Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Two defendants recently waived their rights to preliminary hearings on felony charges and were bound over to Holt County District Court by the Honorable Kale Burdick. Torrey T. Peterson, 30, of O’Neill waived his right to a preliminary hearing when he faced Burdick on May 21. Burdick bound Peterson over to the district court on three felony counts, Count I, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver (140-plus grams), a Class 1B felony; Count II, possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 4 felony; and possession of a c...
Julius Tauber, 22, formerly of Camp Lejune, North Carolina, appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week on two counts of intimidation by phone call, Class 3 misdemeanors alleged in May 2023. If convicted of the charges, he faces up to $500 fines and/or 90 days in jail on each count, which jail terms may be ordered served consecutively. Tauber filed a written not guilty plea in January and acknowledged in writing that multiple continuances granted over the past year do not count against...
Hector A. Perez, 46, of Orchard appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week for sentencing on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense, a Class W misdemeanor committed April 23, one mile west of Royal. Perla Alarcon-Flory appeared as interpreter, via Zoom. An enhancement hearing was held. Taylor found sufficient evidence of a previous DUI conviction, making the crime second offense. Taylor sentenced Perez to a nine-month term of probation, including related fees...
The Honorable James Kube saw a short criminal court agenda when he presided from the bench of the Antelope County District Court last week. Rowdy Burke, 52, of Elgin appeared without counsel for a hearing on the status of his bond. Burke was given a deferred jail sentence by Kube last month, and subsequently failed to show up at the Antelope County Jail on April 28 as ordered for his co.viction of driving under suspension. He was arrested in Lincoln on April 29. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith, who had initiated the hearing “declined to g...
Antelope County Commissioners revisited the question of who is responsible for upgrades to an unimproved road when they met May 7 at the Antelope County Courthouse in Neligh. Last month, officials denied a zoning permit for Gary Yoder, for property adjacent to 512 Avenue, where Yoder is constructing a residence. County attorney Joe Smith told commissioners the property is owned by an Amish family, who is constructing a house at the location. "The first quarter mile going up to it isn't bad. The...
Hector A. Perez, 46, of Orchard appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense, a Class W misdemeanor committed April 23, one mile west of Royal. Perla Alarcon-Flory appeared as interpreter, via Zoom. Perez waived his right to counsel. His waiver was verified by Taylor, through Alarcon-Flory, numerous times during the hearing. She asked if he had ever been represented by counsel in the past. “Si,” he answered. He also answ...
James A. Brady, 69, of Neligh faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on May 1 to be sentenced for third-degree assault. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith recommended probation, pursuant to conditions of a plea agreement. He said issues with alcohol and violence had been addressed. Brady’s attorney, Joel Carlson of Norfolk, told Taylor that his client disagreed with a statement in the presentence investigation report, regarding throwing a phone. “He didn’t think it hit them,” the attorney said. “The good new...
An Elgin man, who was given a deferred jail sentence by the Honorable James Kube last month, did not show up at the Antelope County Jail on April 28 as ordered. However, Rowdy Burke’s attempt to avoid incarceration failed. Burke, 52, is now in custody. Burke was sentenced by Kube on April 24 to a 24-month probation term with conditions that included 90 days in the county jail, for a Class 4 felony charge of driving under revocation. Sixty days of the jail time were ordered immediately. Burke’s attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, requested Burke b...
Michael D. Wright, appeared in front of the Honorable Ross Stoffer, in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, May 1, for further arraignment on a Class 1 misdemeanor charge of third-degree domestic assault, alleged March 17 in Neligh. Taylor passed the case to Stoffer, alluding to a possible conflict of interest March 20, when Wright, appeared for arraignment. Wright, who had been granted a continuance when he appeared in March, so he could consult an attorney, appeared without one. He waived his right to counsel and, pursuant...
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...
Cassandra Howell, who was in the custody of Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, admitted violating terms of her probation when she faced the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Jan. 31. She also admitted failing to appear at a hearing last October. Howell waived her right to counsel, expecting to be resentenced that day, to time already served. However, Kube insisted a report be prepared by an officer with the Nebraska probation office before he will pass sentence. “You may be sentenced to tim...
Shane Sleister, 49, (in custody), appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, April 17, for sentencing in two similar cases. The Honorable Donna Taylor sentenced Sleister to terms in the Antelope County Jail on each of two charges in each case. In the first case, committed Sept. 20, 2023, Sleister was committed to the Antelope County Jail for 60 days on Count I, obstructing a peace officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and 10 days on Count II, driving under suspension, a Class 3 misdemeanor, and he was taxed $1 costs....
An elderly Tilden man was sentenced in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, April 17, to a one-year term of probation for violating a domestic abuse protection order. The protection order was issued April 13, 2022, and renewed April 13, 2023, in Boone County district court, with the 90-year-old man’s former spouse listed as the protected party. She alleged mental and physical abuse. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith said Nebraska probation officials recommended jail in a presentence investigation report. He said a mental h...
On Friday, April 12, at approximately 7 p.m., the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Holt County Attorney’s Office, O’Neill Police Department, Atkinson Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol and Antelope County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant in Ewing. The search warrant was served at a camper located at the northeast corner of Highway 20 and Highway 45B. Substances alleged to be controlled substances and several items believed to be drug paraphernalia were found during the execution of the search warrant. Torrey Peterso...
How does Antelope County define an unimproved road? "An unimproved road is defined as any officially-declared minimum maintenance road and any road not graded or contains surfacing material," county zoning administrator Megan Wingate told commissioners. The question of who is responsible for upgrades to an unimproved road occupied discussion amongst commissioners when they met in regular session, April 2 and again April 9. According to county attorney Joe Smith, county resident Gary Yoder...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska April 2, 2024 Chairman opened the meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved minutes of the 3-12-2024 BOC Meeting. Correspondence was reviewed. Quarterly jail inspection. Monthly reports: Sheriff’s February fee report. Antelope County Club liquor license was approved. Zoning administrator report. Zoning permit report for March. Discussion regarding building and access permits. The county attorney recommends denying all on minimum main...
Koda Fernau, 20, of Neligh was an 18-year-old Summerland High School student when he made comments on a school bus and at a Neligh workplace in September 2022, comments that resulted in his arrest on a felony terroristic threat charge. According to arrest affidavits, while riding on a Summerland bus Sept. 2, 2022, Fernau commented about purchasing a firearm and, while at work on Sept. 9, threatened to “shoot up” a Summerland bus. Fernau pleaded guilty early this year to a Class 1 misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault (threaten another in...
County court cases in Antelope County are routinely heard by the Honorable Donna Taylor, one of three county court judges presiding from benches in the Nebraska’s Seventh Judicial District. Last week, Taylor passed a case to one of her peers. The Honorable Ross Stoffer will travel to Neligh to hear a case involving a former Neligh police officer, Michael D. Wright. Wright is set for further arraignment May 1. Bond is continued at $5,000, 10% cash. Referring to previous work through Antelope County involving Wright as an officer, county p...
Two defendants who are accused of absconding from post-release supervision appeared in front of the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last week. Haiden Sleister denied information to revoke his post-release supervision. Kube set an evidentiary hearing for April 24. He was remanded to the custody of Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, pending posting of $5,000, 10% cash bond. Sleister’s court-appointed attorney, Brad Ewalt of Norfolk, requested bond modification to personal recognizance. Antelope County a...
Two South Dakota men were sentenced to prison last Wednesday, March 27, by the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom at the courthouse in Neligh. Christopher Barta, 29, Irene, was sentenced for aiding the consumption of a felony. Kube sentenced Barta to one year in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, the maximum jail sentence allowed for the Class 4 felony. He must serve at least six months before his mandatory release. Barta received credit for 65 days previously...
Joaquin S. Echeverria, 28, of Brenham, Texas, (in custody) appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week for preliminary hearing. Escheverria is accused of a Class 1C felony, possession of more than 28 grams of methamphetamine, with intent to deliver. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith called Nebraska State Patrol trooper Seth Miller to the stand. Miller testified that Escheverria possessed 74-76 grams of methamphetamine when he was stopped for speeding Feb. 19. Miller also testified that...
Sentencing on a 90-year-old Tilden man’s latest conviction of violating a harassment protection order was delayed last week after court officials discussed his felony charge in Pierce County. The Honorable Donna Taylor granted a defense request to delay sentencing for the third time, in Denis Kerkman’s current Antelope County case, after hearing that a felony charge of violating of the same protection order in Pierce County had been bound over to district court. Local sentencing was previously scheduled Feb. 7 and Feb. 21 and was continued eac...
Should a person whose burial is paid for by the county need to be a resident? “It’s not necessarily what the amount is. I’m more concerned if we’re paying for Antelope County residents or if we’re paying for people applying because the county next door isn’t paying as much,” said Jay Snider, owner of Snider Memorial Funeral Home. Snider, a Clearwater resident, opened discussion with Antelope County Commissioners during the March 12 meeting in Neligh. Snider said it’s been approximately 1...
An Elgin man, who had moved from Arizona last fall, has learned about icy road conditions and Nebraska law regarding vehicle and driver’s licenses. Tyler S. Zawacky, 30, of Elgin appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on March 6 for pretrial hearing on Count I, leaving scene of property-damage accident, a Class 2 misdemeanor; Count II, no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; and Count III, fictitious plates, a Class 3 misdemeanor. Pursuant to a plea agreement with a...
Joaquin S. Echeverria, 28, of Brenham, Texas, (in custody) appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week for preliminary hearing. Escheverria is accused of a Class 1 C felony, possession of more than 28 grams of methamphetamine, with intent to deliver, alleged Feb. 19. Antelope County public defender Pat Carney requested continuance. Taylor continued the hearing to March 20. Escheverria was remanded back to the custody of Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, pending posting $100,000, 10%...
