NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A North Platte man accused in the stabbing death of another man now faces charges of manslaughter and weapon use in Lincoln County District Court.
24-year-old Nathaniel Polanco will face the charges in Lincoln County District Court after waiving his preliminary hearing Thursday.
Polanco is accused of killing Michael Fernau on Oct.22. Police say Fernau was stabbed at his home, and died at a hospital. Police say the two men had been arguing.
A county judge also reduced Polanco’s bail from $500,000 to $250,000.

 

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A judge has reduced bail for four people charged with child abuse after police found two boys locked in a dog kennel in their home.
The four adults saw their bail reduced from $50,000 each to $25,000. They also had their cases bound over for trial in Lincoln County District Court on Thursday.
The boys’ mother, Ashly Clark, and three others – Lacy Beyer, Bryson Eyten and Samantha Eyten – are each charged with two counts of felony child abuse and two counts of false imprisonment.
The four were arrested on Oct. 24 after police found two boys, ages 3 and 5, inside a wire dog kennel inside a filthy trailer.

 

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) – A Kimball city councilman charged with sexually assaulting a mentally disabled teenage boy has pleaded not guilty.
Forty-eight-year-old Scott Haun was charged in October with first-degree sexual assault on a child more than 12 years of age but less than 16.
Haun pleaded not guilty on Thursday during an arraignment in Scotts Bluff County District Court. His case is set for trial during the March jury term.
Court records say the alleged abuse took place Sept. 3 at the boy’s home in rural Scotts Bluff County.
Haun, who has served on the Kimball City Council for a total of 12 years, says he won’t resign.

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post)– An argument over who should drive the company truck led to one local man being treated at a hospital and the other going to jail.
According to Lt. Rich Hoaglund of the North Platte Police Department, 57 year old Edward Leza and a coworker had gotten into an argument over who was going to drive their work vehicle. The two men decided to settle their differences physically on the I-80 exit ramp near North Platte. Leza allegedly decided that a box cutter would help even the odds.
According to Lt. Hoaglund, the injured man did not know he had been cut until after the fight ended. He drove home and his wife took him to the hospital for treatment. His wounds were not life-threatening.
Leza was arrested on 2nd degree assault charges and use of a weapon to commit a felony.
He remains in the Lincoln County Jail. No bond has been set.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A southwestern Nebraska attorney and advocate for legalizing marijuana is suing the state Department of Motor Vehicles after he was denied a personalized license plate that state officials say would promote illegal drug use.
The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed the federal lawsuit Thursday on behalf of Frank Shoemaker, of Holbrook, saying the state violated Shoemaker’s constitutionally protected right to free speech.
The lawsuit says Shoemaker had applied earlier this year for a state license plate that read “NE420.” The term “420” is insider shorthand for cannabis consumption.
The motor vehicle agency rejected Shoemaker’s application, saying the number 420 is “associated with a date and time for people to gather and smoke marijuana/cannabis.”
The lawsuit seeks to have the department’s rejection declared unconstitutional.