February 2015 – Page 46 – North Platte Post Archive

Nebraska LGBT Discrimination Bill Will Move to Legislature

Posted on February 12, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill to ban workplace discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Nebraskans will move to the full Legislature as initially planned.

Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha said Thursday that he will not try to pull the measure back into its committee, but will revisit his concerns when it’s debated on the floor.

Krist had asked the committee to reconsider its vote after members voted 5-2 to advance the measure. Krist had voted yes, but said he became concerned about the effectiveness of an exemption for religious groups. He says he also was offended by remarks Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha made about the Catholic church.

Chambers told senators Thursday morning that he doesn’t remember what he said, but maintains that religious beliefs should never prevent a bill from advancing.

Train Carrying Coal Derails in Western Nebraska

Posted on February 12, 2015

MCGREW, Neb. (AP) — A Union Pacific official says a train carrying coal from Wyoming to Arkansas derailed in western Nebraska.

Spokesman Mark Davis says about 29 of the train’s 136 cars came off the tracks on Wednesday morning. He says no injuries were reported in the accident east of McGrew, Nebraska.

The Scottsbluff Star-Herald reports the train derailment caused coal to spill. Davis said crews would be working throughout Wednesday night to clean up the accident. He said he wasn’t sure how long it would take.

The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

Nebraska Man Pleads Guilty to Having Drugs, Leading Police on Chase in Iowa

Posted on February 12, 2015

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 31-year-old man has pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to leading police on a high-speed chase and possessing drugs in October.

Chad Hughes of Pender, Nebraska, was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison.

He was charged with eluding, operating while intoxicated and possession of a controlled substance.

As part of his plea agreement, a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and other traffic offenses were dropped.

Court documents state Hughes led police on a chase on U.S. Highway 75. Police were able to stop Hughes. He then fled his vehicle into a cornfield and was tracked down with the help of a police dog.

Nebraska Animal Rescue Group Raises $2K to Pay for Pit Bull’s Surgery

Posted on February 12, 2015February 12, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Norfolk dog rescue group says it’s received donations as far away as Australia in treating a pit bull left to die with multiple gunshot wounds.

Furbaby Rescue says Grace the pit bull was shot three times. The group says surgery is required to remove a bullet from her shoulder and reconstruct her jaw.

It has raised more than $2,000 to help pay for Grace’s surgery costs after setting up an online fundraiser. The money also will be used to offer a cash reward for finding the person who shot her.

The organization says Grace was left for dead but was spotted by a hunter and his daughter southeast of Stanton over the weekend.

Man Gets 180 Days for Vehicular Homicide in Nebraska

Posted on February 12, 2015

STANTON, Neb. (AP) — A 26-year-old Battle Creek man has been given 180 days in jail for vehicular homicide.

Court records say Trey Finkral was sentenced on Tuesday. He’d pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge.

Authorities say Finkral was driving his vehicle on Sept. 12 and was rammed by another vehicle when he didn’t halt at a stop sign south of Pilger (PIHL’-gur) in northeast Nebraska. A passenger in Finkral’s vehicle, 25-year-old Marcus Kamrath, died later at a Norfolk hospital.

Groups Say ‘Fifty Shades’ Endorses Sexual Violence

Posted on February 12, 2015

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — It hasn’t even opened but already “Fifty Shades of Grey” is getting a big thumbs-down from religious and other groups who say it’s degrading to women and endorses sexual violence.

One social media campaign is encouraging movie-goers to instead give their ticket and popcorn money to women’s shelters.

Even as screenings sell out in advance, critics, including the American Family Association and National Center on Sexual Exploitation, are pushing for boycotts.

One group in Madison, Wisconsin, is planning to picket outside a Thursday premier.

Author E L James, who wrote the erotic trilogy that launched the film, has heard the backlash and says the critics have it all wrong. She says no woman wants to read about abuse, and that everything that happens is safe and consensual.

Now Someone Can Mange Your Facebook Account After You Die

Posted on February 12, 2015February 12, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook is giving more options to decide what happens to users’ accounts after they die.

The world’s biggest online social network said Thursday it will now let users pick someone who can manage their account after they pass away. Previously, the accounts were “memorialized” after death, or locked so that no one could log in.

Beginning in the U.S., Facebook says users can choose a “legacy contact” to post on their page after they die, respond to new friend requests and update their profile picture and cover photo. Users can also have their accounts deleted instead.

Facebook also ensures that the account of a user who died doesn’t show up as a “suggested friend” or in other ways that could upset the person’s loved ones.

NPCC Knights Face Sub-Region Foes on the Road

Posted on February 12, 2015February 12, 2015

The North Platte Community College Knights take to the road this weekend for two National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX South Sub-region games.

The Knights go into the weekend with a 20-4 record overall and 10-1 in the South Sub-region. The Knights are currently leading Region IX – South. Cameron Williams leads the Knights in scoring with a 22.5 points per game average. Williams leads the South Sub-Region and is 11^th in the nation in scoring. Marco Pascolo is second on the team in scoring with an 11.5 points per game average and leads the team in rebounding with 8.1 rebounds per game. Shyquinn Dix is the other Knight to average in double figures. Dix is averaging 10.8 points per game.

On Friday night, the Knights travel to Torrington, Wyo. to face the Eastern Wyoming College Lancers. The Lancers are 7-18 on the season and 1-11 in the South Sub-region. The Lancers are led in scoring by Kalil Potts with a 15.3 points per game average. Rich Williams, 10.8 points per game is the only other Lancer averaging in double figures. Nelson Kahler and Jeff Uju lead the Lancers in rebounding with 5.6 and 5.4 rebounds per game respectively. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CST.

On Saturday, the Knights travel to Scottsbluff, Neb. to take on the Western Nebraska Community College Cougars. The Cougars are 10-15 on the season and 6-6 in the South Sub-region. The Cougars are currently fourth in the sub-region standings. The top four places will host a first round game of the Region IX Tournament later in the season. The Cougars are led in scoring by Preston Christensen, who is averaging 17.7 points per game. Following him is Diante Mitchell. Mitchell is averaging 16.4 points per game. The third Cougar to average in double figures is Damion Rashford, averaging 16.2 points per game. Rashford and Julio Guity lead the Cougars in rebounding with 5.3 rebounds per game each.

Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. CST, and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1410 or on www.northplattepost.com .

NCAA Picks Schaus, White for Next Year’s Selection Committee

Posted on February 12, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Athletic directors Jim Schaus and Kevin White will become the newest members of NCAA men’s basketball selection committee next season.

The announcement came Thursday. Each will begin serving in September.

Schaus has been at Ohio since April 2008. He spent the previous nine years as athletic director at Wichita State and has worked at Oregon, Cincinnati, UTEP and Northern Illinois. He also served on the men’s basketball rules committee and the Division I committee on academic performance.

White has been Duke’s AD for six years. Previously, he led Notre Dame’s athletic department from 2000-08 and worked at Arizona State, Tulane, Maine and Loras. White also has served on several NCAA committees.

Oklahoma AD Joseph Castiglione will chair the 10-member selection committee in 2015-16.

NPCC Lady Knights Travel to Eastern Wyoming

Posted on February 12, 2015

The North Platte Community College Lady Knights travel to Torrington, Wyo. to play the Eastern Wyoming College Lady Lancers on Friday, Feb 13 at the Verle Petsch Jr. Activities Center and Gymnasium.

The Lady Knights who are 12-10 on the season are led in scoring by April Stull. Stull is averaging 15.7 points per game. Stull also leads the Lady Knights in rebounding with 8.6 rebounds per game. Aliyah Brown is the other Lady Knight to average in double figures with 10 points per game. Brown also has 3.6 steals per game.

The Lady Lancers are 16-9 on the season and have four players averaging in double figures. Joanna Perez leads with 14.2 points per game, Kara Babola averages 13.5 points per game, Asia Roper scores 10.1 points per game, and Arriel Fort is averaging 10 points per game. Babola leads the Lady Lancers in rebounding with 6.8 rebounds per game.

The Lady Lancers defeated the Lady Knights on January 10 by a score of 54-40.