Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The Honorable Donna Taylor bound five felony cases over to district court when she presided from the Antelope County court bench at the courthouse in Neligh on Feb. 15. Michael J. Mueller, 26, of Clearwater appeared in front of Taylor for a preliminary hearing on multiple first-degree sexual assault charges, Class 2 felonies alleged in two separate cases involving separate minor victims. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith requested the cases be combined. “They are related,” he said. There was no objection from Mueller’s attorneys. He is repre...
Barbara Youngblood, 42, O’Neill, appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week for a pretrial hearing on Count I, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and Count II, disturbing the peace, a Class 3 misdemeanor, both alleged Set. 24, 2022. “I would like to go to trial,” Youngtree told the judge. Taylor set the case for jury trial March 27 and issued instructions to attorneys. A status report filed by Antelope County atorney Joe Smith in January estimates trial will last one to two d...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska Feb. 14, 2023 Chairman opened the meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims. General: AMERICAN SCREENING ex 255.00; AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP ex 18,885.34; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 17.00; APPEARA ex 35.77; APPLIED CONNECTIVE TECH ex 3,928.70; BLACK HILLS ENERGY ut 4,407.66; BCBS ins 61,241.44; BOMGAARS ex 305.15; BORDERS INN/SUITES ex 288.00; CARNEY LAW ex 36,000.20; CASEYS ex 129.20; CITY OF NELIGH ut...
Morgan K. Anson, 24, Orchard waived her right to a preliminary hearing when she appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 1. Anson is charged with a Class 2A felony, theft by receiving stolen property and three Class 4 felonies, possession of methamphetamine, operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and possession of burglar tools, all alleged Dec. 9, 2022. Taylor bound the case over to the Antelope County district court, where arraignment is set Feb. 22. The judge further ordered that...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska Feb. 7, 2023 Chairman opened meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approve agenda. Approved minutes of the Jan. 10, 2023, Board of Commissioner meeting and Jan. 10, 2023, Board of Equalization meeting. Correspondence was reviewed. Zoning administrator report. Zoning permit report, clerk of the district court report; treasurer’s fund balance and miscellaneous revenue reports. Approved pay application - Ashfalls North. Approved change order - 519th Avenue....
Ron Crumly, 74, Page, appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 1, for arraignment on Class 4 misdemeanor alleged March 1, 2022, violation of statewide burn ban. Crumly waived his right to counsel and pleaded guilty. Taylor set sentencing for March 1. Sarah J. Ward, 46, of Oakdale faced Taylor on Class 4 felony, possession of controlled substance (methamphetamine) alleged Jan. 4. Ward requested court-appointed counsel. Taylor appointed Antelope County public defender Pat Carney and set...
Joseph McNally appeared in the Antelope County court in Neligh, as prosecutor in cases involving violations to a Village of Orchard ordinance. Three defendants were recently charged with maintaining dangerous buildings in the village, alleged in November 2022. Jennifer L. Trease, 54, of Orchard appeared for arraignment on the misdemeanor violation Feb. 1. She waived her right to counsel, pleaded no contest and was found guilty by the Honorable Donna Taylor. Sentencing is set May 3. Jay Pettijohn, 63, of Royal did not appear for his...
A 25-year-old Norfolk man had his first court appearance last week on allegations of theft, criminal mischief and trespassing at a rural Clearwater location. Benjamin T. Smith faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courthouse in Neligh on Feb. 1, for arraignment on three counts alleged Jan. 6, about eight miles northeast of Clearwater, at 85824 519 Avenue. Smith’s charges include: Count I, theft, 0 - $500, a Class 2 misdemeanor; Count II, criminal mischief, 0 - $500, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count III, second-degree t...
The case of a Clearwater teenager, who is accused of making terroristic threats last fall regarding a Summerland Public School bus, was arraigned in the Antelope County district court last week by the Honorable James Kube. Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater faced Kube on Jan. 25, alongside his court-appointed attorney, Ryan Stover of Norfolk. He entered a not guilty plea to a count of making terroristic threats and requested jury trial. If convicted of the Class 3A felony, Fernau faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and/or a...
Two defendants were arraigned in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh recently, while, in the wake of a pending winter storm, many either had their appearances continued to February or just didn’t show up. One defendant had his case dismissed. Austin R. Bertschinger, 30, of Oakdale appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor on Jan. 18 for arraignment on a count of possession of tramadol, a Class 4 felony alleged Dec. 10. Bertschinger requested court-appointed counsel. After holding an indigency hearing, Taylor appointed Antelope C...
Haiden Sleister, 19, of Tilden appeared in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Jan. 25, to be sentenced for attempted possession of a stolen firearm, a crime committed March 19, 2022. Sleister, who arrived late to court, had not yet produced a specimen for pre-court drug/alcohol testing when the Honorable James Kube called his case. Kube advised Sleister that he would revoke bond and keep him incarcerated until he tested clean. The judge further advised that he only held court in Antelope County one time a month, wi...
Jake R. Short, 22, of Meadow Grove appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County court in Neligh on Jan. 18, alongside Antelope County public defender Pat Carney, to be sentenced for second-degree forgery, a Class 2 misdemeanor committed nearly one year ago. Taylor fined Short $200 and assessed $50 costs. Restitution of $433.73 had been paid and a second forgery count was dismissed by deputy Antelope County attorney, Joe Smith, as agreed to by the late county attorney, Joe Abler, in an October 2022 plea agreement....
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska January 10, 2023 Vice chairperson opened the meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims. General: AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP ins 18,615.51; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 160.00; ANTELOPE CO SHRF ex 198.51; APPEARA ex 36.31; APPLIED CONN TECH ex 4,013.64; BLACK HILLS ENERGY ut 1,960.45; BCBS ins 77,750.80; BOB BARKER CO ex 179.96; BOMGAARS ex 230.19; DEBORAH BRANSTITER ex 29.49; CASEYS ex 582.87; CITY OF NELIGH ut 5,...
Aaron C. Poellot, 39, of Osmond was sentenced in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Dec. 28, for the May 2 theft of gasoline from a Royal convenience store. Poellot appeared, alongside Antelope County public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk, before the Honorable Donna Taylor on Wednesday for pretrial hearing on a charge of theft by unlawful taking. Madison County attorney Joe Smith served as prosecutor. A plea agreement was announced, which included Poellot changing his plea to guilty and agreeing to pay restitution, in return for...
The case of a Clearwater teenager, who is accused of making terroristic threats last fall regarding a Summerland Public School bus, has been bound over to Antelope County district court. Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater waived his right to preliminary hearing, on a Class 3A felony count of making terroristic threats, when he appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor on Dec. 28. Two misdemeanor counts of disturbing the peace were dismissed, without prejudice, by prosecutor Joe Smith. Fernau’s $25,000, 10% cash, bond is continued. He w...
The last of four young men charged in connection with March 21 break-ins at two Neligh businesses, Neligh Vape Shop and the Fit Stop, appeared in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on Dec. 21, with the Honorable Mark Johnson presiding. Madison County attorney Joe Smith again represented the State of Nebraska in the stead of Antelope County attorney Joe Abler, who was absent due to illness. Smith told the judge he anticipated being sworn in as deputy Antelope County attorney later Wednesday. Harley Snyder, 20, of Oakdale faced...
Five of seven defendants who were set for arraignment Dec. 7 faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh. Two others were truant. Madison County attorney Joe Smith represented the state as prosecutor. Smith said he was covering for Antelope County attorney Joe Abler, who was absent due to illness. “I am not sure how long that illness will last,” Smith said. Roland Hurtig, 61, of Orchard appeared for arraignment on Count I, a Class W misdemeanor, driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense; and two inf...
A felony case against Justin M. Golter, 47, was dismissed in Antelope County court last week. Golter is currently incarcerated at the Nebraska Department of Corrections Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln. Antelope County attorney Joe Abler filed a document Dec. 5, dismissing a 2022 Class 1D felony charge, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. The charge stemmed from meth allegedly found in a vehicle Golter had driven to the courthouse Aug. 31, the day he fled from officers after a district court appearance for a similar...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska Dec. 13, 2022 Chairman opened meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Open meeting. Met in executive session regarding legal issues. Approved agenda and minutes of 11-07-2022 BOC meeting. Correspondence was reviewed. Approve payroll claims. Pledge collateral was reviewed. Approved the following vendor claims: General: MELVIN AHLERS ret 24.00; AMERITAS LIFE INSURANCE CORP ins 17,558.78; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 157.00; ANTELOPE CO NEWS ex 30.56; APPEARA ex...
Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor on Dec. 6, beside his court-appointed attorney Ryan Stover of Norfolk, for a status hearing on a felony count of making terroristic threats and for arraignment on two misdemeanor counts of disturbing the peace. Stover asked for a continuance, “not out very far…Koda has been in the Antelope County Jail since September.” He then asked for review of Fernau’s $25,000, 10% bond. “I am sure he would like to be home with his family for Christmas. His mom agreed to...
Justin M. Golter of Orchard will spend at least four years in prison for a crime committed more than two years ago. Golter, 47, faced the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on Nov. 30, for sentencing. Golter faced up to 50 years of incarceration for his conviction of a Class 1D felony, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, committed Aug. 13, 2020. Antelope County attorney Joe Abler brought to the judge’s attention incidents that occurred after Golter’s Aug. 31 conviction, when he fled the...
The Honorable Mark Johnson, presiding from the Antelope County district court bench in Neligh last week, dealt with three out-of-state defendants accused of possessing drugs with the intent to deliver. The judge arraigned an Iowa couple and a Colorado man, who claimed stormy weather kept him there, then showed up for a makeup court date under the influence of drugs. Darrion J. Cescolini, 28, of Denver did not appear Wednesday for his pretrial hearing on two counts, a Class 2A felony, possession of heroin with intent to deliver, and a Class 4 fe...
The class was seated in the court gallery to observe Nov. 16 county court proceedings. The docket was comparatively light, giving Antelope County Judge Donna Taylor the opportunity to spend about an hour visiting with the students. Although there were no arraignments for them to observe, Taylor explained the typical types of cases she sees, including many that are alcohol or drug related, and the penalties that can result from conviction of various crimes. The judge answered questions from...
Justin M. Golter, 47, of Orchard appeared in the Antelope County courtroom Nov. 16 on charges alleged Aug. 31 in two cases. He was set for preliminary hearing on a Class 1D felony, possession of methamphetamine, with intent to deliver, more than 10 grams and for pretrial hearing on three Class 1 misdemeanors in the other case, resisting arrest, obstructing officers and obstructing government operations. Taylor granted a defense request to continue the preliminary hearing on the felony to Dec. 7. A plea deal was announced in the misdemeanor...
The Honorable Donna Taylor ordered probation for an Oakdale man, revoked probation for another and continued sentencing for a third, when she presided from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh last week. Matthew J. Wright, 48, of Oakdale appeared in front of Taylor on Nov. 16 for sentencing on two Class 1 misdemeanor counts of first-degree assault committed July 2 in Oakdale. Antelope County attorney Joe Abler asked Taylor to follow recommendations in a presentence investigation report made by the Nebraska probation office -...
