A North Platte man is facing charges following a New Year’s Day traffic stop.

At around 10:31 p.m., on January 1, an officer observed Christopher Perez riding as a passenger in a vehicle.  The officer had knowledge that Perez had an active warrant, and conducted a traffic stop.

According to Officer Rodney Brown, the officer noticed that the driver, later identified as 26-year-old Marcus Condon, appeared to be trying to hide something.

The officer conducted a search of the vehicle, and located a cigarette pack, which contained 15 pills, in the area where Condon had been reaching.  The pills were identified as hydrocodone and oxycodone, both controlled substances for which Condon did not have a prescription.

As a result, Condon was placed under arrest and charged with two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Perez was placed under arrest for the warrant, and both were transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center.

A 40-year-old North Platte man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend in the presence of children.

On December 12, North Platte police responded to the report of a disturbance in the 2200 block of West 2nd Street.

According to Officer Rodney Brown, evidence indicated that Louis Olona had assaulted his girlfriend.

Through their investigation, the officers learned that the victim had a valid protection order against Olona, issued by a court in Colorado.

Brown said Olona had fled the scene prior to the officers’ arrival, but they determined that probable cause existed to arrest him for 3rd degree domestic assault, violation of a protection order and child abuse.

On January 1, at around 4:03 a.m., the victim again called police to report that Olona was in a home she was at in the 2800 block of West 3rd Street.  The victim stated that Olona had made threats against her and responding police officers.

When officers arrived, Olona was still inside the home.  He was placed under arrest for the charges stemming from the December 12 incident, as well as an additional charge of violation of a protection order.

He was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

 

A 37-year-old man is facing felony drug charges after he was busted with meth at the North Platte homeless shelter.

At around 11:06 a.m., on December 30, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the report of two residents smoking marijuana at The Connection Homeless Shelter, 414 East 6th Street.

Officers arrived and made contact with the residents in question.  They conducted a search of two rooms and located two used syringes.

A field test was conducted on the contents of one syringe, and it tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.

Following further investigation, officers arrested Jason Vanhofwegen, and charged him with felony possession of methamphetamine.

Vanhofwegen was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Grand Island man who made a deal with prosecutors has been convicted on two charges stemming from child sex assaults in Buffalo County.

Sentencing is scheduled Feb. 20 for 30-year-old Noe Flores-Diaz. He pleaded no contest to third-degree sexual assault of a child and attempted first-degree sexual assault of a child. Court records say the incidents occurred between May 2011 and May 2013 and on June 9 last year.

Four other counts of felony sexual assault of a child were dismissed in exchange for his pleas.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly report shows an improved economic outlook over the next three to six months for nine Midwestern and Plains states.

A survey report issued Friday says the overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index jumped to 54.4 in December from 51.3 in November.

The survey results from supply managers are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth, while a score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says drops in grain and fuel prices have helped companies with close ties to consumers.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s liquor regulators want the Legislature to decide whether to bar or order a tight watch over powdered alcohol, if the new product ever hits store shelves.

Some states have already barred Palcohol, which comes in pouches that hold the equivalent of one shot of alcohol and is added to liquids to create various drinks. Palcohol’s producers must wait for labeling approval from federal regulators before distributing the product.

Hobert Rupe (roop) is executive director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, and he said the commission said in a letter to lawmakers that “technology advancements will result in an increase of products that are not clearly defined as beverage alcohol but result in the same type of usage.”

• New Year’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 29. Wind chill values as low as -8. West wind around 8 mph.
• Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -3. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming north after midnight.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32. Wind chill values as low as -1. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm.
• Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. South wind 6 to 8 mph.
• Saturday: Areas of blowing snow and a slight chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. Blustery, with a west southwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming north northwest 18 to 28 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around -4. Blustery.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 14.

 

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s highway safety administrator says the number of people who died in Nebraska crashes in 2014 likely will be the highest number in five years.

As of Wednesday morning, 221 people had died in crashes. That’s the highest number since the 223 in 2009. Because of the holiday, officials couldn’t provide the final toll for 2014.

Nebraska highway safety administrator Fred Zwonechek (ZWAHN’-ah-chehk) says he expects the rate of fatalities per million miles traveled may be lower than last year, however. He expects the miles driven to be higher than 2013 because fuel prices have dropped below $2 a gallon in some parts of Nebraska. Plus, mild weather for Christmas, Thanksgiving and Labor Day led to more trips for people.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 51-year-old man has died a week after his car collided with a sport utility vehicle in North Platte.

Timothy “Tim” Christophersen died on Dec. 26 after he was taken off life support.

He’d been flown to an Omaha hospital after the Dec. 19 accident. Police say his car crossed into oncoming traffic and struck the SUV. People in the SUV declined to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

December 19 Story:

https://www.northplattepost.com/2014/12/22/np-man-seriously-injured-in-crash/

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans who want to attend the inaugural celebration for Gov.-elect Pete Ricketts have until Friday to buy tickets.

The inaugural ball at Lincoln’s Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for Jan. 10, two days after Ricketts is formally sworn into office. More than 2,000 tickets have been sold so far.

Two tiers of tickets are available: a $75 dinner ticket that includes a dinner, dessert, the main program, a dance and free parking; and a $25 ticket that does not include the dinner. Tickets and details are available at www.ItsAllAboutNebraska.com , or by calling 402-474-6463.

The band Finest Hour will perform at the inaugural ball. The dinner menu will include beef short ribs and prairieland chicken, vegetable and potato salad, honey carrots and Nebraska corn pie. Desserts will come from Nebraska businesses.