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New trial date set for former golf coach in sex assault case

Michael Klein

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — The trial of a former Scottsbluff High School golf coach accused of sexually assaulting two team members has been delayed again.

Court records say 62-year-old Michael Klein has pleaded not guilty to 15 felony counts and five misdemeanor counts of sexual assault. The records say assaults on the first girl occurred between November 2007 and November 2010 and between October 2015 and July 2016 for the second girl.

Klein’s trial had been set for May and then was rescheduled to begin July 31. On Wednesday a judge delayed the trial start until Oct. 23.

Klein has been dismissed from his district position.

County treasurer in misconduct, forgery case resigns

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska county treasurer accused of forgery and official misconduct has resigned.

Barb Sebesta’s resignation Tuesday from her Dawes County position took effect immediately. She’ll be replaced on an interim basis by her chief deputy, Rhonda Schleuning.

Court records say she’s pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor counts of official misconduct. Prosecutors dropped three more misconduct counts and one of forgery in exchange for Sebesta’s pleas. Her sentencing is set for Sept. 8.

A state audit alleged Sebesta altered a check written by a taxpayer. Sebesta has said she was trying to clarify the proper amount for a bank. She also was accused of twice failing to collect sales tax and of failing to maintain trust balances in a timely fashion.

Authorities probe vandalism at Nebraska senators’ offices

Sen. Deb Fischer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating vandalism at the Nebraska U.S. senators’ offices in Lincoln and Omaha.

Police say someone tossed a reddish-brown liquid Tuesday night or Wednesday morning on the doorway of Sen. Deb Fischer’s Omaha office. Someone also placed stickers touting protest group Betsy Riot. The protest group has described itself as a “decentralized neo-suffragette, punk-patriot resistance movement.”

Lincoln police say what officers described as “fake blood syrup” was splattered Tuesday night or Wednesday morning on doors and windows at Sen. Ben Sasse’s Lincoln office. A Betsy Riot sticker was placed there as well.

The two Republicans voted Tuesday to begin debate on repealing sections of the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act. It’s unclear whether the vandalism was done in protest.

No arrests have been reported.

Report: Nebraska worst performing economy in country

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A report from a federal commerce bureau says the economies of Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota logged the worst performance in the U.S. in the beginning of 2017, with economic output declining in all three states.

Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that from January through March this year, Nebraska’s economic output declined by 4 percent when compared to the final quarter of the previous year, making it the worst of any state. South Dakota ranked second-worst with a 3.8 percent decline, followed by Iowa with a 3.2 percent decline.

The bureau is a federal agency from the U.S. Department of Commerce. It measures a state’s “real” gross domestic product, which is the market value of goods and services produced in-state.

Worsening drought conditions in parts of US stressing crops

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Drought conditions are getting worse in several states, and extreme heat and weeks with little rain have begun to stress corn, soybeans, wheat and livestock in some areas.

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says nearly 11 percent of the continental United States is in moderate drought or worse.

The most severe drought area is centered on portions of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The United States Department of Agriculture has designated several counties in those states as areas of natural disaster, paving the way for emergency loans for producers.

Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas also are seeing stressed crops and farm animals.

About half of U.S. spring wheat, 15 percent of corn and 14 percent of soybeans are in drought.

Nebraska agency unveils plan to improve public services

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s largest state agency has unveiled an initiative to improve services for children, low-income families and residents with mental health problems and developmental disabilities.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced a new “business plan” Thursday for the state Department of Health and Human Services. The plan includes a variety of goals intended to provide faster and more efficient services for the state’s most vulnerable residents.

The list calls for an expansion of “alternative response” programs designed to keep more children with their families, shortening the time in which people with developmental disabilities have to wait for benefits, and reducing the number of questionable costs identified by state auditors.

Department of Health and Human Services CEO Courtney Phillips thanked her staff for meeting 93 percent of their goals under last year’s plan.

Western Nebraska man’s vehicular homicide trial delayed

Joshua Bolzer

GERING, Neb. (AP) — Another trial date has been scheduled for a 24-year-old Nebraska Panhandle man charged with the crash death of a passenger in his pickup truck.

Joshua Bolzer’s new trial starting date is Sept. 4. It’s his fourth since being charged with vehicular homicide, driving under the influence and willful reckless driving.

Authorities say Bolzer, of Mitchell, was speeding in his pickup truck on Aug. 20 last year when it went out of control on U.S. Highway 26 on the west edge of Mitchell and hit a utility pole, a tractor and a liquor store.

A passenger in the truck, 19-year-old Dereon Betancur, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other 19-year-old passengers were taken to a Scottsbluff hospital.

Nebraska Gov. Ricketts to watch solar eclipse from Carhenge

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts plans to watch next month’s solar eclipse from one of Nebraska’s quirkiest roadside attractions.

Ricketts said Thursday he will travel to Carhenge in Alliance to view the eclipse on Aug. 21.

Alliance is one of several Nebraska communities hosting viewing events because of its location. Viewers in the area will experience a total solar eclipse, in which the moon completely obscures the sun’s light for a few minutes.

Ricketts says he chose the site because eclipses are mystical events, and he thinks of Carhenge as one of the state’s most mystical sites. Carhenge is a replica of England’s Stonehenge, formed out of vintage American automobiles.

UPDATED: NP police investigate break-in at Westfield Pharmacy

UPDATE 7.28.17

In a statement issued this morning, Investigator John Deal said that, after further investigation, it was discovered that a number of controlled substances were also taken in the burglary at Westfield Pharmacy on Thursday morning.

Deal says the business owners did an inventory and made the discovery.

The Post had received numerous reports that medication had been stolen, but Investigators weren’t initially aware that the medication had been taken.

Contact the North Platte Police Department with any information.

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North Platte police are investigating an early morning break-in at a North Platte pharmacy.

Investigator John Deal says officers responded to Westfield Pharmacy at around 3:06 a.m. on Thursday.

Deal says officers discovered that a person or persons forced entry into the business and left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The Post had received reports that medication had also been stolen, but Deal said there were no pills taken.

Police are working to identify those responsible and ask that anyone with information contacts the North Platte Police Department immediately.

There were no other reported break-ins in the Westfield Shopping Center.

Nebraska school officials to help fight human trafficking

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska school administrators have been recruited into a task force against people who sell children for sex.

The Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force welcomed an auditorium full of Lincoln Public Schools officials Tuesday. Task force coordinator Glen Parks and Erin Aliano of the Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers presented a course into the sex trafficking world and how to recognize signs that students might be victims.

Aliano says to look for changes in behavior or unexplained and unexcused absences.

Parks says teachers can also help educate students about safety on social media and what a legitimate job opportunity looks like.

The Human Trafficking Initiative estimates that about 900 people are sold for sex online every month in Nebraska.

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