Tragedy struck on a wet Interstate 80 Tuesday afternoon, when an 18-year-old Ogallala man slammed his pickup into a semi trailer.
Nebraska State Patrol Troopers and emergency personnel from across Lincoln County responded to the report of an injury accident near mile marker 173 westbound at around 2:30 p.m.
According to the Patrol, Timothy Dovel, 18, of Ogallala, was driving eastbound when his pickup crossed the median and struck the trailer of a westbound semi.
Dovel was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Post employee who passed by the scene said Dovel’s pickup was, “non-existent” following the crash.
Troopers believe Dovel was traveling too fast for the wet conditions and lost control of his vehicle.
Westbound I-80 was closed for over an hour, and traffic was diverted to Highway 30 at North Platte.
The semi’s driver, Herbert Wilson, of Okeechobee, Fla., was not injured.
(AP) — A 21-year-old Wyoming man who escaped Nebraska’s Work Ethic Camp has been given two to three more years in prison.
Drew Steier was sentenced last week in Red Willow District Court. He’s pleaded guilty to felony escape and theft. His two sentences are to be served at the same time.
Authorities say Steier scaled the perimeter fence at the camp and made it on foot to McCook, where he stole a car. He was arrested a few weeks later in Evanston, Wyo.
At the time of his escape, Steier had served less than a year of an 18- to 36-month sentence for attempted robbery at a bank in Wallace, Neb.
He and his accomplice, 54-year-old Tracy Black, are both from Evanston, Wyo.
(AP) — New funding for Nebraska property tax relief, water projects and state park renovations has cleared a key vote in the Legislature.
Lawmakers gave the state budget bill first-round approval on Tuesday with a 37-2 vote.
The vote came after some lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to remove individual spending items, including $2.5 million for bronze fountains at the Capitol and $60,000 in state membership dues for the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact.
The measure that won initial approval includes a $25 million annual increase in Nebraska’s property tax credit program, $17.5 million for deferred park maintenance and $32 million for water projects by the middle of next year.
Lawmakers still have to debate two other measures as part of the $7.8 billion, two-year budget.
(AP) — A new report says more than 25,000 Nebraskans have signed up for private health insurance plans through the federal website.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday released new enrollment data from Oct. 1 through March 1. The report says 25,582 Nebraskans have selected a plan.
Statewide, more than 54,300 Nebraska residents are eligible for plans through the federally facilitated marketplace.
Nationally, about 4.2 million people have enrolled in plans using the federal website. Approximately 31 percent of those nationally were age 34 or younger.
Following the incident yesterday, law enforcement served a search warrant on the residence.
The search revealed the presence of methamphetamine.
As a result, Vancura was also charged with felony possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine.
A charge of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person was filed in the case because Vancura has prior felony convictions.
Vancura is being held at the Lincoln County Detention Center without bond.
Additionally, the original NPPD news release stated that the residence was on West 15th Street. The incident actually took place in the 1300 block of East 15th.
A 31-year-old North Platte woman was held against her will at gunpoint in a North Platte residence..
According to Officer Rodney Brown, officers responded to a residence in the 1300 block of East 15th Street around Noon on Tuesday.
It was reported that a female was being held against her will at gunpoint.
The victim alleged that 36-year-old Jamie Vancura was preventing her from leaving the residence with a handgun and making threats to harm her, according to Brown.
“Officers were able to resolve the incident without injury or harm to all involved,” Brown said.
Vancura was taken into custody and transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center. He’s been charged with felony terroristic threats and 1st degree false imprisonment.
The investigation is ongoing, and no further details were available.
A Grand Jury will convene to review the facts in the suicide of a North Platte man.
On December 11, 2013, North Platte Police received a report that Jesse Hornbacher was barricaded in his home at 918 North Walnut with loaded guns.
NPPD officers surrounded the residence and attempted to talk Hornbacher out of the home. After a short standoff, Hornbacher fatally shot himself.
Because Hornbacher was not free to leave at the time of the incident, and independent investigation was conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, at the request of the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office. A Grand Jury will be reviewing the facts of the case as well. Nebraska State law requires a Grand Jury to be convened whenever a subject dies while in custody of law enforcement.
According to LCSO Chief Deputy, Roland Kramer, a Grand Jury is a closed hearing where the facts of the case are presented to Lincoln County residents.
The LCSO has completed its investigation into the matter, according to Kramer, and has submitted the case to Lincoln County Attorney Rebecca Harling, who will conduct the Grand Jury hearing.
An April 1 court date was set for the hearing in Lincoln County District Court.
The North Platte Public School Foundation has named their 2014 Staff Member of the Year, Administrator of the Year and Teachers of the Year.
The awards recognize and encourage superior professional efforts to improve instruction and cultivate the continuation of educational excellence at North Platte’s schools.
This years recipients are:
Trisha Hasty-2014 Teacher of the Year-PreK-5th
Trisha Hasty
Trisha Hasty teaches Preschool at Jefferson Elementary. This is her third year in the district.
Hasty obtained her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Iowa State University. She received endorsements in Spanish, English as a Second Language and Special Education. She is currently working to obtain her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane College.
Her family includes her husband, Forrest, her mom, Lisa, her dad, Andy, and her brother, Trevor.
“I see Trisha put students’ needs over her own, her flexibility and willingness to help others is truly amazing” said Jefferson Elementary Principal George Schere.
Hasty said she enjoys reading, spending time with her friends and family and being at the lake.
Leah Purdy-2014 Teacher of the Year
Leah Purdy
Leah Purdy is the Director of Choirs at North Platte High School where she directs the Mixed Choir, Concert Choir, Blue and Gold Singers Jazz Choir and teaches Music Appreciation.
Purdy is also an adjunct faculty member for MPCC, offering her Music Appreciation class for dual credit. She is developing an online version of the class.
Additionally, Purdy directs the musical each year for NPHS.
Musicals under her direction have included “West Side Story,” “The Sound of Music,” South Pacific,” “Into the Woods,” “Footloose,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Cinderella,” “Anything Goes,” “Children of Eden,” and “Wizard of Oz.”
She has also held lead roles in a number of musicals, including, “Into the Woods,” “Cinderella,” “Ruddigore,” “She Loves Me,” “Seussical” and “The Marvelous Wonderettes.”
Purdy regularly performs throughout the state, having served as the soprano soloist in “The Messiah” with the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra three times.
In 2007, Purdy was chosen as Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Outstanding Young Alumni for her accomplishments in teaching high school choral music.
She conducts honor choirs across the state, most recently serving as the director for the Festival Choir at the University of Nebraska at Kearney Honor Choir Clinic.
Purdy is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Nebraska Music Educators Association.
Purdy holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
She lives in North Platte with her husband Ryan and their three children, Elliott, Carly and Addisyn.
Corene Richards-2014 NPPS Staff Member of the Year
Corene Richards
Corene Richards is a Paraprofessional at Adams Middle School.
Richards, a lifetime resident of North Platte, has been employed at Adams Middle School for nine years, serving seven years in the classroom as a paraprofessional and two years as a behavior paraprofessional.
She is a three-year Adams Family Relay for Life team captain and has assisted with summers school at Adams. She is also employed at the Golden Spike Tower in North Platte.
“It is hard to explain how valuable Mrs. Richards is to our building, she performs so many duties that go unrecognized, yet these duties keep our building operating in an efficient manner,” said Adams Middle School Principal, Jeff Steinbeck.
Richards has been married for 19 years and has four children and three grandchildren.
Richards says she enjoys working in tourism in North Platte and loves the challenges and rewards of working with middle school students.
She said her goal is to build relationships, assist students in becoming successful in the classroom and support staff in their roles at Adams.
Dr. Midge Mougey-2014 NPPS Administrator of the Year
Dr. Midge Mougey
Dr. Midge Mougey is the Principal at Lake and Osgood Elementary schools.
Dr. Mougey received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Dakota in 1976, a Master’s in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1998 and a Doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2004.
She has taught at McDaid Elementary and Madison Middle School and has served as the Principal at Jefferson Elementary.
In 1991, Dr. Mougey co-founded the and taught at the alternative school, TLC, in North Platte.
Dr. Mougey said, aside from her professional accomplishments, she is most proud of her family. She has four children and is married to her husband Charlie.
Foundation officials said nominations poured in for Dr. Mougey.
These individuals will be honored at the Foundation’s “Education After Hours” event on Friday, April 4, at the Holiday Inn Express from 5:30-7:30. The public is invited to attend.
Also being recognized at the event will be this year’s 2014 NPHS Distinguished Alumni award recipients.
Tickets are $25 and can be reserved by contacting the Foundation office at 696-3325.
The Nebraska State Patrol will be conducting high visibility enforcement efforts over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday in an effort to crack down on impaired driving and reduce the potential for alcohol related crashes.
Troopers and communication specialists for the Nebraska State Patrol will be putting in overtime hours beginning Thursday, March 13 through Monday, March 17. The overtime funding is provided thanks in part to a $15,620 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS).
Special enforcement efforts will include high visibility patrols, multi-agency sobriety checkpoints and DUI selectives. For information on specific enforcement activities call your nearest State Patrol Troop Area Headquarters. Contact information for Troop Areas is listed below.
(AP) — A menacing letter sent to Burwell’s city hall contains more than a dozen names of Burwell school administrators, teachers and students.
The letter didn’t say would happen to any of those listed, but Garfield County Attorney Dale Crandall says law enforcement and school officials “are taking the threat seriously.”
Investigators have been trying to find out who sent the letter, which was delivered Thursday. Classes at Burwell Junior-Senior High School were canceled Tuesday, and an increased police presence is expected there until the case is solved.
Today: Rain and snow likely before 2pm, then snow. Temperature falling to around 35 by 4pm. Windy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to 25 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 39 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Tonight: A chance of snow before 8pm, then a chance for flurries before ending. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Blustery, with a northwest wind 19 to 24 mph decreasing to 11 to 16 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 11 to 16 mph increasing to 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 62. West wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.
