BNSF railroad crews are still working to clean up a weekend coal train derailment in the Nebraska Panhandle.
The loaded 124-car train derailed in Bridgeport early Sunday morning. The clean-up continued Monday morning.
BNSF spokesman Andy Williams says 15 of the cars derailed and blocked the Highway 88 crossing on Main Street in Bridgeport.
Bridgeport Police Chief Scott Decoste says crews worked all day Sunday and into the night to clean up the mess, but he predicted the crossing would continue to be blocked most of Monday morning.
BNSF says the track was damaged in the derailment and will have to be repaired.
Officials are still working to determine the cause of the derailment.
A southwest Nebraska man has been killed in a crash after his vehicle hit a deer.
The accident occurred a little before 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Nebraska State Patrol says 64-year-old Edward Johnson, of Palisade, was about a quarter mile east of Palisade on U.S. Highway 6 when his car hit the deer. The car went out of control and rolled.
Cabela’s says Dick Cabela plans to step down as chairman and hand off the job to his younger brother and co-founder, Jim Cabela.
The Sidney, Neb., based outdoor outfitter announced the transition on Monday.
Dick Cabela will become chairman emeritus of the company that started on his kitchen table in 1961 at the shareholders’ meeting in June.
Jim Cabela, who is currently the company’s vice chairman, has helped oversee Cabela’s grow into a well-known outdoor brand that sells gear through catalogs, its website and retail stores.
Cabela’s CEO Tommy Millner says the company will continue to honor the Cabela family’s focus on customer service and passion for the outdoors.
Nearly 200 people gathered Friday, April 19th to celebrate Catholic education in North Platte, and to enjoy the speaking talents of three local St. Patrick’s alumni.
The North Platte Catholic Schools Endowment-Trust, Inc. held its Testimonial Dinner event at the St. Patrick’s Church Parish Hall. Guests enjoyed a wine tasting provided by Feather River Vineyard and Kwik Stop Stores, dinner, and a program featuring brothers Kevin (’74), Tim (’76), and Dr. Jeff (’77) O’Connor. The O’Connor’s shared stories and memories from their time at the North Platte Catholic Schools, and also gave testimony to the benefits they received from Catholic education.
Kevin is the head men’s basketball coach and Athletic Director at North Platte Community College.
Tim owns and operates The Sports Shoppe/Big Red, Etc. in North Platte.
Jeff is an optometrist at Complete Eye Care Associates in North Platte. All three O’Connor’s also have children that graduated from St. Pat’s High School.
The fourth O’Connor brother, Daniel (’81), resides in Arizona.
The Testimonial Dinner also serves as a fundraising event. Endowment Director Wendy Dodson asked guests to partner with the school system to continue to fulfill the mission of quality, Catholic education in North Platte. Dodson says that the Endowment is currently in its 36th year of service to the school system, providing essential funding for general operations, special projects, facility improvements, tuition assistance, and scholarships.
The event Friday was supported by 36 sponsors, and Dodson says that with donations, pledges, and matching gifts from NebraskaLand National Bank and Union Pacific Railroad, the proceeds will be around $40,000 for the North Platte Catholic Schools.
“We are extremely grateful for the generosity and support of our community,” Dodson says.
For more information on programs of the North Platte Catholic Schools Endowment, please call 308-534-5939.
A 28-year-old Lexington man has been sentenced to Federal prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to a news release from the office of United States Attorney Deborah Gilg, John Francisco Lastra was given a 70 month sentence on April 22.
On May 30, 2010, Darcey Lee, 20, of Lexington killed in an accidental shooting at her residence.
In June of 2010, Investigators with the Lexington Police Department were provided with Lee’s digital camera which. On the camera were photos of people handling the same shotgun that had killed Lee. Several of the photos, dated May 24th, showed John Lastra handling the same weapon.
Lastra had a felony conviction for assault on a pregnant person from Dawson County in 2009, as well as convictions in California for being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2006 and possession with intent to sell cocaine in 2004.
Lastra was arrested in August of 2012 on a Federal warrant and has been in custody since that date.
Gilg said the case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lexington Police Department and the Nebraska State Patrol.
The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), in conjunction with the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office and the Kearney Police Department conducted compliance checks at 86 alcohol retail outlets in Buffalo and Sherman Counties.
During the compliance checks conducted on Friday, April, 19, a total of 12 businesses were found to be non-compliant after selling alcohol to minors. All 12 of the non-compliant businesses were in Buffalo County. The retail outlets checked during the collaborative effort included convenience, liquor and grocery stores as well as restaurants and bars.
Compliance checks are conducted to help communities determine the extent of the problem of alcohol sales as a source of youth access to alcohol. Local law enforcement conducts compliance checks to ensure that businesses are in compliance with the state’s youth alcohol laws.
The Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS), provided $2,310 in grant funds to assist with the enforcement effort
A potential disaster was averted in the City of North Platte this morning after a rail car loaded with chlorine derailed just to the East of Bailey yards.
The derailment occurred around 6:30am.
Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis says the car came free during sorting and rolled down a track into a derailing device.
Fortunately for the city, the car stayed intact and did not leak any of the potentially dangerous gas.
The Centers for Disease Control lists the following symptoms of chlorine gas exposure:
Coughing
Chest tightness
Burning sensation in the nose, throat, and eyes
Watery eyes
Blurred vision
Nausea and vomiting
Burning pain, redness, and blisters on the skin if exposed to gas, skin injury similar to frostbite if exposed to liquid chlorine
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (may appear immediately if high concentrations of chlorine gas are inhaled, or may be delayed if low concentrations of chlorine gas are inhaled)
Fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) within 2 to 4 hours
North Platte Police and Fire were quick in their response, and quickly blocked of access to the area. A hazardous materials team from the Union Pacific was also on scene. A portion of Front street was closed, as well as the Buffalo Bill overpass, but was soon opened once the situation was assessed and contained. Businesses in the area were also informed of the situation.
According the the North Platte 911 Center, this was all done as a precautionary measure.
According to UP Officials, a crane was being brought in from Scottsbluff to set the car upright.
Union Pacific officials continue to investigate the accident.
The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has dropped 11 cents over the past two weeks.
The Lundberg Survey of fuel prices released Sunday says the price of a gallon of regular is $3.54. Midgrade costs an average of $3.72 a gallon, and premium is $3.86.
Diesel was down seven cents to $3.98 gallon.
Of the cities surveyed in the lower 48 states, Tulsa, Okla. has the nation’s lowest averageprice for gas at $3.21. Chicago has the highest at $3.97.
Nebraska is one of 22 states where anglers could land a million-dollar fish.
The state is participating in outdoor outfitter Cabela’s “Fish for Millions” contest.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission recently tagged fish in public waters. Anglers who catch those fish from May 4 to July 7 will have a chance to win up to $2 million in cash and nearly $275,000 in prizes. Every tagged fish will be a winner.
Anglers must register at cabelas.com/fishformillions to be eligible to win. Those who register before April 30 will be provided the list of waters with tagged fish four days before the list is released publicly.
Species tagged in Nebraska include various bass and trout types, as well as walleye, perch, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and others.
A federal judge has ruled that university-owned housing is subject to the Fair Housing Act in the case of a University of Nebraska at Kearney student whose therapy dog wasn’t allowed to live with her.
That U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard ruled earlier this week in favor of former UNK student Brittany Hamilton.
The lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Justice Department, which said the university unlawfully denied Hamilton the chance to keep a 4-pound miniature pinscher named Butch in her university-owned apartment to cope with depression and anxiety.
The university had argued that it’s not subject to the federal housing law, because it serves only as a temporary home for students and should not be considered a dwelling.
BNSF railroad crews are still working to clean up a weekend coal train derailment in the Nebraska Panhandle.
