Don StenbergLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg is seeking bidders to administer a new state program designed to help residents with disabilities.
Stenberg issued a request for proposals this week for the Achieving a Better Life Experience program approved by Nebraska lawmakers this year. Stenberg is the program’s trustee.
Stenberg and the Nebraska Investment Council are requesting proposals from financial service companies to provide customer, marketing, investment and administrative services. Proposals are due by Sept. 10.
The new law allows adults with intellectual disabilities and their families to save for medical, housing and educational needs. In past years, disabled adults could have lost Medicaid coverage and Social Security benefits if they accumulated more than $2,000 in assets.
Rowdy Moon, of Sargent, competes in the bareback riding at the 2015 National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyo. Moon will compete on the MPCC Rodeo Team this fall.
Mid-Plains Community College was well represented at the 2015 National High School Finals Rodeo. The event, which ran from July 12-18, was in Rock Springs, Wyo.
Eight of the contestants are enrolled at MPCC for the upcoming fall semester and have signed letters of intent to be on the MPCC Rodeo Team.
They are: Rowdy Moon, Sargent; Kanoa Awai-Dickson, Kula, Hawaii; Cord Hesseltine, Halsey; Shane Weber, Burwell; Reece Weber, Valentine; Garrett Wickett, Norfolk; Trey Engel, Silver Creek and Riley Weehler, Maloy, Iowa.
Many of MPCC Rodeo Coach Dustin Elliott’s other recruits just missed representing Nebraska at nationals – the team consisted of the top four contestants in each of 12 events.
“Everyone who did make it to the NHSFR did great there,” said Elliott. “I think it was a big step forward for us to have eight kids competing at that level and competing well.”
The top two finishers of the group were Moon and Awai-Dickson.
Moon finished third in the average for bareback riding. He won the third performance of the rodeo with a score of 68 points, placed second in Performance 10 with a score of 70 and won the short-go Saturday with a ride worth 75 points.
Awai-Dickson wrestled a steer in 17.81 seconds, which placed him sixth in Performance Six. He ended up fourth in Performance Seven with a time of 7.47 seconds. He finished the competition 19th with a total time of 25.28 seconds.
Elliott knows how hard the contestants worked to qualify for the NHSFR – his Oregon High School Rodeo championship in 1999 earned him a scholarship to Chadron State College.
He’s looking forward to building on that work ethic and pushing his recruits further with the help of Garrett Nokes, MPCC assistant rodeo coach and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier.
“That’s what I’m excited about,” said Elliott. “I can’t wait to see these kids, who already have natural ability, enter our program and excel at the next level.”
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The ride-hailing service Uber has won permission to legally operate in Nebraska.
On Tuesday the state Public Service Commission approved Uber’s application.
Uber submitted its application in June. Its competitor Lyft began the application process this week.
Under a law passed by the Legislature in May, ride-hailing companies must be licensed by the commission.
The companies use smartphone applications to link motorists and people who would pay for rides. Passengers pay through the app and can even tip electronically.
COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A 23-year-old man arrested after a five-hour standoff with officers in Columbus is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
Stephen Knott pleaded guilty on Monday to strangulation, use of a weapon and other charges filed after the March 6 incident involving his former girlfriend and their child. His sentencing hearing is set for Aug. 21.
Prosecutors dropped charges of attempted murder and several other counts in exchange for Knott’s pleas.
Isolated showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. South wind 6 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph.
Thursday
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. South wind 7 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night
A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph.
Friday
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. West southwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon.
Friday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Saturday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
DENVER (AP) — Shin-Soo Choo hit for the cycle and Matt Harrison earned his first win in 14 months as the Texas Rangers routed the Colorado Rockies 9-0 Tuesday night.
Delino DeShields had a career-high four hits and Prince Fielder homered for the Rangers, who won for only the third time in 13 games.
Choo, who had three RBIs, doubled in the second inning, homered in the fourth and singled in the fifth. He completed the cycle with a triple to center leading off the ninth.
It was the eighth cycle in franchise history and first since Alex Rios did it Sept. 23, 2013, against Houston.
Boston Red Sox All-Star Brock Holt was the only other major leaguer to hit for the cycle this season, on June 16 against Atlanta.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jarrod Dyson hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
Dyson scored later in the inning on Alcides Escobar’s single to put the Royals up 3-0, and they won for the 11th time in 14 games.
Wade Davis (6-1) struck out Andrew McCutchen swinging to end the eighth with two Pirates on base to pick up the victory.
Greg Holland survived a shaky ninth, allowing a run on four hits and a walk, but struck out Gregory Polanco with the bases loaded for his 21st save in 24 opportunities.
Pirates starter Gerrit Cole (13-4), who leads the majors in victories, was charged with all three runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have optioned right-hander Yordano Ventura to Triple-A Omaha after a string of ineffective outings for the opening-day starter.
The 24-year-old Ventura, who can run his fastball into triple digits, is 4-7 with a 5.19 ERA in 14 starts this year. He spent nearly a month on the disabled list with inflammation of his ulnar nerve.
Left-hander Jason Vargas came off the disabled list and got the start Tuesday night against Pittsburgh. Vargas had been sidelined by a left flexor strain.
Ventura gave up six runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings in Monday night’s 10-7 loss to the Pirates. He is 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his last four starts.
After going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA as a rookie and throwing seven scoreless innings to beat San Francisco in Game 6 of the World Series, the Royals signed Ventura to a $23 million, five-year contract at the end of spring training.
Lincoln – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts, in accordance with a proclamation from President Barack Obama, announced that all U.S. and Nebraska flags are to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the tragedy in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset on July 25, 2015.
Muhammed Abdulazeez killed five U.S. Service members at military installations in Tennessee last week.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Seven of Nebraska’s natural resources districts are developing a plan to protect the water supply in the Lower Platte River Basin.
The districts are working with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and studying ways to meet the region’s domestic, industrial and agricultural water needs.
The Lower Platte River Basin includes more than 25,000 square miles in eastern and central Nebraska, encompassing nearly one-third of the state from the Sandhills to the Missouri River. The basin provides irrigation, industrial and drinking water to more than half of the state’s residents.
The coalition says a current inventory of the basin shows a significant surplus of water. Water managers say they’re working to store some of the supply for drought years.
