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Late comeback lifts struggling Huskers past Iowa 93-91 in OT

Sports

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Amir Harris scored the go-ahead layup with 10.8 seconds left, Thorir Thorbjarnarson blocked Jordan Bohanon’s 3-pointer try at the buzzer and Nebraska came back from a nine-point deficit in the last minute of regulation to beat Iowa 93-91 in overtime Sunday. The win might have served as an emotional sendoff for Cornhuskers’ coach Tim Miles, whose future at Nebraska is in serious doubt after his team’s free fall the second half of the season. The loss, in Iowa coach Fran McCaffery’s return from a two-game suspension, was the fourth in a row for the Hawkeyes (21-10, 10-10 Big Ten).

Nebraska (15-15, 6-14), which had lost 11 of its previous 13 games, trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half and by nine with 50 seconds left. The Huskers made nine shots in a row and 10 of their last 11 in regulation, with Watson making three 3-pointers and Palmer two before Palmer tied it at 81-all with his baseline drive with eight seconds left. Luka Garza matched his career high with 25 points and Jordan Bohannon had 20 for the Hawks.

When it was over, the 12,000 fans who watched so much bad basketball at Pinnacle Bank Arena were on their feet, the Nebraska players were at center court dancing and Miles made his way back to the locker room to cheers and high-fives. A 19-3 run over the halves turned a 28-28 tie into a 47-31 Iowa lead, and the Hawkeyes looked ready to win going away. Their offense didn’t go dormant; Nebraska just kept pushing. Iowa, which made 9 of 10 free throws in the last minute of regulation, seemed almost powerless to stop an inspired Nebraska team.

The Hawkeyes looked as if they were on their way to a feel-good win after seeing their potential NCAA Tournament seeding go south following three straight losses and six in their previous 11 games. They didn’t get it. UP NEXT: Iowa plays Illinois or Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday. Nebraska plays Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.

Chiefs release veteran LB Justin Houston to free cap space

Sports

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Kansas City Chiefs have released veteran linebacker Justin Houston after they were unable to work out a trade, freeing up $14 million in much-needed salary cap space. The 30-year-old Houston signed a $101 million, six-year deal with the Chiefs in 2015 that was at the time a record for a defensive player. But Houston has been slowed by injuries the past four seasons, and has been unable to replicate the 22-sack season that helped him land the contract.

He was due $15.25 million this season. The Chiefs will take on $7.1 million in dead money. Houston departs Kansas City having started 96 games and appearing in 102 over eight seasons. He had 78½ sacks to trail only Derrick Thomas, Tamba Hali and Neil Smith in franchise history.

Bradley rallies big, beats Northern Iowa for MVC title

Sports

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Bradley rallied from an 18-point deficit in the second half and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2006, beating Northern Iowa 57-54 Sunday in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game. Elijah Childs scored 16 points and Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye added 13 for fifth-seeded Bradley (20-14). The Braves advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time overall — in their last appearance, as a 13th seed, they beat Kansas and Pittsburgh before losing to Memphis.

AJ Green led sixth-seeded Northern Iowa (16-18) with 23 points. Northern Iowa went 8 of 20 from 3-point range and has made at least one 3-pointer in 628 successive games, the longest streak among MVC teams.

2 arrested on assault charges Sunday morning in Red Oak

News

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police, Sunday, arrested a man and a woman on assault charges. Authorities say 27-year old Devlin Jonathan Michael Dewitt, and 26-year old Tabitha Lynn Madsen, both of Red Oak, were taken into custody at around 6:28-a.m. in the 1600 block of E. Summit Street, in Red Oak. Both were charged with Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. They were brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond.

Culver voted Big 12 player of year by league’s coaches

Sports

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DALLAS (AP) — Texas Tech star Jarrett Culver has been voted Big 12 player of the year and coach Chris Beard has been honored as coach of the year after the Red Raiders shared the regular-season title with Kansas State. The league announced its awards Sunday.

The Wildcats’ Barry Brown was voted defensive player of the year and Dedric Lawson of Kansas was the newcomer of the year. Jaxson Hayes of Texas was freshman of the year, Lindell Wigginton of Iowa State was the best sixth man and Kristian Doolittle of Oklahoma was the most improved player.

Culver, Brown and Lawson were unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selections in voting conducted by the league’s coaches. They were joined by Kansas State’s Dean Wade and Iowa State’s Marial Shayok.

Hayes was joined on the second team by Texas Tech’s Matt Mooney, West Virginia’s Derek Culver, Makai Mason of Baylor and Desmond Bane of TCU.

Iowa barn fire kills about 20 pigs and sheep but no one hurt

News

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — About 20 pigs and sheep died after a barn caught fire in Iowa but no one was hurt. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the fire was reported shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday on a farm near Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Firefighters had to haul in water to fight the blaze. Fire Chief John Bostwick says the barn was a total loss and the animals inside died.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. No one was injured in the fire.

Blocked by court defeat, Iowa lawmakers push new ag-gag bill

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Just two months after a federal court judge struck down Iowa’s existing law meant to discourage investigations of animal abuse on farms, lawmakers are pushing another so-called ag-gag measure that opponents say would likely land them in court again.

The new bill creates a trespass charge for anyone using deception to gain access to a farm to cause physical or economic harm. It carries a penalty of up to a year in jail.
Sen. Ken Rozenboom, the Republican who will manage Senate floor debate, says it is more narrowly focused than the 2012 law struck down by the court in January and was crafted after other state laws that have survived court challenges.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, which sued over the 2012 law, says the bill under consideration also is unconstitutional and the group is prepared to challenge it in court.

Court documents show plaintiff legal fees in the previous lawsuit exceed $200,000, but the state has appealed to the federal appeals court so costs continue to mount.

Northern Iowa meets Bradley in MVC finals today (3/10)

Sports

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Northern Iowa Panther (16-17, 11-9) take on the Bradley Braves (19-14, 11-9) at Noon today (Sunday) in St. Louis, during the Missouri Valley Conference Tourney Championship at the Enterprise Center. The teams split the regular season series at one win apiece. The teams last played on Feb. 6, when the Braves shot 54.9 percent from the field while holding Northern Iowa to just 44.6 percent en route to the eight-point victory.

Bradley’s Elijah Childs has averaged 12.1 points and 7.9 rebounds while Darrell Brown has put up 14.9 points. For the Panthers, AJ Green has averaged 14.7 points while Wyatt Lohaus has put up 10.5 points. Green has connected on 34.3 percent of the 198 3-pointers he’s attempted and has made 9 of 25 over his last five games. He’s also made 85.7 percent of his foul shots this season.

Northern Iowa is a perfect 13-0 when its defense holds opponents to a field goal percentage of 43.8 percent or less. The Panthers are 3-17 when allowing the opposition to shoot any better than that. The Braves have recently used assists to create buckets more often than the Panthers. Bradley has an assist on 41 of 63 field goals (65.1 percent) over its past three matchups while Northern Iowa has assists on 29 of 67 field goals (43.3 percent) during its past three games.

Bradley is ranked second among MVC teams with an offensive rebound percentage of 28.1 percent. The Braves have averaged 9.4 offensive boards per game.

DANIEL McLAREN, 77, of Atlantic (Funeral Mass 3/15/19)

Obituaries

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DANIEL McLAREN, 77, of Atlantic, died Saturday, March 9th, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha. A Funeral Mass for DANIEL McLAREN will be held 11-a.m. Friday, March 15th, at the SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation with the family is from 6-until 8-p.m. Thursday, March 14th, at the funeral home, where a Rosary will take place 5:30-p.m., Thursday.; Online condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

A private family burial will be held in the St. Timothy’s Reno Catholic Cemetery, south of Cumberland.

DANIEL McLAREN is survived by:

His wife – Arlene McLaren, of Atlantic.

His son – Thomas (Sacha) McLaren, of Atlantic.

His daughter – Dawn (Michael) Fulks, of Fuquay-Varina, NC.

5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

2 arrests Sunday morning in Adams County

News

March 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Two men were arrested on separate charges early this (Sunday) morning, in Corning. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 47-year old Gabriel Shatava, of Corning, was arrested at around 1:30-a.m., for serious assault and interference with official acts. He was taken into custody following a reported fight in progress in the 700 block of Quincy Street, in Corning.

And, at around 4-a.m., 24-year old Dalton Ray Nicholson, of Corning, was arrested at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Loomis Avenue. Nicholson was charged with Domestic Assault, following an investigation into a domestic disturbance in an apartment.