April 14, 2025 (North Platte, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from multiple other agencies, apprehended five juveniles after a pursuit with two vehicles early Sunday morning.

Early Sunday, NSP was made aware that five juveniles were reportedly missing from a juvenile facility in Wyoming and were believed to be traveling eastbound through Nebraska in a stolen vehicle. Troopers then learned that the group was believed to have stolen another vehicle in North Platte and was traveling together in both stolen vehicles.

At approximately 4:15 a.m., a trooper located both vehicles, a Dodge Durango and a Chevrolet Tahoe, as they were traveling eastbound at over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80 near Gothenburg. The trooper attempted a traffic stop and both vehicles exited I-80 at the Cozad interchange and began traveling southbound on Highway 21. Both vehicles continued southbound, driving in the northbound lane at times.

Near the intersection of Highway 21 and Highway 23, the Durango left the roadway and came to a stop in the ditch. Both occupants then fled on foot into a field south of the intersection. The Tahoe continued southbound for a few miles before coming to a stop. The three occupants of the Tahoe also fled on foot. Additional troopers, along with deputies from the Dawson, Frontier, and Gosper County Sheriff’s Offices responded to the scene.

Five Juveniles Apprehended After Pursuit with Two Stolen Vehicles south of Cozad Sunday

North Platte, Neb. - The Prairie Arts Center in North Platte has announced that their will be some fun upcoming fundraisers the PAC will be hosting. Also raffle tickets will be sold for some painted chairs with cool designs. More and more classes are being added to the website and if you have a youth, you still have time to sign up for summer classes.

POST news director Canon Rath chatted with Holly Carlini from the PAC about all the news things going on. The Prairie Arts Center is open Tuesday - Saturday from 11am - 4pm. To view the PAC website,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prairieartscenter.org/">click here.</a>&nbsp;to learn more, check out the podcast below.

(Audio) Prairie Arts Center announces upcoming fundraisers, raffle ticket prizes, upcoming classes and more!

North Platte, Neb. - The Lincoln County CASA is hosting its yearly Kevin Kennedy 5K Run and Kids Fun Run this Saturday at Iron Park. The 5K race is set to kickoff at 5:00pm with the Kids Fun Race scheduled for 5:45pm. Following the race, hot dogs will be served. The theme is superhero's so runners are encouraged to wear their best superhero costume. &nbsp;

Also, if anyone is interested in wearing a villain costume, the Lincoln County CASA is looking for individuals to wear villain costumes. You can register for the run online by <a href="https://www.platteriverfitness.com/casa#register">clicking here</a> or sign up in person at the North Platte Rec Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

POST news director Canon Rath chatted with Janet Vath about the upcoming race. To learn more, check out the podcast below.&nbsp;

(Audio) Sign up for the Kevin Kennedy 5K Hero Run and Kids Fun Run!

North Platte, Neb. - When most folks here 4-H, they instantly think it's animal showing, which there is plenty of that or animals in general. While there may be a ton of animal related events, 4'H has something for everyone to enjoy. Some kids may be interested in 4-H but can attend events like the Animal Science Discover Day.

Briawana Hinrichs, a local 4-Hr is entering her second year doing 4-H and has plenty of activities to look forward to this summer to participate in. Hinrichs shares her experience attending the 4-H Animal Science Discovery Day, where she learned about the anatomy of cows and different cuts of meat. While she may have just started doing 4-H last year, she states learning and making friends his her favorite thing about 4-H

"It is super fun. You get to make new friends and get to learn new things." said Hinrichs.

To learn more In-depth about the entrepreneurship project and Sheard experience with 4-H, check out the podcast below.&nbsp;

(Audio) Local 4'Hr discusses Animal Science Discover Day and more!

Back on Monday, March 24, Lisa Burke the Executive Director of Visit North Platte attended the Lincoln County Commissioners Board of Directors meeting to recap the 2024 year for tourism for North Platte and Lincoln County. POST news director Canon Rath met with Burke as Burke recapped the meeting. To learn more, check out the podcast below.

(Audio) Visit North Platte recaps board of directors meeting

North Platte, Neb. - The North Platte city council held a regular meeting on April 1st and different agendas were discussed amongst the council. Topics this session included the purchase of a new Chevy truck for the fire department, new auxiliary equipment for the fire department and more.

On Wednesday, Post Canon Rath chatted with North Platte Mayor Brandon Kelliher about the different topics from the council meeting. If you would like to learn more in-depth of what went on during the April 1st, North Platte City Council meeting check out the podcast below or check out the video below the podcast.

(Audio) North Platte City Council Meeting, April 1st recap

North Platte, Neb. - The Hershey Volunteer Fire Department is back again for its annual Free Will donation Spaghetti Dinner at the Hershey School Cafeteria. The event takes place from 11 am to 2 pm with all-you-can-eat spaghetti with meat sauce, Homemade buns, and deserts with a free-will donation.

Sports Director Paxton Gordon sat down with Toby, Amanda and Jenifer of the Hershey Volunteer Fire Department the to discuss the up coming event.

(Audio) Hershey Volunteer Fire Department Annual Spaghetti Dinner

The Heartland Singers are having a spring concert on Sunday afternoon at 3pm at the First Baptist Church on McDonald Road in North Platte. Mike Douty spoke with the post about the concert Sunday. A Free Will Donation will be taken during the show.

Heartland Singers having concert Sunday afternoon (Podcast)

Kasey Kroeker from the Perkins County Fair Board announced on Friday, that the fair will host Rock group Eve 6 on Friday, July 18. Tickets onsale today at www.PerkinsCountyFair.com (LISTEN TO ANNOUNCEMENT HERE)

Perkins County hosting Rock Concert at 2025 Fair with Eve 6

North Platte, Neb. - People's Health in North Platte is back again to education young adults with their focus this time around on high school students with the annual Wild Night. This event is taking place Friday at Wild Bills from 4:00pm - 6:00pm.

Students have the opportunity to attend the event and earn a passport card and attend all the different agencies to learn. The event is geared around health. After students complete their passport, they will get a card and that card can get them free laser tag, bowling and pizza. Their will be raffles and giveaways. Students are asked to bring their HS ID with them

POST Canon Rath chatted with Elizabeth Thayer about the upcoming event. To learn more, checkout the podcast below.

(Audio) People's Health gearing up for Wild Night at Wild Bills this Friday

North Platte, Neb. - The North Platte city council held a regular meeting on March 18th and different agendas were discussed amongst the council. Topics this session included adopt resolution to approve the one and six road plan for 2024-2030, accept the certification of completion for street improvement district No. 362 (Willow Street Bridge over UPRR) and more.&nbsp;

Post Canon Rath chatted with North Platte Mayor Brandon Kelliher about the different topics from the council meeting. If you would like to learn more in-depth of what went on during the March 18th, North Platte City Council meeting check out the podcast below or check out the video below the podcast.

(Audio) North Platte City Council Meeting, March 18th recap

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Sixteen students from North Platte High School’s SkillsUSA chapter earned 11 medals and gained valuable career experience during the Nebraska SkillsUSA State Leadership Conference held April 10–12 in Grand Island.

The annual event brought together students from across the state to compete in more than 100 career and technical education contests ranging from architecture and audio/video technology to public safety and welding.

North Platte High School students competed in 13 categories, including Cosmetology, Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Justice, Customer Service, Welding Sculpture, and Job Interview. The team returned with 10 individual medalists and plenty of motivation for next year’s competition.

Junior Finnley Eickhoff earned a silver medal in the Customer Service event and also competed as part of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies team, which took second place overall. Teammates included Bella Harwager, Isabella Frazier, Brianna Romero, Zoey Husemoller, Avery Luenenborg and Abigail Hanson.

The Welding Fabrication team of Dylan Bowers, Douglas Titman and Ethan Britenham brought home third place honors for their work.

"This experience is so much more than competition," said a chapter representative. "It’s about building confidence, leadership and real-world skills."

SkillsUSA is a national organization that prepares students for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.

North Platte High SkillsUSA Students Earn 11 Medals at State Conference

The protection order, requested by the 24-year-old woman and granted by a judge, came after the Mitchell police chief allegedly sent her many lewd photos on Snapchat, repeatedly drove by her home and let her know that he knew when she was home alone.

&nbsp; By&nbsp;<a href="https://flatwaterfreepress.org/author/nalamdari/">Natalia Alamdari</a>, Flatwater Free Press

The photos would light up her phone late into the night. Sometimes, she’d get 20 photos in a single day, all from the same man.&nbsp;

They were photos of the man shirtless, or in the shower. They were photos of the man’s crotch, covered by shorts. He repeatedly asked her to send back “very explicit pictures” of her own, according to court records.&nbsp;

She told him “no.” He kept asking. Then she blocked him.

“Now he drives by my house and my parents’ house at least three times a week,” the woman, 24, wrote in her petition seeking a protection order from the man 20 years her senior. “I’m afraid he will come after me and harm me …”&nbsp;

Dominick Peterson, head of the police department in Mitchell, was ordered by a judge last week not to contact or go near the woman, who described feeling terrified by his behavior.&nbsp;

“Her worry was that if she felt like she needed to call the police, she was afraid she would not be believed, because the person she was accusing was not just some guy off the street, but a law enforcement officer,” said Maren Chaloupka, the attorney representing the woman. “She was afraid that other law enforcement officers would disbelieve her, would feel protective of somebody that they serve with.”

Mitchell, a town of 1,527 people near Scottsbluff, went through three police chiefs in just over a year. The town’s mayor told the Flatwater Free Press he was unaware of the protection order against the latest chief, despite the fact that the city was subpoenaed for records tied to the case.&nbsp;

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During an interview, Mayor Paul Murrell was asked if Peterson’s behavior was appropriate for a police chief.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“That’s not appropriate for anybody, I would think,” he replied.&nbsp;

Murrell said on Monday he needed to speak with the city attorney before saying anything about Peterson’s future employment. He didn’t respond to additional phone messages.

The protection order issued against Peterson is the latest turmoil in this small Panhandle city. Before cycling through police chiefs, Mitchell switched between three mayors in 15 months. Then its city administrator resigned. And months later, a City Council member stepped down, saying she felt “unsafe and devalued.”&nbsp;

In April 2024, Peterson and the woman crossed paths through their jobs. He soon added her on social media, something Peterson confirmed in his court testimony. The police chief, now 44, found the 24-year-old woman on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

But he messaged her only on Snapchat, a platform known for self-deleting messages and images. On Snapchat, if a user screenshots a message or picture, the original sender is notified.&nbsp;

Because of that, the woman said she didn’t keep screenshot evidence of the messages Peterson was sending her – she feared that a notification would provoke him, her lawyer argued in court.&nbsp;

The woman testified that she told Peterson she had a boyfriend; that he needed to respect her boundaries. She ignored him, thinking he’d realize she wasn’t interested.&nbsp;

The messages persisted, according to court records. Peterson would send Snapchat images indicating that he knew the woman was home alone, that he knew her boyfriend was at work.&nbsp; Peterson did not dispute these facts in court.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She worried that blocking him would escalate the situation. Peterson carries a gun because of his job, Judge Randin Roland noted while granting the protection order. Peterson’s large frame looms over the woman, who was described as “very petite and probably weighs about 100 pounds” in court records.&nbsp;

“The petitioner was cowering and shaking with tears in her eyes from having to be in the same room with (Peterson),” Roland described in his order granting the protection order.&nbsp;

In July 2024, the woman blocked Peterson. And the situation did escalate, according to court records.&nbsp;

Peterson – who works in Mitchell and lives in Scottsbluff – started driving past the woman’s Gering home.&nbsp;

“He has training. He has a weapon. He has special professional knowledge,” Chaloupka said. “All of that was very unnerving to her, especially when this individual began to drive by her home.”&nbsp;

He stopped when she filed her request for a protection order in August 2024, according to court documents. City leaders should have known about this protection order, Chaloupka said, since the city attorney was notified when Chaloupka subpoenaed city records.

Peterson’s attorney, William Madelung, argued in court that since Peterson stopped interacting with the woman once she requested a protection order, there was no need to actually grant the order. He argued that she could have blocked Peterson sooner, and that she could have deleted the Snapchat app entirely.

This isn’t Peterson’s first time before a judge for a protection order. He’s been the subject of four other such cases since 2020. Two individuals, both men, each tried twice to get protection orders against Peterson.&nbsp;

All four were dropped or dismissed in court, with the judge ruling that while the men could demonstrate that they were “irritated and frustrated,” they could not prove they were “terrified, threatened or intimidated.”&nbsp;

In the fourth protection order case, the judge described both parties as engaging in “public displays of juvenile and petty behavior.”

All five of Peterson’s protection order cases have been heard by the same judge in Cheyenne County – the Scotts Bluff County judges all recused themselves from his cases, Chaloupka said.&nbsp;

Peterson didn’t respond to emails from the Flatwater Free Press seeking comment.

Reached by email, his attorney Madelung said, “my client has no comment at this time beyond that we have received and are currently reviewing Judge Roland’s order.”&nbsp;

Protection orders can be appealed, but Peterson has not yet decided if he will pursue an appeal, his attorney said.&nbsp;

Since 2010, the same three men have competed – often in incredibly close elections – to become Mitchell’s mayor.

Brian Taylor was first, beating Murrell, the current mayor, in 2010 and 2014.

Then, in 2018, David Curtis defeated Taylor. But Curtis resigned before the end of his term. Taylor, the then-president of the City Council, replaced him.

Murrell then challenged Taylor yet again in 2022. This time, Murrell won – by four votes.&nbsp;

Within a month of Murrell being sworn in as mayor, police chief Kevin Krzyzanowski was fired. The two men had clashed over cutting the number of on-duty officers, according to local radio station KNEB.

In paperwork filed with the Nebraska Crime Commission, the city said Krzyzanowski was “unable to meet agency standards.”&nbsp;

Krzyzanowski was replaced with Matt Holcomb, at the time a Scotts Bluff County deputy. A year later, Holcomb left to take a job with the Gering Police Department.&nbsp;

Peterson, hired as a part-time officer at the same time as Holcomb, was promoted to chief.&nbsp;

Murrell said he’s not concerned about the turnover since he took office.&nbsp;

“It’s fine,” he said. “Some of it needed to happen.”&nbsp;

Police chief turnover isn’t an automatic red flag, said Tom Casady, who retired as Lincoln’s Public Safety Director after&nbsp;17 years as that city’s police chief.&nbsp;

In the U.S., the average tenure for a police chief is seven years, according to a 2021 survey.&nbsp;

In small towns, where chiefs are paid less than their urban counterparts, the churn can be more pronounced, Casady said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But the turnover in Mitchell would worry Casady if he was a member of Mitchell’s city council, he said.&nbsp;

“Three in two years is a lot,” Casady said. “You have very little continuity in leadership if you’ve gone through three police chiefs in two years.”&nbsp;

Soon after Murrell started as mayor, the city administrator departed.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Seven months later, Angie Preston, the only woman on the City Council, quit, too.

In her resignation letter, Preston cited “communication breakdown and lack of professionalism” that spanned administrations as a reason for stepping down.&nbsp;

“My voice has repeatedly been silenced and I feel my experience and viewpoints are no longer respected,” Preston wrote in November 2023. “I feel it is no longer safe or wise for me to remain on the council.”

Preston, reached by the Flatwater Free Press, declined further comment.&nbsp;

The protection order granted against Peterson prohibits him from communicating with the woman in any way.&nbsp;

Protection orders are civil proceedings with a lower standard of proof than criminal cases.&nbsp;

Before seeking a protection order, the woman filed a police report with the Gering Police Department. The Nebraska State Patrol also had records of her case, according to court records.&nbsp;

Peterson has not been charged with a crime.

In Nebraska, stalking is often difficult to prove, said Christon MacTaggart, executive director of the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. Technology, like disappearing Snapchat messages, can make it harder.&nbsp;

Social media harassment becomes scarier if it’s coming from a person in a position of power, MacTaggart said.&nbsp;

“It can leave a victim of stalking feeling like they don’t have any recourse,” MacTaggart said.&nbsp;

Since 2021, six Nebraska police officers have had their law enforcement certifications revoked for domestic violence misdemeanors, according to the Nebraska Crime Commission. Another included a stalking misdemeanor. Two others were because of findings after protection orders were granted.&nbsp;

“If it falls under that area of conviction for a crime or serious misconduct, then (the agency has) to tell us that that’s what’s occurring. And then we look at that,” said Bryan Tuma, the commission’s executive director.&nbsp;

But because Peterson’s case doesn’t involve a criminal charge, there’s no requirement to notify the commission, Tuma said. Most revocations involving a protection order also include a criminal case, said Mark Stephenson, director of the Law Enforcement Training Center.&nbsp;

But a protection order – issued when a judge believes a person represents a risk – on its own is enough to undermine an officer’s credibility, said Casady, the former chief.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I don’t think anyone that’s got that kind of behavior pattern can credibly serve as a law enforcement officer, or a public official of any kind for that matter.”&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.flatwaterfreepress.org/">The&nbsp;Flatwater&nbsp;Free&nbsp;Press</a>&nbsp; (<a href="https://flatwaterfreepress.org/to-serve-and-protect-police-leader-barred-from-contacting-terrorized-woman/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJqRT9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHrpgjHgVRVp2kGWkciKxni7GB_ZFwX1XoVdyHPGdaZpCt2v3ludjy9C-VJvL_aem_MsN0ZvnkRNcyLqMCMugQHw">https://flatwaterfreepress.org/to-serve-and-protect-police-leader-barred-from-contacting-terrorized-woman/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJqRT9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHrpgjHgVRVp2kGWkciKxni7GB_ZFwX1XoVdyHPGdaZpCt2v3ludjy9C-VJvL_aem_MsN0ZvnkRNcyLqMCMugQHw</a>) is Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To serve and protect? Police leader barred from contacting terrorized woman

HERSHEY, Neb. — The Village of Hershey Board of Trustees will meet tonight (Monday, April 14) at 6 p.m. at the Village Office, located at 104 S. Lincoln Ave., to address a full agenda of infrastructure improvements, fee updates, and public services.

The meeting, which will be conducted in accordance with Nebraska’s Open Meetings Act, includes time for public comment and a series of presentations.

Among the highlighted presentations are nuisance abatement opportunities led by Taylor Provost of the West Central Nebraska Development District, and a discussion on village loader equipment by John Webster from Murphy Tractor. Tom Werblow of TC Engineering will also present an estimate for lagoon improvements planned for 2025, which will include discussion and possible action on issuing bids and utilizing Team Lab’s “Sonar Boat Survey.”

Board members will consider several action items, including the approval of the March 10 meeting minutes, Resolution 41425 addressing updates to the Village of Hershey Master Fee Schedule, and regulations for the compost site. Other items up for discussion include direct deposit options for village employees, hiring a deputy clerk, setting a one-year CD interest rate on $200,000, pest control measures at the Village Office, and installing a concrete wash pad.

Reports will be presented by the Sheriff’s Office, Maintenance Supervisor Ronnie Stewart, Village Clerk Shelby Morrison, and the village treasurer.

The meeting is open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to sign in if they wish to speak. Comments on non-agenda items are limited to three minutes per person.

Hershey Village Board to Discuss Lagoon Improvements, Pest Control at board meeting tonight

The Annual Spring-Time TAX ONLINE Auction from Eagle Media is this Tuesday, Wednesday, &amp; Thursday. <a href="https://lashleyland.com/homes-for-sale/">Sponsored by Tami Timmerman-Lashley with Lashley Land-Residential</a>. Below is the Sale bill for the week. See Days/Time for items you'd like to bid on. <a href="https://northplatte.bigdealsmedia.net/category/4755/auction">CLICK HERE TO BID!</a>

Eagle Media ONLINE Auction begins Tuesday, see sale bill

HERSHEY, Ne - Two standout students from Hershey High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter have qualified for the National Leadership Conference after strong performances at the Nebraska State FBLA Conference held in Kearney this past week.

Ethan Elliott earned state runner-up honors in the Job Interview event, securing his place at the national level. Bryce Bode also advanced to nationals with a 3rd place finish in Accounting II. In addition, Bode placed 6th in Advertising and 8th in Agribusiness, showcasing his versatility across multiple business disciplines.

The national competition will take place this summer in Anaheim, California, where Elliott and Bode will represent Hershey among the best young business leaders from across the country.

Hershey FBLA continues to grow as a strong force in statewide competition, preparing students for future careers in business, leadership, and beyond.

Two Hershey FBLA Students Qualify for National Competition

The Hot Sheets: April 14, 2025

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (April 13, 2025) — The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners will convene Monday, April 14, at 9 a.m. at the Lincoln County Courthouse to consider a full agenda that includes updates from public health officials, a presentation on broadband expansion, and discussions on local infrastructure and renewable energy development.

Following the opening prayer and approval of the April 7 meeting minutes, commissioners will review claims, treasurer’s receipts, and fee reports from the County Sheriff and Register of Deeds. They will also consider a 2025 engineering agreement with T.C. Engineering and a special designated liquor permit submitted by Pals Brewing Co. for an upcoming event at the Homestead Pumpkin Patch on May 24.

Around 9:30 a.m. the comissioners will hear from Meghan Trevino, Executive Director of the West Central District Health Department. At 9:45 a.m., Val Jansente from Congressman Adrian Smith’s office will provide a congressional update. Jansente will also host a Mobile Office at the courthouse from noon to 1 p.m.

At 10 a.m., representatives from Nextlink will present plans for broadband expansion under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The board will then consider acting as a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) pass-through entity for the Las Mananitas project at 10:15 a.m.

Among other key items, the board will discuss adopting Resolution 2025-10 at 10:25 a.m., which would extend a temporary moratorium on the development of commercial or utility-grade wind and solar energy conversion systems.

At 10:35 a.m., commissioners will consider de-obligating from COPS grant funding and authorizing related documentation. Infrastructure proposals, including Project C56-(2517) S&amp;E Banner Rd and Hershey Dickens Rd. repairs, will follow.

The meeting may include a closed session to discuss legal, security, or personnel matters, as needed. Elected officials and department heads will also have an opportunity to raise concerns, and the board will present committee reports.

For more information on Monday's meeting, visit <a href="http://www.lincolncountyne.gov">www.lincolncountyne.gov</a>.

Lincoln County Commissioners to Address Broadband, CDBG Grant, and Renewable Energy Moratorium in April 14 Meeting

North Platte, Ne - The 5th annual Kevin Kennedy 5K and Fun Run was held in North Platte's Iron Horse Park on Saturday afternoon. Around 100 runners participated in the event, which is a fundraiser for Lincoln County CASA. The run is part of the Platte River Fitness Series. The 5K is actually a super 5K, just over the 3.1 miles in a 5K as runners make three laps around the Iron Horse Park Interstate Lake. After the 5K, families and younger children were able to make 1 lap (fun run) around the lake. The event is billed as a superhero run and many dressed up for additional prizes if they were dressed as a superhero.&nbsp;

Annual Kevin Kennedy 5k & fun run Saturday huge success (results)

Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Brian Titman, 46, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Titman to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Titman’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Titman was also sentenced to an additional 15 months in prison on a separate case, stemming from the fact he was on supervised release at the time of he committed his new offense. That 15-month sentence will run consecutive to the 235-month sentence.

Titman had previously been sentenced in January of 2017 to 60 months in the Bureau of Prisons as a result of a separate federal conviction for distributing 50 grams or more of meth mixture. At the conclusion of his custodial sentence in that case, Titman was sentenced to a term of supervised release, which he violated. A warrant was issued for his arrest in March of 2023, and over the next year, Titman and law enforcement in west-central Nebraska played a game of cat and mouse, with Titman taking steps to conceal his identity and law enforcement actively working to arrest him. On at least two occasions, Titman fled law enforcement at high speeds, pursuits that were eventually terminated because of the risk to the public.

On March 15, 2024, a citizen reported to law enforcement the vehicle Titman was driving and where he was headed. Law enforcement again moved to contact Titman on a traffic stop, and Titman, driving the vehicle with two passengers, again took off.

During the pursuit occupants of the vehicle threw out multiple baggies of meth, personal belongings including phones, and ammunition. The recovered items included a Walmart bag containing 9mm ammunition and multiple baggies containing a total of 6.3 ounces of meth. Additional meth was located in the vehicle.

The vehicle eventually became high centered in a pasture in Lincoln County and all occupants fled into a nearby tree line. Officers were able to call all occupants out and take Titman and the passengers into custody.

The following day, the owner of the pasture called law enforcement and turned over approximately 11.5 ounces of methamphetamine, Narcan, and several personal items. The owner indicated he had found the items in the pasture and on the county road used to access it. The methamphetamine he turned over was packaged the same as the items located in the vehicle and during the pursuit. Law enforcement also located additional meth when they re-searched the field. In total, more 600 grams of methamphetamine were located.

North Platte Man Sentenced to 235 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

IMPERIAL, Neb. (April 12, 2025) — A man was arrested Friday night following a reported armed assault in rural Chase County, authorities said.

The Chase County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 9 p.m. on April 11 reporting an ongoing domestic incident involving a firearm. The caller said a man was attempting to force a woman into a gold Jeep Cherokee without license plates at gunpoint.

Chase County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Justin Mueller was the first to arrive on the scene and performed a felony stop on the vehicle as it was attempting to leave. The driver, identified as Christopher Weiss of Imperial, was detained without incident.

Deputies Rob Rusk and Rob Browning arrived shortly afterward and spoke with additional witnesses. The investigation revealed that Weiss had allegedly brandished a firearm, made threats, physically assaulted the female victim, and attempted to force her into his vehicle.

Weiss was arrested and booked into the Chase County Jail on multiple charges, including domestic assault, terroristic threats, use of a firearm to commit a felony, and first-degree false imprisonment.

He is being held on a $500,000 bond, 10% cash, and remains in custody.

Imperial Man Arrested in Armed Domestic Assault Incident in Rural Chase County

Story by NU Athletic Communications

The No. 21 Nebraska softball team notched its second straight run-rule win with a 10-1 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats in five innings on Sunday in Evanston, Ill.

The Huskers moved to 31-10 (10-3 Big Ten) on the year, while Northwestern fell to 20-14-1 (9-3 Big Ten). With the series win, the Big Red snapped the Wildcats’ streak of winning 20 consecutive Big Ten series.&nbsp;

Samantha Bland and Kacie Hoffmann each had three hits, and Bland added a home run. Jordyn Bahl and Ava Kuszak both had two hits and two RBIs with a home run. Olivia DiNardo contributed two RBIs.

Kylee Magee (5-3) claimed the win in the circle after pitching 5.0 innings for a complete game. She allowed one run on only three hits and struck out four batters. Riley Grudzielanek (8-8) took the loss for Northwestern.&nbsp;

Bahl and Bland opened the game with back-to-back home runs. DiNardo walked and Hoffmann and Kuszak singled to load the bases. DiNardo and Hoffmann scored on a single by Bella Bacon and a respective Northwestern error, and NU led 4-0 after the first.

Neither team scored again until Northwestern hit a solo home run to make the score 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth.

In the top of the fifth, Hoffmann was hit by a pitch and Kuszak knocked a two-run homer to extend the lead to 6-1. Bacon singled and Bredwell reached on an error and a Lauren Camenzind groundout advanced the runners to second and third, respectively. Bahl singled to score Bacon and Bland reached on a fielder’s choice that also advanced Bredwell to third. Bredwell stole home as part of a double steal before Bland went to third on a passed ball. Hannah Camenzind walked and Nessa McMillen came into pinch run. Bland and McMillen both scored on a DiNardo two-run single. The Big Red locked up the 10-1 run-rule win.

Huskers claim Series with second consecutive Run-Rule

Lincoln, NE - The home of Nebraska Volleyball will now officially bear the name of one of the legendary coaches in the history of the sport, as the University of Nebraska Board of Regents on Friday approved the naming of John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Cook retired in January following a remarkable 25-year run as the Huskers’ head coach. He guided the Huskers to four national championships, 12 NCAA Semifinal appearances and 14 conference championships. Cook achieved a career record of 883-176 (.834), the fifth-best winning percentage all-time for a Division I volleyball coach. His record of 722-103 at Nebraska is the best winning percentage (.875) for any DI program over the last 25 years.

The success of Nebraska Volleyball under Cook extended off the court to record-setting attendance. Since moving home matches to the Devaney Center in 2013, Nebraska has led the nation in attendance every season in the 8,309-seat venue which will now be named to honor Cook’s accomplishments.

In addition to the naming of John Cook Arena, the project also includes a bronze statue honoring Cook on the north side of the Devaney Sports Center. Nationally recognized sculpture artist and Nebraska native George Lundeen has been commissioned to produce the life-size tribute to Cook and his career.

“John’s success as the leader of our volleyball program is unmatched,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “His impact goes beyond what his teams accomplished on the court, from our athletic department, our university, community and state of Nebraska. To recognize John in a manner that will be visible for generations to come is a fitting honor.”

The court inside John Cook Arena will continue to hold the name of Terry Pettit Court to recognize Cook’s predecessor and fellow Hall of Famer. Additionally, the full athletics complex will continue to be named the Bob Devaney Sports Center in honor of Nebraska Hall of Fame football coach and long-time athletic director Bob Devaney.

"This is an incredible honor. I am truly humbled by all of it,” Cook said. “I am so grateful to Troy, the entire Nebraska administration and the Board of Regents for this recognition. The Bob Devaney Sports Center and Terry Pettit Court are named after two legendary coaches, and it's an honor to be able to share the name of the facility with them. And to have a statue outside the arena just blows my mind. I'm so thankful for the run we had at Nebraska, and I know the program is in great hands moving forward. I continue to be amazed at the amount of support and all the messages I've received from Husker Nation since retiring in January. All of this just reaffirms what I've always said: There is No Place Like Nebraska."

The new John Cook Arena signage and the bronze statue will be unveiled later this year.

Board of Regents Approve Naming of John Cook Arena

Story by NU Athletic Communication

After a split Big Ten road weekend, the Nebraska women’s tennis team returns to Lincoln for its final home matches of the 2024-25 season. The #72 Huskers (12-8, 2-7 Big Ten) will host two top-25 foes in #16 USC (11-5, 5-3 Big Ten) and #22 UCLA (10-7, 5-3 Big Ten) this weekend.NU takes on the Trojans on Friday, April 11, at 5 p.m. CT. The Big Red will celebrate its seniors, Lucy Loy and Ana Zamburek, ahead of its final home dual on Sunday, April 13, slated for noon CT against the Bruins.

Last weekend, Maria Taranova claimed her 21st singles win of the season, the sophomore’s second time accomplishing 20+ victories in a year. Taranova leads the team with 14 spring singles wins, followed by Zamburek’s 12-3 mark. On the doubles side, Emma Rizzetto and Tiziana Rossini have tallied five victories together.

#16 USC (11-5, 5-3 Big Ten)History:&nbsp;0-0; NU and USC have never met on the court. The Trojans are coming to Lincoln off a 4-1 upset over #19 Wisconsin. USC has three ranked singles players, #62 Grace Piper, #66 Emma Charney and #103 Imogen Haddad. The team is on a win-streak of two, and boasts a top-10 doubles pair in #7 Lily Fairclough/Grace Piper who are 18-5 this season.

#22 UCLA (10-7, 5-3 Big Ten)History:&nbsp;0-0; NU and USC have never met on the court. The Bruins bring a highly-ranked roster to Lincoln, featuring #19 Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer, #33 Kate Fakih, #76 Elisa Wagle and #97 Kimmi Hance in singles. On the doubles courts, UCLA boasts two top-20 pairs with #2 Olivia Center/Kate Fakih and #19 Kimmi Hance/Elise Wagle. The Bruins are on a three-win streak, and will play #31 on Friday. Their most recent loss was to #12 Ohio State.

The Huskers are coming off the fall individual season in which the team tallied 34 singles wins. Taranova led the Big Red in fall singles wins with seven, and had a stellar freshman season in which she earned a 23-8 record, the most wins by a freshman since 2010.In the 2023-24 season, led by head coach Dalmagro, his first year at NU, the Huskers went 14-11. The team accomplished two Big Ten Tournament wins for the first time in program history and senior Raphaelle Lacasse was named an All-Big Ten First Team honoree.

The conference matches will have a live stream available and linked on huskers.com. For match and spring season updates and content, follow @HuskerWTennis on Instagram and X, or Nebraska Women’s Tennis on Facebook.

Big Red host #16 USC, #22 UCLA for final Home Weekend

Story by Supernovas Communications

HENDERSON, Nev.&nbsp;— The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Bni7GnNBaedzwWKfSP45f3Pf3ucf1OImk80xstanTapsgiflVoQJmnlrpKya60LaY6wLulCnqfsrd-EDehGVMgoRY9fraVZcF66tHWaebvHuyuYdjpnAhlW3WasOPFiclM5pgcsCEBS2RQlN3g28gHBVfkAby8U5ya05uhd1Re5CxtmCG0w9CRcH6yeRgC-p&amp;c=Ck6Y14Baw6Jy4eznvX7_VYjuF2Eam1agcPOjErDs4fEge5ClOOALPQ==&amp;ch=ftAPZ49XUW0Ra99QvOUryucC-VEwUiANI-1METYyGD-JacbIDGBU7Q==">Omaha Supernovas</a>, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first pro volleyball champions, became the first team to punch their ticket to the&nbsp;2025 Pro Volleyball Federation Championship, riding a career night from opposite&nbsp;Kelsie Payne&nbsp;to a 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 26-24 win over the Vegas Thrill (8-13) Thursday night at Lee’s Family Forum.

The first-place Supernovas (16-5) are set to defend its title in Vegas for the PVF Semifinals on Friday, May 9 before the Championship “Match for a Million” on Sunday, May 11 back at Lee’s Family Forum. The semifinals are set for 7 p.m. CDT between the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds with the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds to follow at 9:30 p.m. CDT. The two semifinal winners will play at 3 p.m. CDT on Sunday. Both semifinal matches and the championship will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.&nbsp;

Payne was nearly unstoppable for most of the evening, tallying a PVF career-high 27 points on 22 kills with a .396 hitting percentage, 11 digs, four blocks and one ace. Outside hitter&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;started slow for Omaha, but turned it up late to finish with 13 kills, 12 digs and one block to be one of four Supernovas with a double-double.&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;joined that quartet with 12 kills, 10 digs and one ace.&nbsp;

Middle blocker&nbsp;Kayla Caffey&nbsp;slammed down five kills on a .300 clip with four blocks.&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord&nbsp;chipped in two kills, but added three blocks to move her league-leading total to 70 on the season, matching the PVF single-season record of former Supernova&nbsp;Hristina Vuchkova.&nbsp;

Setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;shook off her rough outing last week versus Orlando to dish out 44 assists with 15 digs, two kills and two aces. Libero&nbsp;Camila Gómez&nbsp;secured 13 digs and four assists on the night while passing at a 57% positive rate — second best on the team.&nbsp;

The Supernovas hit .274 as a squad with 13 blocks and five aces. Omaha’s defense limited Vegas to a .155 team clip while the Thrill posted seven blocks and five aces.&nbsp;

The high-flying Hannah Maddux recorded a team-best 21 kills, 10 digs and two blocks to nearly keep up with Payne. 2025 PVF All-Star Adora Anae hammered 11 kills and 13 digs in her Thrill debut while passing for a match-high 86% positive rate on 22 receptions.&nbsp;

The Supernovas continue their West Coast road trip with a visit to the San Diego Mojo on Saturday, April 12 at Viejas Arena. First serve is set for 8 p.m. CDT as the match will be streamed live on the&nbsp;PVF YouTube Channel&nbsp;and can be heard on the&nbsp;Supernovas Radio Network.&nbsp;

Set 1:&nbsp;Payne started the match with a block while Kayla put away an overpass to give the Supernovas a quick 3-1 out of the gate. Maddux responded with two kills of her own, plus a Batenhorst error tied the set at treys. Caffey roofed a Vegas attack and Payne followed with a kill. Hord jumpstarted a 3-0 run behind back-to-back stuffs from the league’s block leader for an 8-5 Supernovas lead. Anae and Willow Johnson hammered back-to-back kills to cut the deficit to one. Hord terminated on a middle set and Caffey followed with another block for a three-point Omaha edge. Leading 13-10 after Caffey and Maddux traded kills, the Supernovas rallied for a 3-0 run behind two kills from Batenhorst and one from Payne for a 16-11 lead. A service error ended the run, but Payne sided out for Omaha with a kill. Camryn Hannah sneaked one by the Supernovas defense, but Payne and Nuneviller swatted back-to-back kills to force a Thrill timeout at 20-14.&nbsp;Lindsay Krause&nbsp;came in and served dimes off the bench, securing her second ace of the year before forcing an overpass kill for Payne as Vegas called another timeout at 22-14 Omaha. Maddux and Carly Graham posted a pair of kills, but a Hannah hitting error secured a 25-17 set win for the Supernovas.&nbsp;

The Omaha offense went off for a .323 hitting percentage while posting five blocks and the one ace from Krause. Payne earned a team-high six kills on a .600 clip while Hord and Caffey each had two blocks. Vegas had 10 hitting errors en route to a .054 hitting percentage in the set. Maddux slammed down a team-leading six kills while the Thrill had one block and no aces.&nbsp;

Set 2:&nbsp;Maddux got the Thrill going early with a pair of kills, plus a Johnson tally for a 3-1 Vegas advantage. Payne responded with another kill, but a Maddux swing and Omaha hitting error extended the Thrill edge to three. But then Vegas committed a pair of errors before Batenhorst tied the set at five with a kill. Anae made her presence felt with two swings finding the floor to send the set into a media timeout with an 8-7 Thrill lead. Payne terminated on another swing to tie the set before Caffey came up with a block to give the Supernovas a 10-9 advantage. The Thrill recorded back-to-back points, but a Payne block ignited a 6-0 run as Nuneviller tallied three consecutive kills to establish a 16-11 Omaha lead. Johnson ended the run with a kill down the line before Graham served an ace off Batenhorst to give the Thrill a burst of momentum. Payne flew from the right side for a kill to keep the lead at four. Graham split the defense with a setter dump while Luper followed with an off speed kill to cut the Supernovas lead to two. Batenhorst answered with back-to-back kills for a 20-16 Omaha lead to force a Thrill timeout. Valentín-Anderson stamped the lead with an ace out of the break before Batenhorst added on with a kill. The run ended at five as Anae sided out for the Thrill. Hord gave Omaha set point with a middle attack, but Vegas strung together a trio of points before Payne ended the set with her 13th kill for a 25-20 win for the Supernovas.&nbsp;

The Omaha offense hit even better in the second set with a .406 hitting percentage and adding two blocks and one ace. Payne paced the Supernovas attack with seven kills on 10 swings for a .700 clip. Batenhorst recorded four kills (.444) with Nuneviller chipping in three. Vegas hit .205 with two aces, but had zero blocks. It was a balanced attack for the Thrill with Maddux posting a team-high four kills while Johnson and Anae each had three.&nbsp;

Set 3:&nbsp;Former Supernovas middle blocker&nbsp;Sophie Davis&nbsp;started the set off with a kill, but Caffey tied the score by dropping in a ball into the campfire. Payne followed with an ace for Omaha to grab the lead. Berkeley Oblad posted only the second block for Vegas, but Payne followed with a kill by nicking a Thrill finger to tie the set again. Oblad terminated a ball off the slide before an Omaha setting error gave Vegas a 5-3 edge. Caffey sided out with a kill. Valentín-Anderson fooled the defense with a setter dump, but a 3-0 run for the Thrill — which included a Johnson kill — put the lead at 9-5 Vegas. Batenhorst ended a long rally by bouncing a ball off a defender for a kill. Payne continued her stellar night with a kill and block to get within one. Johnson doubled the lead, but Nuneviller used her court vision to anticipate a Thrill attack to come up with a block. Davis responded with a kill and her first career ace for a 12-9 Vegas lead. Payne stuffed a Thrill attack and Nuneviller capped a 3-0 run with consecutive kills to tie the set again. The Thrill regained the momentum off two Omaha errors, a Maddux block and Anae kill to go ahead 16-12 into the media timeout. An Alisha Glass Childress block extended the run to five, but Nuneviller sided out with a kill. Batenhorst roofed a Thrill attack before ending a long rally with a kill to force a Thrill timeout at 17-15. Maddux stopped the Supernovas run with a kill, but Batenhorst snuck in a tough angle ball for a point. Krause followed with her second ace of the night to get Omaha within one again. Payne and Nuneviller terminated on swings as the two teams traded points in the red zone, but back-to-back kills from Maddux gave the Thrill set point. Glass Childress ended the set with a kill for a 25-22 Vegas win.&nbsp;

The Supernovas offense struggled to a .163 hitting percentage with four blocks and two aces. Nuneviller led Omaha with four kills while Payne and Batenhorst each tallied three. The Thrill hit .244 in the set with four blocks and one ace. Maddux and Anae hammered a team-leading four kills.&nbsp;

Set 4:&nbsp;Batenhorst gave Omaha a positive start to the set by tooling the block. Valentín-Anderson aced Maddux before Hord earned her third block of the night to give the Supernovas a 3-0 lead early. Davis took advantage of some Omaha confusion in serve receive to get her second ace, but Nuneviller kept the lead at two with a pair of kills. A batch of errors followed both teams, but two hitting mistakes from the Thrill opened up an 8-5 Supernovas lead going into the first media timeout. A trio of hitting errors followed Omaha out of the break to tie the set before Davis and Maddux recorded consecutive kills to give Vegas an 11-9 edge. Valentín-Anderson ended the 5-0 run with a kill, but two more points by the Thrill extended the advantage to three. Payne dropped a shot in the back corner. Maddux responded with another tally and then Johnson delivered an ace to force a Supernovas timeout at 15-11. Payne found the floor out of the timeout before Anae quickly sent the action to the second media timeout with a kill to give Vegas a 16-12 advantage. Oblad narrowly missed a serve, which jumpstarted a 3-0 run for the Supernovas as Caffey stuffed an attack before Batenhorst slammed down a kill to cut the Thrill lead to 17-16. Payne slammed down another kill and a Vegas error tied the set at 19. Maddux and Johnson stepped up for the Thrill to break the tie with back-to-back points, but Payne answered with consecutive kills of her own to equal the score. A Vegas hitting error forced a timeout at 22-21 Omaha, but the Thrill clawed back using a Maddux kill and block to retake the lead at 23-22. Nuneviller took charge in crunch time for the Supernovas with two kills in a row to give Omaha set point, but Maddux responded with a kill to send the set into extra points tied at 24. Anae sent her next swing wide with Nuneviller ending the match with her 13th kill to give the Supernovas a 26-24 set win and their spot in the postseason.&nbsp;

Omaha hit .250 in the fourth with two blocks and one ace. Payne (6 kills) and Nuneviller (5 kills) combined for 11 of the team’s 15 kills in the set. Vegas limped to a .103 team clip with eight hitting errors compared to 12 kills. The Thrill had two blocks and two aces in the set as Maddux was responsible for seven kills.&nbsp;

Payne pushes Supernovas past thrill and into the Postseason

Area NSAA Spring Sports scores from 4-10

The No. 21 Nebraska softball team blasted three home runs to bring its season total to a program-record 79 homers and downed the Creighton Bluejays, 8-2, on Wednesday night at Bowlin Stadium.

The Huskers (29-10, 8-3 Big Ten) came into the game tied for first on the program home run charts. Samantha Bland, who tied the school record with three home runs in last Saturday’s game at Iowa, knocked a homer in the bottom of the second to secure the record. Ava Bredwell and Ava Kuszak followed with back-to-back homers in the bottom of the fifth.&nbsp;

Bland was a solid 3-for-4 on the day. Kacie Hoffman went 2-for-4 with a career-high two doubles and Kuszak was 2-for-2 with a home run and a double.&nbsp;

Jordyn Bahl (16-4) claimed the win in the circle for the Big Red. She tossed 6.0 innings and allowed only one run while striking out eight batters. Hannah Camenzind threw the final inning and allowed one run. Abby Rusher (1-2) took the loss for the Bluejays (15-20, 5-7 Big East).&nbsp;

The Huskers got on the board in the bottom of the first. H. Camenzind was hit by a pitch and scored on a Hoffmann double. Emmerson Cope singled to send Hoffmann across the plate and give NU a 2-0 lead.

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