Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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A Neligh couple, whose June 29 argument became physical, were each sentenced to seven days in jail for counts of third-degree assault, by mutual consent. Plea agreements had been negotiated with Antelope County attorney Joe Smith by the respective court-appointed attorneys for Melissa A. Murberger, 48, represented by Martin Klein of Neligh, and Ronald E. Murberger, 48, represented by public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk. The agreement included staggered jail sentences so one of them would be available to care for their children and Smith’s a...
Adalberto Sanchez, 34, of Tornillo, Texas, appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Aug. 2, via Zoom, for arraignment on 2016 charges, including Count I, driving under the influence of alcohol, Count II, no operator’s license, and Count III, possession of an open alcohol container. Sanchez waived his right to counsel and trial, pleading guilty to counts I and II. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith dismissed Count III. The Honorable Donna Taylor ordered Sanchez to obtain an alcohol/drug evaluation from a certified counselor and set...
A Colorado man and an area teenager were both sentenced to jail last Wednesday, Feb. 22, by the Honorable James Kube when he presided from the Antelope County district court bench at the courthouse in Neligh. Both men requested probation sentences so they could take advantage of treatment for substance addiction. Although Kube ruled neither was a candidate for probation, he told them he would give them an opportunity for the structure and treatment options afforded by post-release supervision by the probation office. Both were given 18 months...
Joe Smith will serve as Antelope County Attorney until the term, vacated following the death of Antelope County Attorney Joe Abler last month, ends in 2026. County commissioners appointed the acting deputy attorney Tuesday, during a meeting in Neligh. Chairman Charlie Henery said Smith had agreed to step in and take the job. “I’m very pleased,” Henery said. A contract for the position will be in place, due to the appointment. Smith told commissioners that state statue lets a board fill a vacancy. “No special election is required,” he said. Acc...
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....
An elected official from Antelope County died Monday. Joe Abler was elected to serve as Antelope County Attorney in 2010. He was reelected in 2014, 2018 and in the November 2022 election. Madison County Attorney Joe Smith, who also serves as deputy attorney for Antelope County, told SAM, "Joe died about 2:15 Monday afternoon, quietly with his family by his side." A Mass of Christian burial for Abler, 48, of Norfolk, will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 23, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in...
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...
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...
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 -...
Two initiative measures - one requiring photographic identification, one increasing minimum wage - were passed by Nebraska voters during the Nov. 8 General Election. Initiative 432 amends Nebraska's constitution, to require voters to "present valid photographic identification" prior to voting. Nebraska's Legislature will hammer out the details, according to language in the measure. Voters also approved Initiative 433, which will gradually raise the state's minimum wage from the current rate of...
Presiding from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh on Nov. 2, the Honorable Donna Taylor bound two defendants over to the Antelope County district court on felony charges and handed down sentences to several individuals for misdemeanor convictions. Brent A. Jonas, 45, and Christina M. Jonas, 37, of Sioux City Iowa, were both scheduled for preliminary hearings. They both waived their rights to the hearings. Taylor bound the cases over to the district court, where they are scheduled for arraignment Nov. 30. They each face two counts...
The Honorable Mark Johnson heard some Antelope County district court cases at the Madison County courthouse Friday, Nov. 4 due to Antelope County public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk being unavailable during Antelope County district court proceedings Oct. 26. The parties waived venue for the hearings. Carney and Antelope County attorney Joe Abler both appeared in the Madison courtroom. Steven H. Habegger, 18, Antelope County Jail, appeared for pretrial hearing by videoconference from the Antelope County Jail for pretrial conference on four...
Edward D. Lundstrom, 65, of Stanton appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County court in Neligh on Nov. 2, for arraignment on allegations of a two-year old crime. He is charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor charge, second-degree trespassing, alleged Nov. 18, 2020. If convicted, Lundstrom faces up to a $500 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail. He pleaded not guilty and requested jury trial. Pretrial hearing is set Dec. 7. Bond posted Oct. 17, in the amount of $1,500, 10% cash is continued. Lundstrom had failed to appear for...
Justin M. Golter, 47, of Orchard appeared in the Antelope County courtroom Nov. 2, for arraignment on an additional charge related to his alleged flight from officers after a district court appearance in August. A complaint filed Oct. 26, by Antelope County attorney Joe Abler, charges Golter with possession of methamphetamine, with intent to deliver (more than 10 grams). If convicted of the Class 1D felony, Golter faces up to 50 years in prison, with a minimum of three years. Taylor appointed...
Two of four young men charged in connection with March 21 break-ins at two Neligh businesses, Neligh Vape Shop and the Fit Stop, were set for sentencing in the Antelope County district courtroom in last week. Each had been convicted of one Class 3A felony, criminal attempt burglary. Trinity Graham, 18, was accompanied by his court-appointed attorney, Brad Montag of Norfolk. In line with the recommendation in presentence investigation reports, Antelope County Attorney Joe Abler recommended probation. “I think that is the best sentence at this ti...
Sammie M. Diaz, 43, of Clovis, New Mexico, appeared in front of the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on Oct. 26, for sentencing on a 2014 theft charge. Antelope County prosecutor Joe Abler joined a probation recommendation made in a presentence investigative report prepared by the probation office. Diaz’ attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, told the judge his client would ask for a fine but the presentence investigative report recommended probation. He said Diaz was an appropriate candidate for p...
The Honorable Donna Taylor passed sentence on two individuals and denied requests from a woman sentenced earlier in the year when she presided from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh on Oct. 19. Ryan J. Pelster, 22, of Petersburg faced Taylor, alongside his attorney, Brad Montag of Norfolk, for sentencing in Antelope County and Madison County cases. Prior to the judge passing sentence, Montag presented a counseling discharge summary and photos of the victim and his client in the Madison County case, as addendums to the...
Antelope County defendants appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor for arraignment last Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the county courtroom in Neligh. Marcos V. Dos Santos Spohr, 34, of Bartlett appeared alongside his attorney, Ron Temple of Norfolk, for arraignment on two counts, Count I, leave scene of property-damage accident, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and Count II, reckless driving, a Class 3 misdemeanor, both alleged Sept. 10 west of Elgin. If convicted, Dos Santos Spohr faces up to a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail on Count I and up...
Dialogue between Antelope County Commissioners and members of the Antelope County Patriot group became contentious, at times, during the Oct. 11 commissioners’ meeting in Neligh. Prior to the Patriots’ presentation, county attorney Joe Abler suggested the board enter executive session to review a letter from Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, regarding clarification of terms in the state’s election statutes. Following executive session, which lasted approximately 15 minutes, audie...
It’s a case that could be ripped from the headlines. Teenager Bill E. Kid is accused of drinking at a party and starting hay bales on fire at McDonald’s farm. Will the jury believe the standout athlete? Or, will justice prevail for farmer who lost everything? Students from Antelope County high schools conducted the mock trial during County Government Day, held Oct. 6 at the courthouse. In addition to the trial, students met elected county officials, toured the law enforcement center and att...
