He was at Scottsbluff’s Riverside Discovery Center 48 hours later for his first day Wednesday as the executive director of the 75-year-old zoo.

As Monday, Jan. 13 began, Kei Hodgson was rushing to the airport in Gqeberha, South Africa, picking up his U.S. work visa on the way. He was at Scottsbluff’s Riverside Discovery Center 48 hours ...