E PHILIP AV NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

01:14:27

MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

E PHILIP AV /S POPLAR ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

01:24:46

MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

E 2ND ST /N JEFFERS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

01:55:22

HARRASS-ANNOY PHONECALLS

600 W F ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

02:00:06

AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT

AIRPORT, 5400 E LEE BIRD DR NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

07:10:27

AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT

AIRPORT, 5400 E LEE BIRD DR NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

07:19:31

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-GENERAL

1200 W 2ND ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

07:28:38

B.E.A.T. COMM POLICING

1300 MCDONALD RD NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

04/26/2013

07:53:25

TRAFFIC ENFORCE GENERAL

HAHN AV /W FRANCIS ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

The 12th Annual Walk for Life, benefiting the Women’s Resource Center (WRC), will be held in North Platte on Saturday May 4th.

The Walk for Life is one of two annual fundraisers that provide for the WRC.

The WRC receives no local, state or federal funding and is completely dependent on businesses, organizations and individuals in the community to supply their annual operating needs, which allows them to offer their services for free.

Amy Woods, Executive Director of the WRC, said “The community may be wondering why they should support the WRC.  I’d say, without their support, we would not have been able to serve the nearly 1,300 client visits in 2012, which is a 149% increase from just five years ago.  We are here reaching out to offer hope, love, truth and tangible support to those whose lives are rocked by unplanned pregnancy.”

Area churches have already begun promoting the Walk for Life, which is also held in Hershey on April 28th, Stapleton and Dunning on May 4th and in Arnold on May 5th.

If you are interested in helping the WRC raise funds, you can help by:

• Contacting your WRC Church Liaison for a walk brochure
• Registering online at www.pregnancynorthplatte.com
• Calling the WRC at 308-534-1440

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the Walk begins at 9:00 a.m.  The Walk will start in the Parkade Plaza and take participants through Downtown and around the courthouse.