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Arizona Sends Kennedy to Padres for Thatcher

Arizona-Diamondbacks-LogoPHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have sent struggling right-hander Ian Kennedy to the San Diego Padres for left-handed reliever Joe Thatcher, a minor leaguer and a draft pick.

Kennedy, 21-4 two seasons ago, is 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 21 starts and hasn’t won a game in two months.

General manager Kevin Towers has said the team needed a situational left-hander in the bullpen and he got one in Thatcher, who is 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 50 games this season.

The Diamondbacks also got 23-year-old right-hander David Stites, who is 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA and 14 saves in 46 games with Double-A San Antonio.

Arizona has lost three straight and is 3½ games behind first-place Los Angeles in the NL West.

Blanford-Green to be Inducted into Nebraska Black Sports Hall of Fame

Rhonda-Blanford-Green-NSAALINCOLN – Rhonda Blanford-Green, the Executive Director of the Nebraska School
Activities Association (NSAA) will be inducted in the Nebraska Black Sports Hall of
Fame on Thursday, August 1.
An Aurora, Colorado native, Blanford-Green ran track for the University of
Nebraska – Lincoln. She was an undefeated Big 8 champion in the indoor and outdoor
hurdles and an 11-time All-American for the Huskers. Following her collegiate career,
Blanford-Green was a member and team captain of several U.S. Track & Field teams
that competed internationally. Blanford-Green was named the eighth executive director
of the Nebraska School Activities Association in February of 2012.
“It is an honor to be inducted in a Hall of Fame that recognizes the
accomplishments of minorities who have made and continue to make a difference in the
field of athletics,” said Blanford-Green. “My life path has been shaped through my
involvement with dedicated family, coaches, teachers, mentors, peers and teammates
and honors such as these are never individual but always shared.”
Blanford-Green, along with 11 other athletes will be the 8th class inducted into the
Nebraska Black Sports Hall of Fame.

MaKayla Gardner – Peru State Women’s BB Fifth Recruit

MaKayla-Gardner(Peru, Neb.) – A 6’2 post, MaKayla Gardner (Dickens) recently became the fifth recruit for the Peru State women’s basketball program for 2013-14 as announced by Bobcat head coach Joan Albury.
The junior post, a graduate of Wallace High School, played the last two seasons at Southeast Community College-Beatrice under co-head coaches Vicki and Joel Wooton.

Gardner averaged 6.6 points per game while grabbing 6.7 rebounds per game. In addition, Gardner averaged a Storm team-high 0.9 blocks per game. From the floor, Gardner shot 49.7 percent, also a team-high for Southeast CC. The storm finished the season with a 19-12 record.
The daughter of Bobby and Amy Gardner plans to major in Psychology and/or Sports and Exercise
Science at Peru State.
Albury was pleased with Gardner’s signing and said, “MaKayla helps bring a strong, inside presence for
the Bobcat team. We look forward to getting MaKayla and all of her teammates on the court this fall for
practice.”

Lincoln Man Charged with Sex Assault of Daughter

gavel-moreA Lincoln man faces up to 50 years in prison if he is convicted of sexually assaulting his underage daughter.

The man is charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child and remains in the Lancaster County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Police say the 15-year-old girl reported that her father had raped her about 50 times over the past four years, starting when she was 11. Police say the man’s wife caught him assaulting their daughter in April and reported him to authorities.

The Associated Press is not naming the man to protect the identity of his daughter.

More Police Leads to Bigger Caseload in Hall County

grand-island-police(AP) — Hall County Attorney Mark Young says a newly bulked up police department has meant more work for his department.

Young has asked the Hall County Board of Supervisors for the ability to hire a part-time attorney to help with that growing caseload — about 430 cases per attorney. He says he also needs help because of high turnover his office due to medical leaves, a retirement and attorneys moving to take jobs closer to extended family.

He says the majority of the increased caseloads come from the Grand Island Police Department hiring five new officers last year.

TD Ameritrade Plans to Celebrate New Headquarters

td(AP) — Online brokerage TD Ameritrade will show off its new $135 million headquarters building in Omaha on Wednesday.

Ameritrade CEO Fred Tomczyk, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert all plan to attend a grand opening celebration Wednesday morning.

More than 2,000 Ameritrade workers moved into the 12-story tower in west Omaha earlier this year. Previously, they were spread among four different Omaha locations.

The building is designed to meet stringent standards for energy efficiency. So it is expected to use half as much energy as buildings of similar size and age.

The building features a fitness center, cafeteria, training classrooms, green space and a recreation area with video games and foosball tables for employees.

Body Found in Missouri River Identified

police-lights-red(AP) — Authorities have identified a man whose body was found floating in the Missouri River on Saturday.

Council Bluffs police say the body was that of 39-year-old Andrew T. Edwards. Several boaters on the river near casinos on the Iowa side of the Missouri River called authorities Saturday to report a body in the river.

Iowa and Omaha, Neb., authorities pulled Edwards’ body from the river later that day.

Council Bluffs Police Sgt. David Dawson says Edwards was homeless, and his last known address was the Open Door Mission in Omaha.

Authorities are waiting for autopsy and toxicology results in hopes of determining how Edwards died.

Police do not suspect foul play.

Papillion Man Sentenced to Jail for Officer’s Traffic Death

jail(AP) — A 24-year-old Papillion man has been sentenced to a year in prison for causing a crash last August that killed an off-duty Ashland police officer.

Shawn Stryker was sentenced Tuesday for motor vehicular homicide in the death of Officer Dan Ottis.

Investigators say Stryker was driving a pickup that slammed into the back of another pickup stopped on Highway 6 to turn left. The crash pushed the stopped pickup into the path of Ottis’ motorcycle.

Stryker’s sentence is unusual, because it would normally be served in county jail. But the judge ordered Stryker to be taken to state prison.

Because of that, Stryker is eligible for parole immediately. But his attorney said it could be 60 days before a parole hearing can be scheduled.

Legionella Bacteria Found at Grand Island Vets Home

NE-Veterans-Home(AP) — Legionella bacteria have been found in the water supply at the Grand Island Veterans Home.

The Grand Island Independent reports (https://bit.ly/18P5sgj) that the water at the facility was tested because the same bacteria was found in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says there are no known cases of illness due to the Legionella bacteria.

Water filters are being installed to all showers and whirlpool bathing systems, which are the most likely ways home residents may come in contact with the bacteria.

The bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, which is spread through infected mist or water droplets. It is not contagious and usually affects people with weakened immune systems.

North Platte Weather July 31

forecast-graphic-July-31

  • Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Light and variable wind becoming northeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
  • Tonight: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then thunderstorms likely after 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Light southeast wind becoming south southeast 8 to 13 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
  • Thursday Night: A chance of thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. East southeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
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