NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A North Platte man suspected of killing his wife has had his case continued until at least February.
Thirty-four-year-old Rogelio Diaz is charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 35-year-old wife, Michelle, at their home on June 25.
A Lincoln County District Court judge on Monday continued the case until Feb. 27 for a status hearing.
Police say Diaz killed his wife in their backyard. Police say he told officers that she fell from steps, but he later changed his story.

 

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A North Platte man who escaped from a hospital while in custody has been given 18-to-36 months in prison.
Nineteen-year-old Christopher Herring had pleaded no contest to charges of escaping from custody and criminal mischief. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped several other charges. Herring was sentenced on Monday.
Herring was serving jail time for theft when he was taken to Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte for treatment on Oct. 5. He broke out a window, jumped onto the roof and escaped.
He was captured a few hours later.

 

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – Police say a 59-year-old man was arrested after a weekend stabbing at Cedar Lodge in North Platte.
Police were dispatched to the Lincoln Highway Diner just before 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Officers say that 49-year-old Larry Kirchner entered the restaurant seeking help. Kirchner was suffering from stab wounds to his torso. He was taken to Great Plains Regional Medical Center and is listed in serious condition.
Police located the suspect, 59 year old Benny Rueben outside his residence at the Cedar Lodge Motel. Rueben is charged with attempted second degree murder, and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony.
Rueben is being held in Lincoln County jail on a $500,000 bond.

 

 

 

OGALLALA, Neb. (AP) – A sheriff’s deputy has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in western Nebraska.
Stacy Campbell was stopped early Sunday morning in Ogallala by a state trooper.
Nebraska State Patrol Capt. Jim Parish says Campbell was stopped for speeding and later checked for drunken driving. Results from a blood test are pending.
Keith County Attorney Randy Fair says Campbell is on leave, pending resolution of his case.
A public phone listing for Campbell could not be found. Online court records don’t list the name of his attorney.

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post)- Around 1:00 a.m. Thursday morning North Platte Police responded to a call in the 700 block of East 10th that a 5 year old girl was standing outside crying and yelling for her mother. The outside temperature at the time was 8 degrees with a wind chill of -7. The girl was wearing only pajamas. A neighbor kept the girl indoors until police arrived.
An investigation revealed that the girl’s mother, 25 year old Karen Herndon was several blocks away at her boyfriend’s house and had left the girl home alone. Herndon was arrested for Child Neglect/Abuse and taken to the Lincoln County Jail. Her bond is not listed.
The child was placed in protective custody.

 

 

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post) – 3 North Platte men have been arrested and charged with theft after cashing in stolen scrap metal at a local business.
On Monday, North Platte Police responded to the 2000 block of West 9th on the report that someone was repeatedly stealing scrap metal. An investigation revealed that the suspects had turned in the scrap at North Platte Metals earlier that day and were driving a white Chevy Colorado pickup truck. The items that had been turned in to NP Metals were identified as stolen leading to the arrest of 20 year old Eryan Segan, 19 year old Jamieson Swain and 19 year old Cole Picotte. Segan was driving the suspected pickup; Swain and Picotte were arrested at a local residence.
All three men have been charged with Felony Theft and remain in the Lincoln County Jail.

 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – From now on, those hoping to strike it rich with a Powerball jackpot will have to dig a little deeper to pony up for a ticket.
Powerball ticket prices rose to $2 apiece on Saturday.
Lottery organizers hope the increase will entice more people to play because jackpots are getting bigger and the odds of winning are improving.
The move is a strategy to differentiate the game from Mega Millions, another big-money, multi-state lottery game that sells for $1 a ticket. Both games are sold in 42 states, plus the U.S.
Virgin Islands and Washington D.C. Both have drawings twice a week but are played on different nights.
Lottery officials say they are betting players will like the changes. But some players say the increase may keep them from playing.

 

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – North Platte’s police chief has been named to the Nebraska Crime Commission.
Chief Mike Swain was named to a four-year term by Gov. Dave Heineman.
Swain was named North Platte’s chief in September 2010.
Swain replaces South Sioux City Chief of Police Scot Ford, who had served since 1999.
The commission’s duties include reviewing grant applications and administering law enforcement grants, doing officer conduct reviews and reviewing law enforcement procedure throughout the state.

 

 

GERING, Neb. (AP) – Republican Rep. Adrian Smith has filed for re-election to serve Nebraska’s vast, rural 3rd Congressional District.
Smith, who was first elected to the seat in 2006, easily defeated Democrat Rebekah Davis and independent Dan Hill in 2010.
So far, Smith faces a primary challenge from one other Republican, Columbus church music director Dennis Parker. No Democrats have yet entered the race.
However, Parker had raised no campaign by the end of September.
Smith, on the other hand, says he has received contributions from more than 4,500 Nebraskans and has more than $500,000 cash-on-hand.

 

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Harassment through Facebook, instant messaging and other online services would be outlawed under a new bill in the Nebraska Legislature.
The measure introduced Wednesday by Plattsmouth Sen. Paul Lambert and Lincoln Sen. Amanda McGill would expand an existing telephone harassment law to include online communications.
Lambert says he submitted the bill to modernize the existing law. He says the idea came from conversations with prosecutors in his district who have received complaints about so-called cyber bullying.
Intimidation by telephone would remain a misdemeanor under the bill, but the possible penalties would increase. The bill would apply to threats, obscene language and attempts to extort money.