Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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General Election Results - Antelope County President: Harris/Walz (Democrat) Early voting 119 Precincts: 277 Trump/Pence (Pence) Early voting 562 Precincts: 2455 Oliver/ter Maat (Libertarian) Early voting 0 Precincts 11 West/Abdullah (Legal Marijuana Now) Early voting 0 Precincts 6 Stein/Kpadenou (By Petition) Early voting 2 Precincts 0 US Senator Deb Fischer (Republican) Early voting 519 Precincts 2049 Dan Osborn (By Petition) Early voting 156 Precincts 670 US Senator Pete Ricketts (Republican)...
Whether the luck of the Irish was with them or if a divine power intervened, emergency personnel are thankful that no fatalities or major injuries were reported in an explosion that rocked O'Neill before sunrise on Monday. At approximately 5:55 a.m., an explosion occurred in the St. Patrick's Parish Center, in the 300 block of Benton Street. KBRX Radio owner Scott Poese, of O'Neill reported flames as high as 50 to 60 feet were visible in the early-morning skies shortly after the blast occurred....
An investigation into the cause of a Monday morning explosion at St. Patrick’s Parish Center in O’Neill is believed to be the result of a vehicle striking a gas line that fed into the building. In a press release issued Tueday by Holt County Attorney Brent Kelly, first responders identified a vehicle they believe was associated with the incident. The vehicle was driven by a 58-year-old Guatemalan national. “The O’Neill Police Department initiated an investigation into the cause of the inciden...
Hand counting of election ballots will not take place in Holt County anytime soon, despite a request from citizens made at the Sept. 16 supervisors' meeting in O'Neill. Grace Coleman of Atkinson presented petitions discouraging use of electronic tabulators and encouraging a return to hand counting of ballots at the precinct level. She said individuals from Holt, Boyd, Antelope, Cedar, Knox, Dixon and northern Pierce counties signed the petitions, which were circulated over the summer months....
Kelsey L. Alder, 35, of O’Neill appeared in front of the Honorable Mark Kozisec Monday, Aug. 26, for a bond modification hearing in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill. A plea bargain was announced and Alder pleaded guilty to an amended charge filed May 13, by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, reduced from a Class 3 felony, terroristic threats. Kozisec sentenced Alder to 115 days in the county jail and ordered her to pay $147.50 costs of prosecution. Taking good time into account, Ald...
Jayden D. Garett, 23, of Stuart was sentenced to 90 days in the Holt County Jail for a Class 1 misdemeanor assault conviction, with credit given for two days previously served. He was taxed $60 costs. Garett pleaded guilty July 9, pursuant to an agreement with Holt County prosecutor Brent Kelly. Kelly dismissed a driving during suspension charge. Garett was represented by Holt County public defender Rod Smith. According to an arrest affidavit filed by an O’Neill officer, Garett was arrested M...
A young Holt County man will spend more time in the state prison. Ethan J. Peterson, 20, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, Lincoln, who was. already serving consecutive sentences from Holt and Pierce counties, was back in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill last Monday, Aug. 12, to be sentenced for crimes committed Dec. 15, 2023. The Honorable Mark Kozisec sentenced Peterson to 24 months in prison on each of four Class 4 felony counts, possession of a destructive device, possession of cocaine, possession of m...
Karsen L. Peterson, 22, of Chambers appeared in front of the Honorable Kale Burdick last Tuesday, Aug. 13, in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill for sentencing on crimes committed nearly one year ago - Count I, second-degree criminal trespass, a Class 3 misdemeanor, and Count II, criminal mischief, $1,500-$4,999, a Class1 misdemeanor. Burdick placed Peterson on probation for 18 months and ordered him to pay $2,672.75 restitution, $1,725.75 to Shane Kaczor and $947 to Loren Butterfield for damages to fences. He was assessed $50 costs of p...
A court advocacy program will receive $10,000 in funding from Holt County following a vote by county supervisors during a July 31 meeting. Theresa Liewer, president of Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children of North Central Nebraska, along with Holt County Sheriff's Office office manager Tami Malolepszy explained the program, which provides trained, court-appointed volunteers for abused and neglected youth in the foster care system in the service area. CASA volunteers serve as a voice...
A 21-year-old O’Neill woman who had been given an opportunity to avoid prison, has given up that chance and will spend up to four years in prison. McKenzie A. Dow faced the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill last Monday, July 29, to be sentenced for crimes committed in June 2022. Dow had pleaded guilty Dec. 12, 2022, to Count I, theft by receiving stolen property, a Class 2 misdemeanor; Count II, possession of a financial transaction device, a Class 4 felony; Count III, criminal possession of a fin...
Lester E. Brizuela Gomez, 37, of Columbus was sentenced to 45 days in the Antelope County Jail in Neligh for a conviction of criminal attempt of domestic assault in the third degree committed in Holt County. Brizuela Gomez was ordered to appear at the Neligh jail at 5 p.m. July 30 to begin his sentence. The sentence was ordered July 15 by the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill after he found Brizuela Gomez guilty of the Class 2 misdemeanor. Holt County attorney Brent Kelly reduced the charge from third-degree d...
Adam D. Lorenz, 33, of Springfield, South Dakota, faced the Honorable Kale Burdick via Zoom from a South Dakota Department of Corrections’ facility on July 2, to be sentenced for two Class 3 misdemeanor counts of unauthorized use of financial devices, committed in February 2023. Burdick sentenced Lorenz to 10 days in the Holt County Jail on each count, to be served concurrently and concurrent to sentence he is currently serving in South Dakota. He is ordered to pay $158.87 restitution to Julie Tielke and was taxed $60 costs. Lorenz pleaded g...
Jessica J. Snyder, 41, of Ewing appeared in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on Monday, July 1 to be sentenced for her Class 3A felony conviction of making terroristic threats. The Honorable Mark Kozisec ordered a three-year term of probation for the September/October 2023 crime. She was taxed $165.46 costs of prosecution and ordered to pay a $30 probation enrollment fee. Monthly $25 program fees are waived during the time they are paid in a companion case. Snyder is not allowed to be within five miles of the residences of Ervin M...
An Inman man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for multiple drug delivery and weapon charges in Holt County District Court. Marquis E. Bull, 39, of Inman faced the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the O’Neill district courtroom last week to be sentenced for crimes he committed between Sept. 12, 2022, and March 7, 2023 - counts I, II and III, delivery of controlled substances (methamphetamine, psilocybin and marijuana, Class 2 felonies; Count IV, possession of a deadly weapon (knife) by prohibited person, Class 3 felony, and Class V, a...
The Honorable Kale Burdick, while presiding from the bench in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last week, signed a bench warrant for the arrest of an Ainsworth man who failed to appear for arraignment. Burdick signed the warrant calling for the arrest of Brenton K. Mann, 39, who failed to appear for arraignment on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, high test, a Class W misdemeanor alleged April 29. He was arrested by a Holt County deputy after he became stuck in a ditch along 478 Avenue, about one mile north of Highway 2...
The Honorable Kale Burdick, presiding from the bench in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last week, bound two defendants over to the Holt County District Court. Virgen S. Arellano, 20, of Naper waived his right to preliminary hearing and was bound over June 10 on Count I, first-degree sexual assault, a Class 2 felony alleged Jan. 1, 2019. Jurisdiction of Count II, third-degree sexual assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, was waived to the district court as well. Arellano is represented by Holt County public defender Rod Smith. He filed a w...
Three defendants recently faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill for driving under the influence of alcohol. Avery A. Dilsaver, 43, of O’Neill faced Burdick June 11 for sentencing on a DUI charge, a Class W misdemeanor committed in the city in December 2023. Burdick placed Dilsaver on probation for nine months, fined him $500 and ordered him to serve two days in the Holt County Jail, with credit given for one day previously served. The jail sentence was suspended until June 21. His driver’s license was revok...
Two defendants recently waived their rights to preliminary hearings on felony charges and were bound over to Holt County District Court by the Honorable Kale Burdick. Torrey T. Peterson, 30, of O’Neill waived his right to a preliminary hearing when he faced Burdick on May 21. Burdick bound Peterson over to the district court on three felony counts, Count I, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver (140-plus grams), a Class 1B felony; Count II, possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 4 felony; and possession of a c...
Donald M. Santacroce, 66, of Rapid City, South Dakota, appeared in front of the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on June 3, to be sentenced for his conviction of theft by unlawful taking, $1,500-$4,999. Kozisec sentenced Santacroce to 254-255 days in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, with credit given for 135 days previously served. Taking good time into account, Santacroce was entitled to immediate release. He was taxed $275.23 costs of prosecution. S...
An O’Neill man will spend at least five years in prison. Cody L. Kizzire faced the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill last Tuesday, June 3, to be sentenced for three Class 2 felony counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor. The 39-year-old was sentenced to three concurrent 10-to-20-year prison terms for the sexual assault of a minor, committed between April 1 and June 30, 2022. Kizzire was given credit for 284 days served prior to sentencing. If he loses none of his good time, he must serve five yea...
Sentencing is set Aug. 12 for 36-year-old O’Neill man found guilty of committing two counts of first-degree sexual assault (subject another person to sexual penetration, knowing or should have known that the victim was mentally or physically incapable of resisting or appraising the nature of his or her conduct), Class 2 felonies committed between July 1, 2023, and Jan. 18 this year. Michael L. Ford pleaded no contest to charges on an amended complaint May 13, pursuant to a plea deal with prosecutor Brent Kelly. Ford also admitted violating a p...
Two individuals were fined by the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt Count courtroom in O’Neill last week. Kaden T. Toth, 19, of Omaha appeared for sentencing on Count I, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and Count III, criminal mischief, less than $500, a Class 3 misdemeanor, both committed Feb. 11 in O’Neill. Burdick fined Toth $150 and $50, respectively, and ordered him to pay $60 costs of prosecution. Counts II and IV, identical charges with a different victim, were dismissed March 19 by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly as par...
Donovan T. Colfack, 24, of Ainsworth appeared in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on May 13, to be sentenced for four crimes committed in July 2023. Colfack is ordered to serve four years of probation under the supervision of a state probation officer and was taxed $147 costs of prosecution. Terms of probation include payment of $1,710 in probation-related fees; payment of $5,000 restitution to Amanda Braun, jointly and severally with a juvenile codefendant; payment of $100 fine on Count III and $300 on Count IV. He is also o...
Two cases with charges from 2021 and 2023 reached resolution in the Holt County court last week when the Honorable Kale Burdick presided from the bench at the O’Neill courthouse. Mark J. McCrea, 63, of Correctionville, Iowa, pleaded no contest to an amended charge in a nearly three-year-old case, pursuant to a plea agreement with Holt County attorney Brent Kelly. On March 16, 2022, Kelly charged McCrea with criminal impersonation, a Class 4 felony alleged Nov. 22, 2021. He provided an O’Neill police officer with an incorrect name and date of...
Jennifer L Nekolite, 47, of O’Neill appeared in front of the Honorable Kale Burdick, at the Holt County Courthouse in O’Neill May 7, to be sentenced on Count I, disturbing the peace, a Class 3 misdemeanor; Count II, obstructing a peace officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and Count III, false reporting, a Class 1 misdemeanor, all committed May 2, 2023. Burdick sentenced Nekolite to 30 days in the Holt County Jail on Count I and 45 days each on counts II and III. The sentences are ordered concurrent to each other. She was given credit for one day pre...
