July 2015 – Page 23 – North Platte Post Archive

UNMC Public Health Dean Back in Sierra Leone for Ebola Work

Posted on July 20, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A doctor from the University of Nebraska Medical Center is back in West Africa to help respond to the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

Ali Khan left for Sierra Leone earlier this month to spend a month working with the World Health Organization.

Khan is the dean of public health at UNMC. He also spent six weeks in Sierra Leone beginning in January.

The Ebola outbreak has killed more than 11,200 people since last year, mostly in West Africa.

Over the past year, UNMC and the Nebraska Medical Center treated several patients infected with the Ebola virus and provided training to health care workers.

2 Arrested After Fatal Stabbing in Southeast Nebraska Town

Posted on July 20, 2015

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — Two men are facing charges after a weekend fight left a 21-year-old man dead in a southeast Nebraska town.

Deputy Otoe County Attorney John Palmtag said Jacob Adams died after being stabbed during the Sunday evening fight in Nebraska City. All three men involved are from Nebraska City.

The victim and two other men were fighting on a backyard deck. Adams suffered deep knife wounds to his chest and throat.

A 20-year-old man pleaded not guilty Monday to second-degree murder and using a weapon. His bond was set at $1 million.

A 22-year-old man pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. His bond was set at $5,000.

State Ends Health Alert at Sutherland Reservoir SRA

Posted on July 20, 2015July 20, 2015

The state has discontinued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Sutherland Reservoir in Lincoln County.

An alert was originally issued at the lake on July 2 after samples were above the state’s health alert threshold of 20 parts per billion of microcystin (a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae.) However, samples taken the two following weeks were below the threshold, so the alert has been discontinued.

There are currently no health alerts for toxic algae in Nebraska.

Lakes will continue to be monitored weekly throughout the 2015 recreational season. Sampling results for toxic algae and bacteria will be updated every Friday and posted on NDEQ’s web site, https://deq.ne.gov.

Tennessee Shooting Prompts Nebraska Guard to Arm Personnel

Posted on July 20, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska National Guard is arming more of its personnel after last week’s shooting in Tennessee that killed five service members.

Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday that he has authorized the Nebraska National Guard to arm more personnel where necessary at its installations, including recruitment offices.

Authorities say 24-year-old Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez fatally shot five service members at a pair of military sites in in Chattanooga before he was killed by police. The first shooting took place at a military recruiting office at a strip mall. Counterterrorism investigators have not released a motive.

Ricketts says his authorization provides additional protections for service members.

Nebraska Corrections Reforms to Include ‘Culture Study’

Posted on July 20, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services is planning to interview 300 employees as part of a “culture study” to make changes within the problem-plagued agency.

The department announced Monday that it will interview randomly selected staff members at all of the department’s facilities, across all shifts.

The study will look at the department’s training, career advancement opportunities, performance evaluations and management.

The department has faced repeated problems in recent years, from miscalculated prison sentences to a riot at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution that left two inmates dead. Scott Frakes, the department’s new director, has said he sensed a “fear-based culture” among employees and promised to slow the worker turnover rate.

The governor’s chief human resources officer, Sharon Pettid, will lead the study.

Nebraskan Convicted in Frigid Death of Teen Gets Probation

Posted on July 20, 2015

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A 22-year-old Omaha man has been given probation for his role in the death of a Fremont teen who was found outside in the bitter cold last fall.

Dakota McDonald was sentenced on Monday to 30 months of probation and must complete 120 hours of community service. He’d pleaded no contest and was convicted of a misdemeanor charge after making a deal with prosecutors, who lowered a felony charge of procuring alcohol for a minor that resulted in death.

Prosecutors say McDonald bought the alcohol that 16-year-old Jaime Valdez consumed before his death. A city worker found Valdez on the morning of Nov. 16, when the wind child was minus 16.

Authorities determined that Valdez died from hypothermia associated with acute ethanol intoxication.

Authorities: 5-Year-Old Girl Appears to Have Drowned in Grand Island Wave Pool

Posted on July 20, 2015July 20, 2015

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a girl from Lincoln who died at a Grand Island water park appears to have drowned.

A preliminary autopsy released Monday indicates 5-year-old Nubari Koffree drowned Saturday afternoon.

The girl, who was with her mother at the park, was found in the wave pool area.

Grand Island Public Information Officer Wendy Meyer says the wave pool operates in 10-minute intervals and was not running at the time of the incident.

It’s the first drowning to occur in the 21 years the water park has been open.

Grand Island City Administrator Marlan Ferguson said the water park will continue to operate as the investigation continues.

NU to Offer 150 Scholarships for Virtual Scholars Program

Posted on July 20, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska is offering 150 scholarships to high schools for students who want to enroll in the Nebraska Virtual Scholars program.

University President Hank Bounds announced Monday that schools can apply for scholarships on behalf of their students for the 2015-16 school year. The scholarships will allow students to take courses from the University of Nebraska High School for free.

All Nebraska high schools are eligible to apply. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 2, and recipients will be announced by Oct. 9.

The university launched the Nebraska Virtual Scholars program in 2011 to expand access to online courses for Nebraska high school students.

Former Huskers and Team USA Set for FIVB World Grand Prix in Omaha

Posted on July 20, 2015

Six of the top seven women’s volleyball teams in the world will be coming to Omaha, Neb., to compete in the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round July 22-26 at the CenturyLink Center.

The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world and winners of last year’s FIVB World Championship, finished the nine-match preliminary round ranked third with an 8-1 record and 24 points – its onlyblemish a five-set loss to No. 3 China (9-0, 26 points), which finished second in the preliminary round. China finished second to Team USA in last year’s World Championship.

Former Huskers Jordan Larson-Burbach, Kelsey Robinson and Kayla Banwarth have played important roles throughout the tournament and will continue to do so when play begins on Wednesday against Japan at 8:05 p.m.

FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Page | Finals Schedule | U.S. Women’s Home Page

Brazil, ranked No. 2 in the world, concluded the preliminary round 9-0 with a perfect 27 points. No. 5 Italy and No. 7 Russia ended the preliminary round 5-4 overall with 14 points for fourth and fifth place in the standings. No. 4 Japan, at 4-5 with 13 points, was the sixth and final team to qualify after defeating Thailand today and coupled with Germany’s victory over Serbia.

The U.S. opens the Finals against Japan on July 22, followed by Italy on July 23 and Russia on July 24. All three matches will be played at 8:05 p.m. CT.

On the fourth day of competition, Team USA faces Brazil at 5 p.m. CT. The Americans will challenge China on July 26 at Noon CT in a match to be shown live on NBC in the United States.

FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round Schedule (all times CT)

July 22
Brazil vs. China, 3 p.m.
Italy vs. Russia, 5 p.m.
USA vs. Japan, 8:05 p.m. | Live Stream

July 23
Brazil vs. Russia, 3 p.m.
Japan vs. China, 5 p.m.
USA vs. Italy, 8:05 p.m. | Live Stream

July 24
Brazil vs. Japan, 3 p.m.
China vs. Italy, 5 p.m.
USA vs. Russia, 8:05 p.m. | Live Stream

July 25
China vs. Russia, 3 p.m. CT
USA vs. Brazil, 5 p.m. CT | Live Stream
Italy vs. Japan, 8:05 p.m.

July 26
USA vs. China, Noon | NBC
Italy vs. Brazil, 3 p.m.
Japan vs. Russia, 5 p.m.

AUDIO: NPHS Volleyball Expectations High for 2015

Posted on July 20, 2015

In the midst of what has been a successful summer for the North Platte High School volleyball program, head coach Laura Miller stopped by The Blitz to discuss the summer progress and upcoming season for the Lady Bulldogs.

North Platte will open the season September 3 at a triangular in Sidney. Tune in to ESPN Radio 1410 and northplattepost.com for NPHS volleyball coverage all season long.