North Platte Bulletin

4 days ago | northplattebulletin.com | George Lauby

Kristopher Weitzel, 53, appeared in Lincoln County District Court on Monday, April 29 to face several charges — domestic assault, strangulation, false imprisonment, terroristic threats, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and disturbing the peace. The charges were file about a year ago, after Weitzel held police in a standoff on Burlington Ave., and then beat up his live-in girlfriend a few days later. In a plea bargain worked out by attorneys, all of the charges were dropped but two.

1 week ago | northplattebulletin.com | George Lauby

Tasers area valuable tool for law officers, but they don’t come cheap, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Capt. Dan Newton told the county commissioners Monday as he said it’s time to upgrade.  Some of the tasers in the sheriff’s supply were purchased 17 years ago. More were purchased14 years ago and others 11 years ago. Capt. Dan Newton said there are about 48 tasers – 24 in the jail and 24 in the patrol division, but several of them don’t work and they are too old to repair.

1 week ago | northplattebulletin.com | George Lauby

North Platte Tree Board would hold an Arbor Day celebration at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 at Cody Park, honoring key people in North Platte who recently passed away. Mary Hepburn, Frank Albertson and Wes Meyer will be honored. Memorial trees will be planted west of Cody Pool, Tree Board Secretary Lena Hughes said. The City of North Platte and Cody Park will be welcomed back by the Nebraska State Arboretum during the celebration, Hughes said.

3 weeks ago | northplattebulletin.com | Mike Moen

Nebraska lawmakers are considering a bill to ensure managed health care companies cannot limit the rate of state reimbursement for mental health service providers. Advocates for the bill, LB 380, want to make sure in the future, the companies could not negotiate a lower rate. Right now, there’s no requirement they use the posted rates, it has just been the practice. The bill would keep “guardrails” in place.

3 weeks ago | northplattebulletin.com | George Lauby

Layoffs began March 11 for employees at the U.S. Department of Education, and by March 21, just 10 days later, nearly half the staff had been placed on administrative leave. It’s part of President Trump’s plan to dismantle the department, which is something Republicans have wanted since the department was established in 1979. How the changes will affect individual school districts is not fully understood yet.