January 2015 – Page 66 – North Platte Post Archive

Nebraska Legislature Begins with Focus on Tax Cuts, Prison Reform

Posted on January 7, 2015January 7, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature has kicked off its 2015 session with an expected focus on property taxes and the state’s scandal-plagued prison system.

The session that began Wednesday morning will be the first for 18 new state senators, accounting for more than one-third of the Legislature.

Lawmakers will also elect a new speaker and committee leaders to replace those who left office due to term limits, or who are seeking another committee assignment.

Prison reform will be a top issue because of overcrowding and mismanagement within the Department of Correctional Services, including the early release of hundreds of inmates.

Gov.-elect Pete Ricketts will be sworn into office Thursday. He’s promised to lower property taxes for Nebraska farmers and ranchers, who pay the third-highest property taxes in the United States.

New $12 Million Homeless Shelter to Open in Omaha

Posted on January 7, 2015January 7, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A grand opening ceremony for the new $12 million Stephen Center homeless shelter has been set for this week.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Friday for the center, which includes the Pettigrew Emergency Shelter for short-term stays and 62 low-income apartments for long-term residents.

Architects started developing plans nine years ago for the new facility that was financed by both private and public organizations.

The center’s CEO says he and staff are excited about the upcoming opening, which he adds has been a long time coming.

Support services will be offered at the center and at nearby sites. The center has a relationship with the Salvation Army Kroc Center that will allow residents to use its recreational and health and fitness programs.

Nebraska Court Could Hold Up Keystone Pipeline

Posted on January 7, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Republican-led Congress appears ready to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline, but no matter what actions are taken in Washington, the entire 1,179-mile project could be delayed until Nebraska signs off on the route.

The routing process remains before the Nebraska Supreme Court, which has given no indication when it will render a decision.

Pipeline opposition leader Jane Kleeb says even if the high court rules in favor of the pipeline, opponents are already working on a federal lawsuit on behalf of Native American tribes to challenge the route’s possible disruption of Indian artifacts.

Pipeline builder TransCanada says it’s already facing billions of dollars in extra costs as the project lags. The company is just as determined to see the pipeline built through Nebraska.

MPCC to Offer Professional Truck Driving Course

Posted on January 7, 2015January 7, 2015

A professional truck driving course is being rolled out at Mid-Plains Community College this month. Classes begin Jan. 12.

“We are so excited to offer this course to meet area workforce development needs,” said Crystal Welch, area operations manager for the MPCC Center for the Enterprise. “This is a blended course with online classroom instruction. It provides flexibility to students who have full-time jobs, but want to explore a new career.”

The intensive eight-week program is designed for people without trucking experience who want to complete commercial driver’s license (CDL) training in as little time as possible.

It prepares students for a career in intrastate and interstate commerce. Training includes driving on city streets and rural roads as well as on two-lane highways and interstate systems.

Students will put in approximately 60 hours of drive time and will test their skills at Central States Safety and Driver Training in Kearney before progressing to the highway.

The curriculum used meets criteria established by the Professional Truck Driver Institute. Instructing the course is Dennis Holtz, who has more than 45 years and over 2 million miles of trucking experience.

He has taught professional truck driver training for three years and is a third party CDL examiner for the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles

“I have driven in just about every kind of weather, including high winds, thunderstorms, tornados and blizzards,” said Holtz. “I have been able to take drivers who have never been in a large tractor-trailer rig and teach them the basics from the ground up.”

To be eligible for the course, students must:

Be at least 18 years of age
Have a safe driving record
Have a valid motor vehicle operator’s license
Be physically qualified according to Department of Transportation regulations
Go through a drug screening
Obtain a CDL learners permit by taking a 50-question general knowledge test at a Department of Motor Vehicles office

Acceptance into the program is contingent upon the quality of the driving record and the results of the drug screening and physical.

Successful completion of coursework, driving and testing will result in a nationally-recognized CDL. The cost of the program is $2,995.

Those interested in registering can do so online at www.centerforenterprise.com, or by calling by calling 535-3614.

Utah Governor: No Plans to Sue Colorado Over Marijuana

Posted on January 7, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Gov. Gary Herbert says Utah has no plans to join two other states in suing Colorado over that state’s legalization of marijuana.

Herbert said Tuesday afternoon that despite no current plans to sue, Utah is keeping an eye on marijuana legalization in its neighbor state.

Nebraska and Oklahoma filed a lawsuit last month asking the U.S. Supreme Court to declare Colorado’s legalization of marijuana unconstitutional.

Nebraska and Oklahoma say Colorado’s voter-approved legalization has brought marijuana into their states and made it harder for them to enforce drug laws.

Utah officials have said they do not want to legalize marijuana but they did pass a limited medical marijuana law last year allowing those with severe epilepsy to possess cannabis extract oil.

2 Get Probation for Selling DVDs of Pirated Movies

Posted on January 7, 2015January 7, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say two people who reproduced pirated movies and sold the DVDs on the Omaha Indian Reservation have been given five years of probation.

Federal prosecutors say 21-year-old Carroll Webster III and 22-year-old Kayla Parker, of Wanblee, South Dakota, were convicted of copyright infringement. While on probation, both Webster and Parker will have to perform 150 hours of community service and pay $500 in restitution.

Prosecutors say that from March 2012 through May 6, 2013, Webster and Parker obtained pirated copies of copyrighted motion pictures, reproduced them and sold about 600 DVDs to people on the reservation.

Huskers Begin Two-Game Homestand With Rutgers Thursday Night

Posted on January 7, 2015

The Nebraska men’s basketball team returns to action Thursday night, as the Huskers hosts Big Ten newcomer Rutgers at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Tipoff for Thursday’s matchup between the Huskers and Scarlet Knights is set for 8:05 p.m. and the game will be nationally televised on ESPNU with Adam Amin and Craig Robinson 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.

A limited number of tickets for Thursday’s game, ranging from $10 (300 Level) to $30 (100 Level) are available on Huskers.com or at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Ticket Office beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening.

The Huskers (8-6, 0-2 Big Ten) look to avoid an 0-3 conference start after falling at Iowa, 70-59, on Monday night in Iowa City. Junior forward Shavon Shields led Nebraska with 25 points and six rebounds, but Iowa went 31-of-38 from the foul line, including 9-of-11 in the final 2:38 to pull away in the final minute.

Shields has become one of the Big Ten’s most consistent scorers this season and is averaging 22.3 points per game over the last three contests. Entering Wednesday’s action, Shields leads the Big Ten in scoring in conference play at 22.5 points per game. He combines with All-American candidate Terran Petteway to give the Huskers a pair of high-scoring wings.

Thursday’s matchup features a pair of teams who defend well. Nebraska is holding opponents to 38.7 percent shooting this season, including 29 percent from 3-point range, while Rutgers has limited teams to 38.9 percent shooting, including just 30 percent from 3-point range. Nebraska has limited four of its last five teams to under 40 percent shooting, while Rutgers (9-6, 1-1 Big Ten) is allowing a Big Ten-low 48.5 points per game in Big Ten play.

Thursday’s contest continues a busy week for the Huskers, as they are in the middle of playing three games in a seven-day stretch. After Sunday’s home game with Illinois, they play only once until Jan. 20. The game with Rutgers also begins a stretch where four of the next five are at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Riley Continues to Add to Husker Staff

Posted on January 7, 2015

University of Nebraska Head Football Coach Mike Riley announced on Wednesday the addition of four assistant football coaches to the four full-time coaches announced in mid-December.

The new additions bring coaching experience from the Power Five conferences as well as the National Football League. The full-time assistant coaches officially announced on Wednesday include running backs coach Reggie Davis, defensive line coach Hank Hughes, offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf and secondary coach Charlton Warren.

Riley had previously announced the hiring of four assistant coaches on Dec. 11, including defensive coordinator Mark Banker, linebackers coach Trent Bray, offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh and special teams coordinator Bruce Read.

Including Riley, Nebraska’s staff has a combined 216 years of coaching experience, while boasting a combined 56 bowl game appearances and 38 years coaching in the professional ranks.

“We are thrilled with the staff we have assembled at the University of Nebraska,” Riley said. “This is a successful group of outstanding teachers, coaches and recruiters, and I know they will represent our school and program very well.”

Danny Langsdorf will reunite with Riley in Lincoln as the Huskers’ offensive coordinator. Langsdorf returns to the college game after spending the 2014 season as the quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants. Langsdorf worked directly with two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Eli Manning.

Under Langsdorf’s tutelage, Manning completed a career-best 63.1 percent of his passes, and his 4,410 passing yards were the second-most in his 11-year NFL career. Manning also threw for 30 touchdowns, an increase of 12 from the 2013, while throwing 13 fewer interceptions than the previous year. Manning’s passer rating of 92.1 was the third-best of his career.

Before joining the Giants’ staff, Langsdorf spent the previous nine seasons as Riley’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Oregon State. Langsdorf’s Oregon State offenses were regularly among the most productive in the Pac-12 Conference, and nine of OSU’s top 13 single-season yardage outputs came under Langsdorf’s coaching.

Langsdorf also worked with Riley at Oregon State in 1997 and 1998, before stints in the professional ranks with the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos and the New Orleans Saints.

Reggie Davis will coach the Husker running backs and also joins the Nebraska program from the NFL. Davis has spent the previous four seasons on the San Francisco 49ers staff under Coach Jim Harbaugh. In Davis’ time in San Francisco, the 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game three consecutive seasons from 2011 to 2013, and played in Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.

Davis spent the 2014 season as San Francisco’s offensive line coach, following three seasons working as the tight ends coach. Davis coached 49ers tight end Vernon Davis to a Pro Bowl appearance and All-Pro honors in 2013, when Vernon Davis had a career-high 13 touchdown receptions.

Reggie Davis worked for Riley as Oregon State’s running backs coach from 2008 to 2010. While with the Beavers, Davis helped tutor Jacquizz Rodgers who set numbers OSU rushing records in his time in Corvallis. Davis also had assistant coaching stops at UNLV and the University of San Diego, following a two-year NFL playing career.

Hank Hughes comes to Nebraska after spending the 2014 season as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Cincinnati under Head Coach Tommy Tuberville. A 36-year veteran of the coaching profession, Hughes has served as a defensive line coach for 27 of those seasons.

Hughes’ one season at Cincinnati followed a 13-year tenure on the defensive coaching staff at the University of Connecticut. With the Huskies, Hughes served as the defensive line coach for all 13 seasons and was the defensive coordinator for four years, while he also served as assistant head coach from 2005 to 2010.

With Hughes on staff, the Connecticut program made five bowl appearances including a trip to the Fiesta Bowl following the 2010 season. Connecticut won a share of two conference championships with Hughes on staff. The Huskie defenses regularly ranked among the nation’s top rush defenses, in large part due to the play of Hughes’ defensive line, and UConn ranked in the top 10 nationally in total defense in 2006, 2008 and 2012.

Other stops in Hughes’ coaching career include assistant coaching positions at Memphis and Harvard.

Charlton Warren will be in his second season at Nebraska as the secondary coach in 2015. His 2014 secondary helped the Huskers rank among the nation’s top defense against the pass. Nebraska ranked fifth nationally in pass efficiency defense, and held nine of 13 opponents to less than 50 percent passing and ranked second nationally in opponent pass completion percentage.

Sophomore safety Nate Gerry was among the Big Ten leaders in interceptions with five and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in his first season as a starter.

Warren joined the Nebraska program after nine seasons on the defensive staff at the Air Force Academy. Warren worked directly with the Falcon defensive backs each of his nine seasons in Colorado Springs, and was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013. Warren was also regarded as Air Force’s top recruiter and coordinated recruiting efforts from 2006 to 2011.

Riley has also added several members of the Nebraska football support staff.

Mark Phillipp will be the Huskers’ Football Head Strength Coach. Phillipp spent the past two seasons on the strength and conditioning staff at the University of Southern California, and also has prior experience on the strength staff at Oregon State.

Dan Van de Riet is Nebraska’s new Associate Athletic Director for Football Operations. Van de Riet has spent the past 12 seasons in a similar role with Riley at Oregon State, and was on the OSU staff for 14 years overall. Van de Riet will be in charge of the program’s day-to-day operations, including budget and team travel.

Other members of University of Nebraska football staff include….

Hilary O’Bryan, Assistant Director of Football Operations

Ryan Gunderson, Director of Player Personnel

Andy Vaughn, Director of Football & Recruiting Operations

Todd McShane, Assistant Director of Player Personnel

Kenny Wilhite, Assistant Director of Player Personnel

Greg Vaughn, Video Director

Tate Guillotte, Video Assistant Coordinator

Tim Rabas, Football Associate Strength Coach

Willie Jones, Football Assistant Strength Coach

Joni Duff, Football Staff Secretary – Defense/Special Teams

Teri Riggins, Football Staff Secretary – Offense/Recruiting

Max Onyegbule, Graduate Assistant Coach – Assistant Defensive Line Coach

Tavita Thompson, Graduate Assistant Coach – Tight Ends Coach

Nick Hallberg, Graduate Manager – Offensive Quality Control

Beau Walker, Graduate Manager – Offensive Assistant

Hardie Buck, Graduate Manager – Special Teams Quality Control

Keaton Kristick, Graduate Manager – Defensive Quality Control

Brooks Armstrong, Graduate Manager – Operations

NPCC Knights Host Western Nebraska in South Sub-Region Contest

Posted on January 7, 2015January 7, 2015

The North Platte Community College Knights basketball team will host the Western Nebraska Community College Cougars on Friday, January 9 at McDonald – Belton Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CST.

The Knights enter the contest with a 10-4 record, 3-1 in the Region IX south sub-region, while the Cougars are 6-9 and 2-1 in the sub-region.

The Cougars are led in scoring by Preston Christensen with a 16.9 average. Two other Cougars are averaging in double figures: Diante Mitchell who is averaging 14.7 points per game and Damion Rashford, who is averaging 13.5 points per game. Julio Guity leads the Cougars in rebounding with 4.6 boards per game.

North Platte has three players averaging in double figures. Cameron Williams leads the way with 23.2 points per game. Marco Pascolo is averaging 11.2 points per game and Shyquinn Dix is averaging 11.1 points per game.

Williams, currently 9^th in the country in scoring, leads the region in scoring and is 36^th on the Knights all-time scoring list and needs 6 points to pass Kent Brown for 35^thplace.

The game will be live streamed on the internet at www.coachesaid.com .

Kearney State Senator Elected Speaker of the Legislature

Posted on January 7, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature has chosen state Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney as its next speaker.

Lawmakers voted Wednesday to name Hadley as the replacement for former Speaker of the Legislature Greg Adams, of York, who left office due to term limits. State Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln was also seeking the position.

Hadley was first elected to the Legislature in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. He served as chairman of the tax-focused Revenue Committee, and oversaw a wide-ranging legislative study of Nebraska’s tax system in 2013. He has two years left to serve due to term limits.

Hadley, a Republican, was the mayor of Kearney from 2004 to 2006 and served on the city council. He previously worked as a professor and senior administrator at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.