The North Platte Quality Growth Fund Citizen Review Committee has denied the application, in part, for funds to renovate the Cedar Bowl.

The committee, made up of Pat Keenan, Ty Lucas and David Fudge, held a public meeting Friday morning.  The members of the committee are appointed by the Mayor.

Local entrepreneurs, Lonnie Parsons and Gary Suhr, are seeking funds from the Quality Growth Fund to renovate and enhance the Cedar Bowl.  The business closed its doors earlier this month, after nearly 36 years of operation in its current location.

While the committee denied the application, it wasn’t a complete denial. They will recommend that the North Platte City Council grant $50,000 and loan $250,000 to the project, but chose not to recommend the full amount requested.  The original request was for a $500,000 grant and a $250,000 loan.

The committee’s purpose is to study and review requests for funding and make a recommendation to the Council.  They do not have the power to actually award the money.

According to Parsons, the Quality Growth Fund currently consists of about $4.2 million.

“The renovation is going to cost around $1.5 million,” said Parsons.  “When you add the value of the land and building, the total cost is going to be around $3 million.”

Parsons said he and Suhr were not surprised the committee didn’t accept the full amount requested, but said they expected a larger recommendation.

Parsons said they intend to ask to the North Platte City Council for a $300,000 grant and a $200,000 loan.

Parsons and Suhr’s business plan includes transforming the Cedar Bowl into a high quality family entertainment center, with a “family-friendly” restaurant.

In any case, the ultimate decision on funding the project rests on the shoulders of the North Platte City Council.

Council member, Andrew Lee, said he is willing to listen to the proposal with an open mind, and determine whether the project is in the long-term interest of North Platte.

“I don’t need to see their whole plan,” Lee said.  “I just want to hear what their plans and visions are, and make my decision based on what it does for the community.”

Lee said the Council looks at several factors when deciding whether or not to grant funds to a project.  At the top of his list are job creation and tax revenue for the city.

“I’m very interested in what kinds of jobs this business will create,” said Lee.  “I want to know if they are going to be all minimum wage jobs, or jobs that will bring people back to North Platte to join the work force.”

Lee said he needs to feel confident that the business will be able to sustain itself, and survive well into the future.

“I will keep an open mind, and would love to see bowling stay in North Platte,” Lee added.  “But it has to be in the best interest of the city and its residents.”

The City Council will consider the request Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m.

As of Friday evening, members of the Quality Growth Fund Citizen Review Committee have not responded to the Post’s request for comments.

 

 

A North Platte woman is in jail on a felony charge after she allegedly used a stolen credit card at several North Platte businesses.

On May 5, an officer with the North Platte met with a victim in regards to unauthorized transactions on their credit card.

The victim reported that they last used their card on April 8, and noticed is was missing on April 13.

A review of their account found that the card had been used at Walmart and U-Fillem on April 8.  The victim stated that they did not make these transactions.

Police reviewed surveillance footage, and were able to identify the person that used the card as Carolyn Duffield.

Officers determined that the victim likely lost their credit card at their apartment complex located in the 1200 block of south Buffalo Bill.  Authorities say Duffield also resided at this complex.

As a result of the investigation, Duffield was placed under arrest and charged with felony theft by deception.

She was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

 

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Ravenna man is on trial on charges of incest and sexually assaulting a child.

The man’s bench trial before Buffalo County District Judge John Icenogle could wrap up Friday. The man is charged with felony first-degree sexual assault of a child and incest.

The Associated Press is not naming the man is to protect the identity of the girl.

He is accused of sexually assaulting a girl younger than 12 last year in Kearney.

The man has denied the allegations.

If convicted, the man faces 15 years in prison for the sexual assault and one to 20 years in prison for incest.

The man is being held at the Buffalo County Jail on $15,000 bond.

• Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. South southeast wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
• Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 7 to 13 mph.
• Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. South southeast wind 8 to 11 mph.
• Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
• Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.
• Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

GERING, Neb. (AP) — The family of a western Nebraska jail guard strangled in a cell has filed a wrongful death claim.

The family of Amanda Baker recently notified Scotts Bluff County of its intention to seek financial compensation of $250,000. The family also plans to pursue safety improvements at the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center.

Baker was strangled in a jail cell at the center on Valentine’s Day. Fifteen-year-old Dylan Cardeilhac, of Torrington, Wyoming, has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder. Sixteen-year-old Guy Eagle Elk, of Lisco, has been charged as an adult with felony aiding and abetting assault. Both teens have pleaded not guilty.

County Clerk Vera Dulaney said her office and the county attorney’s office received the claim Wednesday. No comments have been released.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court will decide whether a lower court was right to strike down exceptions in the state’s public smoking ban.

The state’s high court heard arguments Wednesday in the case of Big John’s Billiards, an Omaha pool hall, whose owner sued after Nebraska enacted a statewide public smoking ban in 2009. The law bans smoking in all public buildings and private businesses, including bars and restaurants. However, the law provides exceptions for cigar bars, some hotel rooms, tobacco-only retailers and facilities that research the health effects of smoking.

A Lancaster County judge upheld the statewide ban last year, but found that the ban’s exceptions were unconstitutional.

The state’s high court will determine later whether those exceptions are permissible.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The archway museum that straddles Interstate 80 in south-central Nebraska has received a $50,000 grant from a local foundation.

The Archway received the grant from the Ron and Carol Cope Foundation to replace exhibit incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs and projectors. The grant also will be used to improve the heating and cooling systems.

The Kearney museum has exhibits that commemorate the Oregon, Mormon and California pioneer trails, and it honors the nation’s highway systems and railroads.

The Archway emerged from bankruptcy in September after it settled more than $20 million in debt with bondholders, vendors and businesses by paying $100,000.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — A new addition to a western Nebraska zoo is now on display, and the public is being asked to name the black-and-white younger.

Riverside Discovery Center welcomed a male zebra, born May 23 at the zoo to resident zebras Zelda and Amigo.

Suggestions of names for the zebra are being accepted at the Riverside Discovery Center through June 6 and can be submitted at info@riversidediscoverycenter.org.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man accused of killing his ex-wife and his former divorce attorney has been sentenced to life in prison.

58-year-old Michael Petersen, of rural Glenvil, was sentenced Wednesday in Buffalo County District Court after pleading no contest last month to first-degree murder in the Nov. 13 shooting death of Nancy Petersen outside her home. In exchange for his plea, a weapons count in the shooting death of his ex-wife was dropped.

Petersen also faces first-degree murder and a weapons charge in Hall County District Court for the Nov. 13 death of 52-year-old attorney Todd Elsbernd. Elsbernd was shot with a rifle outside his Grand Island law office.

Petersen has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from Elsbernd’s death. That case is pending.

Long-time North Platte Public Schools employee, John Byrn, has been recommended as the new principal at Jefferson Elementary.

NPPS Associate Superintendent Tami Eshleman, and Superintendent Marty Bassett have recommended Byrn to the North Platte Public Schools Board of Education.  The position was vacant due to the recent resignation of Denise DiGiovanni.

Byrn has been with NPPS for 12 years, serving as the Middle School Alternative Education teacher, STEM Teacher and Dean of Students at Madison Middle School.

Additionally, Byrn has coached middle school sports at Madison.

Byrn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Emporia State University, and will complete his Administrative Degree at the University of Nebraska at Kearney this summer.

“John brings varied experience to Jefferson Elementary,” said Eshleman.  “John’s honesty and integrity were noted by the interview team.”

Byrn is married to North Platte native Shelly Byrn (Sack), who is a teacher and head volleyball coach at St. Patrick’s High School.  They have two children, Samantha and Bryce.

He will begin serving immediately, pending the approval of the recommendation by the Board of Education.