September 2011 – Page 7 – North Platte Post Archive

Mancuso Named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week

Posted on September 27, 2011

By Hilary Winter, University of Nebraska Media Relations

Lincoln- Junior Gina Mancuso was named Co-Big Ten Player-of-the-Week for the first time in 2011 on Monday after leading Nebraska to wins over two top-25 opponents, No. 5 Penn State (3-2) and No. 24 Ohio State (3-1), last week.

Mancuso averaged 3.7 kills per set with a .319 hitting percentage, along with 1.6 digs and 0.4 blocks per set in the Huskers’ back-to-back wins. She recorded a double-double against the Nittany Lions with 22 kills and 10 digs, marking the fifth double-double of her career. She also tied her career-high mark for attacks against Penn State.

The honor marks the first conference player-of-the-week award for Mancuso and makes her the first Nebraska volleyball player to earn a Big Ten weekly award. She is averaging 3.82 kills per set and 2.46 digs per set in her junior season, while leading all NU hitters in kills. Her efforts have helped NU to a 9-1 record on the season, while starting 2-0 in conference play.

The Huskers hit the road this weekend for matches at Michigan State on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. and at Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. Nebraska’s match with the Wolverines will air via tape delay on ESPN2 on Oct. 2 at 1:30 p.m.

Neb. DHHS orders child care service to stop

Posted on September 27, 2011

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The state Department of Health and Human Services has ordered a western Nebraskan woman to stop providing child care services to anyone but her own children. The emergency order against Nancy Gipfert of Sidney went into effect on Sept. 16, and will remain in place until lifted by the department. A statement from the department did not elaborate on why the order was issued. Officials say emergency orders are designed to protect the physical well-being and safety of children in a child care program.

Dry weather helps Neb. farmers start harvesting

Posted on September 27, 2011September 27, 2011

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Recent dry weather is helping Nebraska farmers move forward with this fall’s harvest. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture says moisture levels in grain remain high across most of the state, so the amount of progress farmers can make is limited right now. The USDA says in its weekly report the dry bean harvest is about 49 percent done, but the harvest of soybeans and sugar beets is just getting started. And only about 6 percent of Nebraska’s corn crop has been harvested. About 76 percent of the corn rates in good or excellent condition. That’s close to the average at this time of year of 75 percent. About 79 percent of the soybean crop is in good or excellent shape. That’s better than the 74 percent average.

North Platte man gets 5-10 years for hammer attack

Posted on September 27, 2011

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A 24-year- old North Platte man has been given 5-to-10 years in prison for using a hammer to beat a man and steal his prescription medications. Court records say Ryan Houghtaling had pleaded no contest to the assault charge and guilty to two felony drug charges. In return, prosecutors dropped robbery and weapons charges. He was sentenced on Monday by Lincoln County District Judge Donald Rowlands. Rowlands gave Houghtaling the prison time for the assault and 231 days for each drug charge, then credited Houghtaling for 231 days already served while awaiting disposition of his case. Houghtaling had been arrested Feb. 8 after assaulting another resident of his apartment complex.