COURTESY OF THE NORTH PLATTE POLICE DEPARTMENT

01/14/2015 00:05:20 EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION “W WILLIAM AV /S OAK ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 00:20:48 SPEEDING “BIRCHWOOD RD /S BUFFALO BILL AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 01:04:42 NO LICENSE PLATES 60 323 “W E ST E /S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 01:22:21 SPEEDING “W 2ND ST /N JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 01:27:49 SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE “W 6TH ST /N CARR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 02:04:15 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “LBF,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 02:15:30 TERRORISTIC THREAT “700 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 03:03:48 DOMEST ASSAULT-MISD “1200 E 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 04:06:52 NO LICENSE PLATES 60 323 “E 13TH ST /N JEFFERS
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 04:31:15 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “W PHILIP AV /S CARR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 06:32:29 OTHER DISTURBANCE “1 NORTH PLATTE
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 07:31:07 SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE “W FRONT ST /N PACIFIC ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 07:52:50 THEFT BY EXER CONTROL- THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE “500 S BRYAN AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 08:18:01 ESCORT – CARPENTERS “CARPENTER,
1616 W B ST 1400
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 08:34:37 CITIZEN ASSIST “NORTH PLATTE,
1 NORTH PLATTE
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 09:01:35 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 09:01:19 MOTORIST ASSIST “W FRONT ST /N PACIFIC ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 09:11:26 FOUND PROPERTY “900 E E ST E
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 09:25:16 TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS “W PHILIP AV /S JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 10:01:13 ASSAULT- 3RD DEGREE- MINOR INJURY “500 N DEWEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 10:35:44 GEN PARK & TRAFFIC “100 W 4TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 10:59:32 THEFT BY DECEPT BY USE OF CREDIT/CHARGE CARD “NORTH PLATTE,
1 NORTH PLATTE
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 11:30:58 WELFARE CHECK “1900 W WILLIAM AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 12:11:28 GEN PARK & TRAFFIC “W 5TH ST /N JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 12:17:35 72 HR PARKING VIOLATION “1500 W 3RD ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 12:37:51 DEAD ANIMAL CALL “400 E FREMONT DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 13:10:25 DOG-STRAY FR CITIZEN “1400 N SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 14:14:07 MOTORIST ASSIST “E 9TH ST /N JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 14:13:16 WELFARE CHECK “1200 E 3RD
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 14:51:50 BURGLARY “100 E 8TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 15:00:45 B.E.A.T. COMM POLICING “NORTH PLATTE,
1 NORTH PLATTE
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 15:04:47 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “500 W LEOTA ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 15:41:01 OTHER DISTURBANCE “1000 S TABOR AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 15:50:38 PROP DAMAGE-NO ALC RELAT “300 N Poplar
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 16:24:24 RESIST ARREST- NO SERIOUS INJURY OR WEAPON “E H ST /S SILBER AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 16:38:22 H&R ACC-NO ALC RELATED “E 2ND ST /N BAILEY ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 16:57:27 DOG-SURRENDER “1400 N SYCAMORE ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 17:20:30 ASSIST OTH AGENCY “1900 N MADISON AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 17:55:35 EXPIRED PLATES/REGISTRATION “S JEFFERS ST /W G ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 19:16:07 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “W 4th ST /N Willow ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103”

01/14/2015 20:06:22 TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS “S Jeffers ST /W Leota ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103”

01/14/2015 20:31:26 PLATE CHECK “200 block W B ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103”

01/14/2015 21:24:40 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “E 12TH ST /N JEFFERS ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 21:43:08 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “E 2ND ST /N COTTONWOOD ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 22:36:03 OTHER DISTURBANCE “200 E C ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 23:10:04 MOTOR VEH LIGHT REQUIREMENTS “600 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/14/2015 23:24:34 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “5400 E Lee Bird Dr
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/15/2015 01:59:45 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “5400 E Lee Bird Dr
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/15/2015 02:00:54 MINOR IN POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL “1300 block N Sheridan
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69103”

01/15/2015 06:03:33 ALARM – OTHER “500 E PHILIP AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/15/2015 06:43:38 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY “1500 W 14TH ST
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/15/2015 07:25:49 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-GENERAL “W 3RD ST /N EMORY AV
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

01/15/2015 07:36:27 AIRPORT SECURITY CHKPOINT “AIRPORT,
5400 E LEE BIRD DR
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101”

In recognizing January as National Radon Action Month, EPA encourages Americans around the country to test their homes for this naturally occurring radioactive gas and make 2015 a healthier, safer new year.

“Many people don’t realize that radon is the second cause of lung cancer after smoking,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “The good news is radon exposure is preventable. Testing and fixing for radon will save thousands of lives, prevent burdensome health care costs, and make America’s homes and schools safer for future generations.”

 

Each year about 21,000 Americans die from lung cancer caused by exposure to radon. Testing is the only way to know if a home has elevated levels of radon. The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend taking action to reduce the radon level if it’s at or above 4 picocuries per Liter (pCi/L) of air.

 

Affordable do-it-yourself radon test kits are available online, at many home improvement and hardware stores, or you can hire a qualified radon professional.

If your test result is 4 pCi/L or more, you should contact a qualified radon-reduction or mitigation contractor.

A professionally installed radon reduction system removes the radon from beneath your home and discharges it harmlessly outside. That’s done by using a vent pipe and exhaust fan.

Taking action to reduce your exposure to radon is also a long-term health investment. A working mitigation system is a positive selling point for homes on the market; in many areas a radon test is a standard part of real estate transactions. If you’re building a new home, work with your builder to include radon-resistant construction techniques.

More information on how to test, obtain a test kit, contact your state radon office, and find a qualified radon professional is available at https://www.epa.gov/radon or by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska bars could remain open 24 hours a day under a new bill in the Legislature.

Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill submitted a measure Thursday that would strike the mandatory closing times from state law.

Nebraska imposes a 1 a.m. closing time for bars, but gives local governments the option to extend theirs to 2 a.m. with a supermajority vote of a city council, village board or county board. Omaha and Lincoln have allowed bars to close at 2 a.m. since 2010.

The bill would also apply to public commons areas designated as entertainment districts, such as Lincoln’s West Haymarket, and to retail alcohol sales.

All of Nebraska’s border states let bars stay open until 2 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A state fund created to reduce local property taxes would get a $50 million boost under a new bill in the Nebraska Legislature.

Sen. Al Davis of Hyannis submitted legislation Thursday that would add $25 million annually to the fund this year and in 2016.

The fund uses state money to reduce what all Nebraska property owners pay in local property taxes. Last year, lawmakers increased the fund to $140 million. With that additional money, a home or property valued at $100,000 gets a tax credit of $74.11.

Lawmakers and Gov. Pete Ricketts have said cutting property taxes is a top priority for this year’s session.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A monsignor from Omaha has been chosen to lead Roman Catholics in the Grand Island Diocese.

The appointment of Monsignor Joseph Hanefeldt was announced Wednesday. He will replace Bishop William Dendinger, who submitted his resignation on his 75th birthday, as is required of all bishops. Dendinger has held the post since 2004.

The 56-year-old Hanefeldt was born in Creighton and grew up on an 800-acre farm near Center. Hanefeldt has been the pastor of Omaha’s Christ the King Parish since 2012.

Hanefeldt will be installed as bishop on March 19 at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The diocese covers more than 42,000 square miles in central and western Nebraska.

NEW YORK (AP) — As predicted, this year’s flu vaccine is doing a pretty crummy job. Health officials say a new study shows it’s only 23 percent effective.

That’s one of the worst performances since the government started tracking how well vaccines work a decade ago. The best flu vaccines were 50 to 60 percent effective.

But this year, the vaccine doesn’t include the specific virus that is making most people sick. Early in the season, officials warned the vaccine probably would not work very well.

The study results were released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They studied about 2,300 people in five states who were sick.

A 53-year-old North Platte man is facing charges after he allegedly choke a man to the point he lost consciousness.

On January 7, at aroud 7:00 p.m., officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to a residence in the 700 block of Union Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers met with a 28-year-old male victim, who alleged that he had been socializing with Michael Fredrickson at a residence in the 700 block of East 10th Street.

The victim alleged that, at some point, he and Fredrickson began arguing.  He said Fredrickson began punching in the face, then choked him until he became unconscious for a short period of time.

The victim stated that after he “came to,” he was able to fend off Fredrickson and leave.

On January 14, Fredrickson met with police at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Following further investigation, Fredrickson was placed under arrest and charged with 3rd degree domestic assault and felony strangulation.

• Today: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 47. West northwest wind 8 to 11 mph.
• Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 15. West southwest wind 8 to 10 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 53. West wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. West wind 10 to 13 mph.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. Breezy, with a northwest wind 11 to 16 mph increasing to 24 to 29 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 20.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 45.

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A consultant that worked with top Nebraska officials for more than a year says the state can avoid building a new prison with cheaper solutions while maintaining public safety.

The Council of State Governments Justice Center presented its final report to senators on Wednesday.

The report suggests spending $33 million over five years to expand probation, parole and community-based services and building a statewide database to reduce sentencing disparities in different parts of Nebraska.

Marc Pelka, the group’s program director, says that expense would alleviate the need for a new prison, projected to cost more than $261 million.

Nebraska’s prison system reached 159 percent of its design capacity last month, with 5,221 inmates. Sen. Les Seiler, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, says overcrowding needs to be addressed this year.

The Nebraska State Education Association, representing 28,000 teachers and other public education employees, denounced newly elected Nebraska Board of Education member Pat McPherson, of Omaha, for racist posts in his “Objective Conservative” blog.

At least four separate postings on McPherson’s blog described President Barack Obama as a “half breed.” While McPherson claims the contemptible remarks were posted by a contributor, at least three of the postings are written as if they reflect the opinion of the blog itself, which McPherson founded and co-edits.

NSEA President Nancy Fulton commended Gov. Pete Ricketts for his condemnation of the disparaging description of President Obama posted on McPherson’s blog. Ricketts issued this statement:

“While many Nebraskans disagree with our president on many issues, he is deserving of the same civility and respect we give one another. There is no room for bigotry. I am deeply disappointed and unequivocally condemn these comments.”

Fulton said the bigotry that appeared on McPherson’s blog has no place in Nebraska, much less at the table of the state’s highest education board. She said NSEA has received numerous calls and emails from members urging NSEA to call for McPherson’s resignation.

“I am appalled that a State Board of Education member hosts a blog that espouses racist ideals,” said Nancy Fulton, NSEA President. “This is not the type of person we want serving in a leadership position at any level, much less on the State Board of Education.”