March 2014 – Page 32 – North Platte Post Archive

North Platte Weather-March 19th

Posted on March 19, 2014

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. West northwest wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 24. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southwest in the evening.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 63. West wind 8 to 13 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. West wind 7 to 11 mph becoming north after midnight.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. North northwest wind 9 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24.

The Bulldogs Handout Postseason Awards

Posted on March 19, 2014

The North Platte Bulldogs boys basketball team held their season end banquet on Tuesday night and handed out the postseason awards.

The Dawgs season came to an end in the A-1 district finals with a 42-31 loss to the No. 1 ranked team, Omaha Benson. The loss made it so North Platte finished below .500 with a 12-14 record on the year. Coach Matt Kaminski chronicled the highs and lows of the season for North Platte at the team’s banquet. One of the highs of the season was that North Platte nearly defended their GNAC tournament title, but fell just short to a highly-ranked Norfolk team in the championship game. The varsity team received their second-place medals last night from that tournament.

Two Bulldogs received All-Conference awards. Seniors Drew Callaghan and Kade Erickson were honored by the GNAC for the seasons they had. There were also four players that received All-Conference Academic awards. Alec Wesslund, Darian Allberry, Drew Callaghan and Shane Mauch were honored for their success in the classroom and on the court. Of those four, two of them were nominated for the NCPA NSAA All-Academic team. Seniors Drew Callaghan and Darian Allberry were the nominees.

Coach Kaminski also handed out his yearly Mister Awards at the banquet. The list for all of the awards handed out last night can be seen below.

All-GNAC 2013-14

Drew Callaghan, Senior
Kade Erickson, Senior

All-GNAC Academic 2013-14

Alec Wesslund, Senior
Darian Allberry, Senior
Drew Callaghan, Senior
Shane Mauch, Junior

NCPA NSAA All-Academic Nominees

Drew Callaghan, Senior
Darian Allberry, Senior

Coach K’s Mister Awards 2013-14

Mr. Dedication- Dustin Horton, Senior
Mr. Western Community College- Nick Wilkinson, Senior
Mr. Teammate- Alec Wesslund, Senior
Mr. Perseverance- Kolby Foote, Senior
Mr. Big Game- Drew Callaghan, Senior
Mr. Floor General- Kade Erickson, Senior
Mr. Slash- Bradey Anderson, Senior
Dr. Defense- Bradey Anderson, Senior
Mr. Whopper- Shane Mauch, Junior
Mr. Reliable- Darian Allberry, Senior
Mr. Spark- Brady Mason, Senior
Mr. Slender- Josh Merz, Junior

Health, Fiscal Costs Cited in Neb. Medicaid Debate

Posted on March 19, 2014March 18, 2014

(AP) — A proposal to extend health-care coverage to low-income Nebraskans is once again stirring debate among lawmakers.

Supporters argued Tuesday that a failure to pass the “Wellness in Nebraska Act” would hurt rural hospitals, lead more residents to postpone treatment and deprive Nebraska of $2.2 billion in tax dollars paid to the federal government.

Opponents say it will divert money away from other priorities, such as education.

The proposal would help cover some 54,000 residents through a combination of Medicaid and subsidized private health insurance. It would cost an estimated $62 million between July of this year and June 2020.

The lead sponsor, Sen. Kathy Campbell of Lincoln, says uninsured Nebraskans are more likely to seek care when their disease is more advanced and less treatable.

Two ATV Jamborees Scheduled for Lake McConaughy SRA

Posted on March 18, 2014March 18, 2014

LINCOLN – Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area (SRA) will host ATV riding events April 4-6 and Oct. 3-5.

Each weekend will include open riding, Poker Run, dealer displays, food vendors and live entertainment. Organizers are planning to add Sand Drag Races and Kids’ Barrel Races to the lineup.

The event is open to all ATV/UTV riders age 18 and older. Riders younger than age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian or have a signed and notarized release. Helmets are required for all riders 14 and under, and eye protection is required for all riders.

Registration is $50 per vehicle for the weekend and is limited to the first 500 vehicles registered. Register at explorekeithcounty.com or call 800-658-4390.

A park entry permit is required of each vehicle entering the SRA. Camping will be available at all modern campgrounds; however water availability will be limited.

ATVs will not be allowed at Lake McConaughy at any other time. Only registered ATVs are allowed and are considered a part of the event.

New Pine Ridge Mule Deer Survey Improves Population Data

Posted on March 18, 2014March 18, 2014

LINCOLN – Nebraska Game and Parks Commission employees used a bird’s-eye view of the rugged high country of the Pine Ridge last month to obtain more accurate deer population data for northwestern Nebraska.

During five days in early February, Game and Parks staff members boarded a contracted helicopter and surveyed eight areas of the Pine Ridge Management Unit, which encompasses 429 square miles. The project marked first time Game and Parks has used a helicopter to survey mule deer. In all, staff members counted 862 mule deer – 68 bucks, 477 does and 317 fawns.

Todd Nordeen, northwestern district wildlife manager, said the survey’s findings will be valuable in setting hunting regulations and other management strategies for mule deer, a species that biologists suspect to be struggling in some areas because of disease and other challenges.

The aerial survey is expected to take place annually for at least five years, providing the agency with accurate population counts and helping identify growths or declines in herds.

In addition to mule deer, the 11 staff members counted 659 white-tailed deer, 96 elk and 11 bighorn sheep during the flights.

2 Men Named to Neb. Board of Education

Posted on March 18, 2014

(AP) — Two eastern Nebraska men have been named to fill the two openings on the State Board of Education.

The office of Gov. Dave Heineman said Tuesday that he’d selected Glen Flint, of Springfield, to represent District 2 and John Witzel, of Papillion (puh-PIHL’-yuhn), to represent District 4.

The 57-year-old Flint is a computer programmer at Northrup Grumman. He’s replacing Mark Quandahl, who resigned in late January.

The 62-year-old Witzel is on the board of Educational Service Unit No. 3 and is a U.S. Air Force retiree. He replaces Rebecca Valdez, who resigned in February.

Their terms run through 2016.

Jury Bribery Trial Begins for Scottsbluff Man

Posted on March 18, 2014March 18, 2014

(AP) — A jury bribery trial has begun for a Scottsbluff man already convicted on drug and related charges.

The trial for Brian Ross began Tuesday morning in a Scottsbluff County courtroom in Gering.

Prosecutors say Ross had spoken to a juror upon arriving at the courthouse in December for his drug trial. The juror joined the jury panel and listened to testimony, and then reported the conversation during the lunch break. The juror was replaced by an alternate.

The jury convicted Ross later of felony possession of methamphetamine and two misdemeanors: reckless driving and obstructing a police officer. Ross was acquitted of another felony, attempted assault.

Ruling in Favor of Thayer County Upheld in Appeal

Posted on March 18, 2014

(AP) — The Nebraska Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s ruling favoring Thayer County in a lawsuit that had sought damages for a fire the plaintiffs say was caused by county officials.

Cecil Hayes, Robert Hayes and Harold Hayes — all owners of property damaged in a March 2009 fire — sued the county in 2011, saying the fire was the result of high winds re-igniting a February controlled burn conducted by county officials.

A Thayer County District Court judge later threw out the lawsuit because it was filed after the two-year statute of limitations. The Hayeses sought a new trial, saying the statute of limitations shouldn’t be used because the county led them to believe the claim would be settled, causing them to postpone filing a lawsuit.

Neb. Woman Sentenced in Embezzlement Case

Posted on March 18, 2014

(AP) — A Gretna woman already serving time for tax evasion has been sentenced to more prison.

Caroline Richardson was sentenced Tuesday in Douglas County District Court to 14 to 20 years for unlawful taking. She will be eligible for parole after she serves nearly nine years.

Richardson pleaded guilty earlier this month in connection to the theft of more than $4 million from her former employer, Omaha-based Colombo Candy and Tobacco.

Richardson is currently serving time on tax evasion charges related to the embezzlement. Her sentence Tuesday will run partially consecutive to her first sentence.

Private Pond Owners Encouraged to Report Winter Fish Kills

Posted on March 18, 2014

LINCOLN – Private pond owners are encouraged to report severe winter fish kills to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission following ice-out.

Winter fish kills occur when oxygen levels fall too low to support fish under the ice. Ice prevents the direct absorption of oxygen from the atmosphere, so oxygen produced by plant photosynthesis is crucial. Oxygen levels drop because of plant decomposition and respiration by aquatic organisms. Shallow ponds with heavy vegetation are particularly susceptible.

Once the ice is gone, pond owners should check their shorelines for dead fish and note the species, size and quantity. If hundreds of dead fish are observed, owners may call Jeff Blaser, Game and Parks’ private waters specialist, at 402-471-5435, to discuss options for restoring the fish community.