Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 26 - 42 of 42
Holt County Supervisors approved a resolution declaring the county a Second Amendment sanctuary during the board’s March 16 meeting in O’Neill. The resolution cites U.S. Supreme Court cases upholding an individual’s right to possess firearms and notes Article 1, Section 1-1, of the Nebraska constitution providing “All persons have certain inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for the security or defense of self, f...
Holt County Supervisors may declare its support of the Second Amendment of the U.S. and Nebraska constitutions during the governing body's March 16 meeting. Holt County Attorney Brent Kelly told supervisors, during the board's Feb. 26 meeting at the Holt County Courthouse, other counties have passed similar resolutions. "Basically, it's declaring this board's support for the Second Amendment ... If the state passes a law, it would preempt what you're doing. I don't have any problem with you...
Joshua A. Boettcher, 29, of Stuart was sentenced to 18 months in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for a July 2019 crime. Boettcher was sentenced by the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district courtroom Jan. 22. “Your prior history of criminal behavior is a concern…it began when you were a juvenile and has continued more or less consistently since,” Kozisek said, while reviewing sentencing guidelines with Boettcher. “Placing blame on your victim flies in the face of the facts…y...
Two area men were sent to the Nebraska Penal and Correctional Complex at Lincoln last week for crimes committed in Holt County. Kip V. Polston, 42, of Elgin appeared before the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill for sentencing Jan. 11. Kozisek sentenced Polston to two years in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, with credit for six days previously served. He was also fined $500 and assessed $139 costs of prosecution. Provided he loses none of his good t...
Shawn A. Buxton, 21, of O’Neill faced the Honorable Mark Kozisek, in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on Nov. 9 for a pretrial hearing on charges of third-degree assault and making terroristic threats. Buxton, who had earlier submitted written not guilty pleas to both counts and waived his right to a physical appearance at arraignment, entered a plea agreement with county prosecutor Brent Kelly. Buxton pleaded guilty to committing the Class 1 misdemeanor assault, in return for Kelly dismissing the felony threat charge. Kozisek sen...
David A. Carr, 25, of O’Neill was sentenced to serve 90 days in the Holt County Jail by the Honorable Mark Kozisek, during Holt County district court proceedings, Monday, Oct. 19. Carr was given credit for 23 days previously served. Providing he loses none of his good time, he must serve 30 days before his mandatory release. He was remanded to the custody of Holt County sheriff Ben Matchett. Carr was convicted Aug. 11 of a Class 4 felony, committed in November 2019, attempted failure to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act, p...
The Holt County supervisors approved a road-use agreement for duration of potential construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, despite the county leaders’ denial of a construction permit in February. Consideration of the road-haul agreement was on the agenda when the supervisors met in the courthouse for an in-person meeting April 30. The agreement had been drafted by Omaha attorney David Domina, with Brent Kelley, Holt County attorney, proceeding, at the request of the supervisors, to negotiate terms with TCE officials. Kelly was present in t...
Effective Monday, March 23, the Holt County courthouse and annex are open to customers by appointment only. Holt County supervisors approved a motion to limit access to the courthouse during an emergency video-conference meeting, March 20. Limited access will be in effect until at least until March 31, when the supervisors will re-evaluate the situation at their regular meeting. The meeting was called after department heads met Thursday to discuss possible procedures to enact. Individuals needing to conduct business with county officials are...
Effective Monday, March 23, the Holt County courthouse and annex are open to customers by appointment only. Holt County supervisors approved a motion to limit access to the courthouse during an emergency video-conference meeting, March 20. Limited access will be in effect until at least until March 31, when the supervisors will re-evaluate the situation at their regular meeting. The meeting was called after department heads met Thursday to discuss possible procedures to enact. Individuals needing to conduct business with county officials are...
Six Holt County supervisors listened as nearly 50 citizens presented testimony last Friday afternoon. A public hearing regarding TC Energy's application for a pipeline construction permit was held in the district courtroom at the Holt County courthouse. Pipeline opponents, from elementary students to 90-year-old grandparents, packed the courtroom, filling approximately 100 seats, and spilled out to the second-floor hallway. Speakers were called in order of sign-up, which had begun in the morning...
A Ewing man was sentenced to three years in a facility under jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Corrections on Monday. Tyler J. Napier, 21, was sentenced by the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district court for three crimes committed in August 2018. Kozisek sentenced Napier to serve 24 months, less 169 days credit for time previously served, on Count III, criminal attempt of terroristic threats, a Class IV felony; 12 months on Count VIII, third-degree domestic assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, to be served consecutive to...
Budd D. Sholes, 40, of Norfolk was sentenced last week in Holt County district court for December 2018 and January 2019 crimes committed in Holt County. The Honorable Mark Kozicek ordered Sholes to serve four terms in a facility under jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. If he loses none of his good time, Sholes must serve 15 months, less five days credited for time served in the county jail, before becoming eligible for parole, and 60 months (five years), less five days, before mandatory release. Sholes pleaded...
Three Holt County supervisors agreed, when the leaders met at the courthouse in O’Neill last Thursday, to serve on a committee to look for ways to improve efficiency within the road department. Road superintendent Gary Connot described several recent issues he attributed to lack of training, oversight and accountability. “I personally think we have got to get more oversight, more practical training and more instructions to our motorgrader operators,” he said. “We had a guy this last summer – we had the best set of roads in the county – in a per...
The Holt County supervisors addressed cyber security at their final 2019 meeting. The leaders met Dec. 31 at the courthouse in O'Neill. Steve Anson with Anson Insurance Services was invited, by chairman Bill Tielke, to present information about insuring the county against "hacking" of county computers. Tielke indicated cyber security concerns were raised at a recent convention he had attended. "I don't think it's a matter that we can keep beating around the bush and not doing something about,"...
The Holt County supervisors met Monday, Dec. 16, in front of a crowd of concerned citizens. Agenda items regarding a TC Energy road-haul agreement and some township road concerns drew the visitors. The supervisors heard an update on a bronze statue planned for the courthouse lawn by the “Finian Women.” They are a group headed by daughters of longtime Holt County resident, Doc Cook, who referred to himself as a Finian, according to county clerk Cathy Pavel. Natalie Cook Butterfield addressed the leaders regarding fundraising and planned placemen...
Timothy L. Robinson, 37, of Norfolk was sentenced to 120 days in the Holt County Jail by the Honorable Mark Kozisek on Monday. He was given credit for 36 days previously served. Robinson was convicted of a Class 4 felony count of possession of a controlled substance Sept. 30, after reaching a plea agreement with Holt County attorney Brent Kelly. Terms of the plea deal included the prosecutor reducing a Class 2 felony charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and an ag...
The Holt County supervisors addressed a recent article submitted to area media when they met at the courthouse Monday, Nov. 18. According to the letter submitted by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly, published in the Nov. 20 edition of the Advocate and online at SummerlandAdvocate.com, and by other area news media, his purpose was to explain some of the issues county residents and elected officials will face as TC Energy proceeds with its effort to build a pipeline. Chairman Bill Tielke turned...
