In a pair of hard-fought games at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium, the North Platte Community College Knights and Lady Knights suffered narrow defeats to the Northeastern Junior College Plainsmen and Plainswomen. In the women’s game that opened the night, the Plainswomen scored the final seven points of the game to defeat the Lady Knights by that margin, 61-54. The Lady Knights held a six-point lid midway through the second half, but were outscored 17-4 in the game’s final 10 minutes. The Knights men saw a 13-point first half lead slip and couldn’t hold an 8-point second half advanatage, as they fell to the Plainsmen 67-65. NJC scored the winning hoop with 13 seconds left. The Knights men are now 8-7 and host Lamar on Saturday. The Lady Knights are 7-7 and travel to Air Force Prep this weekend.
Month: January 2012
Huskers Earn First Big Ten Win
A hot shooting night propelled the Nebraska men’s basketball team to their first ever Big Ten conference victory. The Huskers shot 55% from the field in a 70-58 defeat of Penn State at the Devaney Center. Runs of 10-0 and 8-0 in the first half helped lift Nebraska to a 34-22 halftime lead that they would not relinquish. Bo Spencer led the scoring charge, tops among four Huskers in double figures with 19 points. He did most of his damage at the free throw line, sinking 10 of 12 charity tosses. Toney McCray chipped in 13 points, and Caleb Walker and Dylan Talley scored 12 points apiece. The Huskers limited the Nittany Lions to just 33% shooting from the field. The Huskers move to 9-7 and 1-4 in conference play. They next head to Madison to face Wisconsin on Saturday.
Smith to run again for 3rd District
GERING, Neb. (AP) – Republican Rep. Adrian Smith has filed for re-election to serve Nebraska’s vast, rural 3rd Congressional District.
Smith, who was first elected to the seat in 2006, easily defeated Democrat Rebekah Davis and independent Dan Hill in 2010.
So far, Smith faces a primary challenge from one other Republican, Columbus church music director Dennis Parker. No Democrats have yet entered the race.
However, Parker had raised no campaign by the end of September.
Smith, on the other hand, says he has received contributions from more than 4,500 Nebraskans and has more than $500,000 cash-on-hand.
(Update) Train-car collision claims life of W. Neb. woman
GERING, Neb. (AP) – Western Nebraska officials have identified the 93-year-old woman who died after her car was caught by a railroad crossing signal as a freight train approached.
Scotts Bluff County Attorney Doug Warner says that Vera Clary, of Gering, died in the Wednesday afternoon accident.
Warner says a driver behind Clary told police that Clary was crossing the railroad tracks when the warning signal’s arms came down and caught the rear of her vehicle. After that, Clary’s vehicle crept forward a bit but it remained on the tracks when the Union Pacific train arrived.
Warner says Clary may have become confused after the crossing arm hit her car. Clary was ejected from her car when the train hit it, and she died at the scene.
Death Row clock ticking for Michael Ryan
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska Supreme Court has set an execution date for death-row inmate Michael Ryan, who was condemned to die for a 1985 murder at a farm near Rulo.
The court scheduled the execution for March 6.
Ryan was convicted of torturing and killing James Thimm at his compound. His execution would be the first in Nebraska since 1997, and its first by lethal injection.
The order came two days after Attorney General Jon Bruning’s office filed documents with the high court saying a legal challenge by Ryan’s lawyer was frivolous and irrelevant. Ryan’s lawyer had challenged the state’s method of obtaining one of three drugs needed to carry out the sentence.
Attorney General Jon Bruning said in a statement Wednesday that officials will now prepare to carry out the sentence.
Last defendant in Beatrice abuse case enters plea
BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) – The last of five former workers charged in an abuse investigation at the Beatrice State Development Center has pleaded not guilty.
30-year-old Matthew Pangborn, of Beatrice, pleaded not guilty to 11 charges on Wednesday in Gage County District Court. Pangborn is charged with six counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult and five counts of strangulation.
A judge set a status hearing for Feb. 29.
The other defendants in the case – Cody Creek, Carmen Yates, Matthew Johnson and Cameron Barnes – also have pleaded not guilty.
The five were fired and charged after a report said at least seven residents were routinely slapped, shoved, pinched, punched and choked, often until they fell unconscious.
Just when you thought it was safe to extort money on Facebook…
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Harassment through Facebook, instant messaging and other online services would be outlawed under a new bill in the Nebraska Legislature.
The measure introduced Wednesday by Plattsmouth Sen. Paul Lambert and Lincoln Sen. Amanda McGill would expand an existing telephone harassment law to include online communications.
Lambert says he submitted the bill to modernize the existing law. He says the idea came from conversations with prosecutors in his district who have received complaints about so-called cyber bullying.
Intimidation by telephone would remain a misdemeanor under the bill, but the possible penalties would increase. The bill would apply to threats, obscene language and attempts to extort money.
Oil execs hope to lay some pipe in NE…soon
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – An executive with a Canadian company attempting to build a $7 billion pipeline to carry oil from Canada to refineries along the Gulf Coast says a new proposed route will be proposed soon.
Speaking Wednesday in Bismarck, TransCanada Corp.’s Alex Pourbaix told North Dakota officials and oil industry representatives that the company would present its amended plan to federal regulators “in a matter of a very few weeks.”
The U.S. government in November delayed a decision on granting a permit for Keystone XL, largely because of worries about the pipeline’s environmental impact, especially in Nebraska.
The disputed route runs through six states from Canada to Texas.
So-called feeder pipelines would connect the Keystone XL to the rich oil fields in North Dakota and Montana.
Not very nice today…better this weekend
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. Wind chill values as low as -16. Blustery, with a north northwest wind between 17 and 26 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -6. Northwest wind between 6 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Wind chill values as low as -6. West northwest wind between 7 and 10 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. West northwest wind between 7 and 11 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 46. West northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
NP woman accused of swiping scripts
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post) – North Platte Police are investigating the theft of prescription medication from Buffalo Bill Manor.
On Monday evening, police responded to a complaint of a burglary at 1200 South Oak. The victim reported that they were missing prescription medications from their home, but there was no sign of forced entry. An investigation led to the arrest of 40 year old Vicki Arriola, who was not an employee of Buffalo Bill Manor, but an assistant who had been issued keys.
Arriola was charged with burglary. She remains in the Lincoln County Jail on $20,000.00 bail. The investigation continues.