LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is looking for ways to stop rural population losses through a proposed institute that would focus on improving Nebraska’s small towns. University officials hope to launch the Rural Futures Institute in September, drawing from $1.5 million a year in existing funding. Ronnie Green, the vice chancellor of the university’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, says the issue is important for Nebraska but has implications beyond the state. The university committed $1.5 million a year in 2002 to an initiative that was used to pay for rural revitalization efforts. Green says that money would go to the Rural Futures Institute, and officials would seek additional funding.
Month: May 2012
Injured Gorilla Can Eat Carrots Again
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A gorilla injured in a fight at an Omaha zoo has returned to his home. Motuba, a 27-year-old silverback gorilla better known as “Tubby,” was treated at the Nebraska Medical Center on May 5 for a fractured jaw. Motuba and a younger gorilla apparently got into a fight that left the older gorilla with a fractured jaw that pushed three of his teeth outward. Doctors say the gorilla is doing well and is even eating carrots. Zoo officials say fights between gorillas aren’t unusual, but injuries are typically minor scrapes and bruises.
Increasingly Poor Decisions of NE Man Result in 4-6 Years on Meth, Assault Charges
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Grand Island man caught trying to bring methamphetamine through the security gates of a Lincoln courthouse has been sentenced to four to six years in prison. Richard Wittman attempted to run out the front door of the Hall of Justice on Nov. 2. That’s after a security sergeant looked in Wittman’s pack of cigarettes and saw a white powdery substance. Wittman and the sergeant got in a subsequent scuffle. Wittman pleaded no contest to attempted possession of meth and third-degree assault on an officer for the Nov. 2 incident. Wittman had originally gone to court on an assault case stemming from an incident Oct. 12 in Lincoln. He pleaded no contest to attempted third-degree assault in that case.
Huskers Secure Big Ten Tourney Berth With Win
The Husker baseball team has punched their ticket to the Big Ten tournament after demolishing Michigan 15-2 in Ann Arbor last night. The victory ensures that Nebraska will finish in the top six in the conference, qualifying them to head to Columbus for the conference tournament next weekend. The Huskers banged out 20 hits on their way to the victory, with each starter getting at least one hit. Rich Sanguinetti led the offensive charge with four hits and four RBI. Austin Darby had three hits and two RBI, and Kash Kalkowski drove in three runs. On the mound for the Huskers, Kyle Kubat earned his third straight win, working six innings and allowing just two runs while striking out six. The Huskers and Wolverines are back at it tonight as the Big Red aims for a series win. First pitch is set for 5:05.
Diamondbacks Walk Over Rockies (LISTEN LIVE TONIGHT on ESPN Radio 1410)
A collective pitching meltdown led the Colorado Rockies to a 9-7 defeat at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field yesterday afternoon. Rockies pitchers walked nine batters and threw three wild pitches on their way to letting a three-run lead slip away. The Diamondbacks scored four times in the eighth inning to take their first lead of the game at 7-4, but the Rockies rallied back to tie the game at seven in their half of the eighth. But Justin Upton hit a two-run homer with two out and two strikes in the ninth off Colorado’s Rafael Betancourt, and the Rockies could not score after loading the bases with none out in their last at-bat. The Rockies begin interleague play tonight with the first of three games against the Seattle Mariners in Denver. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action, with pregame coverage at 7:05 and first pitch at 7:40.
Broncos to Enshrine Smith in Ring of Fame
The Denver Broncos will induct Rod Smith into their Ring of Fame this season. Smith spent all 12 of his NFL seasons with the Broncos, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 1994, and still holds the franchise records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He’ll become the 23rd member of the Ring of Fame at Sports Authority Field when he’s inducted at halftime of the Broncos’ game against the Houston Texas on September 23.
Hagemann Named Second-Team All-Region
Nebraska senior pitcher Ashley Hagemann earned second-team All-Midwest Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for the second straight season. Hagemann started 38 of Nebraska’s 55 games this season, posting a 23-17 record with a 2.62 ERA. Her 320 strikeouts ranks sixth nationally and gave her 988 in her career, a program record. The Elkhorn graduate was also a second-team All-Big Ten pick.
Continued warm temps make it a great day in Nebraska
Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. South wind between 15 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Tonight: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. South southeast wind between 5 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Breezy, with a south wind 5 to 8 mph increasing to between 19 and 22 mph. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Breezy, with a southeast wind 19 to 22 mph decreasing to between 8 and 11 mph. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Breezy, with a north northeast wind 6 to 9 mph increasing to between 19 and 22 mph. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.
Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Inmate recovering after being stabbed in the neck
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska State Penitentiary inmate is recovering after being stabbed in the neck by a fellow inmate.
Media reports that 31-year-old Adam Sommer is expected to recover from the Wednesday assault.
The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating the attack on Sommer, who is imprisoned for first-degree murder.
A homemade knife was recovered after the assault at the prison in south Lincoln, and a suspect has been identified. Officials would not identify the suspect, but they say he has been separated from the rest of the prison population.
Sommer is serving a life sentence out of Douglas County for the 2004 killing of an Arizona woman.
May 17
KHLOE KARDASHIAN IS CONFIDENT: Khloe Karashian has a healthy body image, despite the nasty comments she receives online. Kourtney and Kim’s younger sister said, “I’m called the fat sister. . . I’m called the ugliest Kardashian. I’m proud of myself. I could break and go get all this plastic surgery and get my nose fixed and get lipo or do whatever, but I haven’t chosen to do that because I know I’m a great person. I’m pretty damn hot, if you ask me.”
JENELLE EVANS ENGAGED: Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans is engaged to her on-again-off-again boyfriend Gary Head. The troubled reality star posted a picture of her engagement ring on Twitter with the caption, “I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have Gary Head in my life!” Jenelle and Gary recently split over claims that he cheated, leading to her brief reunion with ex Kieffer Delp. Those two apparently split after he sold topless pictures of her before and after her boob job.
KIM KARDASHIAN’S IMDB BIO GETS A MAKEOVER: Kim Kardashian’s IMDB page got an unflattering makeover this week. Her official biography was changed to read, “Kim Kardashian is emblematic of the shallowness of American culture in the first two decades of the new millennium.” The blurb added some other editorial remarks in the same tone, but has since been removed.
DWTS ALL STAR SEASON CONFIRMED: It’s official: there will be an All-Stars season of Dancing With the Stars. ABC’s entertainment president Paul Lee told reporters, “We can’t talk about the casting yet, but I’d love to see some of the fan favorites from the past seasons come back.” It was previously reported that Mario Lopez, Gilles Marini, Mel B and Kyle Massey have already been asked back. ‘TWO AND A HALF MEN’ MOVING TO THURSDAYS: Two and a Half Men is moving. CBS announced that the Monday mainstay will be shifting to Thursdays in the fall behind The Big Bang Theory. The freshman hit 2 Broke Girls will take over the anchor spot on Mondays.
AARON SORKIN MAKING NEW STEVE JOBS MOVIE: Aaron Sorkin is becoming the go-to man for technology films. The man behind The Social Network will be adapting Walter Issacson’s authorized biography of Steve Jobs into a movie. This is not to be confused with the current Jobs project starringAshton Kutcher. As of yet, the role of Jobs has not been cast for Sorkin’s project.
BEST OF KYLIE MINGOUE: Kylie Minogue is releasing a greatest hits album on June 4 internationally and June 19 in the US. The Best of Kylie Minogue is in honor of the 25 anniversary of the release date for Kylie’s debut single, “The Loco-Motion.” The songs selected for The Best Of album were chosen by fans through market research. It will be a two disc set with 21 tracks and music videos on a DVD.
EDWARD FISHER ARREST HEATS UP: OneRepublic drummer Edward Fisher reportedly smashed through the front door of his girlfriend’s home and broke her cabinets. According to TMZ, Fisher was arrested in Denver, Colorado after cops say that things got out of hand with his girlfriend. According to police, Fisher told cops that he was the real victim since his girlfriend trapped him in the bathroom and struck him in the head.