NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — A 25-year-old North Platte man has been given 13 to 20 years in prison for several crimes.
Jerry Kindle was sentenced Monday in Lincoln County District Court. He’d pleaded no contest and was convicted of assault and other crimes after prosecutors lowered or dropped charges that included one for attempted murder.
Kindle was arrested in April 2015 for beating and shooting another man at the Blue Spruce Motel in North Platte and partaking in an assault at a local grocery store.
The Department of Justice took the next step in a year-long narcotics investigation earlier today by making a “sweep from Central to Western Nebraska.”
Local, county, state and federal law enforcement assisted in the service of the warrants, which resulted in at least 18 arrests in North Platte and Lincoln County alone.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office in Omaha, who coordinated the effort, the arrests came after an investigation that has been ongoing for about a year.
Investigator John Deal, with the North Platte Police Department, said NPPD officers assisted with the arrests but were not authorized to comment any further on the investigation.
The US Attorney’s Office says more information will be released on Wednesday morning, with a News Conference to follow on Friday.
According to records at the Lincoln County Detention Center, the following individuals are be held on federal warrants:
Anthony Apodaca
Virgil Apodaca
Lee Benson
Mary Bockman
Jody Casillas
Tia Eggers
Teresa Enninga
Christopher Gonzales
Edward Hagert
Rachel Humphrey
Jesse Klemptner
Tyce Miller
Donald Morrissey
Louis Ortega
Sheri Queen
Martin Radel
Roxane Reynolds
Brett Smyth
The indictments against the individuals above are unknown at this time. However, we do know the indictments are all drug related. Photos were not available of all those arrested.
This is a developing story, check back for updates and further details.
On Friday, February 19, the Nebraska State Patrol conducted alcohol compliance checks at retail outlets in Frontier and Lincoln Counties.
During the effort, five businesses were checked in Frontier County and 10 businesses were checked in Lincoln County. Two of the 15 businesses checked, Amoco North/Wicked Fast and Hunan Moon, both in North Platte, were found to be non-compliant after selling alcohol to a minor. The retail outlets checked included convenience, liquor and grocery stores as well as restaurants and bars.
Law enforcement performs compliance checks to ensure that businesses are complying with the state’s alcohol laws and to decrease youth access to alcohol.
The compliance checks were conducted thanks in part to a grant from Region II Human Services.
Sunny, with a high near 46. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 18. Northwest wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 48. Breezy, with a west wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 19. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 9 to 14 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 44. North northwest wind 6 to 13 mph.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Foster children in Nebraska could have more chances to play sports, join a sleepover with friends and attend school dances under a bill advanced by lawmakers.
Senators gave first-round approval Monday to a bill that would make it easier for foster youth to enjoy normal childhood experiences.
Nebraska has faced criticism for imposing too many restrictions on foster youths in the name of safety. The group Nebraska Appleseed released a report in October that highlighted several of the requirements, such as mandatory background checks for everyone at a home where a foster child wants to attend a sleepover.
Other factors include the cost of activities and a lack of transportation. The bill would let the child pick an advocate who could argue for more flexibility.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska is one step closer to finding a chancellor as the final four candidates ready themselves to navigate an intense interview process over the next two weeks.
The search for a new chancellor began in April after Chancellor Harvey Perlman announced he would retire this June.
The finalists for the position are Ronnie Green, University of Nebraska interim senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and vice president for agriculture and natural resources; April Mason, Kansas State University provost and senior vice president; Sabah Randhawa, Oregon State University provost and executive vice president; and Daniel Reed, University of Iowa vice president for research and economic development.
University president Hank Bounds will begin his deliberation after the interviews conclude March 4. His choice will require the Nebraska Board of Regents’ approval.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers will debate a bill aimed at making sure adoptive parents do not lose parental rights if they change their minds about allowing contact with a child’s birth parents.
The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee voted 6-1 Monday to advance the measure by Syracuse Sen. Dan Watermeier.
The bill would ensure that even if adoptive parents and birth parents have an agreement to allow communication after the adoption, birth parents could not sue if the agreement is broken. Advocates say the measure would create stability for adopted children.
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha says he will fight the bill, noting that many birth parents from his district are disadvantaged.
Watermeier has designated the measure as his legislative priority, increasing the odds that lawmakers debate it.
Weather permitting, construction will resume on L-56C March 7, on the South Platte River Bridge at R.P. 2.00, south of Hershey.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane and controlled by traffic signals with a 12’ maximum width restriction.
The South Platte River Bridge work is anticipated to be completed in May of 2016. Work will continue on the new railroad viaduct and grading for the new roadway. Concrete pavement work is anticipated to start early summer 2016 and continue through the fall of 2016.
Motorists are reminded to be extra careful in and near highway work zones, and to buckle up, every trip
NCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have declined to join a national campaign seeking to amend the Constitution and limit the federal government’s power.
Senators voted 25-18 Monday to return the resolution to the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, where it is unlikely to see any more activity this year.
The measure would add Nebraska’s voice to a coalition calling for a convention of states. A convention requires 34 states to call for one under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
Opponents say the resolution does not clearly define the process for selecting delegates or limit the topics the convention will cover.
The measure’s sponsor, Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, argues the 38 states required to approve potential amendments would provide sufficient oversight from citizens and courts.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — One of Nebraska’s largest farm groups says it wants to change a ballot proposal that would guarantee farming and ranching rights in the state constitution.
The Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation says it will recommend that lawmakers place the “right to farm” measure in state statute rather than the constitution.
If approved by lawmakers, the measure by Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell would appear on the November general election ballot for voters to approve or reject.
Nebraska Farm Bureau lobbyist Bruce Rieker says the current proposal doesn’t clearly define “agriculture,” and placing it in the constitution would leave it up to the courts to interpret instead of the Legislature. In addition, he says opponents of the ballot measure might bombard voters with “misinformation” about modern agriculture.
