July 2014 – Page 5 – North Platte Post Archive

Report: College Sports Shows Dip in Gender Hiring

Posted on July 30, 2014

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A report on the NCAA and its member institutions shows fewer women holding jobs in college sports and only a small improvement in racial diversity.

The report, released Wednesday by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, gave college sports a B grade for racial hiring practices and a C-plus for gender hiring. The racial score of 82.3 points in 2013 increased from 81 points in 2012, while the gender score decreased from 81.3 points in 2012 to 75.9 in 2013.

College sports has the lowest grade for racial hiring, and only ranks higher than the NFL for gender hiring, among all college and professional institutions the Institute studies.

The Institute also produces report cards on the NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.

Archer Daniels Midlands Settles EPA Allegations

Posted on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators say Archer Daniels Midland Co. has agreed to settle allegations that it violated Clean Water Act rules at oil storage facilities in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.

The Environmental Protection Agency says Decatur, Illinois-based Archer Daniels will pay a civil penalty of $430,000.

An Archer Daniels spokeswoman said Wednesday that she couldn’t immediately comment.

The EPA says the company violations involved large oil storage facilities situated in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa; Deerfield and Mexico, Missouri; and Columbus, Nebraska. The EPA says violations included a lack of EPA-required spill response plans and violations of industrial stormwater requirements for Clean Water Act operating permits.

Company to Fight Penalties in Omaha Plant Collapse

Posted on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A livestock feed company says it will contest citations and proposed penalties issued for the collapse of an Omaha plant that killed two employees.

International Nutrition has notified the Occupational Health and Safety Administration of the company’s intentions. The case now will go to an administrative law judge for a hearing and to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Their decisions may be appealed to a federal appeals court.

Federal safety investigators say overloaded storage bins on the roof of the Omaha plant caused the building collapse on Jan. 20. OSHA cited International Nutrition for 13 violations of safety and health rules and proposed nearly $121,000 in penalties.

Hastings Man Accused of Trying to Kill Officer

Posted on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A 29-year-old Hastings man has been accused of trying to kill a police officer who was hanging out of a car the man was driving in an attempt to flee.

On Tuesday in Adams County Court in Hastings, Marty Deckert was charged with second-degree attempted murder and three related felonies. Deckert remained in custody on Wednesday, pending $750,000 bail. Online court records don’t list the name of his attorney in the case.

Authorities say a Hastings police sergeant tried to arrest Deckert on a misdemeanor warrant Friday. A court document says Sgt. Paul Weber leaped onto Deckert as Deckert started up his wife’s car and accelerated. Weber was dragged until the car ran into a utility pole.

Police say Deckert ran but was captured after breaking into a woman’s home.

1 Killed, 3 Injured in Crash Near Doniphan

Posted on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014

DONIPHAN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a collision between a pickup and a sport utility vehicle has killed one person and injured three in south-central Nebraska’s Hall County.

The accident occurred a little before 7:45 p.m. on U.S. Highway 281 south of Doniphan. Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Jeff Pelowski says the SUV was headed south when it went out of control, crossed the median and hit the pickup.

The names of the person killed and the three who were hurt have not been released. The three injured people were taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.

United Way of Midlands CEO Dies After Heart Issue

Posted on July 30, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The United Way of the Midlands says its 47-year-old CEO has died after developing a serious heart problem last week.

The organization announced Karen Bricklemyer’s death on Wednesday after doctors finished harvesting her organs for donation. She died on Monday after suffering an aortic dissection on July 22.

Bricklemyer’s funeral will be held Friday at 4 p.m. at Countryside Community Church, and a reception will follow at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Thompson Alumni Center.

Bricklemyer moved to Omaha in 2011 after leading the Gainesville, Florida, United Way chapter for about eight years.

She is survived by her husband and their 12-year-old twin daughters.

Omaha Bicycle-Pedestrian Position Eliminated

Posted on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s mayor has announced the elimination of a paid position that was created to help make the city friendlier to bicyclists and pedestrians.

Mayor Jean Stothert said Tuesday she doesn’t want to use city funds for the bicycle-pedestrian coordinator. The position was created by a former mayor in 2010. The $80,000-per-year position will be eliminated at the end of the year.

Stothert says the position’s duties will be replaced by a committee. She plans to sign an executive order to revive the largely defunct Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

The executive director of the nonprofit Live Well Omaha tells the Omaha World-Herald the elimination is a “blow” to the city. Cycling advocates say they are trying to figure out how to save the position.

Lexington Police Looking for Man Who Shot at Officers, Woman

Posted on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014

The Lexington Police Department is searching for a man who allegedly fired shots at police and a woman.

Chief of Police, Tracy Wolf, said in a news release that a felony warrant has been issued for 25-year-old Jose Gabriel Covarrubias.

Wolf said officers responded to a disturbance in the 500 block of Oregon Trail, in Lexington, at around 12:45 a.m., on July 30.

Officers had received information that a male subject inside the residence was armed with a firearm.

As police arrived, they observed Covarrubias fire a handgun at a female who was running from the house.

According to Wolf, Covarrubias then opened fire on officers, penetrating the side of one patrol unit and striking a nearby residence. Wolf said one officer returned fire before Covarrubias was able to escape.

A young child was treated at Lexington Regional Health Center for a minor injury from an apparent ricochet.

Wolf said the warrant for Covarrubias’ arrest includes charges of two counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of attempted first degree murder.

Covarrubias is 6’1″, weighs 180 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, do not make contact with him and notify local law enforcement immediately.

The Lexington Police Department was assisted by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident remains under investigation.

Colorado Man Dies When Trailer Collapses in Wind

Posted on July 30, 2014

DENVER (AP) — A storm system in Colorado that flooded streets and stranded drivers up and down the Front Range is being blamed for the death of a man on the southeastern plains.

The Baca County Sheriff’s Office says a trailer in Vilas collapsed in strong winds late Wednesday night, killing 84-year-old Donald Falconburg.

The National Weather Service is investigating how strong the winds were.

Elsewhere on the plains, 6 inches of rain fell in Eads, an area that’s been locked in extreme drought.

More rain was falling Wednesday across the eastern half of the state, but it was mostly expected to be light.

The rains haven’t caused any major problems in the foothills hit hard by last September’s flooding. Some rain stood on streets in Lyons, but sandbags protected vulnerable neighborhoods.

Harris, Thomas Return to Limited Action

Posted on July 30, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Demaryius Thomas and Chris Harris Jr. are participating in limited drills as the Denver Broncos practice in a steady cool rain at Sports Authority Field.

Harris passed his physical Tuesday after getting medical clearance from Dr. James Andrews, who repaired his left ACL in February, a month after he was injured in the playoffs against San Diego.

He lined up for the team’s walk-through Wednesday as did Thomas, who missed the first week of camp following the death of his grandmother in Georgia. He returned Monday in time for the team’s evening walk-though.

Both are expected to participate in individual and non-contact drills but won’t do any 11-on-11s as they ease their way back into the mix.