Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Antelope County Commissioners approved a motion during an emergency meeting, March 18, to limit access to the courthouse. Beginning March 19, individuals needing to conduct business with local officials will be required to make an appointment with a specific office. The change will be in effect until April 7, or as deemed necessary by Centers for Disease Control and/or state officials. A list of office phone numbers and email addresses will appear on all courthouse doors. Visitors will be met...
Antelope County Commissioners approved a motion during an emergency meeting, March 18, to limit access to the courthouse. Beginning March 19, individuals needing to conduct business with local officials will be required to make an appointment with a specific office. The change will be in effect until April 7, or as deemed necessary by Center for Disease Control and/or state officials. A list of office phone numbers and email addresses will appear on all courthouse doors. Visitors will be met at...
Aaron Boggs of Creighton, who has served as foreman of Antelope County's road department for about a year, was hired to head the department when the county commissioners met at the courthouse in Neligh on March 10. The commissioners entered closed session to consider applications, after an announcement by chairman Charlie Henery just before 11 a.m. "I have to leave by noon or so," he said. "So, we need to go into executive session to talk about personal employee stuff. We need a motion to do...
The Honorable Kale Burdick sentenced four Holt County residents when he presided over the Holt County court last Tuesday, March 10. Harold A. Rockford, 61, of Chambers was sentenced to concurrent terms of 30 and two days in the county jail, respectively, for convictions of first-degree criminal trespass, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and criminal mischief, less than $500, a Class 3 misdemeanor. The sentences were ordered consecutive to a jail sentence ordered in a Holt County district court case. He was also ordered to pay $52 costs and $40 restitutio...
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...
Organizations and institutions across Nebraska are taking precautionary measures amidst concerns about COVID-19. While no cases have been reported in Antelope, Holt or Wheeler counties, the North Central District Health Department has identified a presumptive positive case in Knox County. NCDHD received notification a Cherry County individual tested negative for the disease. Here is a list of cancellations, as of Friday, March 13: Fish fries On Thursday, the Archdiocese of Omaha requested its...
The Nebraska Primary Election is May 12, 2020. Holt County received a lot of interest in filing for offices, but due to auto-advance rules, all local school board races, county supervisor district six, city races, airport authorities, Natural Resource Districts, Nebraska Public Power District and Northeast Community College races will not appear on the Primary Election ballot. These races will appear on the General Election ballot. Holt County voters will be voting on the president, Senate and Congress representatives. Local issues that will...
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...
Benjamin Parks, 22, of O’Neill appeared in Holt County court last Tuesday, Feb. 18, for a preliminary hearing on two charges filed by chief deputy Nebraska Attorney General David Bydalek last November, Count I, tampering with a witness, a Class 4 felony committed May 6, 2019, and procuring alcohol for a minor, a Class 1 misdemeanor. A plea deal was struck with prosecutor Mariah J. Nickel, assistant attorney general, and Parks attorney, Allison Rockey Mason of Norfolk. In exchange for a no contest plea to Count II, Nickel dismissed Count I. T...
One of the bills that I introduced this session was LB 770. It authorizes a free lifetime park permit for disabled veterans. This past week, LB 770 was advanced from the Natural Resources Committee on an 8-0 vote. I designated it as my priority bill and the Legislature gave it first-round approval on a 38-0 vote. Under LB 770, a veteran would be eligible for the free permit if they are a Nebraska resident, honorably discharged, and rated 50% or more service-connected disabled or 100% disabled, n...
The Honorable Kale Burdick presided over Holt County court last Tuesday, Feb. 11, handing down four sentences. Conrad A Lurz, 29, of Ellington, Missouri, formerly of O’Neill, faced Burdick for sentencing on two counts, second-degree false imprisonment, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and disturbing the peace, a Class 3 misdemeanor. He was sentenced to concurrent sentences of 30 days and five days in the county jail, respectively, and $60 costs of prosecution. Lurz was given credit for 10 days previously served for the May 4, 2019, offenses. Lurz changed...
The Holt County supervisors spent nearly two hours at a meeting last week, reviewing a road-haul agreement brought to the table by TC Energy representatives last October, paragraph by paragraph, despite having a new agreement drafted by Dave Domina in hand. The scrutiny came after Holt County attorney Brent Kelly presented a preliminary agreement drafted by the Omaha attorney who was hired by the county officials on a 4-2 vote Oct. 31, 2019, to negotiate a road-haul agreement with TC Energy. At Kelly’s suggestion, the supervisors held an execut...
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...
Currently, forty-nine state senators serve in the Nebraska Legislature. Under the Nebraska Constitution, this number could be increased to 50 senators, but an even number of senators could result in a vote ending in a tie, requiring the lieutenant governor to cast the deciding vote. Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. Jim Scheer, introduced LR 279, a constitutional amendment authorizing the Legislature to increase the number of state senators up to fifty-five. If LR 279 is passed by the...
The Honorable Kale Burdick, in Holt County court last week, sentenced Joshua A. Boettcher, 28, to serve 30 days in the Holt County Jail for a Class 2 misdemeanor count of theft, less than $500. The complaint, filed in June 2019, stated Boettcher took movable property of another between Jan. 9, 2018, and Jan. 9, 2019. Boettcher will serve a 45-day sentence at the same time on a conviction of second-degree forgery, a Class 2 misdemeanor committed Oct. 27, 2018, included in the same complaint. As part of a plea agreement entered in October 2019,...
Holt County citizens filled the county supervisors’ meeting room in the courthouse last Friday morning as the county leaders took care of business. Bryan Steskal of Steskal read a letter penned by his wife, Diana Steskal, who was unable to attend the meeting. In the letter, Steskal wrote the Holt County zoning board members denied TransCanada’s conditional use permit until two conditions are met, including one that requires obtaining easements. Many, she said will most likely be appealed. She also cited three federal court cases filed aga...
The O'Neill Volunteer Fire Department, its chief and two community members were recognized by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts last week for service performed during the March 2019 floods. Ricketts made a stop in Holt County on Friday to present fire chief Terry Miles and members of the fire department with a flood hero proclamation. The award commemorates the department's rescue of a rural resident who was stranded in his home by the flood waters, as well as the volunteers' efforts in helping...
The North Central Nebraska Job Fair will be Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 3 to 8 p.m., at the O’Neill Community Center, located at 501 S. 4th Street, O’Neill. Meet with employers from across the region about their available job and career openings. Full-time, part-time, and seasonal opportunities available. For more information, contact Holt County Economic Development at 402-336-1504 or email [email protected]....
Charlie Henery was elected as chair of the Antelope County commissioners for 2020, when they met last week. Henery takes the gavel from Dean Smith, who took on the chairman duties when the former chair was removed from office. Regina Krebs, who was appointed to the board in October 2019, was elected vice chair. Henery and Krebs were each the only nominee for their positions, nominated by commissioners Eli Jacob and Carolyn Pedersen, respectively. Reorganization of the board was delayed until...
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...
Sergio V, Velasquez, 31, of O’Neill was sentenced by the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County court last Tuesday, Jan. 14, on three counts, Count II, no operator’s license, a Class 3 misdemeanor; Count III, refuse to submit to pretest, a Class 5 misdemeanor; and Count IV, refuse to submit to test, first offense, a Class W misdemeanor. Burdick sentenced him to fines of $75, $100 and $500, respectively; eight months’ probation, including fees totaling $210; and $50 costs of prosecution. Velasquez changed his not guilty pleas to guilty on the...
An old problem returned to the Antelope County commissioners’ table when the leaders gathered for the first 2020 meeting at the courthouse in Neligh last week. Judy Wilcox, accompanied by her husband, Dave Wilcox, was there to discuss wind turbine “ice sling policy.” County zoning administrator Liz Doerr also addressed the leaders regarding a Christmas Day icing event. Doerr described procedures followed, after she received notice from Commission chair Dean Smith and Wilcox. She referenced a text message from Smith, indicating numerous turbi...
Bill Tielke and Steve Boshart will retain their leadership positions on the Holt County Board of Supervisors. Tielke was re-elected by his peers as chairman of the supervisors, while Boshart was re-elected to chair the board of equalization. Pursuant to traditional policy, the two leaders will serve as vice chair for each other. County clerk Cathy Pavel presided over the election process until a chairman was elected, then turned the gavel over to Tielke for the balance of the annual organization meeting Jan. 9, at the Holt County Courthouse. Pa...
Three defendants were sentenced by the Honorable Mark Kozisek for crimes committed in 2018, on Monday, Jan. 13, in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill. Preston D. Janzing, 39, of Atkinson was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with credit given for one day previously served; a 24-month term of probation, including $930 fees; and a $1,000 fine. After deliberating about two and one-half hours, a jury found Janzing guilty of three of four counts Sept. 11, 2019, Count I, aiding and abetting kidnapping; Count II, strangulation; and Count IV, f...
