January 2015 – Page 64 – North Platte Post Archive

Husker Wrestler Ousley Named NCAS PlayMaker of the Month

Posted on January 8, 2015January 8, 2015

Ian Ousley (Photo courtesy of Huskers.com)

Junior Husker wrestler Ian Ousley earned National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) Male PlayMaker of the Month for January on Thursday.

Ousley, a Saginaw, Mich., native, has collected numerous awards for his work off the mat, both in the classroom and in the community. He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and three-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll member.

In 2014, he claimed one of Nebraska Athletics’ coveted HERO Leadership Awards, which recognizes student-athletes for exceptional leadership, consistent and dedicated community service, and positive influence on the team.

Ousley earned a spot on the 2014 Tom Osborne Citizenship Team and garnered the Nebraska Wrestling Spirit of Excellence Award at the 2013-14 end-of-season banquet.

Ousley has continued to be a leader for the team in the Life Skills department, and helped the wrestling program win Nebraska’s Life Skills Men’s Team Competition Award in each of the last two years.

Ousley is currently serving as the vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for 2014-15, and has volunteered for numerous other organizations. He currently holds a 3.252 grade-point average.

The PlayMaker of the Month Award recognizes the academic achievement and community service efforts of student-athletes at NCAS member institutions. Current student-athletes are nominated by their coaches, administrators, and teammates, they must carry a 3.0 grade point average, and they must be active participants in community/volunteer services and/or social change advocacy.

Ruth Ann Purdy

Posted on January 8, 2015

Ruth Ann Purdy, 69, of Omaha, passed away Jan. 6, 2015.

Ruth Ann Purdy was born on Dec. 17, 1945, in Hershey.

She was preceded in death by parents, Earl V. and Lela (Mason) Purdy; brother, Ivan Albert Purdy (Marilyn).

Ruth is survived by three nephews; one grandnephew; and two grandnieces.

Services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, at the West Center Chapel of Heafey Hoffmann Dworak Cutler Mortuary, Omaha. Luncheon will follow the service at West Center Chapel. The family will receive friends from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, at the West Center Chapel.

Burial will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, in the Lamont Cemetery southwest of Hershey. Memorials are suggested to Brookestone Village, 4330 S. 144 St., Omaha, NE 68144. Heafey Hoffmann Dworak Cutler, Omaha, is in charge of arrangements.

University of Nebraska Awaits Ruling on Pollution Cleanup

Posted on January 8, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska and federal authorities are awaiting a judge’s ruling on their agreement for the cleanup of polluted areas at the former Nebraska Ordnance plant near Mead.

The consent decree between the university and the Environmental Protection Agency was filed Dec. 31 in U.S. District Court in Lincoln and is being reviewed by Judge John Gerrard. An EPA attorney, James Stevens, says he doesn’t expect a decision until after a 30-day comment period that began with the decree filing.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the university hauled hazardous waste to the site and buried it. The site’s soil and groundwater already were contaminated with explosive compounds and toxic solvents. The university has spent more than $11 million on the cleanup.

Police: 2 Men Now Dead After Omaha Triple Shooting

Posted on January 8, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a 29-year-old man is the second person to die following a December triple shooting in northeast Omaha.

Jermaine Richey was in the driver’s seat of a vehicle when authorities say they found him and two other men suffering from gunshot wounds. Police say Richey died Wednesday at a hospital.

The other two men were sent to hospitals after the shooting. Twenty-seven-year-old Derek Johnson died hours after the shooting on Dec. 21. A hospital spokeswoman says 24-year-old Demetrion Washington was treated and released.

Police say an unknown number of suspects fired more than 20 shots at the vehicle.

No arrests or further details have been released by police. An investigation is ongoing.

Authorities ask anyone with information about the homicides to contact Crime Stoppers or the Omaha Police Department.

911 Dispatcher Uses Facebook to Find Lost Hiker in Calif.

Posted on January 8, 2015

LAKE BERRYESSA, Calif. (AP) — Officials say a 911 dispatcher in training used Facebook to locate a Northern California hiker critically injured after falling a 150 feet down a cliff while hiking near Lake Berryessa.

Ryan Pritchard was hiking with his son in the remote Blue Ridge Loop Trail when he slipped and fell. His 11-year-old called 911 but the call got cut off before he could tell dispatchers where his father was.

Dispatchers were hitting a dead-end trying to make contact when trainee Breanna Martinez decided to do a search for Pritchard on Facebook.

She tells CBS13 in Sacramento (https://cbsloc.al/1tPQf9V) the very first post on Pritchard’s page was a picture of his two sons standing in front of Lake Berryessa and the comment ‘Hiking the Blue Ridge Trail today.'”

That post helped bring rescue crews to the area in time to get Pritchard out before sunset.

Lawson Scores 23 as Nuggets Edge Magic 93-90

Posted on January 8, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Ty Lawson scored 23 points, Arron Afflalo had 17 against his former team, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Orlando Magic 93-90 on Wednesday night for their third consecutive win.

The Nuggets also got a key contribution from Jusuf Nurkic, who had eight points in his first career start in place of Timofey Mozgov, who was traded to Cleveland earlier in the day in exchange for two first-round draft picks.

Nikola Vucevic scored 20 points for the Magic, who lost for the sixth straight time in Denver. Victor Oladipo had 17 points.

DePaul Alone in 1st in Big East with 70-60 Win over Bluejays

Posted on January 8, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Forrest Robinson made his first five 3-pointers, all in the first six minutes of the game, and scored a career-high 20 points as DePaul took sole possession of first place in the Big East with a 70-60 victory over Creighton on Wednesday night.

The Blue Demons (9-7, 3-0) have won their first three Big East games for the first time since they joined the conference in 2005-06.

Creighton (9-7, 0-3) has lost its first three conference games for the first time since 1993-94, when it was in the Missouri Valley, and four in a row overall for the first time since 1999-2000. The Bluejays also had their 11-game home conference win streak end.

Myke Henry added 11 points for DePaul.

Toby Hegner had 15 points and Avery Dingman added 10 for Creighton.

AP Source: Chiefs Sign QB Terrelle Pryor to 1-Year Deal

Posted on January 8, 2015January 8, 2015

Terrelle Pryor when playing for the Oakland Raiders.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have signed Terrelle Pryor to a one-year deal to provide competition at the backup quarterback spot, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the Chiefs had not announced the deal. Pryor worked out for the team earlier in the day, and later tweeted a picture of himself carrying a notebook with the Chiefs’ logo on it.

The signing could mean the end of backup Chase Daniel’s run in Kansas City. The Chiefs are tight against the salary cap, and parting with Daniel could save nearly $4 million.

The Chiefs also have developmental quarterbacks Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray on the roster.

Cavaliers land Center Timofey Mozgov in Trade with Nuggets

Posted on January 8, 2015

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers have filled their biggest need, acquiring center Timofey Mozgov from the Denver Nuggets for two future first-round draft picks.

The Cavs announced their second major trade in three days during the first half of Wednesday night’s game against Houston. Cleveland sent two protected 2015 first-round picks — one acquired in 2013 from Memphis, the other from Oklahoma City this week — to Denver for the 7-foot-1 Mozgov and a 2015 second-round pick.

Mozgov averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds this season for the Nuggets.

The Cavs targeted Mozgov for months. He played for Cavs coach David Blatt on the Russian national team.

On Monday, the Cavs dealt Waiters to the Thunder and acquired guards J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert from the Knicks.

Burwell Woman uses Rodeo to Pursue Academic Goals

Posted on January 8, 2015

Julie Timmerman, of Burwell, is the 2014 Miss Old West Trail Rodeo queen. She is currently enrolled at Mid-Plains Community College.

She may be rodeo royalty, but Julie Timmerman doesn’t let the status go to her head. The Burwell native is too busy focusing on a prize bigger than any crown she could ever win – a quality education.

Timmerman, 21, is Crawford’s reigning Old West Trail Rodeo queen. She is also a student at Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte where she competes on the MPCC rodeo team. Timmerman credits her crown, MPCC and rodeo with helping her achieve her career goal of becoming a veterinarian.

“They go hand in hand and have done a great job of preparing me for the real world,” said Timmerman.

She said the college has taught her the importance of hard work, rodeo competition instilled the values of perseverance and self-discipline and rodeo queen contests sharpened her public speaking and interview skills.

“I’m definitely a lot more confident than I was before I started trying out for queen contests,” said Timmerman. “I feel like I’ve grown up a lot.”

Timmerman’s love of rodeo dates back to fourth grade when her mother bought her a horse.

“I’ve always loved going fast on a horse,” said Timmerman. “There’s a freedom to it.”

Subsequent participation in 4-H and high school rodeo fueled the interest.

“I competed in pole bending, barrel racing and goat tying for four years and tried for the Nebraska High School Rodeo queen title my junior year,” said Timmerman. “I knew I couldn’t leave all that behind when it came time for college.”

She began looking for schools that offered rodeo and narrowed her selections down to two.

“It was between MPCC and Torrington,” said Timmerman. “The MPCC rodeo team was just starting up, and I was excited about the idea of being part of that. I’m glad I chose MPCC. The instructors are excellent, are always available outside of class and are very flexible with my rodeo schedule.”

Timmerman represents the college in barrel racing and goat tying. The rodeo queen aspect has helped fund her education. She plans to graduate this spring with an Associate of Science degree from MPCC and transfer to Chadron State College next fall.

“I got a one-year, full-tuition scholarship to Chadron State College for winning the queen title,” said Timmerman. “So, after I leave Mid-Plains I will take my pre-vet classes at CSC. MPCC and CSC have a great working relationship, which makes it really easy to transfer credits.”

When she’s not studying, competing in rodeo or fulfilling her queen duties, Timmerman is gaining on-the-job experience working at the Sjeklocha Veterinary Clinic in North Platte.

Timmerman hopes to eventually open her own practice in rural Nebraska, possibly back in Burwell. Her dream is to become an equine and bovine specialist and serve as an on-call vet for area rodeos.