OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has ordered flags in city to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Officer Kerrie Orozco, who was killed Wednesday in the line of duty.  Stothert says flags should remain at half-staff until dusk Monday on Memorial Day. Stothert said Thursday the move is a sign of respect for Orozco and her service to the city.

The city also plans to turn lights at the Heartland of America Fountain and on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge blue beginning tonight (Thursday night) through Memorial Day. Stothert is in Florida for her son’s wedding on Friday. She will return to Omaha on Sunday, ahead of schedule, to participate in services for Orozco.

Officials with the Atlantic Rotary Club and employees with the Atlantic Community School District gathered Thursday afternoon at the High School, to learn who the Rotary had selected to receive the “Outstanding Teacher of the Year” award.

Rotary President-Elect Ted Robinson

Ted Robinson, Rotary Club President Elect and Chairman of the Outstanding Teacher Award Committee, said the person selected demonstrates the Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self, and through their continuous dedication to students, parents and the larger community, as well as the art and practice of education.”

Rotary member Jennifer Plumb, with the Cambridge Law Firm, read from some of the letters nominating Thursday’s award recipient. One has a middle son who struggles and has many challenges when it comes to school, but that soon changed when he met this special teacher.

DeLana Harris (Center) receives her Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award

The nominator said the teacher communicated with the parents and their son on a regular basis, gave them ideas and explained how she would like to deal with their sons’ concerns and struggles with his school work. The boy soon showed an interest in school and his test scores improved. Another nominator said the teacher has “Fresh ideas on broadening the kids’ horizons and making them think outside the box.” A co-worker described Schuler 5th Grade Teacher DeLana Harris, as “A leader to her peers and a role model to her students.”

Harris has been with the District for a little more than 10-years. She taught preschool in Atlantic for two years and worked under the Universal Preschool Grant as a 4 year-old preschool teacher at Little Lambs. She later transferred to the 5th grade classroom, and says she has enjoyed every moment of her experiences.

Staff photo of Delana Harris from the Atlantic School District website

Harris was humble in accepting the award. She said “I just do what I love to do every single day, and what I say to my kids is…and it’s weird, but I call them my kids…[because] they became a part of your family…my biggest thing is, as long as they are excited to come into my room every single day, and are excited to learn, then I feel like I’ve done my job.” In referring to her colleagues, Harris said “Great teachers are made because of everybody out there, it’s not just one person. It takes a community, it takes all of us.”

Harris graduated from Central College in Pella, and received her Masters of Education from Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

The Nishna Valley Credit Union in Atlantic has set up a account to help the family of 29-year old Kerrie Orozco, a gang unit officer with the Omaha Police Metro Area Fugitive Task Force, who died after being shot in the line of duty on Wednesday.  Kerrie (Holtz) Orozco is the daughter of Ellen and the late Kevin Holtz of Walnut. Kerrie is a 2004 graduate of Walnut High School.

NVCU Chief Executive Officer Tim Marcsisak says that people can make donations to the account in a number of ways.  They will accept donations in person, by mail or at the drive-thru.  Donations may be made with personal messages or they may be anonymous.  All proceeds will go toward the family.  Kerrie’s mother, Ellen, is a long-time employee at the Nishna Valley Credit Union.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says a narcotics investigation tied to a traffic accident investigation has resulted in an arrest. 49-year old Chadwick Sachau, of Denison, faces a felony Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Deliver, charge. If convicted, he faces up to 10-years in prison.

The charge stems from a hit-and-run accident that occurred at around 6:30-a.m. Wednesday, on Highway 59, where a car driven by Sachau crossed the center line of the road and collided with a Chevy Suburban, driven by Efrain Chavez-Mendoza, of Denison. After his car hit the other vehicle, Sachau continued north on Highway 59, and when his car became disabled, attempted to flee on foot.

Sachau was arrested a short time later and brought to the Shelby County Jail, where he was being held on $100,000 bond. Sachau and Chavez-Mendoza were not injured in the collision, but a passenger in the Suburban, 21-year old Andy Armondo-Casanova, of Denison, suffered minor injuries, and was treated at Myrtue Memorial Hospital, in Harlan.

Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Thursday) issued statements on the death of Omaha, Neb., Police Officer, 29-year old Kerrie Orozco, who was a Walnut, Iowa, native and resident of Council Bluffs. Orozco was killed in the line of duty Wednesday (May 20), while attempting to arrest Marcus D. Wheeler on a felony warrant for first-degree assault.

Governor Branstad said “I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Officer Kerrie Orozco. As a former military policeman, I am keenly aware of the dangers law enforcement face every single day on the job. Officer Orozco served with integrity and was a model peace officer. My thoughts and prayers are with her newborn daughter and her entire family.”

Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds said “Officer Kerrie Orozco went to work every day to serve her community and keep her neighbors safe. This is a devastating loss of a dedicated public servant, community member and new mother. I offer my deepest sympathy to the family of Officer Orozco.”

A single-vehicle accident early Wednesday morning in Union County resulted in the driver being transported to the hospital in Creston. Authorities say 24-year old Tia Nichole Gilliland, of Mt. Ayr, was traveling on Union County road H-45 at around 8:30-a.m., when she lost control of her 2012 Dodge Avenger on the curve.

The vehicle hit a road sign post before entering the ditch. The car sustained $3,500 damage. Gilliland was transported by a friend to the Greater Regional Hospital in Creston for treatment of possible, unknown injuries.

How much money are your appliances costing you? Older models use two to three times the power of new ones. That’s why MidAmerican Energy Company says it’s offering the company’s residential electric customers a free Appliance Recycling program that turns old appliances into cold, hard cash. Customers with a working refrigerator, freezer or room air conditioner to be recycled can call 800-621-2757 to schedule an appliance pick-up.

A recycling company will haul away the old appliance free of charge, and MidAmerican Energy will send the customer a rebate of $50 for a refrigerator or freezer and $25 for an air conditioner. Tina Yoder, director, energy efficiency for MidAmerican Energy, said cash rebates from recycling older units, combined with rebates available on the purchase of new ENERGY STAR®-qualified appliances, make replacing appliances more affordable than people realize.

When a customer uses MidAmerican Energy’s Appliance Recycling program, their old appliance is taken apart and 95 percent of the components are either recycled for a beneficial use or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way, including the toxins and ozone-depleting gases.

To schedule a free Appliance Recycling pickup, MidAmerican Energy residential electric customers may call 800-621-2757 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eligible refrigerators and freezers must be 10 cubic feet or larger; no commercial sizes can be accepted. To qualify for a rebate, the appliance must be in working condition – the motor must run and the unit must cool.

MidAmerican Energy is a partner of the Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program. RAD is a voluntary partnership program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help protect the Earth’s ozone layer and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.