LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s new corrections director is promising to restore his department’s reputation while finding ways to reduce overcrowding.

Scott Frakes told lawmakers Thursday he will also try to end what he described as a “fear-based culture” among employees.

Frakes, of Olympia, Washington, was appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts to help fix high-profile problems in the department. The agency has faced criticism for miscalculating prison sentences, overcrowding and the use of a re-entry furlough program that some senators say is illegal.

Frakes told lawmakers he has imposed a moratorium on new admissions to the furlough program.

Several senators urged Frakes to continue firing administrators who were involved in hundreds of miscalculated prison sentences. Frakes says he’ll make more changes, but he needs time to get a sense of the department’s needs.

SAN JOSE, California (AP) — Scientists warn the Southwest and Central Plains could face “megadroughts” during the second half of this century. And they could last for decades.

The scientists write in a study in the journal Science Advances that global warming will lead to “unprecedented drought conditions” — the worst in more than 1,000 years.

The study is based on current increasing rates of rising emissions of carbon dioxide and complex simulations run by 17 different computer models, which generally agreed on the outcome.

The Southwest will see less rain. But the biggest problem in both regions will be the heat, which will increase evaporation and dry out the soil.

The lead author is NASA atmospheric scientist Benjamin Cook, who says, “We’re going to have to think about a much drier future in western North America.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill to require vaccinations for meningitis is all but certain to die in the Nebraska Legislature.

Its sponsor, Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha, filed a procedural motion Thursday to push the measure to the bottom of this year’s agenda.

The bill would have required all students be immunized before entering seventh grade and again after they turned 16 years old. Parents could opt out for religious reasons. The bill faced a filibuster led by Sen. Mike Groene, of North Platte.

Groene and Krist reached a compromise Thursday with an amendment to let parents opt out for “philosophical” reasons. But Krist says public health officials who first approached him with the bill told him they’d rather see it die than have a less effective law in place.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A former Kearney restaurant manager has been convicted of making video recordings of his female employees in a restroom.

Twenty-eight-year-old Robert Koziol is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30. He’s pleaded no contest to five felony counts of unlawful intrusion. The pleas are not admissions of guilt, but they are treated the same as guilty pleas for sentencing. Prosecutors dropped another count in exchange for Koziol’s pleas.

Prosecutors say Koziol’s employees found a cellphone in the vent of the women’s restroom on Sept. 25. The phone proved to be Koziol’s, and prosecutors say it contained images and videos of women in varying stages of undress.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill designed to save Nebraska’s cigar bars is headed to a final vote in the Legislature.

Lawmakers advanced the measure Thursday through the second of three required votes.

The proposal by Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill comes after the Nebraska Supreme Court struck down a 2009 law that allowed smoking in cigar bars and shops, despite the Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act.

The bill seeks to address to the court ruling by making it clear that lawmakers intended to create a legal exemption for those establishments so they could continue to operate.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill to ban workplace discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Nebraskans will move to the full Legislature as initially planned.

Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha said Thursday that he will not try to pull the measure back into its committee, but will revisit his concerns when it’s debated on the floor.

Krist had asked the committee to reconsider its vote after members voted 5-2 to advance the measure. Krist had voted yes, but said he became concerned about the effectiveness of an exemption for religious groups. He says he also was offended by remarks Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha made about the Catholic church.

Chambers told senators Thursday morning that he doesn’t remember what he said, but maintains that religious beliefs should never prevent a bill from advancing.

MCGREW, Neb. (AP) — A Union Pacific official says a train carrying coal from Wyoming to Arkansas derailed in western Nebraska.

Spokesman Mark Davis says about 29 of the train’s 136 cars came off the tracks on Wednesday morning. He says no injuries were reported in the accident east of McGrew, Nebraska.

The Scottsbluff Star-Herald reports the train derailment caused coal to spill. Davis said crews would be working throughout Wednesday night to clean up the accident. He said he wasn’t sure how long it would take.

The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

COURTESY OF THE NORTH PLATTE POLICE DEPARTMENT

02/11/2015 02:03:15 DISTURBING THE PEACE AND QUIET “2300 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 03:26:18 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “LBF,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 03:51:08 72 HR PARKING VIOLATION “1800 E D ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 04:24:33 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “2300 W 13TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 04:35:04 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “E PHILIP AV /S DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 04:56:14 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “2300 W 13TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 06:55:33 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “5400 E Lee Bird DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103”

02/11/2015 07:34:57 LOOSE ANIMALS “900 E 14TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 07:38:22 SPEEDING “W A ST / MCDONALD RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 07:52:07 VIOL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEV “E 11TH ST /N JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 08:53:58 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1000 E 15TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 10:23:09 B.E.A.T. COMM POLICING “500 S SILBER AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 10:34:51 WELFARE CHECK “1400 S Dewey ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 12:00:44 GEN PARK & TRAFFIC “1400 S Dewey ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 12:05:21 EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION “W B ST /S OAK ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 12:07:55 SPEEDING “100 N Willow
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 12:50:33

02/11/2015 13:04:10 DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION “200 S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 13:12:18 THEFT BY SHOPLIFTING “500 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 13:20:25 ESCAPE OR PERMITTING ESCAPE “200 S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 14:28:51 PROP DAMAGE-NO ALC RELAT “E FRANCIS ST /S CHESTNUT ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 15:00:42 OTHER DISTURBANCE “900 S DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 15:17:00 GEN PARK & TRAFFIC “2000 W 2ND ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 15:21:26 PROP DAMAGE-NO ALC RELAT “1200 S DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 15:49:28 DEATH NATURAL CAUSES “1800 W FRONT ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 16:08:59 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1400 RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 16:12:03 ANIMAL COMPLAINT OTHER “1400 N SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 16:32:37 PROP DAMAGE-NO ALC RELAT “1700 W 3rd
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 17:03:02 HARRASS-ANNOY PHONECALLS “1000 N JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 17:25:46 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1600 N BUFFALO BILL
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 18:35:42 DOG BITES “1100 E 9TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 20:04:17 SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101

02/11/2015 20:32:48 ASSAULT- 3RD DEGREE- MINOR INJURY “W 8TH ST /N SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 20:38:58 OTHER DISTURBANCE “S TABOR AV /E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 21:45:16 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “E B ST /S WALNUT ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 22:17:31 EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION “W FRANCIS ST /S OAK ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 22:56:15 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “300 N Sheridan
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103”

02/11/2015 23:04:58 ASSIST OTHER AGENCY-GENERAL “W 4TH ST /N GRANT AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/11/2015 23:41:00 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 00:41:33 GEN PARK & TRAFFIC “W A ST /S LINCOLN AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 01:39:36 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1200 JACKSON AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 01:49:31 CITIZEN ASSIST “600 W LEOTA ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 01:59:06 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 02:27:45 SPEEDING “1400 RODEO RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 03:22:44 OTHER DISTURBANCE “700 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 04:16:15 ALARM – OTHER “1200 S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 07:02:19 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “LEE BIRD FIELD,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 07:49:03 GEN PARK & TRAFFIC “1500 W LEOTA ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

02/12/2015 08:08:48 HARRASS-ANNOY PHONECALLS “600 N GRANT AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

A North Platte father is facing felony charges after he allegedly interfered with an investigation involving his son.

On February 4, the North Platte Police Department opened an investigation into alleged witness tampering, at the request the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office.

It was reported that 57-year-old James Henley, Sr., conspired to destroy or conceal evidence pertinent to legal proceedings involving his son, 32-year-old James Henley, Jr.

On January 31, Henley, Jr., was arrested for terroristic threats, domestic assault, use of a weapon to commit a felony and being a felon in possession of a deadly weapon, after he allegedly held a knife to a woman’s throat during an argument.

Additionally, police say Henley, Sr. conspired with his son to influence the pending testimony of a 38-year-old female.

Following further investigation, it was determined that there was probable cause to arrest Henley, Sr., and charge him with felony tampering with evidence and felony witness tampering.

On Wednesday, Henley, Sr. was placed under arrest and jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

RELATED CONTENT:
https://www.northplattepost.com/2015/02/02/np-man-accused-of-holding-knife-to-womans-throat/

 

• Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 41. East southeast wind 7 to 14 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph.
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