March 2015 – Page 57 – North Platte Post Archive

Lincoln College Neighborhood Sees Void as Food Store Closes

Posted on March 9, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The recent closing of a grocery store in Lincoln has left many Nebraska Wesleyan University students without nearby access to fresh food.

The city’s University Place neighborhood is now considered a “food desert” as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Hy-Vee Mainstreet store shuttered in late January.

Many students at Nebraska Wesleyan don’t have cars, and roughly one-third of students have meal plans to eat in the school cafeteria. The nearest grocery store is now roughly 2 miles away.

University Place shopping center co-owner Chris Erickson says they’re working with Hy-Vee on a solution, but nothing is in development. Neighborhood leaders say they’ve reached out to other grocery chains and have asked Hy-Vee to release its lease.

FDA Keeps Boxed Warning About Suicide on Chantix

Posted on March 9, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says it will keep a bold-letter warning on Pfizer’s anti-smoking drug Chantix about suicidal behavior and other psychiatric problems.

Pfizer Inc. asked the agency last year to drop the so-called black box warning, pointing to its own analyses that found no difference in psychiatric problems between people taking Chantix and other stop-smoking treatments.

But the FDA said in an online posting Monday that Pfizer’s data did not examine all types of psychiatric problems and had limitations preventing regulators “from drawing reliable conclusions.”

The agency’s decision follows the recommendation of a panel of outside experts, who voted last October to keep the warning on the drug. New York-based Pfizer is expected to complete a larger study of Chantix’s psychiatric side effects in late 2015.

GOP Senator Sorry for Facebook Post Tying Obama, Extremists

Posted on March 9, 2015

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Maine state senator who made a Facebook post suggesting President Barack Obama’s family is part of the Islamic State group of extremists has apologized.

Republican Sen. Michael Willette shared a photo of Obama that pretended to use the president’s words, saying of the Islamic State group, “I’ll deal with them at the family reunion.”

Willette calls the March 1 post an “error in judgment.” He said Monday he “fell into the trap” of posting something before thinking about it.

Maine Democratic Party Chairman Phil Bartlett says the offensive post reflects poorly on the Maine Republican Party. He says it perpetuates a “false racial, religious and ethnic slur.”

Since Obama first ran for president in 2008 detractors have falsely claimed he’s a Muslim.

Nebraska Bridge Repair Bill on Hold for This Year

Posted on March 9, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill intended to accelerate Nebraska bridge repairs while saving money has been shelved for the year after county officials and small engineering firms objected.

The measure presented to a committee on Monday would have created a state commission with the power to sign construction agreements on multiple projects at once. Supporters say bundling the projects would save money because it’s more efficient than counties bidding out projects one a time.

County officials argue the bill would create another layer of bureaucracy. Small and mid-sized engineering firms say it would hurt their business by creating projects which can only be handled by large firms.

Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion asked the committee not to act on his bill this year, saying he’ll work on possible changes.

NPCC Knights Softball to Host Dawson

Posted on March 9, 2015

The North Platte Community College Softball team will host the Dawson Community College Buccaneers in doubleheaders on both Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11 at the Wayne Dowhower Softball Complex.

The Knights are 3 – 11 on the season. They are led offensively by Sara Villalobos. Villalobos is leading the team in hitting with a 0.381 batting average, a 0.595 slugging percentage, and a 0.480 on base percentage. Villalobos also has scored 11 runs, has three doubles, two home runs, and 11 runs batted in. Sara Runia leads the Knights in home runs with three on the season.

The pitching staff is anchored by Shannon Lieber and Baileigh Oleson. Lieber has a 6.37 earned run average in 41 innings pitched. She has 17 strike outs and has allowed 13 walks and five home runs. Oleson has a 5.55 earned run average in 35.2 innings pitched. Oleson has 18 strikeouts and has allowed 17 walks and 12 home runs.

The Buccaneers played their first games of their season today against Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado. The Lady Buccaneers were 27 – 18 a year ago and return nine sophomores including Alissa Keeler, who led the team in hitting with a 0.467 and a 0.895 slugging percentage. She had 13 home runs and 51 runs batted in.

In the circle, the Lady Buccaneers return Jackie Thomas and Chezarae Garcia, along with Keeler. Thomas went 5 – 0 on the season, had a 1.70 earned run average, striking out 28 and only allowing two home runs. Garcia went 2 – 5 on the season with a 4.72 earned run average. Garcia struck out 41 and allowed two home runs on the season.

Game times for both days are at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. CDT.

All games will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1410 and on www.northplattepost.com. It will also be live streamed on www.coachesaid.com.

Huskers Host Bears for 2015 Home Opener

Posted on March 9, 2015

Following 13 straight games on the road to open the 2015 season, the Nebraska baseball team (7-6, 0-0 Big Ten) is set to play its first home game of the season on Tuesdayafternoon when it hosts the first game of a two-game series with the Northern Colorado Bears (2-6, 0-0 WAC) at Hawks Field, with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m.

The two-game series with the Bears will be the first of 16 straight home games for the Huskers, as NU also hosts Florida Gulf Coast (3), Indiana State (2), Michigan (3), Cal State Fullerton (2), Texas (3) and Creighton (1) during the month of March.

The Huskers and Bears have met 45 times since 1986, with the Huskers holding a 39-6 advantage in the series. All but five of the games have taken place in Lincoln, with the Husker holding a 35-5 record at home. One of the losses happened last season, as the Bears took the second game of the series, 9-2, after the Huskers won the opener, 10-2.

A pair of Husker freshmen are scheduled to make their first career starts this week. Right-hander Garett King is scheduled to start the home opener on Tuesday. The Anaheim Hills, Calif., native has made six relief appearances for the Huskers in 2015, posting a 1.93 ERA over 4.2 innings of work.

Overland Park, Kan., native Zack Engelken is scheduled to start on Wednesday and will be looking for the second win over his young career. A 6-4 righty, Engelken has one relief appearance on the season. He went 2.2 innings and earned the win against BYU on Feb. 21, giving up no runs on one hit, one walk and two strikeouts.

Tuesday, March 10 (1:35 p.m.)

Probable Starters: RHP King (0-0) vs. RHP Applebach (1-0)
TV: None
Audio Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream: HuskersNSide
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Wednesday, March 11 (1:35 p.m.)

Probable Starters: RHP Engelken (1-0) vs. TBA
TV: None
Audio Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream: HuskersNSide
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Broncos Tender Restricted Free Agent Tony Carter

Posted on March 9, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have tendered a $1.52 million salary to restricted free agent cornerback Tony Carter.

The move gives the Broncos the right to match any offer the backup cornerback receives in free agency.

Carter has three career interceptions, 22 pass breakups and three fumble recoveries in his seven-year NFL career. He has appeared in 42 regular season games and five playoff games with Denver (2009-, ’11-14) and New England (2010), collecting 48 total tackles, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two dozen pass breakups.

The Broncos also announced the hiring of Ray Jackson as director of player development. He spent the last decade in a similar role with the Steelers and replaces Jerry Butler, who followed John Fox to Chicago.

Jackson played six seasons in the NFL with the Bills and Browns after a standout career at Colorado State, where he graduated as the program’s all-time leader in career interceptions (20).

Husker Baseball Television Coverage Announced

Posted on March 9, 2015

Lincoln – On Monday afternoon the Big Ten Conference and the Big Ten Network announced their TV and BTN Plus (formally the Big Ten Digital Network) schedules for the 2015 baseball season. The Huskers are slated to make four nationally-televised appearances on BTN, with another 15 games streamed live on the BTN Plus (subscription required).

A total of 14 Nebraska baseball games will be on TV in 2015, as 10 other games will be covered by NET (4), ROOT Sports Southwest (3), CBS Sports Network (2) and Cox Channel Kansas (1).

Overall, 46 Nebraska baseball games, including every home game, have been or will be on TV or streamed live on the Internet in 2015, as Nebraska’s own HuskersNSide will carry every home game not selected by BTN, BTN Plus or NET.

Additional games may be added at a later date. The entire BTN Plus streaming schedule can be viewed at BTN2Go.com

Big Ten Network Coverage
Nebraska will open BTN’s baseball coverage in 2015 on Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m. when the Huskers host the Texas Longhorns at Hawks Field.

Fans can then catch two games of Nebraska’s three-game series at Maryland, the league’s preseason favorite. The Huskers and Terrapins will meet on Friday, April 3 at 6 p.m.on BTN and also on Sunday. The series finale is scheduled for 11 a.m., but will be shown on tape delay the same day at 2 p.m.

The Huskers final regular-season appearance on BTN is scheduled for Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m., when NU opens a three-game series against Minnesota.

Highlights and coverage of Big Ten baseball and softball will be featured on This Week in the Big Ten, which airs Sunday nights beginning Sunday, April 5. Hosts Rick Pizzo, Mike Hall and various analysts will discuss Big Ten matchups and breakout performances from the weekend’s games. The Diamond Report will return with nightly airings during the baseball and softball tournaments.

Additional games will be added at a later date. The BTN Plus streaming schedule can be viewed here.

NET Coverage
NET is scheduled to carry four Nebraska baseball games this season. The Huskers’ first appearance on the statewide network is slated for Friday, March 27, when the Huskers open a three-game series against the Texas Longhorns at 6:30 p.m.

Four days later on Tuesday, March 31, the Huskers and Creighton Bluejays will meet at 6:30 p.m. and NET will carry the game on NET-2.

Fans across the state will get a pair of Big Ten Conference games on NET in 2015, including home games against Ohio State on Saturday, April 18, and Purdue on Saturday, May 9. Both games are slated for 2 p.m.

Other TV Coverage
Both of Nebraska’s trips to TD Ameritrade Park to play the Creighton Bluejays will be broadcast by the CBS Sports Network. The Huskers and Jays are set to meet at the home of the College World Series on Tuesday, April 14, and Tuesday, April 28.

Nebraska’s lone trip to Manhattan, Kan., on Tuesday, April 7 to play the Kansas State Wildcats will be shown on Cox Channel Kansas. The game will also be streamed live on K-StateHD.TV.

Last weekend, all three of Nebraska’s games at the Houston College Classic were carried on ROOT Sports Southwest.

Please check with your TV provider for availability of these channels in your area.

2015 BTN Schedule
Saturday, March 28 – Texas
Friday, April 3 – at Maryland (time change to 6 p.m.)
Sunday, April 5 – at Maryland (Tape Delay at 2 p.m., live on BTN Plus)
Friday, April 10 – Minnesota (time change to 7 p.m.)

2015 NET Schedule

Friday, March 27 – Texas (NET)
Tuesday, March 31 – Creighton (NET/BTN Plus)
Saturday, April 18 – Ohio State (NET)

Saturday, May 9 – Purdue (NET)

2015 BTN Plus Schedule
Saturday, March 14 – Florida Gulf Coast (BTN Plus)
Sunday, March 15 – Florida Gulf Coast (BTN Plus)
Tuesday, March 17 – Indiana State (BTN Plus)
Sunday, March 29 – Texas (BTN Plus)

Tuesday, March 31 – Creighton (NET/BTN Plus)
Sunday, March 12 – Minnesota (BTN Plus)

Wednesday, April 15 – Omaha (BTN Plus)

Friday, April 24 – at Iowa (BTN Plus)

Saturday, April 25 – at Iowa (BTN Plus)

Friday, May 1 – at Northwestern (BTN Plus)

Saturday, May 2 – at Northwestern (BTN Plus)

Sunday, May 3 – at Northwestern (BTN Plus)
2015 Other TV Games
Tuesday, April 7 – at Kansas State (Cox Channel Kansas)
Tuesday, April 14 – at Creighton (CBS Sports Network)
Tuesday, April 28 – at Creighton (CBS Sports Network)

BTN’s 2015 Baseball & Softball Coverage

Posted on March 9, 2015

CHICAGO – BTN will offer its most extensive baseball and softball coverage ever, with over 280 games airing on BTN/BTN2Go and BTN Plus for the 2015 season.

BTN’s television coverage of Big Ten baseball begins with a non-conference showdown between Nebraska and No. 12 Texas on Saturday, March 28. First pitch is scheduled for 3 PM ET. Last season, Indiana won the outright Big Ten title and Big Ten Tournament Championship, but will have some stiff competition to repeat with the addition of Maryland to the conference. The Terrapins, who are coming off their first Super Regional appearance in program history, were voted by the conference coaches as the preseason favorite to claim the 2015 Big Ten Baseball Championship.

BTN’s television coverage of Big Ten softball begins Tuesday, March 24 with a doubleheader in Iowa City when the Hawkeyes host Nebraska. The first game is slated for 5 PM ET. Last season, Michigan and Nebraska shared the crown as Co-Big Ten Champions, while Minnesota captured the Big Ten Tournament title.

Below is a preliminary schedule. Additional games will be added at a later date. The BTN Plus streaming schedule can be viewed here.

BTN/ BTN2Go 2015 Baseball Schedule

Date	Visiting Team	Home Team	Time (ET)
Saturday, March 28, 2015	Texas	Nebraska	3:00 PM
Friday, April 03, 2015	Nebraska	Maryland	7:00 PM
Sunday, April 05, 2015	Nebraska	Maryland	Noon
Friday, April 10, 2015	Michigan	Penn State	5:00 PM
Friday, April 10, 2015	Minnesota	Nebraska	8:00 PM
Sunday, April 12, 2015	Purdue	Illinois	1:00 PM
Monday, April 13, 2015	Purdue	Illinois	7:00 PM
Tuesday, April 14, 2015	Louisville	Ohio State	7:00 PM
Friday, April 17, 2015	Cal State Fullerton	Maryland	7:00 PM
Sunday, April 19, 2015	Indiana	Illinois	1:00 PM
Sunday, April 26, 2015	Illinois	Penn State	1:00 PM
Friday, May 01, 2015	Purdue	Michigan State	2:00 PM
Saturday, May 02, 2015	Rutgers	Penn State	1:30 PM
Saturday, May 02, 2015	Iowa	Michigan	4:30 PM
Sunday, May 03, 2015	Indiana	Maryland	11:00 AM
Saturday, May 09, 2015	Northwestern	Michigan	Noon
Sunday, May 10, 2015	Minnesota	Iowa	2:00 PM
Thursday, May 14, 2015	Wildcard #1	Wildcard #1	TBD
Friday, May 15, 2015	Wildcard #2	Wildcard #2	TBD
Saturday, May 16, 2015	Oklahoma State	Michigan	Noon
Saturday, May 16, 2015	Wildcard #3	Wildcard #3	TBD
Wednesday, May 20, 2015	B1G Tournament – TBD	TBD Matchup	TBD
Wednesday, May 20, 2015	B1G Tournament – TBD	TBD Matchup	TBD
Thursday, May 21, 2015	Game 1 Winner	Game 2 Winner	TBD
Thursday, May 21, 2015	Game 3 Winner	Game 4 Winner	TBD
Friday, May 22, 2015	Game 5 Winner	Game 7 Loser	TBD
Friday, May 22, 2015	Game 6 Winner	Game 8 Loser	TBD
Saturday, May 24, 2015	Game 7 Winner	Game 10 Winner	TBD
Saturday, May 24, 2015	Game 8 Winner	Game 9 Winner	TBD
Saturday, May 24, 2015	Game 11 Winner – If Nec.	Game 11 Loser – If Nec.	TBD
Saturday, May 24, 2015	Game 12 Winner – If Nec.	Game 12 Loser – If Nec.	TBD
Sunday, May 25, 2015	B1G Championship	B1G Championship	TBD

BTN/ BTN2Go 2015 Softball Schedule

Date	Visiting Team	Home Team	Time (ET)
Tuesday, March 24, 2015	Nebraska	Iowa	5:00 PM
Tuesday, March 24, 2015	Nebraska	Iowa	25 minutes after
Friday, March 27, 2015	Rutgers	Purdue	5:00 PM
Saturday, April 04, 2015	Michigan	Minnesota	2:00 PM
Sunday, April 05, 2015	Michigan	Minnesota	1:00 PM
Tuesday, April 07, 2015	Ohio State	Penn State	5:30 PM
Tuesday, April 07, 2015	Ohio State	Penn State	25 minutes after
Wednesday, April 08, 2015	Purdue	Indiana	3:30 PM
Wednesday, April 08, 2015	Purdue	Indiana	25 minutes after
Sunday, April 12, 2015	Iowa	Wisconsin	4:00 PM
Sunday, April 19, 2015	Northwestern	Nebraska	4:00 PM
Tuesday, April 21, 2015	Michigan State	Michigan	7:00 PM
Wednesday, April 22, 2015	Illinois	Northwestern	3:00 PM
Wednesday, April 22, 2015	Illinois	Northwestern	25 minutes after
Friday, April 24, 2015	Michigan	Maryland	5:00 PM
Sunday, April 26, 2015	Nebraska	Wisconsin	1:00 PM
Wednesday, April 29, 2015	Minnesota	Wisconsin	5:30 PM
Wednesday, April 29, 2015	Minnesota	Wisconsin	25 minutes after
Sunday, May 03, 2015	Wildcard	Wildcard	TBD
Friday, May 08, 2015	Seed 4	Game 1 Winner	TBD
Friday, May 08, 2015	Seed 1	Game 2 Winner	TBD
Friday, May 08, 2015	Seed 3	Game 3 Winner	TBD
Friday, May 08, 2015	Seed 2	Game 4 Winner	TBD
Saturday, May 09, 2015	Game 5 Winner	Game 6 Winner	TBD
Saturday, May 09, 2015	Game 7 Winner	Game 8 Winner	TBD
Saturday, May 09, 2015	B1G Championship	B1G Championship	TBD

5 Questions to Answer as NFL Free Agency Begins

Posted on March 9, 2015

When NFL free agency begins Tuesday, lots of players will get lots of money. Some will even earn it throughout those massive contracts.

An early rush to haul in those big bucks will be followed by weeks of secondary signings that often are more critical to a team’s success than the headline-grabbing deal.

Five questions to be answered over the next few days and weeks:

WHERE DO THE ALL-PROS LAND?

Two dominant players who made the 2014 All-Pro squad are on the market and a third still could wind up there.

Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, the AP Offensive Player of the Year and league’s leading rusher, will be available. So might be Patriots star cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Suh appears ticketed for Miami. He is that rare star just entering his prime and became available to any team willing to commit nine figures over a lengthy period for his services. Yes, he has had some anger-management problems, but that didn’t seem make him any less attractive for the Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross, who wants to make a big splash.

Suh is an every-down player and a force in all situations, and Miami has the financial room and the need.

Murray’s one drawback is the same for all running backs — longevity. At 27, though, he’s not particularly worn, and he’s versatile. His best option would be returning to Dallas to run behind that superb line, but the Cowboys are cap-strapped. The next-best choice would be a team with a solid passing game to balance Murray’s running.

San Diego and Indianapolis could make sense.

Revis is a strange case. His contract history is to take the money and then shut down the opponent’s best receiver. But now that he’s won a Super Bowl, perhaps he’ll find that championship rings are just as valuable as huge bank accounts.

He easily could wind up back in New England, but pretty much any team except Tampa Bay, Dallas and Arizona figure to contact him.

WHO ARE THE BIG SPENDERS?

Some really bad teams: the Jaguars, Raiders, Titans and Jets, all with tons of salary cap room.

And some mediocre clubs: the Browns, Dolphins and Panthers.

And even some pretty good ones: the Eagles, Bengals and Colts.

HOW MUCH INTEREST IN RUNNING BACKS?

Usually, not much. But this is a highly intriguing crop, led by Murray, and with Frank Gore headed to Philadelphia. Mark Ingram added to the group before agreeing to return to New Orleans, which let Pierre Thomas go.

Few teams find value in long-term deals with guys who play the most physically punishing skill position. Murray figures to be an exception, and for strong passing clubs needing a boost on the ground, he’ll be a prime target.

What about Justin Forsett, C.J. Spiller, Reggie Bush and Shane Vereen? The money might not be what they project, but they should find jobs relatively quickly.

WHERE ARE THE BARGAINS?

How much teams dish out for the following players will determine if they fall into the bargain category. Someone might get nice value for grabbing linebacker Pernell McPhee, receiver Brian Hartline, defensive tackle Jared Odrick and center Rodney Hudson.

ANYONE INTERESTED?

Is there a market for players whose off-field issues short-circuited their careers? There’s talent available with the likes of defensive end Greg Hardy, defensive tackle Ray McDonald and running back Ray Rice. But will anyone bite considering the public relations problem that would accompany such signings?

“Perhaps most importantly, there are clubs that ownership will simply say I am not interested in a player who has these issues,” says 2015 Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Polian, who built Super Bowl teams in Buffalo, Carolina and Indianapolis. “The owner will say our sponsors and season ticket holders and our market won’t like it. And so there will be owners who are not interested no matter what the football people think.”

But, as Polian also notes, it only takes one buyer.