BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — A woman who worked 33 years for Custer County has pleaded guilty to stealing from the Sheriff's Office.

Court records say 59-year-old Kelli Estergard, of Callaway, pleaded guilty to theft after prosecutors lowered the charge and dropped a related charge. Her sentencing is set for Aug. 23.

Authorities say the theft occurred between July 23, 2015, and Jan. 30 this year.

-

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) — Frank Rzucek Sr. leaned forward in a Colorado courtroom, weeping with his face in his hands as his son-in-law, just feet away, was told Tuesday he could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Rzucek's daughter and two granddaughters.

Collecting himself, Rzucek glared as Christopher Watts was escorted back to jail.

The brief hearing came a day after court documents revealed that Watts told police that it was Rzucek's daughter, Shanann Watts, who strangled the kids after he told her he wanted to separate.

Watts told police that he flew into a rage and strangled his wife, took the three bodies to a remote oil site north of Denver, buried Shanann in a shallow grave and dumped the girls' bodies inside oil tanks.

Rzucek's silent angst dominated a routine court hearing in which Watts, wearing an orange jail suit and cuffed at the wrists and ankle, stoically answered, "Yes sir," as District Judge Marcelo Kopcow told him of the possible punishments if he's found guilty of killing Shanann, 34, Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4.

Shanann's brother, Frank Rzucek Jr., rubbed his father's shoulders and glared unflinchingly at Watts. A deputy stood between the men and the defendant.

Watts didn't enter pleas to three first-degree murder charges, two counts of killing a child under 12, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

GPS coordinates provided by police suggest the bodies were found at an oil worksite on or near a sprawling ranch close to Roggen, a high plains town about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of the family's home in Frederick.

The oil site was not clearly visible Tuesday from the borders of the ranch, set in grazing land with sagebrush, yellow wildflowers and the occasional cottonwood tree. Gates to the property were closed, and the ranch owner did not immediately respond to a telephone message.

Watts worked as an operator for Anadarko Petroleum, a major Colorado oil and gas producer. He was fired Aug. 15, the day of his arrest.

Police first visited the Watts home on Aug. 13, after a friend asked officers to check on Shanann. Police searched the house and found the woman's cellphone stuffed inside a couch. Her purse was in the kitchen, and a suitcase was at the bottom of the stairs.

A detective spoke to Watts and learned about his plan to leave his wife. He told officers the conversation with Shanann was civil at first but that later "they were both upset and crying" and she planned to go to a friend's house, court papers said.

When she and the girls did not return home Aug. 14, investigators ramped up their efforts, with help from the FBI and Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Christopher Watts was interviewed by several local television stations, saying he missed his family.

In court papers, investigators said they learned that Watts was "actively involved in an affair with a co-worker," something he denied at first.

Separate documents filed by Watts' defense attorney last week said the girls' bodies were submerged in crude oil for four days before police found them late Thursday.

Prosecutors in Colorado have 60 days after someone is arraigned to say if they will seek the death penalty. No date has been set for Watts' arraignment. District Attorney Michael Rourke said Monday that it was too early to discuss if he will pursue capital punishment.

Shanann Watts, who's originally from North Carolina, had told family and friends she was expecting a boy. The judge said the charge of unlawful termination of pregnancy carries a prison term between 16 and 48 years.

Colorado is one of 12 states without a law broadly allowing for homicide charges in the violent death of fetuses. But state lawmakers in 2013 made the unlawful termination of pregnancy a felony.

Several efforts to change state law to allow murder charges in the death of a fetus have stalled amid disagreement about how to pass such a law without infringing on abortion rights.

As Boulder County district attorney, Stan Garnett remembers receiving dozens of calls and letters as his office prosecuted a woman accused of cutting open a pregnant woman's belly and removing her unborn child in 2015.

Garnett said a murder charge is impossible in Colorado unless prosecutors can show a fetus lived outside the mother before death.

A case involving the death of a fetus is inevitably controversial, but for prosecutors, "all that matters is what the law is and what the evidence is," Garnett said.

-

On Monday March 3rd 2018 at approximately 2:45 p.m. a call came in for a reported grass fire east of the Ag Valley elevators in Wilsonville Nebraska. No structures were involved. Approximately 320 acres of farm ground burned. No injuries have been reported. Multiple departments responded including Cambridge, Beaver City, Bartley, Beaver Valley, HEA, Norton and Almena also Extreme Ag, Kasson farms and Bill Moore brought down water for the tanks. Some area farmers brought tractors and disc to help control the fire . The cause of the fire is suspected to be the rekindle of an old burn permit pile.

-

The Business and Community Education department at Mid-Plains Community College will take its Free Youth ATV Training to the Dundy County Fairgrounds in Benkelman on June 14.

There will be additional trainings in McCook and Imperial.

“The need for quality rider safety training is becoming more of a necessity every year as we continue to see serious injuries attributed to ATVs,” said Crystal Welch, Business and Community Education coordinator. “We are happy to offer this very important training to our area youth.”

There will be two sessions to choose from at each training: 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Classes will be divided by age group, 6-9 and 10-16. Six students from each age group will be allowed in each session.

The curriculum, developed by Central States Safety Driver Training, will consist of a combination of safety instruction and guided, hands-on ATV operation. Participants will practice turns, stops and terrain navigation.

Instruction topics will include ATV injury and fatality statistics, how ATV size can contribute to rollover injuries and fatalities, the dangers of carrying passengers and material on ATVs, risks of traveling on public roads and safety procedures and practices.

Those who complete the program successfully will receive a certificate that aligns with insurance company requirements.

ATVs in different sizes will be used during the trainings. Parents of children younger than 10 must stay for their child’s class.

Other requirements include:

§Closed-toe footwear (preferably over the ankle)

§Long, non-flare pants

§A long-sleeved shirt or jacket

§Approved eye protection (will be provided if a participant does not have any)

§A helmet (will be provided if a participant doesn’t have one)

Those unable to attend the training in Benkelman will have the option of taking it at the following times and locations:

§June 15 - Red Willow County Fairgrounds, McCook

§June 21 - Chase County Fairgrounds, Imperial

Space is limited in all classes. Pre-registration is required by calling (308) 535-3678.

The trainings are possible thanks to a grant from the CHS Foundation, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn. The money is administered through the North Platte Community College Foundation.

-

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has hired former assistant coach Ron Brown to help players off the field.

Coach Scott Frost announced Brown's hiring Wednesday in a non-coaching role as director of player development. Brown will mentor football players, work with the athletic department's university's Life Skills program and aid community outreach. Brown served as an assistant from 1987 through 2003 and again from 2008 to through 2014. Frost quarterbacked the team in the 1996 and 1997 seasons.

Brown was associate head coach at Liberty University for the past three seasons, working for another former Nebraska quarterback, head coach Turner Gill.

Brown spent 2004 through 2007 as Nebraska state director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Brown has a bachelor's from Brown University and a master's from Columbia University.

-

Ray Torres, age 24 of Scottsbluff was arrested following multiple pursuits in and near the northwest area of Scottsbluff. 

At approximately 10:41 this morning, a Deputy on patrol observed Ray Torres driving a vehicle on W. 42^nd Street near highway 71.  The Deputy soon confirmed multiple arrest warrants for Torres, and attempted to stop the vehicle.  Torres fled and drove through fields, private land and a tree row north of Scottsbluff, eventually heading south on Highway 71 and into the City of Scottsbluff where officers lost contact.

Another Deputy located the vehicle in a yard in the 2900 block between Avenue I and Dineen and observed a male running in the neighborhood.  Deputies with the assistance of Scottsbluff PD and the Nebraska State Patrol created a perimeter around the area but were unsuccessful in locating the male.

At approximately 1:33 p.m. today, a woman living in the 2700 block of Dineen Avenue reported a man leaving her garage.  Scottsbluff PD officers and a State Patrol Trooper observed Torres in the area and apprehended him after a short foot pursuit.

The woman that reported him said that he had been inside her garage and she found doors to her vehicle opened and someone had gone through the property inside. 

Ray Torres was transported to the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center and charged with the following:

-

On March 28, 2018 at approximately 7:44 pm a deputy with the Furnas County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a blue Alero with no plates in the Tri Valley Clinic parking lot, Arapahoe, Nebraska.

-

On July 9, 2018 the Furnas County Sheriff’s Office received two arrested warrants for Colby G. Carpenter, 33, of Arapahoe, Furnas County, Nebraska. The two warrants were each for one count of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person. The bond amount set on each warrant was $250,000 subject to 10%.

-

On May 17, 2018 at approximately 11:06 am the Furnas County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Gregg A. Klein, 19, of Beaver City, Nebraska was in front of Kelley’s Grocery Store, in Beaver City. The Sheriff’s Office was aware that Klein had a local arrest warrant from Furnas County Court for driving under suspension. See full story by clicking on link below:

- Furnas County Sheriff's Office Press Release

Five McCook Community College softball players have been named to the Omaha World-Herald’s all Nebraska junior college team including sophomore Alexis Moeaki, who was named the team’s honorary captain. Also named to the team were sophomore Taya Thorpe and freshmen Emily Charchuk, Jerusha Miner and Chanel Siebenthal. McCook had a strong offense this spring as it hit .366 as a team and averaged 7.9 runs per game and dominated the all World-Herald team with five of the 14 players. Western Nebraska and Central Community College each had three players, Northeast Junior College had two and Southeast Community College had one. Moeaki, a sophomore from Las Vegas, set a school record with 76 RBIs this spring and hit.468, scored 61 runs, hit 22 doubles and 11 home runs. She finished as McCook’s career leader in batting average (.464), hits (176) and RBIs (142). Joining her in the infield was freshman Emily Charchuk, second base, from Victoria, British Columbia, who hit .439, scored 66 runs and drove in 34 RBIs. Two MCC freshman were named as out-fielders on the World-Herald team. Jerusha Miner, Gunnison Valley, Utah, batted .373 for the Lady Indians, scored 53 runs and led Region IX with 39 stolen bases. Chanel Siebenthal, outfielder from Lakewook, Colo., hit.406, scored 57 runs and stole 17 bases. Sophomore pitcher Taya Thorpe, Malad, Idaho, was one of three pitchers named to the team. She led MCC with a 21-20 record this past season, struck out 200 hitters and had a 5.43 earned-run average.

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD TWO-YEAR COLLEGE TEAM

C: Danica Schaefer, so., Central CC, .488, 39 R, 33 RBIs

1B: Savannah Robertson, so., Northeast CC, .471, 40 RBI, 50 R

2B: Emily Charchuk, fr., McCook CC, .439, 66 R, 34 RBIs

*SS: Alexis Moeaki, so., McCook CC, .468, 11 HRs, 76 RBIs

3B: Michaela Kelly, fr., Western Nebraska, .383, 14 HRs, 53 RBIs

OF: Madi Jackson, so., Western Nebraska, .421, 58 R, 39 RBIs

OF: Jerusha Miner, fr., McCook CC, .373, 53 R, 39 SBs

OF: Chanel Siebenthal, fr., McCook CC, .406, 57 R, 17 SBs

EP: Jessica Lusk, so., Southeast CC, .429, 16 HRs, 56 RBIs

U: Jenna Robinson, so., Central CC, .381, 13 HRs, 55 RBIs

P: Alayna Allen, fr., Northeast CC, 3.64 ERA, .404, 59 RBIs

P: Katelyn Keene, so., Central CC, 12-6, 3.21 ERA

P: Emma McMillan, fr., Western Nebraska, 14-19, 6.10 ERA

P: Taya Thorpe, so., McCook CC, 21-20, 200 Ks, 5.43 ERA

*— denotes honorary captain

Honorable mention:

Central CC - Shelby Behnk, Mackenzie Eller, Ashten Gibson.

North Platte CC - Emily Marsden, Hallei Morales, Erin Renwick, Ana Talaroc-Kaniho, Kenlee Wanlass.

Northeast - Jade Long, Emily Sherstone.

Southeast - Brooke Brestel, Cassidy Burkhardt, Jasmine Davis, Jenny Eacker, Kelsey Markey.

Western Nebraska - Brooke Doumer, Alyssa Guymon, Gabby Loya, Reagan Solomon.

-

The 2017-18 RPAC All-Conference Boys and Girls Basketball Teams have been announced for the East and West divisions.

- RPAC All-Conference Teams

First Team

Padyn Borders Sr Broken Bow

Hunter Pothoff Sr McCook

Tristian Siemering Sr Cozad

Dillon Geiser Jr Cozad

Elijah Lovin Jr Minden

Second Team

Kevin Linn Sr Broken Bow

Gage Delimont Jr Ainsworth

Cameron Raffaeli Jr Ogallala

Bennett Folkers Sr Gothenburg

Nate Neil Jr Cozad

Third Team

Josh Harvey Jr Broken Bow

Clayton Stevens Sr McCook

Kooper Reece Sr Valentine

Josh Denney Jr Minden

AJ Whiting Sr Gothenburg

Adam Kroeger So Ogallala

-

First Team

Gracie Stienike Sr Gothenburg

Janessa Madsen Sr Minden

Sadie Rush Sr Cozad

Kali Staples Fr Broken Bow

Diana Reed Sr Ogallala

Second Team

Bailey Honn Sr McCook

Jory Lowe Sr Broken Bow

Rylee Rice So Ainsworth

Alex Bauer Jr Minden

MacKenzie Smith Jr McCook

Third Team

Jaden Bryant Sr McCook

Kennedy Berreckman Sr Cozad

Taylor Williams Jr Ogallala

Chiara Richeson Fr Gothenburg

Liviya Wier Fr McCook

All-Star Game

Sheridan Bancroft- Valentine, Claire Steinhauser- Ainsworth, Tory Dehning Ogallala, Emily Arp-McCook, Arleigh Costello-Gothenburg, Hanna Wright-Cozad, Trinity Olson- Minden, Jaden Bryant-McCook, Kennedy Berreckman-Cozad, Bailey Honn-McCook, Jory Lowe Broken Bow, Kate Fox Broken Bow, Sadie Rush-Cozad, Janessa Madsen-Minden, Gracie Stienike-Gothenburg

-

Franklin wins the Alma Golf Invitational with a team score 366, Southern Valley comes in second with a 368, Loomis third with a 400, Cambridge in fourth place with a 428, Alma finishes fifth with a 432, finishing in sixth place was Bertrand 447, in seventh place was Elm Creek 458, and finishing eighth place was Arapahoe 512.  View all the individual scores below.

- Alma Golf Results

The McCook Community College baseball team opens the 2018 season Saturday with a roster full of returning position players but a very young pitching staff.

MCC opens play Saturday in Liberal, Kan. against Seward County and Coach Jon Olsen will rely on his team’s experience and solid batting order to lead the team while the pitching staff develops.

The Indians return 10 guys who started games last year. “Technically we can start a player at every position who started at some point last year,” Olsen said.

On the mound, MCC’s 2018 roster has three pitchers with 40 innings of experience between them. The Indians must reload a pitching staff that set a school record for strikeouts in a season, 410. The trio of returners had 32.

“On the mound, we are going to be counting on guys to step up and do well for us as freshmen,” Olsen said. “We have 14 arms, only one who pitched more than 10 innings last year.” The Indians will have six true freshman among the pitchers and with five transfers.

“We have some talented arms in this program but some of them don’t have a ton of experience,” Olsen said.

MCC is coming off a 29-27 season and a 20-16 conference mark, which was fourth best in what has become a highly-competitive Empire Conference that includes Western Nebraska, Northeastern JC, Trinidad State, Lamar, Otero, and Miles. 2017 marked MCC’s first back-to-back playoff appearances since the post-season format changed in 2008. The top four teams in the standings advance to the post-season playoffs.

The coach doesn’t look for falloff from any conference foes.

“I have a ton of respect for the coaches in this conference, they all get things done in different ways but if you don’t show up ready to play in any conference game, you’re going to get beat,” Olsen said.

He pointed out the top five teams in the conference were separated by three games in the standings.

Olsen said in looking at all the teams it’s difficult to say that one team is a clear-cut favorite.

“Every team is a little like us, really strong in one area and some questions in other areas. There isn’t one team with a ton of experience in both pitching and offense. This conference is going to be a wide-open dogfight,” Olsen said.

Sophomore bats will be the key for the Indians to make it a third straight playoff appearance. Last year MCC dropped its first six conference games before the playoff run.

First baseman/outfield Jacob Sanford, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, earned first team Region IX honors last year and catcher Dylan White, Las Vegas, was a second-team all-region selection as a freshman.

The Indian offense has players who produced well as freshmen. Of the eight position players with at least 18 games played, they collectively had 1,030 plate appearances while hitting .297 with 31 homeruns, 150 RBIs, a .386 on-base average and a .469 slugging percentage.

Olsen is expecting even better production from this core-group of sophomores and key offensive contributions from his newcomers but he said with inexperienced pitchers, it will be imperative MCC step up its defense.

“Last year we were bad defensively, but we had high strikeout guys on the mound that shielded our defense.”

The first of 25 scheduled home games is set for Feb. 21 when the Indians take on Colby in a nine-inning 3 p.m. Game. MCC has home doubleheaders scheduled with Hastings JV Feb. 22 and against Northeast CC Feb. 28.

Here is a look at the 2018 Indians by position:

CATCHER: Sophomore Dylan White and freshman Beau Hawley, Greeley, Colo., are expected to see the majority of the action. White hit .348 last season with five homers and 19 RBI. When he was injured during the fall, Hawley was able to step in and get a lot of experience. “Dylan had a good year for us and is a good defender as well, and with the experience Beau got in the fall I’m pretty happy with where we are there,” Olsen said.

FIRST BASE: Jay Sanford will anchor the MCC lineup as the Indians’ top returning hitter batting .345 with 11 homeruns and 39 RBI. The sophomore will play first base and also leftfield, which will allow Jonny Giunta, Milton, Ontario, (who started 14 games last year) time in the lineup.

MIDDLE INFIELD: Four sophomores are expected to fill the lineup this year at second base, shortstop, and third base. Jason Hill, Surrey, B.C., started 44 games last year and batted .313 with a .435 on-base percentage. Mike Sookdeo, Bramton, Ontario, played mostly at DH last year where he hit .237 with seven homeruns and 32 RBI and will likely see time at third base this year. Angel Mojica, Denver, is one of MCC’s most improved players according to Olsen having played 16 games last year with a .194 batting average. Hunter Rynders, Centennial, Colo., can play all infield spots and saw action in 18 games last year batting .300. Of his incoming freshman the coach has tabbed Julio Seperich, Las Vegas, as his best overall defender on the team both in the infield and the outfield. Olsen expects him to see starts at second base, third, shortstop and centerfield. Freshman Jacob Reid, Mississauga, Ontario, is a player who can provide very good offense and Mark Starks, Blair gives the Indians depth and offensive pop off the bench.

OUTFIELD: In addition to Sanford and Seperich, three returning sophomores look to frequent the lineup from the outfield. Tanner Zeggil, Stagner, Ontario, played in 46 games a year ago and batted .310 with a pair of home runs. Chris Bellemere, Grande-Carriere, Quebec, started 17 games and homered three times and drove in 10 with a .203 batting average and .390 slugging. Dalton Barling, Ashland, saw action in 16 games batting .212,

STARTING PITCHING: McCook High School’s Kaden Sitzman emerges as the staff’s most experienced pitcher appearing in 16 games, starting four, and compiling a 3-3 record in 29.1 innings with 25 strikeouts. Other candidates for the starting rotation include: Jacob Lombardelli, Windsor, Colo., Connor McGonigal, Omaha Burke, and high school teammates Jesse Bloom and Ryan Marstiller, Centennial, Colo.

BULLPEN: Sophomore Tyler Cox, Mississauga, emerged as the top relief pitcher during fall camp. He appeared in five games, threw 8.1 innings and posted a 1-0 record with a 2.16 earned run average last season. The other sophomore is David Perez, Las Vegas, who worked in three innings last year over four appearances. Freshmen pitchers with a chance to work their way into key roles include: Shaun Hickey, Summerville, N.B.; Connor Williams, Milton, Ontario; Casey Quagliano, Colby, Kan.; Keyshawn Royal, Tampa; and three Greeley, Colo., pitchers in Spencer Ray, Braydon Peif and Micah Dorsey.

-

KANSAS CITY, MO – The National Association of Basketball Coaches announced today the matchups for the championship round of the 2018 National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker. All four games of the Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker at Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO., will be aired live on ESPN networks.

On Monday, November 19, Nebraska will take on Missouri State at 6 pm CT on ESPNU, followed by USC and Texas Tech at 8:30 pm ET on ESPN2. On Tuesday, November 20, the consolation game will tip off at 6 pm CT on ESPN3, followed by the 2018 Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker championship game at 8:30pm ET on ESPN2.

Tickets for the championship round games at Sprint Center will be available beginning at 10:00am CT on August 4^th by visitingwww.halloffameweekend.com,www.axs.com, by phone at 888-929-7849, or in person at Sprint Center Box Office.

The Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker will be the culminating event of college basketball’s Hall of Fame Weekend, which also includes the 13^th annual induction ceremony for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. That event will take place on Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland in Kansas City.

---- CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS ----

Semifinal Doubleheader

Sprint Center – Kansas City, Mo.

Monday, November 19 – 6:00 PM CT

Nebraska vs. Missouri State (ESPNU)

USC vs. Texas Tech (ESPN2)

Championship Doubleheader

Sprint Center – Kansas City, Mo.

Tuesday, November 20 – 6:00 PM CT

Consolation Game (ESPN3)

Championship Game (ESPN2)

Those four schools will serve as the four host round participants for this year’s Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker, with the opening round games of the tournament beginning on November 6^th. Each of those teams will play two games on campus, before advancing to the championship rounds in Kansas City. Joining the four host teams in the 2018 Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker are Mississippi Valley State, Robert Morris, Southeastern Louisiana and Stetson. The complete list of games for the 2018 Hall of Fame Classic Powered by Shot Tracker are as follows:

---- HOST ROUNDS ----

Springfield Regional Rounds

JQH Arena – Springfield, MO

Friday, November 9 – Time TBD

Robert Morris at Missouri State

Sunday, November 11 – Time TBD

Stetson at Missouri State

Lubbock Regional Rounds

United Supermarkets Arena– Lubbock, TX

Friday, November 9 – Time TBD

Mississippi Valley State at Texas Tech

Tuesday, November 13 – Time TBD

Southeastern Louisiana at Texas Tech

Lincoln Regional Rounds

Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, NE

Tuesday, November 6 – Time TBD

Mississippi Valley State at Nebraska

Sunday, November 11 – Time TBD

Southeastern Louisiana at Nebraska

Los Angeles Regional Rounds

Galen Center – Los Angeles, CA

Tuesday, November 6 – Time TBD

Robert Morris at USC

Wednesday, November 14 – Time TBD

Stetson at USC

-

Two McCook Volleyball players made Southwest Conference Volleyball team.  Jayceea Hanson makes first team, and Robin Grigg makes Honorable Mention.  You can view complete list here.

- SWC List