SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Cheyenne County jury has found a man guilty of several felonies related to the threatening and terrorizing of a woman at a Sidney motel.

A jury of five women and seven men found Jason Assad guilty Friday of the charges. They include first-degree false imprisonment, terroristic threatening and use of a weapon to commit a felony.

The victim told police that Assad had threatened to rape her, placed a knife to her throat and struck her repeatedly. Court documents say the victim had two black eyes and bruises on her body.

Assad’s attorney had argued in court that his client never threatened the woman or sought to terrorize her.

A sentencing hearing has been set for May.

A 59-year-old Stapleton woman is facing vehicular homicide charges in a crash that killed her daughter and seriously injured her granddaughter.

On the morning of November 26, Lincoln County deputies responded to an injury accident at Mile Marker 87 on Highway 83, north of North Platte.

Authorities say a minivan being driven by Vicky Allen, crossed the center line and collided with a semitrailer.

Allen’s daughter, 34-year-old Michelle Heisz, was killed in the crash and her granddaughter, three-year-old Angellycka, was seriously injured.

A warrant was recently issued for Allen’s arrest after a toxicology report was returned, showing that multiple prescription drugs were found in her system at the time of the crash.  Officials say Allen did not have a prescription for these narcotics and determined that their effects would impair her ability to drive.

According to jail records, Allen turned herself in on April 20.

She’s been charged with negligent vehicular homicide, driving under the influence (causing serious bodily injury), and felony possession of a controlled substance.

Allen is being held on ten percent of $50,000 bond.

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The cost of brand inspections for cattle could rise to $1.10 per head under a bill advanced by Nebraska lawmakers.

Senators gave first-round approval Monday to an increase in the maximum fee that the Nebraska Brand Committee can charge.

The committee inspects cattle and investigates missing and stolen cattle. Inspections are mandatory in the western two-thirds of Nebraska anytime a bovine animal changes ownership.

Sen. Al Davis of Hyannis says the committee has reached the maximum fee that it can charge under state law. The ceiling was last increased from 65 cents to 75 cents per head in 2005.

Lawmakers say the committee has been conservative in raising its fees and sometimes has been able to lower them.

The bill advanced on a 28-2 vote.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a bill designed to increase Medicaid reimbursements from the estates of recipients with large amounts of money or property.

Senators gave the measure first-round approval Monday with a 31-0 vote.

The bill would require that the Department of Health and Human Services be notified when inheritance taxes are imposed on a trust, a sign that money is available to be recovered.

Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus says many Nebraskans die with assets that could be recovered by the state to pay for Medicaid services that they use, but the state’s recovery program is only receiving about $4 million a year.

A 2003 study estimated that Nebraska could recover an additional $10 million annually if it was more aggressive in seeking reimbursement.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. North northwest wind 6 to 14 mph becoming east northeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. South southeast wind 5 to 13 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Southeast wind 7 to 10 mph.
Thursday: A slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 62. South southeast wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 58.

GERING, Neb. (AP) — A series of workshops and other fun events for outdoor lovers is being planned at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center south of Gering.

The events sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission start May 16 with an 8k run, children’s crafts and wildlife hikes.

On June 6, a nature photography workshop will offer advice about shooting pictures of wildlife.

The area’s bighorn sheep will be the focus on July 11 when staff members lead a hike to teach more about the area.

The monthly events continue through December. Anyone interested in participating can register by calling the nature center at (308) 436-3777.

SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is scheduled to act Wednesday on an application for a Sioux County disposal site for wastewater from oil exploration and production.

The commission website says the special meeting is set to begin at 10 a.m. at the commission office in Sidney.

Terex Energy Corp., of Broomfield, Colorado, wants to truck salty groundwater and chemical-laden fracking wastewater from oil operations in Wyoming, Colorado and, eventually, Nebraska, to a ranch north of Mitchell, Nebraska.

The proposal has drawn opposition from some environmental groups and nearby landowners who have cited possible contamination of groundwater among their concerns. Company officials deny the plan poses any threat to water resources.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — More than 40,000 trees are being planted in northwest Nebraska again this spring to help the area recover from the 2012 wildfires.

Crews from the Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands have planted 41,300 seedlings this month in areas that were heavily damaged by fire.

The plantings are part of a 10-year plan. Last year, 42,500 seedlings were planted, and another 40,000 trees will be planted next spring.

Acting Pine Ridge District Ranger Geri Mason says it’s exciting to see the trees being planted.

The seeds for these trees were harvested from pine cones that were collected in 2009 and 2010 and stored at the Bessey Nursery.

LINCOLN, NEB. – The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture (NFB Foundation for Agriculture) along with the Nebraska Farm Bureau Ag Promotion Committee selected two recipients for the FFA chapter Advisors of the Year award: Jason Speck and Jeremy Vlasin both of the Imperial FFA chapter.

The teachers were chosen based upon their school and community involvement and accomplishments made with their FFA chapters.

“Both teachers are remarkable FFA advisors and spend countless hours working with their students to make them successful in all of their endeavors,” Laura Schabloske, Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture interim executive director, said April 14.

Jason Speck and Jeremy Vlasin serve together as FFA Chapter Advisors at the Chase County schools in Imperial. Both have the wonderful ability to engage alumni in supporting the chapter by volunteering to critique the vast assortment of teams that prepare to compete each year. The Imperial FFA is one group of students that adults in the community of Imperial can always count on, and it is because of the hard work and perseverance of both Speck and Vlasin. They are remarkable motivators, and students strive to emulate them. Speck’s steady encouragement, dedication, and hard work have made him a role model within his chapter and his community. Vlasin serves his community by inspiring excellence and encouraging personal growth for his students and their families.

The advisors were recognized during the 2015 Nebraska FFA Convention held in Lincoln, April 9. The winning advisors received a plaque and $250 to be used toward their FFA chapter.

“This year we had a number of exceptional applications, and the selection committee had a very difficult time choosing the two winners. All of the advisors nominated are outstanding agriculture leaders in their community,” Schabloske said.

The nomination form for the 2016 award will be distributed via the FFA intranet in January. It will also be available at nefb.org. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 1, 2016.