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Nebraska Tax Receipts Lower Than Expected in January

ne-department-of-revenueLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says Nebraska state government tax receipts in January were nearly 6 percent below projections.

The Department of Revenue reported Tuesday that the state’s net tax receipts were $348 million. The state’s certified forecast for the month was $368 million.

According to the report, Nebraska’s net individual income tax receipts were more than 14 percent below the forecast. Net sales-and-use taxes were down slightly, while net corporate income and miscellaneous taxes came in higher than projected.

Net receipts for the current fiscal year are still more than 1 percent ahead of the forecast for the year. The state revenue projection was approved by the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board.

Nebraska AG Signs Letter Warning Oil Companies of Drug Sales

Doug Peterson
Doug Peterson

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson has joined a nationwide coalition warning oil companies about synthetic drug sales at convenience stores.

Peterson signed a letter that was sent to the presidents of major oil companies on Tuesday, expressing concern that employees of their gas stations distribute synthetic marijuana.

The letter from the National Association of Attorneys General says confusion surrounding synthetic drugs allows dealers to convince smoke shops and gas stations to carry the products despite their illegality. The Association called for leaders at BP, Phillips 66, Chevron, Shell, Citgo, Sunoco, Valero, Exxon Mobil and Marathon Petroleum to communicate and enforce standards with store franchisees.

Peterson has been a vocal opponent of marijuana and has thrown his weight behind a legislative bill to strengthen enforcement in Nebraska.

Colorado’s 2014 Taxes on Recreational Pot Total $44 Million

Colorado-MarijuanaDENVER (AP) — Colorado finally knows how much tax revenue it collected from recreational marijuana in the first year of sales, and the haul was below estimates — about $44 million.

The year-end Colorado tax report was made public Tuesday. Colorado is the first government anywhere in the world to regulate marijuana production and sale, so other governments are watching closely.

Colorado’s total haul from marijuana for 2014 was about $76 million. That includes fees on the industry, plus pre-existing sales taxes on medical marijuana products. The $44 million represents only new taxes on recreational pot.

Those new taxes were estimated to bring in about $70 million. Budget writers say the tax report shows marijuana isn’t having a major effect on a multi-billion state budget.

Dekker Scores 21, No. 5 Wisconsin Defeats Cornhuskers 65-55

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Sam Dekker matched his career high with 21 points, and No. 5 Wisconsin built a big lead early and then held off Nebraska’s late comeback bid for a 65-55 victory on Tuesday night.

The Badgers (22-2, 10-1 Big Ten) won their seventh straight game and extended their lead in the Big Ten to three games over the four teams tied for second place. The Cornhuskers (13-11, 5-7) lost for the fourth time in five games.

Wisconsin has its best 24-game record in program history and best 11-game record in Big Ten play since the 1913-14 squad went unbeaten.

Frank Kaminsky added 13 points and 12 rebounds and Bronson Koenig had 13 points for the Badgers.

Terran Petteway had 16 of his 21 points in the second half for Nebraska, and Shavon Shields finished with 12 points.

Atlanta’s Korver Named to All-Star Team after Wade Drops Out

Kyle Korver (Photo from ESPN.com)
Kyle Korver (Photo from ESPN.com)

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks will have four players in Sunday’s NBA All-Star game after Kyle Korver was selected to replace Miami’s Dwyane Wade.

Commissioner Adam Silver selected Korver to the Eastern Conference team Tuesday after Wade pulled out because of a hamstring injury. The East-leading Hawks (43-10) already had Paul Millsap, Al Horford and Jeff Teague as reserves.

Korver is on pace to be the first player in NBA history to make more than 50 percent of his field goals and 3-point attempts, and better than 90 percent of his free throws. He is averaging 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Korver, who turns 34 next month, is the fourth-oldest player to make his first All-Star appearance, behind Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, Sam Cassell and Anthony Mason.

Huskers Return Home to Take on No. 14 Hawkeyes Thursday

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballThe No. 22 Nebraska women’s basketball team returns home after an extended East Coast road trip to take on No. 14 Iowa on Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Tip-off between the Big Red (17-6, 7-5 Big Ten) and the Hawkeyes (19-4, 10-2 Big Ten) is set for 8 p.m. (CT), with single-game tickets available in advance at Huskers.com or by calling 1-800-8-BIG-RED. Tickets are also available the night of the game at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Box Office, beginning at 6 p.m.

The game will be televised live nationally by the Big Ten Network with Kevin Kugler and Stephanie White on the call.

Live radio coverage will be provided by the Husker Sports Network, with Jeff Griesch and Ben McLaughlin calling the action on stations across the network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM in Lexington.

Nebraska looks to get back on the winning track after suffering back-to-back losses at No. 21 Rutgers and No. 5 Maryland last week. Those two road losses and a 78-72 overtime loss at then-No. 20 Iowa on Jan. 26 marked the first time since joining the Big Ten in 2011-12 that the Huskers have lost three straight road games. It also marked the only time since joining the conference that the Big Red have played three straight top-25 teams on the road.

Last week’s losses came without starting All-Big Ten point guard Rachel Theriot, who missed both games with an ankle injury. The 6-0 junior from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring (16.5 ppg), third in assists (5.2 apg) and leads the conference with 37.5 minutes per game. She could be a game-time decision on Thursday.

Tear’a Laudermill has led the Huskers in scoring in six straight games, averaging 18.3 points per contest over the stretch. On Sunday at Maryland, she became the third active Husker to reach the 1,000-point mark in her career, joining Theriot (1,023) and senior forward Emily Cady (1,335). Cady produced 19 points and 18 rebounds in the first meeting with the Hawkeyes this season.

#22 Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-6, 7-5 Big Ten)
3 – Hailie Sample – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 7.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg
23 – Emily Cady – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 12.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg
1 – Tear’a Laudermill – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 13.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg
13 – Brandi Jeffery – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 7.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg
33 – Rachel Theriot – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 16.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg
or 30 – Chandler Smith – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 2.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg
or 5 – Natalie Romeo – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 5.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg
or 22 – Allie Havers – 6-5 – So. – C – 4.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Off the Bench
31 – Anya Kalenta – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 4.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg
34 – Jasmine Cincore – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 1.8 ppg, 0.3 rpg
12 – Emily Wood – 5-5 – Fr. – G – 0.3 ppg, 0.6 rpg
11 – Esther Ramacieri – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg
50 – Darrien Washington – 6-2 – Fr. – F – Redshirting
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
13th Season at NU (258-148); 25th Season Overall (453-288)

#14 Iowa Hawkeyes (19-4, 10-2 Big Ten)
2 – Ally Disterhoft – 6-0 – So. – G/F – 16.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg
51 – Bethany Doolittle – 6-4 – Sr. – C – 13.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg
21 – Melissa Dixon – 5-8 – Sr. – G – 15.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg
22 – Samantha Logic – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 12.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg
15 – Whitney Jennings – 5-5 – Fr. – G – 9.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg
Off the Bench
25 – Kali Peschel – 6-1 – Jr. – G – 4.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg
1 – Alexa Kastanek – 5-10 – So. – G – 3.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
23 – Christina Buttenham – 6-0 – Fr. – F – 2.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg
4 – Chase Coley – 6-3 – Fr. – F – 2.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg
3 – Claire Till – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 0.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg
34 – Carly Mohns – 6-1 – Fr. – F – 0.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Head Coach: Lisa Bluder (Northern Iowa, 1983)
15th Season at Iowa (297-170); 31st Season Overall (653-312)

Nebraska Football Games Will Have a New Radio Home in Omaha

Husker Sports NetworkOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska football games and other university sports will be broadcast on a new group of radio stations in Omaha starting next fall.

Journal Broadcast Group and university multimedia partner IMG announced a five-year affiliate agreement Tuesday. Stations involved are KXSP (590 AM), KKCD (105.9 FM) and KEZO (92.3 FM).

The contract with the current affiliate, KFAB (1110 AM), expires June 30.

KXSP will carry football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and baseball. Football games also will be carried on KEZO. KKCD will air women’s basketball, volleyball and baseball games when there is a scheduling conflict.

KFAB had been the university’s longtime Omaha radio partner. Except for 1996 to 2001, KFAB has aired football games since the 1920s.

Terms of the new agreement weren’t announced.

Nebraska Store Owner, Employee Enter Pleas to Food Stamp Fraud

gavel-moreLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A store owner and his employee have entered plea deals in connection to a scheme to buy food stamp cards from homeless people in Lincoln.

40-year-old storeowner Jose Banos and 48-year-old Juan Garivay pleaded no contest Monday to theft by deception charges.

Authorities say Garivay bought food stamp numbers from people at a Lincoln homeless shelter, and Banos then entered them into his store’s credit card machine for hundreds of dollars in fake grocery purchases and took the money for himself and Garivay.

According to court records, the two had been running false transactions since 2010.

But Carlos Monzon, Garivay’s attorney, says it was a one-time, “unfortunate” incident.

Sentencing hearings are scheduled for April 15. The men face up to five years in prison.

US Farmers Expected to See 32 Percent Drop in Income in 2015

rural-nebraskaDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Net income for U.S. farmers is expected to fall by nearly 32 percent this year because of low crop prices and increasing expenses, placing many farmers in an unprofitable situation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released estimates on Tuesday that show 2015 is expected to be the second year in a row that farmers will see their income fall. Income was down 16 percent from 2013 to 2014.

The report estimates net farm income will be $73.6 billion in 2015, down from $108 billion in 2014. It was at a record $129 billion in 2013.

The report also anticipates that as income falls, expenses will increase by one-half percent.

Government programs that pay farmers when commodity prices are low are expected to increase 15 percent this year.

Norfolk Man Injured in Collision Dies in Lincoln Hospital

fatal-crashLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Norfolk man who’d been injured when his car struck the back of a manure spreader truck has died at a Lincoln hospital.

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office says 26-year-old Matthew LeComte died Saturday.

The accident occurred around 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 29 on U.S. Highway 81 near Humphrey. The Sheriff’s Office says LeComte was driving north when his car rammed the back of the northbound truck, which was slowing to turn east. The truck driver wasn’t injured.

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