NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police say a 2-year-old girl has fallen off a changing table at her home and died after striking her head on the floor.
Lilly Jurgens was unconscious and unresponsive when rescuers arrived at around 9 a.m. Monday.
Police say Lilly’s mother was changing her when Lilly accidentally fell.
The Fire Department of New York says emergency responders found the girl in cardiac and respiratory arrest.
She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Editor’s Note: Lilly Jurgens’ father is a former North Platte resident, and many of her family members still reside here. The thoughts and prayers of all of us at The Post are with the family.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) â The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services is looking to fill key administrative jobs.
The department announced a national search Sunday to replace deputy directors Larry Wayne and Frank Hopkins, who retired, and behavioral health administrator Dr. Cameron White, who is taking another state job.
Wayne and White were both summoned to testify last year before a legislative committee investigating the state’s handling of inmate Nikko Jenkins, who killed four people in Omaha after he was released. The committee later issued a report recommending that Wayne be fired.
A corrections department spokesman says White has accepted a job at the Department of Health and Human Services. White has worked in the corrections department for last 18 years.
Corrections director Scott Frakes says he plans to have the positions filled by August.
Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Northeast wind 8 to 13 mph. Tonight: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. East northeast wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South southeast wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South southeast wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. North northwest wind 6 to 8 mph becoming east in the afternoon. Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
A North Platte man is facing charges after he allegedly stole a donation jar from a local convenience store.
At around 4:45 a.m., on June 10, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to Caseys, 2421 Rodeo Road, on the report of a theft.
Staff at the store alleged that the suspect, later identified through surveillance video as 30-year-old Robert Charles Bergen, entered the store while an employee was busy and stole a donation jar containing around $250.00.
Police say the jar was being used to collect money for 3-year-old Olivia Swedberg, who was diagnosed with intrinsic pontine glioma, a terminal brain cancer, in May.
Officers searched thoroughly but were unable to locate Bergen.
Later in the day, an off-duty officer observed Bergen walking on foot near 4th Street and Buffalo Bill Avenue.
He reported it to dispatchers, and officers were able to locate Bergen as he was crossing the Buffalo Bill viaduct.
Bergen was placed under arrest and transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center.
He’s been charged with theft. Bergen also had two active Lincoln County warrants for failure to appear.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley has asked the president for a federal disaster declaration in response to recent storm damage.
Foley submitted a formal request Friday on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts, who is in Europe for a trade mission.
The request extends to storm damage that occurred since May 2. Foley says the high winds, heavy rains and tornadoes have caused millions of dollars in damage to public infrastructure.
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency says roads and bridges have been afflicted with the worst damage.
The counties of Cass, Dundy, Gage, Jefferson, Lincoln, Lancaster, Morrill, Nuckolls, Otoe, Saline, Saunders, and Thayer have all declared emergencies.
The request will be reviewed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s regional office in Kansas City before it’s forwarded to the White House.
COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — People can lower their electric bills this summer by adjusting their thermostats and turning off lights and devices they’re not using.
The Nebraska Public Power District offered several tips to help reduce bills.
Energy efficiency supervisor Steve Zach says air conditioning represents up to 70 percent of most Nebraskans’ summer electric bills, so setting the thermostat at a higher temperature can make a big difference.
Zach says setting the temperature between 78 and 82 degrees while away from home lets the air conditioner rest more.
Using a ceiling fan can make it feel 4 degrees cooler without cooling the entire home.
Turning off lights and electronic devices when they’re not being used also helps.
Cooking with a microwave or grill instead of an oven reduces the amount of heat generated.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission plans to heighten a campaign intended to curb alcohol use while boating.
Operation Dry Water is part of a national effort to reduce the number of accidents and deaths related to boating under the influence.
The commission says the operation is a year-round campaign, but that the effort will be heightened by Game and Parks officers from June 26 through June 28.
Alcohol use while boating is the leading factor in boater deaths. In Nebraska, it’s illegal to operate a motorboat with a blood alcohol level content of .08 percent or greater. Doing so constitutes boating under the influence, or BUI, which carries penalties that may include vessel impoundment, fines, jail time and loss of boating privileges.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A U.S. Supreme Court decision expected later this month could mean higher premiums for nearly 57,000 Nebraskans, forcing many to drop their coverage.
The court will rule on a lawsuit that could wipe out federal tax credits in 34 states, including Nebraska, which chose not to create their own health insurance markets.
The Kaiser Family Foundation says Nebraskans who receive the credits would see an average premium increase of 265 percent without them. Nebraskans receive a total of $14.6 million in tax credits each month, for an average of $257 per enrollee.
Nebraska groups that helped with the enrollment effort say they have notified clients about the lawsuit, and many are now worried that they’ll lose coverage.
A landspout tornado touches down near Lake Maloney on Sunday afternoon. The National Weather service says the twister was brief and there were no reports of damage or injuries. Photo courtesy of Kate Edwards
An uneventful Sunday afternoon quickly took a turn when tornado sirens sounded in North Platte.
According to the North Platte Police Department, a citizen called the 911 center and reported a tornado on the Southeast side of Lake Maloney at around 12:25 p.m.
Authorities say the National Weather Service confirmed the tornado and reported that the tornado was nearly stationary.
Because it was unknown which direction the cell would move, the sirens were sounded at Lake Maloney, as well as in the city limits of North Platte.
Police say dispatchers received numerous 911 calls from citizens asking why the tornado sirens were going off, and remind citizens that the sirens are only tested on the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. They say any sirens sounded outside of this time indicate an emergency and should be taken seriously.
The high volume of 911 calls only compounds an already hectic time for the dispatchers and police say the congestion may keep someone with a real emergency from getting assistance. They ask that 911 only be used in the event of an emergency.
The Weather Service says the landspout tornado was on the ground for a few minutes and there have been no reports of damage or injuries.
According to meteorologists, a landspout tornado is a tornado that is not associated with the mesocyclone of a thunderstorm. They are typically shorter in duration and produce less damage than their supercell counterparts.
A storm near Anselmo also produced a funnel cloud on Sunday afternoon, but the Weather Service said it did not touch the ground.
An unidentified officer with the North Platte Police Department responds to a shots fired report at the Church of Christ at 700 South Willow Street. Police determined the report was false. Photo by Dave Lee
The North Platte Police Department is investigating a false report of a shooting at a local church.
At around 12:01 p.m., on June 14, the NPPD received a call from a subject who said there was a man with a gun at the Church of Christ.
According to police, as dispatchers were talking to the subject, they heard what sounded like multiple gunshots in the background. The caller also made a reference to ISIS, an Islamic terrorist group, during the call, according to Lt. Steve Reeves.
Police say there are two Church of Christ locations in North Platte, one at 700 South Willow Street and one at 3311 South Oak Street.
Because the caller did not specify which location they were referring to, NPPD officers responded to the South Willow location, and deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to the church on South Oak. Additionally, other officers, who were off-duty, were called in to ensure there was enough manpower.
Authorities say law enforcement entered both churches and deemed them both to be safe.
They say, at this time, it appears the caller provided false information.
Investigators are working to identify the caller. Police believe the call was made over the internet.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police say a 2-year-old girl has fallen off a changing table at her home and died after striking her head on the floor.
