LOUP CITY, Neb. (AP) — A former Loup City teacher charged with placing spy cameras in the Loup City Public School girls locker room has waived his preliminary hearing.
Arraignment for 24-year-old Anthony Rahe has been set for Feb. 2 in Sherman County District Court.
He has pleaded not guilty to 15 counts, including unlawful intrusion, possession of child pornography and manufacturing a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.
Rahe was arrested on Oct. 9 and is free on bond.
District officials say a student reported finding the camera in the girls locker room on Oct. 8. Investigators say school security camera footage implicates Rahe. Rahe was suspended and has been barred from the school campus.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is reminding residents that part of their tax refund can go toward wildlife and habitat conservation.
The commission says the tax check-off on 2015 state income tax forms allows individuals to donate all or a part of their tax refund to the Wildlife Conservation Fund.
Kristal Stoner, the commission’s wildlife diversity program manager, says the check-off is one of the main sources of state funding that protects and helps manage more than 95 percent of nongame fish and wildlife species in the state.
The check-off is on Line 42 of Nebraska state income tax forms. Donations can also be made online or by mail, to the Wildlife Conservation Fund in Lincoln.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is suggesting that residents suffering cabin fever this winter get out of the house and spend some time viewing Nebraska’s bald eagles.
Wildlife officials say eagles can be seen year-round across the state, but winter and early spring are the best times to see eagles in large numbers.
Officials say there are often concentrations of bald eagles feeding on fish and sick or wounded waterfowl at reservoirs. Favored sites include Sutherland Reservoir near Sutherland, Harlan County Reservoir near Alma, and below Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota.
Lake Ogallala and Lake McConaughy near Ogallala also are top viewing sites, and the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District has a viewing building near the dam spillway.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new U.S. Department of Agriculture report says the number of cattle in large Nebraska feedlots is down 2 percent compared to January of last year.
The report says feedlots with capacities of more than 1,000 head contained 2.42 million cattle as of Jan. 1.
Cattle placements for the month of December totaled 390,000 head, up 1 percent from 2014. About 440,000 fed cattle were marketed for the month of December, unchanged from the previous year.
The report was compiled by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Winter in Nebraska brings with it opportunities for outdoor recreation like hunting, ice fishing, cross-country skiing and sledding.
But the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is urging residents to be safe and avoid hypothermia, most often caused by exposure to cold weather or immersion in cold water.
Symptoms of moderate to severe hypothermia include shivering, clumsiness and lack of coordination, slurred speech, confusion, drowsiness and gradual loss of consciousness.
State officials suggest hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts dress warmly in layers of clothing that may be added or removed as necessary. Warm hats, gloves or mittens and boots will prevent heat loss through the top of the head, hands and feet. Anglers should wear a life vest on the ice.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker is taking aim at a sales tax break for food sold at political events, saying it only benefits politicians while other groups are forced to pay the tax.
Sen. Dave Bloomfield of Hoskins argued Friday that the current exemption amounts to tax break that elected officials gave to themselves.
Bloomfield’s proposal before the Revenue Committee would reinstate the tax at events held by candidates, political parties, ballot measure groups and independent committees.
Some lawmakers questioned the measure. Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island says it could inject more money into politics by forcing candidates to increase their fundraising to cover the additional expense.
Bloomfield proposed a sales-tax exemption last year for food sold by veterans’ groups, but the measure remains in committee.
In this week’s edition of “What’s Your Issue,” News Director Scott Carlson sits down with Tami from the West Central District Health Department to discuss what can be done to prevent the flu and keep your family and co-workers healthy.
TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha woman has been accused of illegally providing cellphones to inmates while working as a guard at the state prison in Tecumseh.
She’s charged with three felony counts of unlawful acts by a corrections employee. Court records say she was fired in March.
Officials suspected that up to five phones were taken into the prison.
A phone listing couldn’t be found for the 22-year-old woman, Kiahna Arquilla. Her attorney didn’t immediately return a call Friday from The Associated Press, seeking comment on her behalf.
Police say a North Platte man suspected of breaking into lockers at Great Plains Health and stealing items has been arrested.
Police were called to the hospital on January 19 after staff reported that someone had rummaged through employee lockers and stolen numerous items including, cash and medication. One staff member reported that her car keys were stolen and so was her 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix.
After viewing surveillance video, investigators identified 24-year-old Benjamin Beauvais as the suspect but were unable to locate him.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Grand Prix was located in the 2500 block of West 21st Street. Police say some of the missing property from Great Plains Health, including identification cards, keys, and bank cards were found in the vehicle. Also located in the vehicle were an owner’s manual to a different car, a road map, and several other items.
The owner’s manual had a name on it and when officers contacted that person, it was reported that during the evening of January 19 or early in the morning on January 20, someone had entered their vehicle in the 5600 block of Eshleman Road and taken several items, including the road map and owner’s manual.
That same day, the North Platte 911 Center received a call from a person identifying themselves as Beauvais, stating that he was at a residence in the 700 block of East Philip and wanted to turn himself in. Officers responded and searched the residence, but didn’t locate Beauvais.
On January 21, at around 12:41 p.m., an officer responded to Cenex South, 3002 South Jeffers, after it was reported that Beauvais was in the store.
As the officer arrived, Beauvais was exiting the store. The officer made contact with Beauvais, who gave a false name, and placed him under arrest.
Police say a plastic pen barrel was located in Beauvais’ pocket which contained a powdery substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine.
Beauvais was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center and charged with felony vehicle theft, misdemeanor theft and felony possession of a controlled substance.
According to police, no other items stolen from Great Plains Health were recovered.
KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Lexington man who took a plea deal in a campus sex assault case has been sent to prison.
Court records say 20-year-old Jorge Gutierrez-Alavez was sentenced Wednesday to three to 10 years and given credit for eight days already served. He’d pleaded no contest and was convicted of attempted sexual assault after prosecutors lowered the charge.
Prosecutors say Gutierrez-Alavez was a student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney on April 26 when he assaulted another male student in a campus residence hall.
