January 2015 – Page 26 – North Platte Post Archive

Obama Visits GOP Strongholds Idaho, Kansas

Posted on January 22, 2015

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — President Barack Obama likes to say there are no red states or blue states, just the United States of America. Yet his first two stops on the traditional post-State of the Union tour were in Republican “red” states.

The White House says this is not a coincidence.

Spokesman Josh Earnest says Idaho, where Obama stopped Wednesday, is a good example of a state that’s investing in programs to help people get the skills and training they need to get a good middle-class job.

Obama has emphasized skilled training throughout his presidency.

Earnest notes that the political leadership in Idaho and in Kansas, Obama’s stop on Thursday, is Republican.

He says Obama wanted to visit both states to show that Republican support exists for the types of programs the president supports.

Ricketts to Seek $60M Annually to Reduce Property Taxes

Posted on January 22, 2015January 21, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts will call for an additional $60 million a year to lower property taxes in his first State of the State address to lawmakers.

The proposal is part of the governor’s budget recommendations that will be released after his speech on Thursday at 10 a.m. Central Time. Ricketts has said reducing property taxes is his top priority this year.

The proposal would boost Nebraska’s property tax credit fund to $400 million over two years. The state money would help offset what Nebraskans have to pay in local taxes on their property, including homes, farms, ranches and company buildings.

Ricketts says Nebraska has been ranked behind New York state and California in its overall tax burden on citizens. He will also propose other tax relief measures.

North Platte Weather-January 22

Posted on January 22, 2015

Today: Sunny, with a high near 43. West northwest wind 5 to 11 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 19. South southwest wind around 6 mph becoming west northwest after midnight.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. West northwest wind 10 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy.

People Not Vaccinated for Measles Urged to Avoid Disneyland

Posted on January 22, 2015January 21, 2015

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California public health officials say unvaccinated people and children too young to be immunized against measles should avoid Disneyland after new infections were linked to the theme park.

The cases are the latest in an outbreak that began in late December that has sickened 59 people in the state.

Eight others in four U.S. states and Mexico have also fallen ill after visiting Disney parks.

The new advice came after health officials reported new cases linked to Disney in January. A total of 42 cases have been traced to the parks in Orange County.

Most of those affected had not been vaccinated against measles, a highly contagious illness that can be easily spread through the air.

Though the virus has been eradicated in the U.S. since 2000, it can still enter the country through an infected traveler.

Lincoln Man Gets Prison After Hiding Meth in Underwear

Posted on January 22, 2015January 21, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has been sentenced to seven to 13 years in prison after being caught with meth hidden in his underwear.

31-year-old Ramon Escamilla pleaded no contest Tuesday to possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Escamilla was arrested Sept. 19, 2013.

Court records say Escamilla told police he had marijuana in his shoe, pills in the dashboard of his car and meth in his house. Police say they found 46.7 grams of methamphetamine, and jailers say they found 12.1 more grams hidden in his underwear when he was booked into prison on the charge.

Escamilla has already served 487 days of his sentence. An attorney for Escamilla could not be located.

Reports: Google Planning to Sell Wireless Phone Plans

Posted on January 22, 2015January 21, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is planning to sell wireless phone service directly to customers using the networks of Sprint and T-Mobile.

That’s according to reports Wednesday in the technology news site The Information and The Wall Street Journal. They cited unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Representatives from Google Inc., Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc. declined to comment on the reports.

According to the Journal, Google will resell service on the Sprint and T-Mobile networks. It said it wasn’t clear how widely Google, which is based in Mountain View, California, plans to offer the service, what it will cost or when it will launch.

Google is looking for ways to get more people online to do searches and watch YouTube videos, which could be accomplished by offering more affordable wireless data plans.

Butler holds off Creighton 64-61

Posted on January 21, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Roosevelt Jones had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Andrew Chrabascz made a go-ahead layup with 55 seconds left and Butler held off Creighton 64-61 on Wednesday night.

Chrabascz finished with 13 points and Kameron Woods added 12 with four blocks for the Bulldogs (14-6, 4-3 Big East). Jones also had six assists and three blocks before fouling out late.

Rick Kreklow led Creighton (9-11, 0-7) with 16 points, James Milliken chipped in 10 and Devin Brooks had seven with 10 boards. The Bluejays committed 19 turnovers in dropping their eight straight.

Creighton rallied with an 11-0 run to go up 59-57 with two minutes left. Chrabascz scored, then took a charge on the other end. A key offensive rebound by Woods gave him two free throws to go up 62-59 with 11 seconds left.

The teams exchanged free throws, and Kreklow’s half-court 3 was off the mark as time expired.

Officials: Measles Patient Spent Time in Omaha, Blair

Posted on January 21, 2015January 21, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Health officials say a person who recently spent time in Omaha and Blair has been diagnosed with a confirmed case of measles.

The Douglas County Health Department issued a health alert Wednesday after the infected person visited several public locations, including the Omaha Children’s Museum, a church near Blair and a physician’s office.

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads through the air through breathing, coughing or sneezing. Officials say any person exposed to it who has not been vaccinated is likely to contract the disease.

Officials have also urged anyone born in or after 1957 who may have been in the diagnosed patient’s vicinity to check vaccine records. They say those who haven’t received two measles vaccine doses should contact their doctors immediately.

NBA Rising Stars Game Pits US Players vs. International

Posted on January 21, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has announced the Rising Stars Challenge will feature a new format at this year’s All-Star game weekend pitting first- and second-year players from the United States against first- and second-year players from around the world.

The game will be Feb. 13 in New York, site of this year’s All-Star game.

The NBA’s assistant coaches will select 10 American and 10 international players for the game with one ballot for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, according to the press release.

The rosters will include four guards, four frontcourt players and two players regardless of position. Each team must include at least three first-year players and three second-year players.

The head coaches for each team will consist of an assistant from the 2015 NBA All-Star game coaching staff.

Huskers Baseball Hosts Free Fan Fest

Posted on January 21, 2015

Lincoln – The Nebraska baseball team will host a free Fan Fest on Friday, Feb. 6 at the Hawks Championship Center. The event is free to the public and is scheduled to run from 6 to 8 p.m. Fans also do not need to pre-register for the event and the first 1,000 fans will receive a free hot dog, chips and water.

There will be multiple family activities, including a pitching station with a radar gun, home run derby, face painting, balloons, and inflatables.

Starting at 7 p.m. there will be a formal program where the 2015 team will be introduced. Head Coach Darin Erstad and players will also discuss the upcoming season.

The Huskers open the 2015 season on Friday, Feb. 13 in Las Vegas with a three-game series against UNLV. The 2015 home slate starts on Tuesday, March 10 when the Huskers host Northern Colorado starting at 1:35 p.m.

Season tickets are currently available at huskers.com/tickets or by calling the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-8-BIGRED.