LiveWell Tour – Volleyball Clinic: Nebraska Olympian Jordan Larson presented a volleyball clinic Tuesday at North Platte Community College.
Larson and fellow Olympian Curt Tomasevicz are part of the LiveWell Tour that began Monday in Scottsbluff. The five-stop tour is a joint effort between livewellnebraska.com, the Omaha World-Herald’s health website, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska.
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, June 28, 2013—Electric lineworkers typically operate behind the scenes to make sure customers’ lights and air conditioners stay on. But this summer, electric lineworkers from across Nebraska will take center stage as they compete at the second annual Nebraska Lineworkers’ Rodeo,August 23-24, at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island.
If there’s a storm or a major electrical problem, a lineman is the person who would fix the downed wire.
“The rodeo allows Nebraska’s electric lineworkers an opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge through events that mimic real-life situations,” said Jill Watkins, manager of internal operations for Lincoln Electric System and co-manager of the lineworkers’ rodeo.
At the rodeo, two-person crews will be judged on their ability to perform work tasks safely and quickly. For spectators, it’s an opportunity to see lineworkers perform tasks they do on a daily basis and understand more about how power comes on at the flip of a switch. The rodeo participants will also demonstrate tasks only conducted in emergency, rescue situations.
According to event officials, Nebraska’s lineworkers follow a strict safety code to minimize the chances for accidents and injuries. By working safely and efficiently, Nebraska’s lineworkers contribute to keeping electric costs low. Costly injuries can be prevented when lineworkers follow established safety procedures. When these workers operate effectively in the field, it reduces the number of crews that must be dispatched to restore power after severe weather.
“Electric lineworkers work in dangerous settings to make sure our lights come back quickly after severe weather,” said Jim Fischer, director of transmission and distribution construction for Lincoln Electric System and co-manager of the lineworkers’ rodeo.“In emergency restoration situations, lineworkers can put in long hours climbing utility poles, handling heavy equipment and working around energized wires.”
“This event also gives families and friends a chance to see what the men do on a daily basis while giving them the confidence to perform certain tasks on their jobs,” said Jill Watkins, manager of internal operations for Lincoln Electric System and co-manager of the lineworkers’ rodeo.
More information about the lineworkers’ rodeo can be found at www.nelinerodeo.com.
The Nebraska Lineworkers’ Rodeo is organized by: City of Grand Island; Lincoln Electric System; Loup Power District; Moehn Electrical Sales Company; Metropolitan Community College; the Nebraska Rural Electric Association; Nebraska Public Power District; Nebraska State Fair; Northeast Community College; Omaha Public Power District; and the Southern Power District. All of the hosting utilities are members of the Nebraska Power Association (NPA), the state-wide organization of 169 locally owned electric utilities providing electric service across Nebraska.
BOSTON (AP) — Dustin Pedroia drove in four runs and had three of Boston’s season-high 20 hits, and Ryan Dempster took advantage of an early cushion that kept getting bigger for the Red Sox in their 11-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
Mike Napoli added two RBIs and Jacoby Ellsbury, Daniel Nava and Jose Iglesias joined Pedroia with three hits apiece as the Red Sox gave Dempster an abundance of offense after scoring just two runs in his previous two starts combined.
Dempster (5-8) allowed two runs and six hits over six innings, leaving with an 8-2 lead and picking up his first victory since June 9.
DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets officially introduced Brian Shaw as their head coach on Tuesday.
Shaw steps in for George Karl, the NBA Coach of the Year who was ousted after the team won a franchise-record 57 games, only to be bounced from the first round of the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
A longtime assistant, Shaw finally gets his chance to coach an NBA team. He’s been mentored by the likes of Phil Jackson and was the associate head coach for Indiana during the season that just ended, when the Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference finals before being eliminated by LeBron James and the Miami Heat in seven games.
The North Platte First Nationals American Legion Junior Senior tournament has undergone a schedule change for the event this weekend at Bill Wood Field.
The tournament’s first game will be played Thursday afternoon at 3:00 between Overton Juniors and Hershland Juniors. The North Platte Juniors follow that game with a contest against the Overton Juniors. The North Platte Seniors will play at 8:00 Thursday night against the Overton Seniors. Also on Thursday night in between the Junior and the Senior game the American Legion will present the North Platte Legion Baseball Leadership award to a Junior and Senior player.
Miss Nebraska, JaCee Pilkington, will also be present to sing the National Anthem, throw out the first pitch and will be available to sign autographs during the Senior game.
The University of Nebraska and adidas today unveiled alternative TECHFIT football uniform the Cornhuskers will wear on September 14when they host UCLA at Memorial Stadium for adidas’ annual Unrivaled Game.
The new adidas TECHFIT black jersey features white stencil font numbers and a unique pattern throughout. The Cornhuskers’ helmet is matte white with a wide black stripe, stencil numbers and a face mask that fades from red to matte black. Nebraska’s famous straight red “N” featured on its helmets for decades remains unchanged. Nebraska’s black adidas TECHFIT baselayer has an N in the design. The pants are white with black stripes and the straight red “N” on the front left hip and the Cornhuskers will wear adidas Team Speed Vertical socks and Crazyquick Mid cleats.
Nebraska’s new uniform marks the introduction of adidas’ TECHFIT ShockWeb technology, designed to keep players fast, cool and mobile onfield. adidas ShockWeb features engineered body mapping, which maximizes compression zones across the chest and sides, in a lightweight knit structure that provides a tight fit with enhanced range of motion. Integrated CLIMACOOL mesh zones create airflow to keep players cool in every temperature.
Nebraska fans can visit www.Facebook.com/
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche hired Andre Tourigny as an assistant coach to Patrick Roy, and former defenseman Adam Foote is rejoining the team as a defense development consultant.
The Avalanche also announced on Monday that Craig Billington, the vice president of player development and minor league operations, has been named assistant general manager. Mario Duhamel is the team’s new video coach.
Tourigny has spent the past 11 seasons as head coach and general manager of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Duhamel has been head coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs in that league for four seasons.
DENVER (AP) — A person with knowledge of the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Indiana Pacers assistant coach Brian Shaw has agreed to succeed George Karl as coach of the Denver Nuggets.
The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity Monday night because the deal hadn’t been officially announced.
The Nuggets called a news conference for this afternoon to introduce their new coach.
The Denver Post first announced the agreement with Shaw, and the former Phil Jackson pupil told the newspaper he’s been “prepared by the best of the best” for his first NBA head coaching job.
Shaw is a former NBA guard and longtime assistant NBA coach who has interviewed about a dozen times for head coaching positions but kept coming up short until Monday.
SAN FRANCISCO – Two of college football’s premier conferences, the Pac-12 and the Big Ten, will face each other in the Bay Area’s post-season bowl game beginning in 2014.
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl today announced six-year agreements that will establish a new partnership with the Big Ten and significantly improve the Bowl’s selection rights in the Pac-12. Both pacts will run from 2014 through 2019.
Effective with the new match-up, the Bowl will be played in the new 68,500 seat Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, future home of the NFL San Francisco 49ers and site of the Super Bowl in 2016.
“Our objective entering negotiations for the next bowl cycle was to elevate the game,” said Bowl Executive Director Gary Cavalli. “Specifically, we wanted to move up in the Pac-12 and secure the highest quality opponent possible. We’re thrilled that we’ve been able to achieve both goals. With a Pac-12 vs. Big Ten matchup and a new world-class stadium, we’ve positioned our game very well for the future.”
Under terms of its renewal with the Pac-12, the Bowl will have the No. 4 pick, within parameters established by the conference, [after the Rose/Playoff Group, Alamo and Holiday Bowls], a jump of two positions from its current No. 6. The Bowl will work with the Big Ten to create the best possible matchup for the Pac-12 and ensure that at least five different Big Ten teams visit the Bay Area during the six-year term.
“The opportunity for the Big Ten Conference to play an annual bowl game in a world-class city like San Francisco, in a state-of-the-art, new NFL stadium, and in an area rich in football tradition appealed to our Directors of Athletics and head coaches,” Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said.
“The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a welcome addition to the national Big Ten bowl family, one we hope will also appeal to the many graduates, fans and friends of Big Ten football who work and live in Northern California.”
“We are delighted to continue the Pac-12’s relationship with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and thrilled to build on our postseason partnership with the Big Ten Conference in the Bay Area,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.
“Having the opportunity to showcase the two conferences with a quality match-up in the San Francisco 49ers new state-of-the-art stadium is a win-win for our teams and fans.
AT&T Park has been the game’s home since its inception in 2002. This year’s finale at the downtown San Francisco ballpark is scheduled on Friday, December 27 at 6:30 p.m. PST/9:30 p.m. EST. The contest will pair the Pac-12’s No. 6 selection against BYU [if bowl-eligible]. If the Cougars do not achieve bowl eligibility, the Bowl has a backup agreement with the ACC.
When the game venue moves to Santa Clara next year, the team headquarters hotels and most bowl-week activities will remain in San Francisco.
The Pac-12 was first represented in the game in 2006, when UCLA faced Florida State. Oregon State came to San Francisco in 2007, followed by California in 2008 and USC in 2009. After a year’s hiatus, the Pac-12 sent UCLA again to the 2011 matchup, then Arizona State this past season. Pac-12 teams own a 4-2 record overall in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
The Big Ten is undefeated in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, with a victory by Illinois in 2011.
With the Big Ten, the Pac-12 refreshes a rivalry that dates back to the first Rose Bowl Game at the turn of the last century. The ‘Granddaddy Of Them All’ was first played in 1902 when Michigan defeated Stanford.
The union of the two conferences in the new 49ers stadium represents a significant potential increase in not only attendance, but also in television ratings. Between them, the Pac-12 and Big Ten have a television ‘reach’ that stretches from coast to coast, marked by a presence in 12 of the top 20 national television markets and 15 of the top 30.
The Big Ten Conference footprint extends to major U.S. & Nielsen TV markets, including New York/#1 Nielsen [Rutgers]; Chicago/#3 [Illinois & Northwestern]; Philadelphia/#4 & Pittsburgh #23 [Penn State]; Washington, D.C./#8 & Baltimore #27 [Maryland]; Detroit/#11 [Michigan & Michigan State]; Minneapolis-St. Paul/#15 [Minnesota] and Cleveland/#18 [Ohio State].
The remaining five institutions in the 14-team conference enjoy statewide as well as national followings [Nebraska, Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin, Indiana].
The 12-team Pac-12 Conference encompasses Los Angeles/#2 Nielsen [UCLA & USC]; San Francisco Bay Area/#6 [Stanford & California]; Seattle-Tacoma /#12 [Washington & Washington State]; Phoenix/#13 [Arizona & Arizona State]; Denver/#17 [Colorado]; Portland/#22 [Oregon & Oregon State] and Salt Lake City/#33 [Utah].
San Diego, CA – The Holiday Bowl will enter a new era in 2014 as it begins a six-year partnership with the Big Ten Conference and extends its current relationship with the Pac-12 Conference for six years, bowl officials announced today.
The Holiday Bowl will have the second pick from the Pac-12 after the College Football Playoff structure per selection guidelines established by the Conference. The Alamo Bowl has the first selection. The Big Ten team will be determined after discussion between bowl and conference officials to create the best possible matchup.
“We are entering a new and exciting time for the Holiday Bowl,” said Bill Geppert, 2013 Bowl president. “The Holiday Bowl has a rich history as ‘America’s Most Exciting Bowl Game’ and this new agreement lays the foundation for continued success. In the ever-changing world of college football, we are excited to begin this new chapter that will no doubt provide a huge economic impact to San Diego as our community welcomes thousands of college football fans to our beautiful city every December.”
Included in the Big Ten agreement is the stipulation that the Holiday Bowl will not have the same team in its game more than twice during the six-year span. The Holiday Bowl previously enjoyed a relationship with the Big Ten from 1992-94 and conference teams have played in nine games, beginning with a victory by Indiana in 1979. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State have played in the Holiday Bowl, including when the Wolverines faced BYU for the national championship in 1984.
“The Big Ten Conference is pleased to return to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego,” Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said. “During the bowl evaluation process we heard our Directors of Athletics and head coaches tell us that the Holiday Bowl was a reward destination they wanted the conference to be a part of. The Holiday Bowl has a long history and tradition of managing bowl games that have tremendous appeal to participating teams and their fans, and we are excited by the opportunity to return to an area of Southern California that has such a strong and vibrant Big Ten football following.”
The Holiday Bowl is entering its 16th year as a partner with the Pac-12. Eight of the current 12 teams have appeared in the game.
“The Pac-12 has been a tremendous partner through the years,” said Geppert. “The enthusiasm of their fans is matched only by the high-octane entertainment their teams have provided. We’re ecstatic to continue this relationship.”
“The Holiday Bowl has been a long-time valued partner of the Pac-12 and we are grateful to continue our relationship with the bowl game and the city of San Diego,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. “There has always been a buzz about this game throughout our Conference and we anticipate this new partnership with the Big Ten will provide many exciting and memorable games for years to come.”
The Holiday Bowl, televised on ESPN, currently matches the second selection from the Pac-12 with the fourth selection from the Big 12, after BCS matchups. The 2013 game, which will celebrate its 36th year, is set for Monday, Dec. 30 with a 7:15 p.m. PT kickoff. Tickets go on sale to the general public Aug. 12th.
The mission of the non-profit San Diego Bowl Game Association is to generate tourism, exposure, economic benefit and civic pride for San Diego and its citizens by presenting the nation’s most exciting and entertaining bowl games and festivals of events. Since its inception in 1978, the San Diego Bowl Game Association has created an impact of $668 million.
For more information on the Holiday Bowl, visit www.HolidayBowl.com.
