Good morning, Lincoln. Here are this morning's top headlines.
Grand jury clears deputy
A skeptical grand jury that convened in December to investigate the February 2022 shooting death of an Alvo man at the hands of a Cass County Sheriff's deputy ultimately voted not to indict the deputy, clearing him of criminal wrongdoing in Andrew Stratton's death.
The grand jury voted 14-2 not to indict Deputy Elliot Schmit, who shot Stratton seven times with his personally-owned semiautomatic rifle, according to the grand jury transcript filed last month.
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Though they ultimately absolved Schmit of criminal conduct, jurors were skeptical of the decisions deputies made in the lead-up to Stratton's shooting, according to a Journal Star review of the 515 page transcript of the grand jury's investigation.
WarHorse Lincoln expansion
Phase 2 of the WarHorse Lincoln construction project, which will double the size of the current casino, is set to begin next week after building permits were issued and approved.
The casino's expansion, which is expected to take about a year, will create 900 gaming positions, including 10 table games, while making improvements to the simulcasting and sports book areas.
Phase 2 is on track and the horse track is moving forward toward a spring completion. After that’s complete, Phase 3, which includes construction of a hotel, will begin and should take about 18 months.
Long-lost siblings reunite
Jodie Meyer, Kathy Baca and Julie Reese Mills live on opposite sides of the country and share more than laundry detergent brands, they also share the same mom, Beverly Davis.
65-year-old Jodie is the oldest and lives in Lincoln. Kathy, 61, currently lives in Arkansas and the baby of the family, Julie, 49, lives in Arizona.
It was only recently that the three learned about each other after Julie took a DNA test, prompting the three to meet in-person for the first time.
“Everybody has different versions of what may have happened,” Julie said. “We’re kind of going off the paperwork that we have, but nothing gives us specifics yet.”
The three sisters have four other siblings, one of which they have yet to find.
That’s it for Friday, July 28. Stay in the know with Lincoln’s longest-standing news source at JournalStar.com., we’ll see you back here on Monday.
Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
Hayden Coleman successfully pole vaults over the rope during the pole vault event at the Cornhusker State Games Track and Field event at Lincoln High on, Saturday, July 22, 2023, in Lincoln.
Workers cut into a water tower next to General Dynamics at 4300 Industrial Ave. on July 18.
Thomas Fernandez and his sister, Cora, play on top of a log pile while other attendees to the farm take part in a press conference on Monday at Shadow Brook Farm, where Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and local officials announced a plan to make Lincoln’s food system more resilient.
Carpet Land's Mason Gaines dives to third base during an American Legion A-5 Area Tournament game against UBT on Sunday, July 16, 2023, at Den Hartog Field.
Nebraska's Jeff Sims signs an autograph for Elliot Christensen of Lincoln, 12, Sunday at Hawks Championship Center.
Nicole Kolbas poses for a portrait Wednesday at Woodland Hills Golf Course in Eagle. Kolbas is the 2023 Journal Star girls athlete of the year.
Penny Putney pulls back as Romeo, an alpaca from Lincoln Alpaca Picnics, as he attempts to take a green bean from her during an encounter event on Wednesday at Charles H. Gere Branch Library. Alpacas don't have teeth in the top front of their mouths, which gives them the appearance of having an underbite.
Grant Schirmer (left), who plays the role of Carl Hanratty, and Bede Fulton, who plays Frank Abagnale Jr., wait for their cue to take the stage during a dress rehearsal for "Catch Me If You Can" on Tuesday at Pinewood Bowl in Lincoln.
Speed Skaters compete in the Mens 300m race during the NSC 35 ultimate inline skating competition at Speedway Sports Complex on, Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Lincoln.
Teams compete in knee deep water at the annual Beat Breast Cancer Mud Volleyball Tournament on Saturday in Prague.
Marlina Bowdery poses for a photo with pictures of her late son Timothy Montgomery, who also went by the name Timothy Wallace, Friday in Lincoln. She started an online group for grieving mothers after his death.
Reflected in a mirror, Francis Vigan walks on a treadmill with the assistance of physical therapy assistant Wendy Kyser on Friday at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital. Vigan, a 34-year-old bodybuilder, has been recovering after a rare spinal cord stroke during a workout paralyzed him from the waist down.
Charlie Musselwhite sings the blues out to the crowd during the ZooFest music festival outside of the Zoo Bar at 136 N 14th St. on Thursday in Lincoln.
A BNSF train cruises along the tracks past Memorial Stadium as seen from the Haymarket pedestrian bridge on Thursday, July 6, 2023, outside of Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.
City workers cut into a large tree branch that had fallen due to the storm on July 4th in front of Bethany Christian Church on the corner of N Cotner Blvd. and Aylesworth Ave, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Lincoln.
Kids ride specially decorated bikes down South Sixth Street during Seward's 155th annual Fourth of July celebration on Tuesday. The city — known as Nebraska's Fourth of July City — draws thousands to its annual celebration.
Eleven-year-old Beau Taylor of Austin, Texas, tries to blow the biggest bubble at a contest during Seward's 155th annual Fourth of July celebration on Tuesday. He was the winner in the contest.
Fireworks erupt leaving sparks falling during the firework show at the annual Uncle Sam Jam, Independence Day Celebration at Oak Lake Park on, Monday, July 3, 2023, in Lincoln.
Steve Novak, lead singer for Soul Dawg performs during the annual Uncle Sam Jam, Independence Day Celebration at Oak Lake Park on, Monday, July 3, 2023, in Lincoln.
Liam Dotson (left) is lifted out of the water by Brother Paul Holmes during a Jehovah's Witnesses' baptism Saturday in a swimming pool on the floor of Pinnacle Bank Arena. After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, more than 5,200 members of the denomination came to Lincoln for their annual convention, which ends Sunday.
The Swiftdogs Zach St. Pierre wears the sorting hat from the Harry Potter series as he celebrates a home run against the Sioux City Explorers on Friday at Haymarket Park. The Lincoln Saltdogs became the "Swiftdogs" for one night, as tickets to a Taylor Swift concert were up for grabs to all ticketholders.
Zoo Bar owner Pete Watters, who has worked at the club since 1987, said while it became famous for blues, there was always bluegrass, country, reggae and rock ‘n’ roll.
