March 2015 – Page 54 – North Platte Post Archive

Omaha English Teacher Accused of Sex Assault on Student

Posted on March 10, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 36-year-old English teacher at a west Omaha high school has been charged with sexually assaulting a student at the school.

Bryan Black, of Omaha, also is charged with enticement by electronic communication device and visual depiction of explicit sexual conduct. All three charges are felonies.

Prosecutors say Black began a relationship with a Millard North High School student in September. The girl made her allegations on Friday, a day before Black was arrested. On Tuesday a judge set bail at $250,000 and scheduled a preliminary hearing for March 31.

Black’s attorney, Joseph Howard, has said Black will be pleading not guilty.

The Millard district has placed Black on paid administrative leave.

Paul Joins Democrats in Bid to Boost Medical Marijuana

Posted on March 10, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Democratic senators and a possible Republican presidential candidate are joining forces to push a bill to remove federal prohibitions on medical marijuana in 23 states where it’s already legal.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democrats Kirsten Gillibrand (JILL’-uh-brand) of New York and Cory Booker of New Jersey say their unusual coalition is a sign of growing acceptance of medical marijuana.

The new bill aims to eliminate uncertainty surrounding marijuana use in states that allow it for medicinal purposes. The bill also would allow doctors at veterans’ hospitals to prescribe pot for medical purposes and allow banks to provide financial services to marijuana dispensaries.

The senators said they hope to bring the bill to a floor vote this year, but acknowledge it is likely to face strong opposition.

Broncos, LB Steven Johnson Agree on 1-Year Deal

Posted on March 10, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos and linebacker Steven Johnson have reached agreement on a one-year contract hours before he was set to become a free agent.

The Broncos didn’t tender Johnson as a restricted free agent, a move that would have cost them $1,542,000.

Johnson has been a top special teams player for Denver, which signed him after he went undrafted out of Kansas in 2012. He started seven of the Broncos’ final eight games at middle linebacker last year after Nate Irving’s season-ending knee injury.

NP Man Accused of Assaulting, Holding Pillow Over Girlfriend’s Face

Posted on March 10, 2015

A North Platte man is in jail on a felony charge following an alleged assault on his girlfriend.

At around 12:44 p.m., on March 4, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the report of an assault at a residence in the 3100 block of Rodeo Road.

According to police, a female at the residence reported that she had become involved in a verbal argument with her live-in boyfriend, Paul Cooper, when the argument turned physical.

The female alleged that Cooper held her down, put a pillow over her face and stomped on her feet and legs.

Officers say the victim had injuries consistent with an assault, however, she did not require medical attention.

Additionally, the female told police that she was unable to leave the residence and feared that Cooper would assault her again.

She was eventually able to escape and make contact with police.

On March 9, officers made contact with Cooper, who was at the Lincoln County Courthouse on an unrelated case, and placed him under arrest.

He was charged with 3rd degree domestic assault and felony false imprisonment.

Cooper was then jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Varlamov Will Sit Out Contest vs. Kings with Groin Ailment

Posted on March 10, 2015

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche will sit goaltender Semyon Varlamov on Tuesday night against Los Angeles after he injured his groin over the weekend.

Coach Patrick Roy confirmed after the morning skate that rookie Calvin Pickard will take Varlamov’s place in net.

Varlamov has started 22 straight games, one away from matching Craig Anderson’s mark for most consecutive starts by an Avalanche goaltender set in 2010.

In a win Sunday at Minnesota, Varlamov appeared to hurt his groin. Earlier this season, Varlamov missed 15 games due to the groin. He also took a puck off his shoulder area against the Wild, but Roy said that wasn’t an issue.

Varlamov tested out the groin Tuesday morning. Roy said “it doesn’t hurt him, but he doesn’t feel like it’s solid enough to take a chance.”

NPCC Knights Garner Post Season Awards

Posted on March 10, 2015

North Platte Community College Knights sophomore guard Cameron Williams was named to the first team of the National Junior College Athletic Association All Region IX Basketball team. Williams was the second overall selection from the south sub-region behind Northeastern Junior College’s Shikei Blake.

In addition to being named to the all-region team, Williams along with teammate Marco Pascolo was named to the first team of the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference(NCCAC) team. Freshman Matt Thomas was selected to the second team.

Williams, an Omaha South High School graduate, averaged 20.9 points per game for the Knights this season and finished his career with 1128 points, which ranks him seventh on the Knights all-time scoring list. Williams also broke the Knights school record for most free throws made during a season with 206 free throws made. The previous record was held by Joe Beem, who played for the Knights from 1982 – 1984, with 192 free throws made.

Marco Pascolo, a sophomore from Udine, Italy averaged 10.9 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game this season for the Knights. Pascolo’s career scoring total of 657 points left him five points away from being tied for 50^th on the all-time list. Pascolo scored 22 points in the Knight’s loss in the semifinals to eventual Region IX champion Northwest College.

Matt Thomas, a freshman from Elkhorn, NE averaged 9.8 points a game during the season. Thomas scored 11 points per game against NCCAC opponents. Thomas started in all 33 games for the Knights as a freshman this season.

The Knights ended their season with a record of 24 – 9 in the semifinals of the Region IX tournament, losing to eventual champion Northwest College 85 – 72.

Disney World’s Pirates Ride to Close This Summer for Repairs

Posted on March 10, 2015

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Captain Jack Sparrow is taking shore leave for the summer.

Pirates of the Caribbean, the popular ride at Walt Disney World, will be closed from mid-May through the end of September.

The ride is undergoing a routine refurbishment.

Disney officials say the repairs aren’t safety related.

It’s not the first time the ride has been closed for repairs. It was closed for four months almost a decade ago while new characters were added to comport with the film adaptations starring Johnny Depp

Fremont Schools May Soon Require Geography, Personal Finance Classes

Posted on March 10, 2015

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — Fremont students would have to learn more about the world and personal finance in order to graduate, under a proposed revision of district requirements.

The school board rendered its preliminary approval of the measure on Monday.

Darin Kelberlau is executive director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, and he told the board the revision is predicated in the district’s social studies state standards.

The proposed changes will affect the graduating class of 2019, which will be next fall’s freshman class. The revised policy wouldn’t include drastic changes for graduation, but it would require every student to take a couple of courses that previously could have been electives.

New Research Halted at Nebraska Federal Livestock Facility

Posted on March 10, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report says no animal mistreatment was found during a recent inspection of a federal livestock facility in Nebraska, but regulators have halted new research at the facility.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack shut down research at the Meat Animal Research Center near Clay Center until improved animal welfare oversight procedures are enacted.

An animal welfare panel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the report Monday, saying no mistreatment was found during a three-day visit last month at the facility. The 50-year-old center conducts scientific studies to help the livestock industry increase the quantity and quality of meat production.

The panel plans to issue a second report later based on its review of three to five other federal research facilities.

Nebraska Could Be Destination Spot for Seeing Solar Eclipse

Posted on March 10, 2015

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Summer weather could make North Platte one of the best places to view the total solar eclipse in 2017.

The moon will pass between Earth and the sun on Aug. 21, 2017, casting the moon’s shadow on a path of several thousand miles across the United States. Experts say the eclipse’s path in Nebraska will run from north of Scottsbluff southeast to a point south-southwest of Falls City. The eclipse will last around two minutes in the North Platte area and closer to three minutes in Stapleton and Callaway.

Eclipse chaser Derryl Barr said people will be coming from all over the world to see the total eclipse in Nebraska, and they’ll want to take home souvenirs with them.