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4th Teen Sentenced in Nebraska Animal Torture Case

gavel-and-scaleSTANTON, Neb. (AP) — The last of four northeast Nebraska teenagers accused of torturing a cat and an opossum has been sentenced.

The boy was sentenced Tuesday and given a similar sentence: a year of probation, 50 hours of community service, more counseling and a mental health evaluation.

Stanton County authorities say the boys made an audio recording of the cat being tortured. Only two of the four participated in both incidents last fall.

An adult also has been charged: Kirk Van Pelt, a Stanton school board member and a former sheriff’s deputy. Van Pelt has pleaded not guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child. His pretrial hearing is scheduled for April 26.

Man Takes Plea Deal in June 2012 Gang-Related Omaha Slaying

Tavar Hudson
Tavar Hudson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 28-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a 2012 gang-related killing in Omaha.

Tavar Hudson made the plea Tuesday to a charge of second-degree murder after prosecutors lowered the charge from first-degree murder. He’ll be sentenced in May.

Prosecutors say he shot 19-year-old Deanthony Bryant outside a nightclub in Omaha’s Old Market district on June 17, 2012. It was the opening weekend of the College World Series.

Investigators have said the shooting stemmed from a feud between the 40th Avenue Crips gang and the 16th Street Bloods. They say Bryant was a Crip, Hudson a Blood.

Hudson was arrested last April.

Nebraska Man Accused of Shackling Nephew to Bed Takes Plea Deal

Wade Merry
Wade Merry

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — A Cass County man accused of shackling his teenage nephew to a bed has taken a plea deal.

Court records say 36-year-old Wade Merry pleaded no contest Monday to a misdemeanor count of negligent child abuse after prosecutors lowered the charge from a felony. His trial has been scheduled to begin April 6.

Police say the 14-year-old was shackled to the bed at least a dozen times. A court document says Merry told police he restrained the boy while Merry worked overnight shifts at a bakery. Merry says he was frustrated by the boy’s behavior problems.

Police say Merry gave the boy a cup in case he needed to use a bathroom while shackled.

Former Lincoln Coach Gets Prison for Assaulting 2 Boys

Jeff Hawks
Jeff Hawks

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Lincoln youth baseball coach convicted of sexually assaulting two boys has been sentenced to prison.

34-year-old Jeff Hawks was sentenced Tuesday to nine to 10 years in prison.

In February a jury found Hawks guilty of two counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child.

The boys, now age 13 and 16, told jurors that Hawks touched them inappropriately while they were alone with him. One instance allegedly happened during a private training session and the other happened while Hawks and one of the boys were wrestling.

Both boys said they were 12 when they were molested.

Hawks has denied touching either boy intentionally. Defense attorney Bob Creager says Hawks will likely appeal.

Fire Prompts Evacuation of Disney World Show; No Injuries Reported

disney-worldORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The “Festival of the Lion King Show” at Walt Disney World has resumed, a day after 1,000 people were evacuated to safety after a small fire broke out.

Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler said the show was up and running Tuesday

The fire started Monday afternoon under one of the floats used at the show inspired by the Disney movie “The Lion King.”

A Disney worker extinguished the blaze before firefighters got to the scene.

There were no injuries.

Guests received tickets for a different show after Monday’s last show was canceled.

Wahler says the cause of the fire was electrical.

Former Assessor Convicted of Stealing from Dodge County

judgeshipFREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A former Dodge County assessor has been convicted of stealing from the county.

Online court records say Dodge County Judge Ken Vampola found Brittny King guilty of two misdemeanor theft counts and dismissed two misdemeanor counts of unauthorized use of a financial transaction device. Vampola had presided over a nonjury trial Feb. 18. He issued his verdict Friday.

Sentencing for the 26-year-old King is set for May 10.

Court records say King used a county-issued credit card on two occasions to buy fuel for her personal vehicle.

Effort to Rename Millard Public Schools’ Winter Break Fails

schoolOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An effort to rename Millard Public Schools’ winter break to “Christmas break” has failed.

School board member Paul Meyer proposed renaming the break before the board adopted the 2017 to 2018 school calendar at a meeting Monday. His effort garnered sympathy, but no support.

Meyer was concerned that the calendar didn’t place enough significance on the religious holiday.

Board President Mike Kennedy said he appreciated Meyer’s position, but said he didn’t believe the administration made an intentional effort to remove Christmas from the calendar.

None of the board members present — Kennedy, Mike Pate and Pat Ricketts — seconded Meyer’s motion. The board then adopted the calendar on a 3-1 vote without specifying a name for the break. Meyer was the dissenting vote.

Omaha Officer Cut in Fight Over Towed Vehicle

omaha-policeOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say an officer was cut during a fight that broke out over a towed vehicle.

Police said in a news release Monday evening that the owner of a vehicle that was being towed left his southeast Omaha home and confronted the officer, who called for backup.

Police say the man began fighting when the officers arrived and tried to arrest him. Officers say the man took out a knife and cut one of them. A stun gun was used to gain control of the man so he could be arrested. Court records don’t yet show that he’s been charged.

The officer was treated for a non-life-threatening wound.

Veterans Using Pot to Ease PTSD, Despite Scant Research

marijuana-jointTRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A growing number of states are weighing whether to legalize marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. But for many veterans, the debate is already over.

They’re increasingly using cannabis even though it remains illegal in most states and is unapproved by the Department of Veterans Affairs because major studies have yet to show it is effective against PTSD.

While the research has been contradictory and limited, some former members of the military say marijuana helps them manage their anxiety, insomnia and nightmares. They say prescription drugs weren’t effective or left them feeling like zombies.

Others, though, have seen little benefit from pot. And the VA has documented a troubling rise in the number of PTSD-afflicted veterans who have been diagnosed with marijuana dependence, which some experts say can hamper recovery from war trauma.

Omaha Woman Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges

dept.-of-justiceOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha woman who is accused of selling worthless airline vouchers has pleaded not guilty to 25 federal charges.

Thirty-year-old Patricia Urbanovsky pleaded not guilty Monday in an Omaha federal court. She was indicted in February on nine counts of money laundering and 16 counts of wire fraud.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 15.

Urbanovsky is the owner of Creative Creations in Omaha. Authorities say she ran a scheme through her business to sell discounted airline travel vouchers, which turned out to be worthless. Authorities say the company purchased the vouchers for airline flights at a reduced rate and resold them to the public. But hundreds of customers discovered their vouchers wouldn’t be honored because the company had overbooked flights.

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