Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 53
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...
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...
Christopher Brady, 33, of Oakdale appeared in the Antelope County courtroom for first hearing on a Class 3A felony, third-degree domestic assault, second offense, alleged May 13. If convicted of the felony, Brady faces up to a $10,000 fine and/or up to three years of incarceration. He requested court-appointed counsel. The Honorable Donna Taylor appointed Antelope County public defender Pat Carney and set preliminary hearing for June 5. Bond was set at $10,000, 10% cash, with order for no contact with the alleged victim. “You can’t live wit...
April 24 saw a short criminal docket in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh. The Honorable James Kube sentenced two individuals, sustained a motion to withdraw a not guilty plea and two motions to continue. Haiden Sleister, 22, who was ordered by Kube to reside at the Norfolk Rescue Mission when he appeared in March, admitted violating provisions of post-release supervision as part of a plea deal with Smith. In return, the prosecutor recommended one year of incarceration. Kube revoked Sleister’s PRS and sentenced him to a o...
The Honorable Donna Taylor presided over Antelope County court at the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 7. Handling prosecutor duties in the absence of Antelope County attorney Joe Smith was Joe Hurd, special deputy county attorney. Denis Kerkman, 90, of Tilden faced Taylor for sentencing on his latest conviction of violating a harassment protection order. Although Hurd indicated he had no evidence regarding sentencing, other than what was included in a presentence investigation report, he recommended probation with no jail time, a...
Denis F. Kerkman, 90, of Tilden appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Jan. 3, for pretrial conference on a charge of violating a protection order, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Kerkman pleaded guilty, pursuant to a plea agreement. In return, Antelope County attorney Joe Smith agreed to recommend probation, with no jail time. Taylor ordered a pretrial investigation and set sentencing Feb. 7. Bond is continued, in the amount of $20,000, 10%, with an order for no contact, neither direct nor...
Since we're writers, we, at SAM love lists. Trust us, we keep and use them every single day. But, how does one determine which articles should be at the top of the yearly list? In the past, we've based it by reader count from our website. This year, we're still relying on reader count, featuring the top-read article by month. We wrote nearly 2,000 articles in 2023 and, while some of our favorites don't appear on the list, we're sure these are a newsworthy representation of the Summerland region....
Linda Mack of Elgin appeared for trial on five counts of violating Neligh’s dangerous building ordinance last week in the Antelope County courtroom. Mack had waived her right to counsel and pleaded not guilty, when she was arraigned Aug. 2, to a single count of maintaining a dangerous building in the city, alleged “on or about the 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9th day of June.” In the meantime, on Aug. 16, Neligh city attorney James McNally filed an amended complaint, separating the charge to five individual counts. After hearing testimony and revie...
At a time when people's trust in government is waning, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued an opinion that the Legislature's Office of the Public Counsel, better known as the Ombudsman's office, is unconstitutional. The office exists to promote accountability in government by independently and impartially investigating issues related to state agencies and employees. The departments of Health and Human Services and Corrections, which are subject to this oversight and often make...
Before he took office, Gov. Jim Pillen joked about phone conversations being exempt from public disclosure. Now, his administration has taken what seems to be an unprecedented step to shield the governor’s communications. Pillen’s staff denied the “Flatwater Free Press” access to four emails the governor sent, in part citing “executive privilege” – a phrase absent from Nebraska’s public records laws. A half-dozen former and current officials and advocates who spoke to the “Flatwater Free Press” couldn’t recall any other Nebraska governors who i...
In a letter dated June 16, the group, led by Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, urged Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to drop a proposed modification of HIPAA’s Privacy Rule. The change would prohibit the use and disclosure of protected health information — including reproductive health — “for a criminal, civil or administrative investigation or proceedings” against those who lawfully provided care, such as across state lines. The attorneys general wrote that the Biden administr...
Seward County routinely seizes money from motorists on Interstate 80, keeps the cash – and never convicts the drivers of a crime. The county's sheriff's department and county attorney use this practice, known as civil asset forfeiture, so often that a third of all cases of this kind in Nebraska state courts come from Seward County, population 17,962, a Flatwater Free Press analysis of court records shows. The county has hauled in $7.5 million in forfeited cash in the past five years, some of i...
An Orchard man, who has spent most of 2023 in the county jail, was sentenced to specialized probation by a district court judge last week - along with time already served and restitution. Michael D. Fox, 37, appeared before the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on April 26 for sentencing on two counts, terroristic threats, a Class 3A felony, and criminal mischief, a Class 3 misdemeanor. Fox was accompanied by his court-appointed attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh. Kube reviewed a presentence investigation...
SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES April 16, 2023 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met for a special meeting Sunday, April 16, 2023, at 5 p.m., in the library meeting room for the purpose of interviewing summer help applicants. Meeting opened at 5 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in “Summerland Advocate-Messenger,” posted at US Post Office in Clearwater, Clearwater Market and Cornerstone Bank-Clearwater and was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of lo...
The schedule of morning debate on the floor and afternoon public hearings continues for a few more weeks. At times, the days seem long, but soon the Legislature will begin all-day debate before finally adjourning later this spring. Three of my bills were heard in committee last week. On Tuesday, LB 453 and LB 454 were heard before the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. LB 453 would allow the Nebraska Department of Transportation to change how the administrative costs of the Divisio...
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...
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 Donna Taylor, while presiding from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh on Oct. 5, lectured two defendants on the importance of communicating with their court-appointed attorney. Antelope County public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk, had filed a motion Sept. 30, to withdraw as counsel for Aaron C. Poellot, 38, of Osmond. Poellot is charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor theft count related to a May 2 gas drive-off from Royal One Stop. In the motion, Carney indicated Poellot had failed to communicate with his office,...
Dillon E. Perry, 34, of Ewing, who was in custody in Madison County Jail on other charges, appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh for arraignment on a count of driving under suspension, alleged May 28, in Clearwater. Perry waived his right to counsel and entered a guilty plea. The Honorable Donna Taylor fined him $100 and assessed $52 costs. Perry had been granted a continuance July 6 when he called saying he had no ride to the courthouse. Then, on Aug. 3 he failed to appear in court and a warrant was subsequently issued for his...
Three defendants waived their rights to preliminary hearings on felony charges during Sept. 20 proceedings at the Holt County court in O’Neill. They were each bound over to Holt County district court by the Honorable Kale Burdick, where they are set for arraignment in October. Jurisdiction for accompanying misdemeanor and infraction counts were deferred to district court as well. Shawn D. Crist, 34, of O’Neill will face the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the district courtroom on a Class 4 felony, possession of a controlled substance, met...
Tori A. Wooters, 26, York, appeared in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on Aug. 31 for sentencing on counts of possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, and criminal attempt - tampering with physical evidence, a Class 1 misdemeanor, both committed Jan. 19. Antelope County attorney Joe Abler said Wooters was currently incarcerated at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women, York, on a conviction out of Madison County. Her attorney, public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk, asked Johnson to order any imprisonment to...
Summerland School Superintendent Kyle Finke notified parents, students and community members, via the school's JMC alert system, Tuesday, at approximately 4 p.m., that a student, while at work on Monday, Sept. 12, "made comments in public that he threatened to shoot up a school bus." According to Finke, the Antelope County Sheriff's Office was contacted and an investigation was underway immediately. Nebraska State Patrol is assisting in the investigation. "It is the understanding of Summerland...
Aaron C. Poellot, 38, of Osmond, who is accused in a May 2 gas drive-off from Royal One Stop, faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on June 1 for arraignment on a Class 2 misdemeanor theft charge. Poellot requested court-appointed counsel. Taylor found him indigent and appointed Antelope County public defender Patrick Carney of Norfolk. Further arraignment is set June 15. Personal recognizance bond of $1,500, filed May 17, is continued. Jessy L Dirks, 30, of Elgin faced Taylor for arraignment on a...
Pepper W. Marchant, 23, of Neligh faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom May 18 for a violation of probation hearing and a request to waive an upcoming jail sanction. Marchant requested court-appointed counsel. Taylor found him indigent and appointed Antelope County public defender Patrick Carney of Norfolk. The case is continued to June 1. Information to revoke probation, filed by Antelope County attorney Joe Abler on May 16, alleges Marchant violated a condition of probation to refrain from unlawful conduct, when...
The Honorable Donna Taylor presided over arraignment of several defendants in the Antelope County court in Neligh on April 20. Richard C. Jelich Jr., 27, of Neligh faced Taylor on five counts alleged April 16 in Neligh. He is charged with a Class 2 felony, second-degree assault of a peace officer; three Class 1 misdemeanors, obstruct a police officer, resist arrest and obstruct government operations; and a Class 3 misdemeanor, disturbing the peace. Antelope County public defender Melissa Figueroa was appointed by Taylor on April 18 and bond...
