January 2015 – Page 49 – North Platte Post Archive

Military Suicides Up Slightly in 2014

Posted on January 14, 2015January 13, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — New Defense Department figures show that suicides among active-duty military personnel rose slightly in 2014, led by increases in the number of sailors and airmen who took their own lives.

There were fewer suicides last year by Army soldiers and Marines, the two services that have seen the most combat in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade.

According to preliminary Pentagon data, there were 288 confirmed and suspected suicides by active-duty personnel in 2014, compared with 286 in 2013. Both totals, however, represent a sharp drop from the 2012 number of 352. The data was obtained by The Associated Press.

Over time the numbers may change, particularly if deaths that were initially believed to be suicides are fully investigated and found to be otherwise.

Man’s Death Highlights Lack of Cages in Iowa Patrol Cars

Posted on January 14, 2015January 13, 2015

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A video shows officers failed to guard an Iowa drunken driving suspect who escaped from a State Patrol car while handcuffed and was struck by a van and killed.

Matthew Lentzkow’s death has brought attention to how Iowa State Patrol vehicles lack cages to transport suspects to jail.

Lentzkow’s father, Gary Lentzkow, says the trooper who made the Nov. 1 stop and two sheriff’s deputies who arrived as backup should not have allowed his son to unbuckle himself and get out of the patrol car.

Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty says officers in hindsight should have put the 36-year-old Newton man in the cage of a sheriff deputy’s car and had someone watch him.

He says the officers believed they were doing everything right at the time.

Omaha Police Dismantle Large Mexican Drug Cartel

Posted on January 14, 2015January 13, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say they have broken up a branch of a Mexican drug cartel dealing methamphetamine in the Omaha area.

Police announced Tuesday the arrests of 20 people associated with the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico following an 18-month investigation.

The Omaha Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency deployed investigators who received tips that a woman in charge of a sizeable methamphetamine ring was operating near Omaha. The investigation led officials to the source of the supply in California and the discovery of Nebraska and Iowa customers, who bought the methamphetamine and resold it in smaller amounts.

Authorities say they gathered about 12.5 pounds of methamphetamine and more than $35,000.

Most are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, an offense that could mean 20 years to life in prison.

Rask, Lindholm Shootout Goals lead Hurricanes over Avalanche

Posted on January 13, 2015

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Victor Rask and Elias Lindholm scored shootout goals, while Anton Khudobin stoned both Colorado shots as the Carolina Hurricanes stymied the Avalanche’s comeback 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Jordan Staal scored his first of the season and Patrick Dwyer the other goal for the Hurricanes, who have won five straight home games against the Avalanche with one in overtime and the other in the shootout.

Matt Duchene and John Mitchell scored third period goals for the Avalanche.

Colorado won the teams’ only other meeting this season at home with a 4-3 comeback on Nov. 22.

Khudobin had 28 saves for the Hurricanes, 4-1-1 in their last six, while Colorado’s Calvin Pickard stopped 44 shots.

Carolina has not allowed a power-play goal in a franchise-record 11 games. Each team was penalized just once during the game.

Nuggets Acquire Jameer Nelson from Celtics for Nate Robinson

Posted on January 13, 2015

Jameer Nelson when playing for the Orlando Magic. — Jameer Nelson when he played for the Orlando Magic.

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets traded backup point guard Nate Robinson to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday for guard Jameer Nelson.

Robinson was a member of the Celtics for parts of 2009-10 and ’10-11. He averaged 5.8 points for Denver this season a year after tearing his ACL.

It will be Nelson’s third team this season. He signed with Dallas before the season and then wound up in Boston as part of the trade that sent Rajon Rondo to the Mavericks.

Nelson was the 20th overall pick by Denver in 2004, only to have his rights traded to the Orlando Magic in a draft-night deal. He’s averaged 12.3 points and 5.3 assists with Orlando, Dallas and Boston.

Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly said Nelson’s “veteran leadership will be of value to our team.”

Huskers Face No. 7 Wisconsin Thursday Night

Posted on January 13, 2015

The Nebraska men’s basketball team will face one of its stiffest tests of the season, as the Huskers travel to No. 7 Wisconsin Thursday night.

Tipoff between the Huskers and Badgers at the Kohl Center is set for 8:05 p.m. (central) and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN2 with Rece Davis and Seth Greenberg on the call. The game is also available online and on mobile devices on the WatchESPN app.

The game will be broadcast across the state of Nebraska on the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, including KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln, 1110 KFAB in Omaha and KRVN 880 AM in Lexington with Kent Pavelka calling the action and Matt Davison adding color commentary. The game can be heard for free on Huskers.com and available on the Huskers’ app on iOS or android devices, as well as on TuneIn Radio and on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Thursday’s game is also broadcast nationally on Compass Sport Networks.

The Huskers (10-6, 2-2 Big Ten) got back to .500 in Big Ten play with a 53-43 win over Illinois Sunday evening. NU, which was playing its third game in seven days, showed its mettle on the defensive end, holding Illinois to 27.3 percent shooting. That marked the Huskers’ best defensive field goal percent against a conference opponent since 2006.

Combined with the 49 points allowed to Rutgers on Thursday, it was the first time since 1963 that Nebraska held consecutive conference opponents under 50 points. Nebraska has been stout on defense all season, ranking second in the Big Ten in field goal defense (37.7 percent) and have held seven of the last eight opponents under 40 percent shooting.

Offensively, All-America candidate Terran Petteway had 13 of his 18 points in the second half against Illinois, and the junior guard is second in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.9 points per game, while also averaging career highs in rebounding (5.4) and assists (2.8). Junior forward Shavon Shields is fifth in the Big Ten in scoring at 17.1 points per game while topping the Big Red and ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 6.9 rebounds per game.

The Huskers will need big efforts from their all-conference performers Thursday night, as Wisconsin comes into the matchup with a 15-2 record after falling at Rutgers, 67-62 on Sunday. The Badgers, who are 9-1 at home, rank sixth nationally in scoring defense, allowing 54.1 points per game. Wisconsin was without preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky, who averages 16.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, in Sunday’s loss, but should be back for the NU game.

Proposal Seeks to Draw Medical Residents to Rural Nebraska

Posted on January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Medical residents who work in under-served parts of Nebraska could receive up to $120,000 in loan repayments under a new bill in the Legislature.

Sen. Kathy Campbell of Lincoln proposed a loan reimbursement program Tuesday for areas designated as having a shortage of health care professionals. The bill would largely apply to rural areas which lack doctors.

The bill would let residents receive up to $40,000 a year in reimbursement, up to a maximum of $120,000. Residents would have to be enrolled or accepted into an approved medical specialty program in Nebraska.

Borrowers would have to practice in an approved specialty for at least one year in a shortage area, and accept Medicaid patients. Those who end their practice would have to repay 150 percent of the remaining principal.

Columbus Deploying Salt Brine in Battle Against Snow, Ice

Posted on January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — Street department workers have a new weapon to battle winter weather in Columbus, and it’s made by a local company.

The salt brine production system is built by Duo Lift Manufacturing, of Columbus. Officials say it provides a brine that melts snow and ice faster than rock salt alone and uses up to 40 percent less rock salt that the city’s old application process.

Jim Hellbusch, who runs Duo Lift with his wife and two sons, says roads can be pretreated before a storm, and then another coat can be applied after the snow stops. Hellbusch says the process melts the snow from the top and bottom, turning it to slush that can be easily plowed away before it becomes a hardened snowpack.

Tax Break Proposed for Beer Producers Using Nebraska Crops

Posted on January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Beer makers could receive a tax break under a bill that would boost the market for Nebraska-grown barley and hops.

Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogallala introduced a bill Tuesday that would offer a non-refundable tax credit to breweries using Nebraska-grown crops.

The measure would apply to manufacturers if at least 10 percent of the crops used in brewing were grown in Nebraska. Manufacturers could receive up to a 35 percent tax credit if 70 percent or more of their grains were grown in the state.

The bill says beer-related crops include barley, hops or any other grain customarily used in the manufacture of beer.

The state has already lowered taxes for Nebraska wineries that source 75 percent of their products from within the state.

Hagel on Farewell Tour as Defense Secretary to Thank Troops

Posted on January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (AP) — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is opening a farewell tour to thank troops for their service as he prepares to turn over his duties to his designated successor, Ashton Carter.

Hagel arrived Tuesday at Whiteman Air Force Base in western Missouri to speak with B-2 stealth bomber crews.

He was expected to express administration support for building a next-generation bomber within the next decade. The new bomber would be capable of nuclear as well as conventional strike missions.

Hagel also plans to visit a Marine base in California this week. He’ll fly aboard a new Navy aircraft carrier off the coast of California, and see enlisted soldiers at an Army base in Texas.