SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — A decision is expected soon on whether the Sidney police chief will keep his job following his conviction for obstructing government operations.

Interim City Manager Geri Anthony said Wednesday that the decision on Chief B.J. Wilkinson is “getting really close” and that she’s waiting “for our attorneys to come up with the proper paperwork.”

Prosecutors say Wilkinson was derelict because he didn’t pursue a criminal case against a city official who eventually was prosecuted and convicted. Wilkinson said in his defense that he acted “in the best interests” of the city.

On Sept. 29 Wilkinson lost the first appeal of his conviction and 30-day sentence. He told the newspaper Wednesday that he expects to take the case to the Nebraska Appeals Court later this month.

LINCOLN – The entire population of whooping cranes in the Central Flyway is expected to migrate through Nebraska over the next several weeks. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission encourages the public to report whooping crane sightings.

Information on crane sightings is used to positively affect whooping crane conservation and recovery efforts.

Report any sightings to Game and Parks (402-471-0641), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(308-379-5562), or The Crane Trust’s Whooper Watch hotline (1-888-399-2824).  Emails may be submitted to [email protected].

Observers of cranes are encouraged to record number of birds, location, type of activity, and, if it can be determined, the number of adults and juveniles. Sandhill crane, American white pelican, great blue heron, trumpeter swan and snow goose are species that occasionally are mistaken for whooping cranes. Whooping cranes are approximately 5 feet tall and fly with their neck outstretched. Adults are all white with the exception of black wing tips and reddish-black facial pattern.

Whooping cranes that migrate through the Central Flyway often are referred to as the Aransas-Wood Buffalo flock. Cranes from this population migrate from wintering sites at and around Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to breeding sites at and around Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta. In the early to mid-20th century, this population was reduced to fewer than 20 birds and was perilously close to extinction.

As a result of legal protection, such as the Endangered Species Act and the Nebraska Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act, as well as conservation efforts, whooping crane numbers have increased slowly. The Aransas-Wood Buffalo flock is estimated to number only 308 individuals. At least 23 whooping cranes fledged during the summer of 2015. The survey results show the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population continues to slowly increase.

Game and Parks reminds observers that whooping cranes should not be approached. Harassing whooping cranes may put them at risk and it also is a violation of state and federal law.

The following states and provinces comprise the Central Flyway: Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.

It was a beautiful day for a drive, and Kyle Lauer was grinning from ear-to-earThursday as he climbed behind the wheel of his new 1957 Chevy two-door post sedan.

Known in many circles as one of the most famous “icons” of the 1950s, the car is a legendary classic sought by collectors all over the world.

It was raffled this year by Mid-Plains Community College, and Lauer, of McCook, won it. Because he wasn’t able to be present for the drawing during the Colonel Cody’s Cruise Show and Shine in North Platte in September, the keys were given to him on Thursday.

“This is amazing,” said Lauer, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe it.”

The parking lot on the North Platte Community College North Campus was full of people as the presentation was made. They included the students and instructors from the Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology departments who did the restoration on the car.

MPCC Area Vice-President of Academic Affairs and NPCC Dr. Jody Tomanek, officially turned the keys over to Lauer.

MPCC President Ryan Purdy, MPCC Vice-President of Administrative Services Mike Steele and Chair of the NPCC Foundation Kim Schroll were also in attendance, as were numerous other college faculty, staff and students and Lauer’s father, fiancée and son.

“I was really excited when I found out about all this,” said Kevin Lauer, Kyle’s dad. “I didn’t even know Kyle bought tickets, so when he told me he won the car, I thought he was joking.”

At first, the win didn’t seem real for Kyle either. He was working in a restaurant in McCook last summer when he happened to look outside and notice that raffle tickets were being sold in the parking lot. He bought five, then forgot about the raffle.

“The day of the drawing, I missed the first call from college officials trying to notify me that I had won,” said Lauer. “When I got the second call, I thought it had to be a prank. I couldn’t be that lucky.”

Classic cars are something Kyle has always had a fascination with.

“My grandpa owned a ’57 Ford,” said Kyle. “So, it’s pretty cool that now I have a vehicle from the same year.”

A total of 9,600 raffle tickets costing $10 each were sold for the raffle car. Proceeds will be used for scholarships for students in the college’s Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology programs.

Tom Curtis, of Hershey, donated the vehicle to MPCC. It’s the 11th vehicle restored and modified by students, faculty and staff in NPCC’s Transportation Division.

The Automotive Technology students installed a late model 5.3 fuel injected Chevrolet engine coupled to a 4L60 transmission with a 9” rear end, rack and pinion power steering, a tubular front end suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and vintage air conditioning.

The Auto Body program was responsible for the complete frame-off body restoration, including all sheet metal and trim work. They also selected a 2014 Chevy Corvette color, “Tin Roof Rusted,” a deep burgundy, for the exterior finish.

Dave Smith Signs, JM Parts and Equipment, E.J.’s Outdoor Sports, Cohagen Battery Store and LKQ Corporation contributed to the project.

The college uses its raffle cars a number of ways. First, the projects count toward a certificate in automotive restoration.

Students study then apply current technology to, in this case, 1957 level application. They must understand both traditional and modern engineering and technology before merging the two.

The vehicles are also used to attract attention to the college, its programs and potential students interested in transportation-related training. The raffle cars tour the state, making appearances at car shows, parades and cruise night events.

COURTESY OF THE NORTH PLATTE POLICE DEPARTMENT

10/14/2015 00:33:10 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “RODEO RD /N WILLOW ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 00:45:37 THEFT OF SERVICES BY DECEPTION “2400 RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 00:47:33 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “600 W 6TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 01:34:15 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 01:54:03 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1700 W 1ST ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 02:41:02 ASSIST OTHER AGENCY-GENERAL “600 W 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 04:05:44 SUSPICIOUS PERSON 1800 W A ST NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

10/14/2015 04:10:20 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

10/14/2015 05:00:59 WELFARE CHECK “1600 W 6TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 07:36:55 GEN PARK & TRAFFIC “S BUFFALO BILL AV /W PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 07:44:23 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “LBF,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 07:53:48 ESCORT- ALL OTHER “E HWY 30 /S NEWBERRY RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 08:40:22 SUSPICIOUS PERSON NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

10/14/2015 08:44:57 OTHER DISTURBANCE “600 W Leota ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 09:01:46 ANIMAL TRAP “2700 W 5TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 09:03:41 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “W PHILIP AV /S VINE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 09:29:45 PROP DAMAGE-NO ALC RELAT “100 N TABOR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 09:36:03 FOUND PROPERTY “1200 S DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 09:37:59 WELFARE CHECK “1100 W 2ND ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 10:06:16 SUSPICIOUS PERSON “900 HACKBERRY RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 10:25:15 VEHICLE INSPECTION “700 W 6TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 10:58:15 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “900 W 11TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 11:04:53 BURGLARY “1800 E 12TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 11:17:39 CITIZEN ASSIST “500 N MAPLE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 11:24:56 DEAD ANIMAL CALL “S WILLOW ST /W LEOTA ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 11:27:22 LOOSE ANIMALS “1200 W A ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 11:47:35 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF “800 JACKSON AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 12:18:20 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “800 S BRYAN AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 12:21:47 LOOSE ANIMALS “E B ST /S DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 12:54:11 LOOSE CATS “1800 E D ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 12:56:58 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1500 E G ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 13:31:59 THEFT BY EXER CONTROL- ALL OTHER “1000 S TABOR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 14:10:35 THEFT BY DECEPTION/IMPERSONATION “400 E LEOTA ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 14:19:20 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-GENERAL “W B ST /S SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 14:30:06 LOOSE ANIMALS “W PHILIP AV /S CARR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 14:29:36 LOST PROPERTY “500 E 9TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 14:50:55 ANIMAL COMPLAINT OTHER “1800 W 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 14:54:23 EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION “1100 W 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 15:13:11 LOOSE ANIMALS “700 S VINE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 15:14:25 SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE “400 E Walker RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 15:31:24 LOOSE ANIMALS “W PHILIP AV /S CARR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 15:41:18 SPEEDING “1900 RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 15:41:03 ANIMAL COMPLAINT OTHER “100PLATTE OASIS
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 16:43:29 OTHER DISTURBANCE “600 E 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 16:53:23 PROP DAMAGE,NO ALC RELAT NO ALCOHOL RELATED “W 4TH ST /N SHERIDAN AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 16:55:19 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “900 W 11TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 17:04:17 WARRANTS-LOCAL “E 11TH ST /N POPLAR ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 17:29:45 CAT-STRAY FR CITIZEN “1400 N SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 18:19:28 LOST PROPERTY “NORTH PLATTE,
1 NORTH PLATTE
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 18:43:48 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “2400 W 9TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 19:19:15 NP CITY EXCESSIVE ANIMAL NOISE “300 W WILLIAM AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 19:28:22 DISTURBING THE PEACE AND QUIET “1600 JACKSON AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 19:35:33 OTHER DISTURBANCE “1200 E 4th ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 19:51:59 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1200 E 6TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 19:57:25 THEFT BY SHOPLIFTING “500 RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 20:21:47 WELFARE CHECK “1100 W 2ND ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 21:09:13 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “300 S SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 22:38:28 FIGHT-NO ASSAULT “1200 E 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 22:58:43 DISTURBING THE PEACE AND QUIET “3100 W 19TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 23:08:12 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “LBF,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 23:25:51 ILLEGAL TURN “E 8TH ST /N POPLAR ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/14/2015 23:30:01 SPEEDING “2700 S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/15/2015 00:35:05 ASSIST OTH LAW ENF “W 14TH ST /N BUFFALO BILL AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/15/2015 02:50:58 STRANGULATION-SIMPLE ASSAULT “800 S POPLAR ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/15/2015 03:38:08 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “LBF,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/15/2015 05:56:30 CITIZEN ASSIST “2400 W 15TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/15/2015 06:56:00 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-GENERAL “RODEO RD /N SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

10/15/2015 08:09:45 LOOSE ANIMALS “1300 W 9TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A third consecutive overall index drop in a monthly rural bankers survey suggests an economic slowdown is ahead for rural parts of 10 Western and Plains states.

The Rural Mainstreet Index sank to 44.4 this month from 49.0 in September and 50.0 in August. The overall index is computed from various economic category scores, and survey organizers say any score below 50 suggests that factor will decline.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the overall index reflects “weakness stemming from lower agriculture and energy commodity prices and from downturns in manufacturing exports.”

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Department of Roads has created a new state task force that will look at transportation issues and how they can benefit the state economy.

The department announced Wednesday that the 19-member group will explore new ways to approach the state roads system. Task force members will review how the public and private sectors can work together, among other possible changes.

The group includes city and county officials, scholars, business leaders and state Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, chairman of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee.

Gov. Pete Ricketts says fiscal responsibility will be the state’s guiding principle for roads development. Department Director Kyle Schneweis says the task force will look at roads issues from a variety of viewpoints before deciding which approaches make the most sense.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska groups are planning to rally outside the governor’s residence to call for state action to address global climate change.

Members of the Sierra Club, Bold Nebraska and the Nebraska League of Women Voters will gather outside the residence Wednesday along with students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The groups say they will present petitions asking state officials to submit a Clean Power Plan to the federal government.

Nebraska has joined a coalition of primarily conservative states that is suing to block the new federal regulations, which seek to reduce power-plant emissions. Gov. Pete Ricketts has said he’s concerned that the rules will prove costly and burdensome.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A weekly federal report says Nebraska corn and soybean harvests are running behind the average completion for the date.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture report says that as of Sunday, the state’s corn harvest was 26 percent finished, ahead of the 18 percent last year by the date but behind the average of 34 percent.

The report says the soybean harvest was 57 percent finished, ahead of the 41 percent last year but below the average of 63 percent for the date.

The sorghum harvest was 17 percent finished, compared with 11 percent last year and 21 percent on average.

Winter wheat planted was 93 percent, which was 2 percentage points ahead of the average planting for the date.