LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska residents suffering from debilitating illnesses could find relief from marijuana under a bill that cleared a first-round vote in the Legislature.
Senators voted 27-12 Tuesday to advance a measure that would allow pharmacists to distribute cannabis to patients with cancer, epilepsy and other chronic illnesses.
The bill by Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue gained support after senators adopted an amendment that would prohibit smoking cannabis and would not include chronic pain as a qualifying condition to receive the drug.
Opponents worry about the details of regulating the drug and the effects of legalizing a substance not approved by the Federal Drug Administration.
Proponents say the show of support will allow Garrett and others to amend the bill before second-round debate.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A rural Nebraska woman who reported her gibbons were stolen is now being charged with keeping the endangered apes as pets.
Nancy Stephens, of Doniphan, was charged Monday in U.S. District Court in Omaha with violating the Endangered Species Act, which prohibits the transportation, shipment or receipt of endangered species.
Court documents allege Stephens violated the act in February 2011. She reported the theft of her primates, Caylee and Cody, in September 2013.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Florida says deputies found Stephens’ gibbons during a traffic stop. The apes were placed in a Florida sanctuary, and their whereabouts are now unknown.
A plea hearing for Stephens is scheduled for May 26 in Lincoln. She couldn’t be reached for comment on the charges Monday.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson says the state has reached settlements on behalf of Verizon Wireless and Sprint Corporation customers who were improperly billed.
Peterson said Tuesday that Nebraskans could qualify for refunds under the agreement.
Sprint and Verizon have agreed to pay $158 million as part of a national settlement. The companies were accused of placing charges for third-party services on customers’ telephone bills, a practice known as “mobile cramming.”
Consumers who have been crammed often have charges for “premium” text message services such as horoscopes, trivia and sports scores that they never requested. Typical charges were $9.99 per month.
The Nebraska Attorney General’s office announced similar settlements with AT&T and T-Mobile in 2014.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Disabled Nebraskans and their families could save for their future without being penalized under a bill advanced by lawmakers.
Senators gave the measure initial approval on Tuesday with a 43-0 vote.
The legislation would allow adults with intellectual disabilities and their families to place as much as $100,000 into special savings accounts similar to 529 college savings plans.
Under current law, disabled adults can lose Medicaid coverage and Social Security if they accumulate more than $2,000 in assets. The plans would help them save for medical, housing and educational needs without counting against that limit.
Sen. Kate Bolz of Lincoln says her bill would place Nebraska among the first states with such accounts. Federal legislation allowing states to create the accounts was signed in 2014.
MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) — A 54-year-old Culbertson woman has pleaded not guilty to allegations that she embezzled more than $800,000 when she worked for a livestock auction company in McCook.
Trina Hoyt submitted the plea on Monday in Red Willow County District Court.
Hoyt is accused of writing 26 unauthorized checks on Tri-State Livestock Commission Co. accounts between January 2012 and December 2013 and depositing them into her own accounts.
KEARNEY, Neb. – The 2014-15 season will go down as one of the best in the 15-year history of the Tri-City Storm. After finishing the regular season with an overall mark of 37-17-6 and 80 points, the Storm qualified for the Clark Cup Playoffs as the second seed in the USHL’s Western Conference.
Tri-City finished just one point behind the first-place Sioux City Musketeers in the standings, and swept the third-seeded Omaha Lancers in the opening round of the postseason three games to none.
In its first Western Conference Final appearance since 2005, the Storm were defeated by the Sioux Falls Stampede three games to one.
Head coach Jim Hulton’s first full season behind the bench had plenty of highlights, including the team’s first postseason victory since 2007. Hulton made several in-season trades to bolster the roster including deals for goaltender Jared Rutledge, defenseman Vince Pedrie and forward Christopher Brown.
But Hulton’s roster also included 11 players from the 2013-14 squad that finished in seventh place in the west with a 21-35-4 record.
Forward Chris Wilkie led the way offensively all season for Tri-City, tying a team record with 35 regular season goals. The Omaha native was also tied for the USHL goal scoring lead.
In addition, Wilkie led the USHL in power play goals with 17, and shots on net, finishing his 59 game season with an even 300 SOG. Both of those totals broke individual Storm records.
Headed to play collegiately at the University of North Dakota next season, Wilkie finished fourth all-time in Storm history with 52 total goals over two seasons, and ninth all-time with 91 total points.
Another name that was cemented in the team record book this season was that of defenseman Bobby Nardella. Coming to Tri-City as a player to be named later in one of Hulton’s first trades during the 2013-14 season, Nardella had an outstanding offensive season on the blue line, scoring 10 goals and 32 assists.
Nardella’s 42 points was third-best among USHL defenseman, while his 22 power play assists was first among blue liners and third-best among all skaters.
The Notre Dame commit broke single season Storm records for most assists by a defenseman (32), most points by a defenseman (42) and tied Storm alum Jaden Schwartz for most power play assists (22). Nardella also finished 19th all-time among Storm skaters with a +15 rating.
Alec Dillon led the way in net in his first USHL season. The Los Angeles Kings draft pick played in 41 games and had a 23-11-4 record with three shutouts.
The goaltender also led the USHL in goals against average, with a mark of 2.27, and finished fourth in the league with a .914 save percentage.
The team’s captain Garrett Gamez had another outstanding season, finishing second on the roster with 44 points on 15 goals and 29 assists, while playing just 44 games due to injuries. Playing in all situations, Gamez had 10 power play goals and six man-advantage assists and also logged time on the penalty kill.
Gamez will head to Providence College this fall in the top 10 all-time in Storm history in three categories after three full seasons with the team. The forward is third all-time in assists with 67, fifth best with 96 total points and tenth with 147 games played.
Other players who have entered the team record books include assistant captain Kyle Eastman, who is 13th all-time in both games played (147) and penalty minutes (163) after three seasons, and Jalen Schulz, who is fifth all-time with 231 penalty minutes after two seasons.
In his first season in Kearney, forward Nick Master was second on the team with 23 goals, and led the squad with a +20 rating that is 11th best in Storm history. Master plans to play for UMass-Lowell in the Hockey East next season.
Tri-City tied the team record for longest winning streak, set in March of 2004, winning 10 consecutive games between Jan. 9 and Feb. 7. The Storm earned wins over Waterloo, Bloomington, Omaha, Sioux Falls and Lincoln during the stretch.
Six of the 10 victories came in Kearney at the Viaero Event Center. The line of Gamez, Master and Matthew Freytag scored a combined total of 35 points during the streak, with Master accounting for 13 on six goals and seven assists.
As a team, Tri-City finished the regular season No. 1 in defense, only allowing 158 total goals for an average of just 2.63 per game. The Storm were also second-best in the league on the power play, scoring 25.1% of the time with the man-advantage.
14 members of the roster have commitments to play Division I college hockey next season.
Tri-City is now preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas June 15-21.
Tanner Lubach and the Huskers open a series at Illinois on Thursday (Photo Courtesy Stephanie Carpenter/NU Media Relations)
Lincoln – With three games left in the regular season, the Nebraska baseball team (34-19, 9-12 Big Ten) will start its final Big Ten series of the year on Thursday in Champaign, Ill., against the No. 5 Illinois Fighting Illini (43-6-1, 19-1 Big Ten). The series runs Thursday-Friday-Saturday, with both Thursday and Friday’s games set for 6:05 p.m. Saturday’s regular-season finale is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Both Friday and Saturday’s games will be carried live nationwide on the Big Ten Network.
Nebraska comes into the series eighth in the Big Ten Conference following a 2-1 series loss to Purdue. Nebraska has struggled of late and is 4-6 in its last 10 games and is just 2-7 on the road during Big Ten play this season.
The Illini are at the opposite end of the spectrum, as they enter the weekend on a 24-game winning streak, which ties them with Texas A&M for the longest winning streak in the nation this season. The Illini have swept a school-record six straight Big Ten series heading into Thursday. Illinois last overall loss and lone conference loss this season came on March 29 at Michigan State, 5-2. The Illini enter the weekend with a 1.5 game lead over Iowa for the Big Ten regular season title. The Hawkeyes wrap up the season with a three game series at Rutgers.
The series will be the fourth between the Huskers and Illini since Nebraska joined the Big Ten for the 2012 season. The Huskers have won each of the first three series between the two teams, including a 2-1 series win in Champaign in 2013. Nebraska and Illinois first met in 1897, with Illinois winning 14-9, and the two clubs didn’t meet again until 2012 when Nebraska hosted Illinois for its first ever Big Ten game on March 23, 2012. The Illini won the opener, 11-3, but the Huskers responded with victories in the final two games to win the series.
Following a series loss to Purdue, the Huskers are still in position to reach the 2015 Big Ten Tournament. Nebraska is in search of its fourth straight trip to the postseason tournament, which will be hosted at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn. Nebraska last qualified for four-straight conference tournaments when they were members of the Big 12, as they made 10 straight tournaments from 1999 to 2008.
Nebraska can lock up a bid to the tournament with one win this weekend at Illinois. If the Huskers win a game, Minnesota can still tie Nebraska in the standing, but the Huskers own the tie breaker over the Gophers since Nebraska won the season series this year.
Without a win this weekend at Illinois, Nebraska can still qualify for the tournament, but would need other teams to lose games as well. If the Huskers are swept this weekend, they would need Minnesota and Penn State to both lose at least one game this weekend to secure a bid. The Gophers host Michigan State, while Penn State finishes the year at Purdue.
Thursday, May 14 (6:05 p.m.) Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (6-6) vs. LHP Duchene (9-1)
TV: None
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: Illinois All Access
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Friday, May 15 (6:02 p.m.) Probable Starters: LHP Kubat (4-4) vs. RHP Johnson (8-2)
TV: BTN
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Saturday, May 16 (2:02 p.m.) Probable Starters: RHP Burkamper (5-3) vs. TBA
TV: BTN
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Grant Anderson is part of a strong high jump event for the Husker men. The Huskers have three of the Big Ten’s top-four jumpers. (Photo Courtesy Stephanie Carpenter/NU Media Relations)
• The Nebraska track and field team heads to East Lansing, Mich., this week for the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Competition begins on Friday at 11 a.m. (CT) and runs through Sunday with the final event taking place at 2:45 p.m. (CT). Live results for all the action at Ralph Young Field will be available at Huskers.com. The meet will air tape delayed on the Big Ten Network on May 24 at 10 a.m.
• The Husker men are coming off the Big Ten Men’s Indoor Championship and have won three of the past six outdoor conference championships they’ve competed in, most recently the 2013 Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Overall, the Husker men have won 28 all-time outdoor conference titles, while the women have won 18 all-time outdoor conference titles, the last coming in 2005 in the Big 12.
• The Husker women were second at last year’s Big Ten Outdoor Championships, while the men were third. Husker individuals will be looking to crack the top 48 in the NCAA West Region in their respective events. A top-48 event standing (and top 24 for relays) qualifies for the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Austin, Texas, May 28-30.
• The Husker men expect to score well in the high jump. James White (7-2 1/4, 2.19m) is the conference leader, while Grant Anderson (7-1, 2.16m) is third and Landon Bartel (7-0 1/2, 2.15m) is fourth. White and Bartel finished first and second, respectively, at the indoor meet. Steven Cahoy leads the Big Ten in the pole vault (17-8 1/2, 5.40m), while Ricco Hall (200m), Levi Gipson (400m) and Beau Simmons (pole vault) all enter the meet third in their respective events.
• The Husker women will look to rack up points in the long jump. Jazmin McCoy is the conference leader at 20-2 1/4 (6.15m). Tierra Williams (20-0 1/4, 6.10m) is third and Reka Czuth (19-11 1/2, 6.08m) is fourth. The Huskers also have Kari Heck (19-6 1/4, 5.95m) at eighth in the Big Ten. Marusa Cernjul and Sarah Firestone both lead the Big Ten in their events. Cernjul’s 6-1 1/4 (1.86m) high jump is first the NCAA West Region, while Firestone’s javelin of 178-1 (54.29m) is third in the region.
Men’s 4×400 Repeats at 2nd at NCAA Indoors
The Nebraska men’s 4×400 relay team set another school record on its way to a runner-up finish for the second straight year at the NCAA Track and Field Indoor Championships on March 14 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark. The result boosted the Husker men to a tie for 13th in the final team standings with 14 points. The finish is the best indoors for the Husker men since a tie for fifth in 2009.
The Huskers blitzed to a 3:04.83 in the final race of the night to trail only Texas A&M’s collegiate record 3:02.86 in the same heat. Jake Bender, Cody Rush, Levi Gipson and Drew Wiseman’s time of 3:04.83 topped last year’s record race of 3:05.69 by almost a full second. The Husker men’s 4×400 has now earned a top-eight finish at each of the past three NCAA Indoor Championships, joining Arkansas as the only other school to do so.
With eight All-America honors, the Huskers now have 628 all-time.
2015 Indoor First-Team All-Americans
Bender, Rush, Gipson, Wiseman (4×400, 2nd)
James White (High Jump, T-4th)
Oladapo Akinmoladun (60m hurdles, 7th)
Husker Men Win B1G Indoor Title
The Husker men took home their first Big Ten Track and Field Indoor Championship on Feb. 28, running away with the trophy with 127 points at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The Husker men won an indoor conference championship for the first time since 2007 in the Big 12. It’s the second overall Big Ten title for the Husker men, as they won the 2013 outdoor title. Oladapo Akinmoladun (60m hurdles) and James White (high jump) won individual B1G titles. A total of 11 Huskers earned All-Big Ten Indoor honors.
2015 All-B1G Indoor First Team
Oladapo Akinmoladun (60m hurdles)
James White (High Jump)
2015 All-B1G Indoor Second Team
Landon Bartel (High Jump)
Steven Cahoy (Pole Vault)
Caleb Cowling (Long Jump)
Ricco Hall (200m)
Men’s 4×400 (Hall, Gipson, Bender, Rush)
Marusa Cernjul (High Jump)
Brittany Johnson (200m)
Pepin Adds to Legacy
The Husker men’s B1G Championship gave head coach Gary Pepin his 30th career indoor team championship and 70th career overall conference title in his 35th year at the helm. Pepin was named Big Ten Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year, his 25th conference coach of the year since 1997 (when the Huskers started competing in the Big 12). He was also the Midwest Region Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year, his ninth region coach of the year award.
B1G Athletes of the Week
The Huskers have picked up four Big Ten Track & Field Athletes of the Week in 2015:
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Marusa Cernjul (Jan. 26) (HJ – 6-1 1/4, 1.86m)
Sarah Firestone (April 8) (Jav – 178-1, 54.29m)
Marusa Cernjul (April 15) (HJ – 6-1 1/4, 1.86m)
Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Will Lohman (April 8) (HT – 214-7, 65.42m)
Welk Shines in the Classroom
Senior John Welk has already won two NCAA Elite 89 awards, and added Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year to his resume on April 12. Welk is the fifth consecutive Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year from the Husker track and field squad. Coach Pepin’s men’s and women’s programs have combined for 13 of the 50 all-time awards at Nebraska’s annual banquet.
Home-Grown Talent
Fans of track and field in the state of Nebraska will see a lot of familiar faces this season as 54 of the Huskers’ 130 athletes are Nebraska natives. Overall, the team is represented by 25 states and 11 countries.
Husker Men Hold Nation’s Longest Dual Streak
The Husker men’s team has won 14 consecutive dual/tri/quad meets dating back to 2001, the longest streak in the NCAA per DailyRelay.com. In that span, the Huskers have defeated 35 opponents.
Ruth Ann Cox, age 62 formerly of North Platte, passed away at Golden Living Center in Cozad on Monday May 11, 2015.
Ruth was born on June 30, 1952 in Omaha, NE to Ivan V. and Shirley R. (Milbrodt) Beran. She grew up in North Platte and graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in 1971. She raised her daughter Michelle in North Platte. Ruth enjoyed bowling, word puzzles and playing the piano.
Ruth is survived by her daughter Michelle (Mike) Ryan of North Platte; granddaughter Kylie Ryan of North Platte; siblings Sue Keith of Greeley, CO, David (Gayle) Beran of North Platte, Joan (Dennis) Lyons of North Platte, Tom (Elsa) Beran of Accokeek, MD; 12 nieces and nephews; 11 great nieces and nephews; as well as numerous other family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother-in-law Tim Keith.
Memorials are suggested to the Epilepsy Foundation and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com. Christian Wake Services will be held 7:00 p.m. Friday May 15, 2015 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home and Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday May 16, 2015 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with Reverend James Golka as Celebrant. Burial will follow at North Platte Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday May 14, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Grand Island’s Fire Station 1 and a former Nebraska National Guard armory are two of several locations under consideration for a new 911 center.
The City Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday to consider awarding a $20,500 contract to Omaha architects to study possible 911 center locations and estimated costs.
Local emergency management director Jon Roselund says the architects will try to find at least four options. Each suggested location will have two price options, one for use as an alternate 911 center and one for a full-scale facility.
Roselund said locations that are near the city’s fiber optic corridor and are already owned by the city or the county take priority.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska residents suffering from debilitating illnesses could find relief from marijuana under a bill that cleared a first-round vote in the Legislature.
