LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are gearing up for a short but busy session next month that’s likely to be marked by a state budget shortfall and a renewed push to cut taxes.
The $173 million shortfall forecast for the current two-year budget cycle will loom especially large for lawmakers who had to reduce funding for state services in this year’s session. When senators reconvene for a 60-day session on Jan. 3, they likely will face pressure to cut more.
Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer says lawmakers have reached the point that every budget cut will effect residents. Scheer says he wants senators to demonstrate how they’ll pay for any legislation that increases spending or reduces revenue.
Scheer says he expects lawmakers will look for ways to reduce property taxes.
North Platte – The North Platte Community College Knights basketball team evened their Region IX South Sub-Region record at 1-1 with a 72-67 win over the Trinidad State Junior College Trojans Saturday afternoon at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.
The Knights started out strong, jumping out to a 22-9 lead. The Trojans worked their way back to take their first lead at 33-34, only to have the Knights regain the lead on a Goy Lew three-pointer to make the score 36-34 going into halftime.
In the second half, the Knights increased their lead to 59-49 on a dunk by Jakub Karwowski, which ignited the crowd.
NPCC Knight Aaron Ridley goes to the basket against Trinidad’s Tykeem Anderson / Photo by Dr. Glynn Wolar.
The Trojans were not done, they went on a 16-4 run to take the lead at 65-63. Lew tied the game back up with a pair of free throws at 65. Karwowksi put the Knights back on top with a layup.
After a field goal by Trevell Cunningham to tie the score, the Knights went up for good on a basket by Godfrey Rolle.
Trejan Harris went 3-4 from the free throw line down the stretch to seal the win.
The Knights improve to 3-5 on the season. They had three players score in double figures, led by Aaron Ridley with 16 points. Rolle was next in scoring with 15 points and Lew added 13 points. Karwowski had seven rebounds and four blocks to lead the Knights. He finished with nine points. Ridley also had four assists.
The Trojans drop to 10-2 on the season and 1-1 in South Sub-Region play. Cunningham led all scorers with 22 points. Two other Trojans, Tykeem Anderson and Jesus Martinez each had 12 points. Cunningham and Martinez each had nine rebounds to lead the Trojans.
The Knights will be in action next weekend, when they travel to Lamar Community College on Saturday Dec 9, and LaJunta, Colo. to play Otero Junior College on Sunday, Dec 10.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska death row inmate whose case inspired the 1999 movie “Boys Don’t Cry” is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up his challenge to his death sentence.
John Lotter is asking the country’s highest court to review a U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals order issued in July denying his motion to proceed with an appeal in federal court. Lotter is challenging Nebraska’s three-judge method for determining death sentences. He cites a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Florida’s death penalty process, saying it gave too much power to judges to make the ultimate decision.
Lotter was condemned in 1996 for his role in the 1993 slaying of Teena Brandon, a 21-year-old woman who lived briefly as a man, and two witnesses, Lisa Lambert and Philip DeVine, at a rural Humboldt farmhouse.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Newly released test scores indicate the majority of last year’s Nebraska 11th-graders would struggle to get good grades their first year in college.
Based on ACT exam scores released Friday.
The report says fewer than a third of the 22,300 students who took the exam during state testing in the spring met ACT benchmarks designed to predict success in typical college freshman math, science and English courses.
The score release marks the first time state officials, parents and policymakers have a nationally recognized gauge of how well-prepared all Nebraska 11th-graders are for college success.
Last year was the first that every high school junior in Nebraska public schools was required to take the ACT.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — It looks like Santa Claus is taking a break from the North Pole to attend an event in North Platte.
North Platte Community College has announced the big guy will be featured at its Santa’s Workshop next week.
The NPCC Student Life Department will host its annual Santa’s Workshop from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in the McDonald-Belton Building on South Campus.
The event is family-friendly and will include cookie decorating, photos with Santa, game booths with prizes and a puppet show. There will also be two raffles for children’s toys.
Admission is a canned food item, which will be donated the Rape/Domestic Abuse Program in North Platte.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Four winners have been named in the Nebraska college savings plan’s Big Dreams $20,000 Giveaway.
The giveaway randomly selected four participants to each receive a $5,000 contribution to a NEST 529 College Savings Plan account for a beneficiary 10 years old or younger.
The Nebraska State Treasurer’s office, which administers the plan, says the latest winners come from Minatare, Enders, Omaha, and Sidney.
More than 2,400 eligible entries were received, including 158 from outside Nebraska, between Sept. 12 and Oct. 31. It is the second Big Dreams Giveaway in 2017. The first, held last spring, also awarded four winners with $5,000 contributions.
Since 2015, $90,000 has been given through the Big Dreams Giveaway. Funding for the scholarships is provided by First National Bank of Omaha.
NPCC Knight Trajan Harris goes up for a layup against Laramie County
North Platte – The North Platte Community College Knights basketball team was defeated by the Laramie County Community College Golden Eagles 74-58 at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Friday night in a Region IX South Sub-Region contest.
The Golden Eagles started out the game on a 9-2 run to take an early advantage in the game. The Knights rallied to tie the score at 11-11. The only other tie in the game was at 13 points and then the Golden Eagles took the lead for good.
At the end of the half, the Golden Eagles led by 12 at 38-26.
In the second half, the Golden Eagles led by as much as 21 points at 55-34. After that the Knights could get no closer than 12 at 59-47.
The Golden Eagles shot 41.9 percent from the field compared to the Knights 33.8 percent.
The Golden Eagles also out rebounded the Knights 52-38.
The Knights are 2-4 on the season and 0-1 in the South Sub-Region. Trajan Harris led the Knights with 15 points. Aaron Ridley and Jakub Karwowski were the only other Knights in double figures with 10 points each. Karwowski had eight rebounds to lead the Knights.
The Golden Eagles are 7-3 on the season and 1-0 in the South Sub-Region. They had four players in double figures led by Elijah Oliver with 21 points. Zaire Mateen was right behind with 20 points. Landon Taliaferro added 16 points and Kyle Wright had 12 points. Wright also had 14 rebounds to complete the double-double.
The Knights host Trinidad State Junior College on Saturday, Dec 2 at 2 pm.
ESPN 1410 will broadcast the game. It will also be audio streamed online at www.northplattepost.com. It will also be video livestreamed at www.npccknights.com.
NPCC Lady Knight Hannah Johnson shoots over a couple of Laramie County defenders.
North Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights basketball team were defeated by the Laramie County Community College Golden Eagles 77-69 on Friday night at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.
The Lady Knights started out well, jumping out to a 20-7 lead midway through the first quarter, and led by eight at 22-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, the Knights pushed the lead back to 12 at 26-14. The Golden Eagles went on a 23-10 lead with four three-pointers during the stretch to take a 37-36 halftime lead.
Peighton Porter scored six of her eight points during an 11-6 run to open the third quarter to take a 47-43 lead. The Golden Eagles took the lead for good on a three-pointer by Katelyn Smith to make the score 47-48. At the end of three periods, the Golden Eagles led 58-54.
The fourth quarter was all Golden Eagles. They opened up their lead to 72-53 on a 14-3 run.
The Lady Knights, who are now 1-6, were led in scoring by Janelle Acevedo with 16 points. Hannah Johnson and Allison Tichy each finished with 13 points and Nahatabaa Nacona added 12 points. Porter had 13 rebounds to lead the Lady Knights.
The Golden Eagles, 7-5 on the season, had four players in double figures led by Courtney Walker, who led all scorers with 23 points. Sarah Kruthaupt and Madison Hamm each had 12 points and Smith finished with 11 points. Hamm also had nine rebounds to lead the Golden Eagles.
The Lady Knights are next in action on Dec. 9 when they travel to play Lamar Community College.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are gearing up for a short but busy session next month that’s likely to be marked by a state budget shortfall and a renewed push to cut taxes.
