Shopping at the Platte River Mall will soon be more awesome, especially if you’re a Tween.

DP Management representatives announced today that Tweebrands will be opening a Justice store in the mall.

According to a news release, Justice is a store that serves tween girls, ages 7-14, with sizes including 6-20.

The store will be contained in 3500 square feet at the south end of the mall near Bath and Body Works.

Justice, which also has stores Grand Island and Lincoln, claims to be the “leading retailer in tween girl’s fashion.”  They operate 950 stores nationwide.

Mall manager, Clarine Eickhoff, says she is excited to scratch this store off her Wish List.

“You anxiously wait until opening day and then you can breath a little easier,” Eickhoff said.  “Justice has been a part of our property’s plan, and we are pleased that our leasing agents and ownership could accomplish it.”

Eickhoff said the addition of Justice, the mall is 94% occupied with regionals and nationals, and almost 99% occupied with a mix of locally owned specialty shops.

If you’re interested in working at Justice, fill out a candidate profile at career.tweenbrands.com.

Eickhoff says the store is slated to open in June.

 

A 35-year-old North Platte man has been sentenced to prison for attacking a father and son with a machete.

George Trejo appeared in Lincoln County District Court on Monday for sentencing.

Prosecutors say Trejo attacked 55-year-old Richard Cooper and his son, 27-year-old Richard Beck, with a machete last July in the 1400 block of East 12th Street.

Cooper sustained cuts to his face and forehead, and a broken bone in his face.  Beck was cut on the face and hand when he tried to stop Trejo’s attack on his father.

Deputy Lincoln County Attorney, Jennifer Wellan, said, as part of a plea agreement, she would ask that the sentences be served concurrently and dismiss two charges.  However, she said that, due to the extremely violent nature of the crime, a penitentiary sentence was warranted.

Wellan said the victim’s injuries were serious, and one of them will never regain full use of their hand.

Trejo’s attorney, Amanda Speichert, asked Judge Richard Birch to consider that Trejo had saved the state the time and expense of a trial by entering a plea.

She also pointed out that the machete allegedly used in the attack had never been found.

Trejo then told the court that he was extremely sorry for his actions, and that he “never meant for it to happen like this.”

Judge Birch then sentenced Trejo to 5 to 10 years for 1st degree assault, and 2-4 years for use of a weapon to commit a felony.

The sentences will be served concurrently.

 

 

A 52-year-old Maxwell woman is dead following an accident south of Maxwell.

According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a farm accident south of Maxwell on Saturday at around 10:05 p.m.

Deputies were told that Heidi Craig was pinned under a large round hay bale inside her barn.

Authorities say when first responders arrived, Craig’s husband had already removed the bale from her body, but she had already perished.

Deputies secured the scene and conducted an extensive investigation, which is ongoing.

An autopsy has been ordered.

A 24-year-old Hershey man has been sentenced to probation for felony motor vehicle homicide.

Micah Koch appeared for sentencing in a packed Lincoln County District Court Room on Monday.

Judge Donald Rowlands moved Koch’s sentencing up on the docket to accommodate the large number of people in attendance.

Prosecutors say Koch was drunk when he crashed his pickup near Sutherland in January of 2013.

Koch missed a turn and crashed into a ditch, killing 24-year-old Korey Huebner and injuring 28-year-old Jay Shotkoski.  Koch was also injured.

Koch was called to the stand by his attorney, Blaine Gillett, prior to sentencing.

He asked Koch what steps he had taken to address his use of alcohol.

Koch stated that he had participated successfully in long-term inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, had acquired a counselor and a sponsor, and regularly attends a church-based “Celebrate Recovery” program.

Gillett then asked Koch if he had consumed alcohol since the accident, and Koch said that he had not.

Lincoln County Attorney, Rebecca Harling, declined to cross-examine Koch.

Harling then stated that this had been a tragedy for the victim’s family.

“They won’t be the same,” Harling said.

She then conceded that Koch had received the lowest score on his pre-sentence investigation evaluation that she had seen in 20 years as a prosecutor, indicating that Koch was an extremely low risk to reoffend.  It also indicated that Koch was a good candidate for probation.

However, she said Koch’s denial of being the driver of the vehicle, and his failure to acknowledge that he even knew Korey immediately after the accident, continues to haunt the family.

Gillett then addressed the court.

“Everyone wants to undo what happened on January 27, 2013,” Gillett said.  “The victim was a loving sister, daughter and friend, and people miss her.”

He then said that Koch had entered a plea, not to a reduced charge, but to the worst charge possible.  He added that Koch had taken responsibility, both criminally and civilly, and was extremely remorseful for what had happened.

Before Judge Rowlands handed down the sentence, Koch had the opportunity to speak.

Koch said not a day goes by that he doesn’t think of Korey.

“I wish I could go back and change what happened, but I can’t,” Koch said.

Judge Rowlands then noted Koch’s minimal criminal record, and the fact that he had scored extremely low on the evaluation he was given in the pre-sentence investigation.

However, he said he didn’t understand why Koch denied that he was driving and denied that he knew Korey.  He pointed out that Koch had referred to Korey as, “his best friend since the age of five,” and should have provided her with help after the crash.

“I don’t know why you didn’t hold her hand in the last minutes of life,” Rowlands said.

He then sentenced Koch to five years of probation.

The felony probation order included 180 days in jail, a five-year license suspension, regular breath, blood or urine testing, and ordered him to compose a letter to Korey’s family.  Koch is also prohibited from entering any establishment whose primary source of income is derived from the sale of alcohol.

Koch was remanded to the custody of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office to serve his jail sentence.  He was given credit for 37 days already served.

 

Two young men who attacked two employees at a North Platte youth shelter will be grown men when they get out of prison.

Jordan Baker, 17, and Keenan Lambert, 18, appeared in Lincoln County District Court for sentencing on Monday.

Prosecutors say Baker and Lambert attacked Diana Johns and Robin Schneider at the North Platte Youth Shelter on July 8, 2013.

They say Baker stabbed Johns twice in the neck, while Lambert stabbed Schneider five times, in the head and neck, during an escape attempt.  The pair then stole a car, before being captured in Dawson county.

Baker was sentenced first.

Lincoln County Attorney, Rebecca Harling, addressed the court saying, “The victims of this crime are here today, and have been at every hearing.  They are here with injuries that they will have to deal with for the rest of their lives.”

She said Baker and Lambert could easily be facing a homicide charge.

“The victims want these two held accountable, as do I,” Harling said.

Baker’s attorney, Patrick Heng, spoke next.

Heng said not a day goes by, that Baker doesn’t think of Johns.  He said Baker sent a letter to Johns stating this fact.

He then noted that Baker was at the shelter on a simple truancy charge, and was following Lambert’s lead.

“He was a player, not the ring leader, ” Heng said.

Baker then addressed the court.

“I apologize to the victims, their families and the entire community of North Platte,” Baker said.  “I tried to take the life of someone who was trying to make mine better.”

Judge Rowlands then handed down the sentence.

He agreed that Baker was not the leader in the attack.  He also noted that Baker, now 17, was only 16 at the time of the crime.

He then sentenced him to 10 to 20 years in prison for 1st degree assault, and 5-10 years for use of a weapon to commit a felony.  Rowlands ordered that the sentences be served consecutively, or one after the other, bringing the total sentence to 15 to 20 years.

Next, it was Lambert’s turn to be sentenced.

Harling’s statement was much the same as it was prior to Baker’s sentencing.

However, she added that the prosecution felt that Lambert was the leader in the attack.  She also stated that Lambert’s psychological evaluation was “concerning,” and felt the he deserved a substantial penitentiary sentence.

Lambert’s attorney, Stephen Potter, asked the court to consider Lambert’s age, and the fact that he entered a plea in the case.

Potter also voiced concern over the sentencing of Baker and Lambert, saying the court was sending these two young men to the pen for an assault, when an older man was sentenced to probation immediately before them for motor vehicle homicide.

It doesn’t make sense, Potter said.

Lambert then addressed the court saying he thinks about the crime every day.

“I’m truly sorry,” Lambert said.

Judge Rowlands made note of Lambert’s minimal record, and the fact that he did enter a plea to the crime.

But, he also agreed that Lambert was the ring-leader, and said he had been placed on lockdown twice at the Lincoln County Detention Center for rules violations.

He then sentenced Lambert to 15 to 30 years for 1st degree assault, and 5 to 10 years for use of a weapon to commit a felony.  The sentences will be served consecutively, bring the total sentence to 20 to 40 years.

Both Lambert and Baker showed little emotion during or after their sentencing.

 

A North Platte man will spend the next three to five years in prison for his role in the near-drowning of a young North Platte boy.

According to prosecutors, Trevor Perry took his three-year-old stepson, Landon Schroeder, fishing last May.

At some point, investigators say Perry became inattentive for an extended period of time and lost Landon.  He eventually  found Landon under water and unconscious about 15 feet from the shore.

Perry removed Landon from the water, and, instead of calling for help or taking him to the hospital, he drove Landon to his residence.

Landon’s mother immediately recognized that Landon was in great distress, and took him to Great Plains Regional Medical Center.  He was then transported to a Denver hospital via helicopter.

Landon eventually made a full recovery.  Perry was charged with felony child abuse.

At his sentencing, Monday, Perry addressed Landon’s family saying, “I always love Landon as my own child.  To me, he was my son and I was his dad.”

“I thank God that he gave him (Landon) the strength to make a recovery,” Perry added.

County Attorney, Rebecca Harling, asked Judge Richard Birch to give Perry the maximum sentence under the law.

“We are lucky this wasn’t a case of child abuse resulting in death,” Harling said.

Prior to sentencing, Judge Birch noted Perry’s minimal criminal record and the fact that he had saved the State the time and expense of a trial by entering a plea agreement.

Birch said that this was an accident, but, in any case, it is absolutely unacceptable.

He then sentenced Perry to three to five years in prison.

He was given credit for 349 days already served.

• Today: Showers likely, mainly before 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 45. Very windy, with a northwest wind 31 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Tonight: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 35. Windy, with a north northwest wind 29 to 38 mph, with gusts as high as 49 mph.
• Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 46. Windy, with a north northwest wind 31 to 38 mph, with gusts as high as 49 mph.
• Tuesday Night: A slight chance of rain, mixing with snow after 10pm, then gradually ending. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Windy, with a north northwest wind 27 to 32 mph decreasing to 16 to 21 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 43 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 18 to 23 mph increasing to 24 to 29 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph.
• Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Breezy.

(AP) — At least two tornadoes were spotted in rural areas of central and eastern Nebraska Sunday as powerful thunderstorms moved across the state.

The National Weather Service said one tornado was confirmed near Upland Sunday afternoon. Less than three hours later, another tornado was confirmed near Osceola.

No significant damage was immediately reported with either tornado, which were only on the ground briefly.

The storms also produced hail up to 1-inch in diameter, strong winds and heavy rain.

(AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a rollover crash on Interstate 80 that killed a 44-year-old Lincoln man.

The accident happened around 5:45 p.m. Saturday near Lexington.

The State Patrol says one of the front tires of Jose Louis Vasquez Suchite’s vehicle blew out and caused the crash.

After the tire blew, the vehicle veered off the road and into the median before rolling across the eastbound lanes.

The vehicle landed in a roadside ditch, and Suchite died at the scene. He was wearing his seatbelt.

(AP) — Small towns in Iowa and Nebraska are getting used to reduced hours at their local post offices.

Many residents are happy they still have a post office even if they have less access to it.

The U.S. Postal Service has reduced hours at more than 7,000 post offices nationwide and consolidated 143 mail processing centers to reduce costs.

In Lawton, Iowa, the post office now closes at 2 p.m. on weekdays and is only open for an hour on Sunday. Heath Mallory with Western Iowa Telephone says it’s harder to get mailings out before closing.

Bronson, Iowa, Mayor Dave Amick says he’s glad the town kept its post office even if it’s harder for people who work full time to get there.