January 2015 – Page 38 – North Platte Post Archive

Start Time Set for Nebraska-Michigan St. Game on Jan. 24

Posted on January 17, 2015

Lincoln – The Big Ten Conference and ESPN announced Saturday that the Jan. 24 men’s basketball game between Nebraska and Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena will tip off at 3 p.m. central. The game had been listed as TBA on the schedule until Saturday’s announcement. The contest will be televised by either ESPN or ESPN2 with a TV determination set early next week.

Tickets are going fast for the matchup between the Huskers and Spartans, which is the only Saturday home game on the Huskers’ Big Ten schedule. As of Friday afternoon, the game is sold out, although a limited number of tickets could become available on game day at the Pinnacle Bank Arena box office 90 minutes prior to tip-off. The MSU game is also part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Awareness Week.

The only remaining games with TBAs on the schedule are the Huskers home games against Iowa (Sunday, Feb. 22) and Maryland (Sunday, March 8). Both of those start times and television information will be announced by the Big Ten Conference in the coming weeks.

Supporters Launch New Attempt to Exempt Cigar Bars from Nebraska Smoking Ban

Posted on January 17, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Some state lawmakers are working to again exempt cigar bars from the state’s public smoking ban despite a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling last year that declared lawmakers’ first attempt to allow cigar patrons to light up unconstitutional.

While the intent of the bill, introduced by Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill, is clear, its ability to stand up to a constitutional challenge is not.

University of Nebraska associate law professor Anthony Schutz says the bill could work, because courts tend to give deference to legislation when lawmakers make their intent clear, even if the reasoning behind the intent is challenged.

But Schutz says the bill would be stronger if it included language spelling out the Legislature’s intent to keep economic harm from cigar bars.

Kearney Sees Case of Whooping Cough in Student

Posted on January 17, 2015

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A central Nebraska health department has reported a case of whooping cough in a middle school student.

Two Rivers Public Health Department identified the case of pertussis, or whooping cough, at Horizon Middle School in Kearney.

Information about whooping cough has been emailed to parents and can be found at www.kearneypublicschools.org .

Whooping cough is highly contagious and is spread when infected people cough or sneeze. It starts like the common cold, but can progress into violent coughing spells.

School officials are encouraging students to wash their hands often and use hand sanitizer to keep the disease from spreading.

Nebraska Republican Sasse Calls on Board of Ed Member to Resign

Posted on January 17, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Another Nebraska Republican leader is calling on a state education board member to resign in the wake of bigoted comments about President Barack Obama that appeared on his blog.

U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse said it’s hard for him to see how the education board can operate effectively while Pat McPherson is still a member of it.

Sasse joined Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in calling for McPherson to resign.

McPherson’s blog, “Objective Conservative,” had included repeated references to Omaha as a “half breed.”

McPherson has said he didn’t write the offending posts and disavowed them before taking the blog down this week. McPherson has said he will not resign.

Deputies: Motorcyclist Killed in Lancaster County Hit-and-Run

Posted on January 17, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lancaster County Sheriff says a motorcyclist has died in a hit-and-run crash.

The crash happened around 7:35 p.m. Friday near Lincoln on a county road just north of Interstate 80 in a construction zone. The motorcyclist was found near an intersection, where he was pronounced dead.

The name of the motorcyclist has not yet been released.

The sheriff’s office says it’s looking for an older model white pickup.

Anyone with information is urged to call the sheriff’s office at 402-441-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600.

Fremont Man Killed in Eastern Nebraska Crash

Posted on January 17, 2015January 17, 2015

RICHLAND, Neb. (AP) — A 53-year-old Fremont man has died in a crash that saw his car collide with a semitrailer on U.S. Highway 30 in eastern Nebraska.

Terry Kirchmann was pronounced dead at the scene of the Friday evening.

Colfax County Attorney Denise Kracl says the crash happened near the Platte-Colfax county line just west of Richland, which is east of Columbus.

Kracl said the semi was hauling a tanker filled with diesel when it drove onto the highway from a fuel terminal and was hit by Kirchmann’s car.

The 60-year-old driver of the semi was not hurt.

Authorities are still investigating.

NPCC Knights Defeat Central in Conference Play

Posted on January 17, 2015

The North Platte Community College Knights defeated the Central Community College Raiders in a Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference game 78-47 Friday night.

The Knights started out slow and held a 34-25 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Knights pulled away and outscored the Raiders 44-22 to seal the win.

Knights assistant coach Ryan Glenney said, “We held them to 25.9 percent shooting from the floor in the second half.”

The Knights continued their hot free throw shooting on the season, shooting 24 for 30 from the free throw line. Coming into this game the Knights were eighth in the nation as a team in free throw percentage with 74.4 percent.

The Knights were led in scoring by Cameron Williams, who scored 29 points. Williams went 8 for 12 from the field with 2 three pointers and 11 for 12 from the free throw line. Williams is now averaging 23.5 points per game and is currently fifth in the nation in scoring.

Other Knights scoring in double figures were Marco Pascolo with 11 points and Matt Thomas with 10 points.

Matthew McLeod from Brownlee was the only Raider in double-figures with 19 points

The Knights improve to 14-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The Raiders drop to 3-15 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

The Knights continue on the road as they travel to Beatrice to play the Southeast Community College Storm in another Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference game. Game may be seen on ihigh.com. Tip-off is at 4:00 p.m. CST

NPCC Lady Knights Defeat Central on the Road

Posted on January 17, 2015

The North Platte Community College Lady Knights defeated the Central Community College Lady Raiders in a key National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX Division II game, 74-58 Friday night.

The Lady Raiders jumped out to an early 11-2 lead with just under 18 minutes to go in the first half.

The Lady Knights pulled within three at half time and trailed 29-26.

In the second half the Lady Knights went on a 20-2 run to contribute to the win.

Head coach Richard Thurin said, “We played great defense and had four girls in double figures. It was a great team effort.”

The four Lady Knights that scored in double figures were April Stull, who led all scorers with 17 points, Aliyah Brown had 15 points and four steals, Ester Micheva had 12 points, and Sarah Mahr had 10 points. Stull and Mahr both recorded a double-double as Stull had 15 rebounds and Mahr had 11 rebounds

The Lady Raiders were led in scoring by Montrese Weller who scored 14 points. Adrianna Beck was next in the scoring column with 13 points. McKenna Rossmeier finished with 10.

North Platte improves to 10-7 overall and 1-0 in sub-region play. Central drops to 9-8 overall and 0-1 in the sub-region.

The Lady Knights continue on the road as they travel to Beatrice to play the Southeast Community College Lady Storm in another Region IX Division II game. Game may be seen on ihigh.com. Tip-off is at 2:00 p.m. CST

Rockies Avoid Arbitration with Chacin, 2 Others

Posted on January 17, 2015

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies and right-hander Jhoulys Chacin avoided arbitration Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $5.5 million contract, up from $4.85 million last season.

The Rockies also avoided arbitration with left-handed pitcher Rex Brothers and catcher Michael McKenry.

Brothers’ bump in pay is nearly $1 million, from $502,000 last year to $1.4 million this season. McKenry’s salary goes to $1,087,600 in 2015, up from $750,000 last year.

Chacin pitched in just 11 games last season, going 1-7 with a 5.40 ERA before the club shut him down in June because of a right shoulder injury. The Rockies are counting on him returning to his 2013 form, when he won 14 games with a 3.47 ERA.

Chacin projects as the Rockies’ No. 2 starter behind ace Jorge De La Rosa.

Brothers made 74 relief appearances last season, going 4-6 with 5.59 ERA and 15 holds.

McKenry had two stints with the Rockies last season after beginning the year in Triple-A. He finished with a career-best .315 batting average with nine doubles, eight homers and 22 RBIs over 57 games in Colorado.

Two Colorado players remain in arbitration, and both are eligible for the first time: right-hander Adam Ottavino and catcher Wilin Rosario. Ottavino asked for $1,475,000 and was offered $1 million; Rosario asked for $3.3 million and was offered $2.8 million.

Nowitzki, Mavs Split Home-and-Home with Nuggets, 97-89

Posted on January 17, 2015

DALLAS (AP) — Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points after missing a game in Denver to rest, and the Dallas Mavericks split a home-and-home set against the Nuggets with a 97-89 victory Friday night.

Tyson Chandler and Rajon Rondo were the other two Dallas starters who sat out the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday, and their return helped as well.

Chandler had his 17th double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds, while Rondo scored just two points but had eight assists and nine rebounds while helping slow Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson early.

Arron Afflalo scored 16 to lead the Nuggets, who had to withstand a rally to beat the travel-weary and short-handed Mavericks at home after four nights off. Denver’s five-game winning streak, tied for a season high, ended in the first of four games in five nights.