News – Page 1535 – North Platte Post Archive

Another arrest made in connection with N.P. woman’s death

Posted on August 5, 2011

Another person has been arrested in connection with the death of a North Platte woman. Jeffrey Dean Manary was taken into custody yesterday afternoon and charged with homicide and distribution of amphetamine. He and 40 year old Elizabeth Crawford are suspected in the death of 45 year old Esther M. Smith, also of North Platte, who was found unresponsive in the 2100 Block of West 14th Street on Wednesday afternoon. Smith was later pronounced dead at Great Plains Regional Medical Center. Both Manary and Crawford are being held in the Lincoln County Jail on $250,000 bonds.

New floors being poured at new Lincoln County jail

Posted on August 4, 2011

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – Workers are breaking up some concrete floors and pouring new ones to resolve drainage issues at the new Lincoln County jail in North Platte.
Jail inspector Kirk Nichols first warned contractors about the problems in May last year, when the floors originally were poured. Nichols says the repairs being done now won’t cost the county anything. He says the floors will have to be sloped more toward the drains. He says that in some areas, the drains were placed level with the surrounding floors. At other spots, the drains sit higher
than the floors. Before the jail opened, the roof had to be replaced because of
leaks that had led to mold.

USDA Announces Recall of 36 Million Pounds of Ground Turkey

Posted on August 4, 2011

The Agriculture Department says meat giant Cargill is recalling 36 million pounds of ground turkey linked to a death in California and at least 76 other salmonella illnesses. Illnesses in the outbreak date back to March and have been reported in 26 states coast to coast. Nebraska is one of the states included in the recall. Government officials say that even contaminated ground turkey is safe to eat if it is cooked to 165 degrees and handled properly before cooking.

North Platte woman dies; another arrested in connection with death

Posted on August 4, 2011

Lt. Rich Thompson from the North Platte Police Department reported that emergency personnel responded to the 2100 block of West 14th Street on August 3rd, 2011 at 3:24 p.m. in response to an unresponsive 45 year old female. The female, identified as Esther M. Smith, was transported to Great Plains Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Following an investigation, North Platte Police arrested 40 year old Elizabeth Crawford for Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Manslaughter. Drugs are suspected in Smith’s death. A forensic autopsy has been scheduled for August 5th; the investigation continues.

High School Dropout Age

Posted on August 4, 2011August 4, 2011

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and several key lawmakers say they’re considering a proposal to close a loophole in state law that lets 16- and 17-year-olds drop out of school with a parent’s permission. Heineman says he has talked with Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford about a possible bill when lawmakers reconvene in January. The U.S. Department of Education says that, as of last year, Nebraska was one of 21 states to require student attendance until age 18. But Sen. Greg Adams of York, chairman of the Legislature’s Education Committee, says the law also allows students to stop attending at age 16 with a parent’s notarized consent. Ashford says that provision seems counterproductive, given Nebraska’s recent efforts to reduce truancy.

North Platte man gets prison for assaulting girl

Posted on August 3, 2011August 3, 2011

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A 29- year-old North Platte man has been given 18-to-36 months in prison for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl. Sammie Lee pleaded no contest to sexual assault of a child after prosecutors lowered the charge. Court records say Lee was arrested in January after a girl reported that Lee had touched her in a sexual manner. During his sentencing on Monday, Lee was given credit for 169 days already served.

Vietnam vets gathering Aug. 11-14 in Gering

Posted on August 3, 2011August 3, 2011

GERING, Neb. (AP) – About 400 Vietnam veterans from Nebraska,
North and South Dakota, Colorado and other states are expected to attend the 27th annual Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion. Most of the events are scheduled for Aug. 11-14 at the Gering Civic Center. Speakers include veterans service officers and a readjustment counseling therapist. Among the other events are a golf outing, history tours and a steak feed. More information is available on the reunion website, www.vetsreunion.com.

Neb.’s Nelson votes against debt deal in Senate

Posted on August 3, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson has voted against the debt ceiling deal in the Senate, making him the only member of
Nebraska’s congressional delegation to vote against the measure. Nelson, a Democrat, objected to the plan “because it will cut
Medicare, a promise we’ve made to Nebraska seniors that I intend to
keep.” The measure had already gathered the 60 votes needed to pass the emergency debt limit bill by the time Nelson cast his “no” vote Tuesday. Without the legislation, the government’s ability to
borrow would run out at midnight. Republican Sen. Mike Johanns, Nebraska’s junior senator, voted for the measure.

Amtrak hits irrigation system in Nebraska

Posted on August 3, 2011

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) – Officials say no one was seriously injured
when Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr hit an irrigation system
that moved on the tracks in southeast Nebraska.
The Hastings Tribune says the train hit a
center pivot Monday morning just west of Exeter.
Fillmore County Emergency Manager Donna Mainwaring describes it
as a “minor traffic accident.” She says she doesn’t know why the
irrigation system moved from a field and crossed the tracks.
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari says the train, which travels
between San Francisco and Chicago, had two locomotives and 10 cars.
He says the locomotives were damaged.
Magliari says no serious injuries were reported among the 247
passengers and crew, but two engineers in the lead locomotive were
treated and released from a local hospital.

Scottsbluff man may have been beaten to death (Update)

Posted on August 3, 2011August 4, 2011

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) – Authorities say a man found dead in his independent living apartment in Scottsbluff may have been beaten to death. According to KNEB radio, Scotts Bluffs Attorney Doug Warner says an autopsy on Wednesday determined that 49-year-old Ralph MaGee died of a broken neck due to blunt force trauma. MaGee’s body was found Tuesday morning by staff in his apartment at Cirrus House, an independent and assisting living complex. Warner says the autopsy indicated he died sometime after 11:30 p.m. on Monday.