Dalton Simants, of Gothenburg, has been named “Business Student of the Month” at North Platte Community College. His parents are Scott and Becky Simants.

Dalton graduated from Brady High School in 2014, and is currently studying business entrepreneurship at NPCC. His expected college graduation date is May of 2016.

“I chose NPCC because it was affordable, and I could get the degree that I wanted,” said Dalton. “Also, I can keep my job while attending school because I’m not that far away.”

Dalton’s future plans include mechanical work and returning to his family’s farm. He has also tossed around the idea of opening a mechanics shop.

His instructors know he will do great no matter what path he chooses.

“Dalton is currently in my Introduction to Accounting class and is a very enjoyable student to teach,” said Ann Reichle, accounting instructor. “He has a good business mind combined with a consistent work ethic that will serve him well in his future plans.”

When not in class, Dalton enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time outdoors.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Agriculture Department says it’s updated its regulations in an effort to police dog and cat breeders who don’t meet state standards.

The office of state Agriculture Director Greg Ibach (EYE’-bah) says the amendments to the department’s Commercial Dog and Cat Operator Inspection Act took effect last week.

Ibach says the amended regulations “are designed to allow the department to move more effectively against those substandard dog and cat facilities.”

Among the updates are provisions to clarify violations of standards of dog and cat care and clarify rules on gaining access to make inspections.

The updated regulations can be found at https://tinyurl.com/NDADogAndCat.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An effort to scale back the use of mandatory minimum prison sentences in Nebraska has won first-round approval from lawmakers.

Senators voted 28-9 on Wednesday on legislation to abolish mandatory minimums for Class 1C and 1D felonies, including robbery, assault on a police officer and certain drug crimes. The bill would also limit “habitual criminal” sentence enhancements to violent crimes.

The bill is part of an effort to reduce Nebraska prison crowding. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson and some conservative lawmakers oppose the bill, arguing it removes an important tool for prosecutors.

Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers introduced the bill on behalf of a group of senators who have studied the problem. Chambers says the law still allows judges to impose long sentences for violent crimes.

A North Platte man is in jail on felony charges after he was found sleeping in a stolen car.

At around 9:30 a.m., on April 15, deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a vehicle sitting in a yard on North Front Road.

The caller advised that the driver of the vehicle, later identified as 32-year-old Christopher Davis, appeared to be sleeping in the vehicle.

Deputies arrived and met with an intoxicated Davis, who was still sleeping.

After running a check on the vehicle, deputies learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen from North Platte on April 14.

Davis was taken into custody and jailed on charges of felony possession of stolen property and 2nd degree trespassing.

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 65. Breezy, with a southeast wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 9pm. Cloudy, with a low around 44. Breezy, with an east southeast wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 7 to 12 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then a chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 60. East wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 41. Northeast wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. East northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Saturday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Kearney City Council has voted to turn over to the state land where the Central Nebraska Veterans Home will be built.

Mayor Stan Clouse on Monday night called the action the “first point of no return.” The 75-acre site sits on the northeast side of Kearney, not far from the airport.

Kearney beat out Grand Island, Hastings and North Platte for the home, which will replace the old one in Grand Island. Kearney committed $8.5 million in direct funding and utility cost reductions for the $121 million project, and Buffalo County officials pledged $1 million more.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State lawmakers are calling for greater scrutiny of a proposed disposal well for fracking water in western Nebraska.

Some senators on Tuesday urged the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to postpone a decision on the site in southern Sioux County until lawmakers complete an interim study.

Terex Energy Corp. wants to truck salty groundwater and fracking wastewater from oil searches and production in Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska to a ranch north of Mitchell, Nebraska.

Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm says the state needs more regulations to protect groundwater, which he described as “Nebraska’s gold.”

Sen. John Stinner of Scottsbluff introduced a study to address concerns about long-term monitoring and potential cleanup costs, the possibility of water contamination, potential heavy truck damage to roadways and the risk of earthquakes.

Flags in Nebraska will be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, April 15, to honor our Nation’s 16th President.

On Tuesday, Governor Pete Ricketts, in accordance with a proclamation from President Obama, announced that all U.S. flags are to be flown at half-staff in honor of a “Day of Remembrance for President Abraham Lincoln.

Flags are to remain at half-staff until sunset on Wednesday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska waiters and waitresses will continue to make the same hourly wage they earned in 1991.

Lawmakers voted 18-27 Tuesday against a measure by Omaha Sen. Jeremy Nordquist that would gradually increase the hourly wage for tipped workers until it reached 50 percent of the minimum wage, or about $4.50.

Nordquist says tipped workers need more stability than the federal minimum of $2.13. Thirty-two other states have higher tipped minimum wages than Nebraska.

Opponents say the bill would create burdens for small restaurants, and federal law already requires employers to make up the difference if employee tips fall short of the regular minimum wage.

Voters approved a higher minimum wage last year through a ballot measure after a proposed increase failed in the Legislature.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — North Platte officials have appealed to the Postal Regulatory Commission not to move retail services and post office boxes out of the downtown to a mail distribution center on the southeast side of town.

A letter of appeal was sent to Washington, D.C., on Friday.

The city says in its letter that the U.S. Postal Service didn’t hold a public hearing required for the relocation and did not first look for a building downtown before deciding on the mail distribution center. Postal officials have said a Dec. 16 council meeting counted as a public hearing.

The letter also states that the city characterizes the service changes as “a consolidation,” which the city says requires the Postal Service to consider possible effects on a community.

Click HERE to see the letter.