Monday, February 8, 2010 2:47 PM
AHS Grapplers 4th At Southeast, Prepare For Districts
YODER, Wyo. — Alliance placed fourth out of 16 teams in the Southeast Duals Saturday. This was the last regular season meet as the AHS team prepares for Districts Friday and Saturday. The B-4 tournament will be at Cozad High School Feb. 12-13. Alliance will be one of 12 schools on the mats as each wrestler looks to punch his ticket for State.
Alliance Girls Bowling Team Returns To State
LINCOLN — After a one-year absence, the Alliance girls bowling team returns to Lincoln as part of the 8-team field in the Nebraska High School Bowling Federation State Championship Tournament, Feb. 13-14. Parkway Lanes will welcome the Class B teams for the opening round on Saturday. Sunday’s finals will take place at Sun Valley Lanes.
The girls finished the regular season as the runner-up to conference champs Scottsbluff/Gering. A Wild Card entry secured the team’s slot in this year’s State Championships.
Kearsten Crawford (154 average) and Terri Robinson (150 average) led the Alliance five during regular season play. Joining them in the fight for the Class B title are Scottsbluff/Gering, Seward, Hastings, Blair, Plattsmouth, Lincoln Pius X, and Waverly.
Freshmen Face SHS
SCOTTSBLUFF — The Alliance High freshman basketball teams traveled to Scottsbluff Saturday.
The girls won 37-20. Alliance scorers were: Vogel 11, Halouska 10, Gould 6, Anthony 6, and Brennan 4. Brayden Auer led the Lady Bearcat freshmen with 9 and Alexus Pinedo added 5.
The Alliance boys lost 55-50 in a hard fought game that came down to the wire.
Both AHS teams play at Gordon-Rushville Monday.
Bulldogs Fall In Buzzer Beater
By T-H STAFF
ALLIANCE — A 10-point lead whittled down, score knotted at 55. With under a minute to play Friday night at home the Alliance High boys basketball team gave Laramie plenty of room to avoid a possible win from the free throw line. Round and round the court the Bulldogs prepared to defend against an inevitable attempt for a win outside of overtime. The shot came just before the final second ticked away. Laramie High’s Dan Estes, who’s hot hand had burned AHS on offense, grabbed the pass, drove and pulled up inside the arc to put the game away 57-55.
Alliance has played the southeast Wyoming school in recent years. Games in the cross-border series have not always been close. The Bulldogs, who had a four-game winning streak broken by Chadron earlier in the week, looked to regain that form. Three AHS players were in double figures as they compensated for Mike Peltz who was not in the lineup after being ejected from the Chadron game. Importantly, the Bulldogs found out how to be effective against Laramie after both teams came out slow in the opening quarter.
Alliance trailed Laramie by a bucket, 10-8, after one. The second period was close with numerous lead changes. As with the final seconds of the game, the Plainsmen ate plenty of clock before Ryan Harding popped a trey at the buzzer to give his team a 31-25 lead heading into the locker room. The Bulldogs, however, hit their stride in the third period and were able to build a double-digit lead.
Laramie Hands Lady Bulldogs Second Loss
By KYLE CUMMINGS
T- H Sports Writer
ALLIANCE — With a packed gymnasium Friday to support the last 2009-10 home game of the girl’s basketball team, including Jordan Hooper and the seniors’ farewell to AHS gym, the Lady Bulldogs came up just short against Laramie, 40-35.
While the filled gym of people who showed up didn’t get the satisfaction of a win; not many went home disappointed in the Lady Bulldogs. For the past several years, the Alliance community has given full support to the girl’s basketball team, and in return, the Lady Bulldogs have left a lasting impression at AHS. “You’ve got to thank each and every person who has come out not only for this game, but for every game,” Alliance Head Coach Nate Lanik said on the support. “I give credit to the girls for their character, their willingness to give every ounce of effort they got night in and night out. … Hopefully they’ve enjoyed what they have seen, but we have more basketball to play.”
Just seconds after the opening tip-off, Laramie quickly set up an offense, which put the Lady Plainsmen up 2-0. Alliance took no time to answer when Morgan Keilwitz made one of her two free throws on the next possession. After four minutes of the same score, the Lady Bulldogs finally found Lauren Reiber for the short bucket, putting AHS up 3-2. Laramie wasted clock away before finally hitting consecutive baskets with 20 seconds left remaining. Then as the buzzer sounded, Olivia Conley nailed a jumper, ending the first quarter with Laramie up 8-5.
Schultz Sets CSC Record
CHADRON — Six meet records were broken and two more were tied Friday during the Chadron State College Twilight Open Track and Field Meet. Three of the meet record also were the best ever in the CSC Nelson Physical Activity Center, which opened in 1987.
Two of the meet records were set by Chadron State men. Junior Joe Schultz of Alliance ran the mile in 4:25.22 to break the old mark by more than five seconds and sophomore Cody Hunt of Lingle, Wyo., threw the shot 55-10 1⁄2 to top the former record by 1 1⁄2 inches.
Chadron State junior Jake Gruver joined Hellman as a double winner by sweeping the men’s sprints. He won the 55 meters in 6.44 seconds and the 200 in 22.85.
WNCC Women Pick Up Sub-Region Win Against McCook
MCCOOK — Amber Kistler ignited for 26 points and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team picked up a huge 66-58 sub-region win over McCook Community College Saturday in McCook.
The Bayard native, who canned three 3-pointers, said it was a huge win in a physical game, especially after the Cougars lost a couple games last week.
“We just listened to coach Harnish and ran our plays tonight,” Kistler said. “We broke their press and just played. This win is really good that we now know that we can shoot the ball again and we have momentum going into these next three games at home. Hopefully that will help us out.”
WNCC Men Top McCook
MCCOOK — Francisco Cruz hit a clutch bucket with under a minute to play and the Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team earned a 63-59 sub-region victory over McCook Community College Saturday night in McCook.
WNCC, which led for most of the second half, trailed late 59-58 to McCook before Cruz’s go-ahead bucket and free throw that put WNCC up 61-59. Cruz then cashed in on two free throws with 6.3 seconds remaining to seal the Cougars first sub-region win of the season.
Monday, February 8, 2010 10:01 AM
Local Farmers & Ag Reps To Meet On Proposed Bills
LINCOLN - Local farmers, ag industry and irrigation representatives will meet today to discuss two proposed legislative bills for Nebraska. They will discuss LB1056 and LB 1054, bills that would link aquifer decline to the amount of irrigation allowed and how to determine allocations if certain thresholds are reached. Several Box Butte County growers plan to testify at the legislative hearing in Lincoln Wednesday. The county is already under an irrigation allocation and moratorium for new well drilling.
Monday, February 8, 2010 8:34 AM
AHS Sstudents Place at Chadron Invitational Speech Meet
CHADRON - Saturday, Feb 6
Rizzi Curtiss 1st Place - Extemporaneous speaking
Jeremy Fifield 1st Place - Entertainment speaking
Amy Harris 2nd Place - Humorous prose
Bri Hoesing 3rd Place - Informative speaking
Claire Tolstedt 4th Place - Extemporaneous speaking
Kacey Horn 5th Place - Poetry
David Weishaar 5th Place - Entertainment speaking
Sarah McCaffrey 6th Place - Humorous prose
The team of Denielle Bennet, Amy Harris, and Bri Hoesing - 6th Place - Oral Interpretation of Drama
Alliance took 2nd Place Sweepstakes honors at the meet.
Saturday, February 6, 2010 9:54 AM
Carnegie Presents ‘Wonders 2010’
ALLIANCE — Carnegie Arts Center’s annual “Wonders” exhibit is currently on display in the Studio Gallery. “Wonders 2010” will be presented through May 2. This exhibit features art created by elementary and middle school children, as well as art created during Carnegie’s 8-week “Adventures in Art” workshop.
The exhibit began Feb. 2 with St Agnes Academy art, which will be displayed through Feb. 14. Art by Grandview fourth grade students will be displayed Feb. 16-28.
Framed pieces created by children 7-17 years old who are involved in this year’s “Adventures in Art” workshop will be displayed March 2 to April 4, as part of the “Wonders” exhibit. A reception honoring these students will be Sunday, March 28.
Louden’s Cemetery Road Bill Heard
LINCOLN — “It’s the end of the 5th week of session and we have worked 21 days so far,” Senator LeRoy Louden said. “We’ve spent some long afternoons in committee hearings, which have no time limit. There were 428 total bills introduced this session including one Priority Bill, two bills on Select File, and 27 bills scheduled for Final Reading.”
With the start of full debate in the mornings, we have begun to get into some fairly controversial issues during debate, Louden commented. One controversial issue was LB 200 that would repeal Nebraska’s helmet law. Senator Charlie Janssen of Fremont introduced the bill and there were nearly three days of debate on the floor. An amendment to the bill would require motorcyclists to buy long-term health insurance to ensure the public doesn’t have to pay if they are injured in an accident. But the insurance requirement raised so many questions and concerns that they removed the requirement. The bill was bracketed, which means it was put on hold until at least Feb. 9 to give senators time to work on questions about amendments requiring special insurance.
The Transportation and Telecommunications Committee heard one of Louden’s bills which is, LB 749, a bill to designate the road leading to the Nebraska State Veterans Cemetery in Box Butte County as a recreational road. “
Eagles land more players
CHADRON – Two days after receiving National Letters of Intent from 20 high school seniors, the Chadron State College football team landed ten more signed commitments Friday.
They are Colton Blankenship of Wind River, Wyo., Cheyne Bluhm of Camarillo, Calif., Kevin Boomhower of Guernsey, Wyo., Derick Brooks of Dunn, North Carolina, Conor Casey of Rapid City, S.D., Pierre Etchemendy of Douglas, Wyo., Michael Lorenzo of Westlake Village, Calif., Charlie Marsh of Chadron, Sam Rogers of North Pole, Alaska, and Joseph Sokimi of Anchorage, Alaska.
“These guys are our type of kids,” CSC head coach Bill O’Boyle said. “They’re all tough and know how to play hard. Now, it’s time to learn our scheme and the techniques that come in the three phases of the game.”
Friday, February 5, 2010 2:39 PM
City Council Authorizes Fire Truck Bid
By TRENT SHORT
Times-Herald Writer
ALLIANCE — The Alliance City Council conducted their bimonthly meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Alliance Public Schools Administration Building. All members of the Council were present.
During this session, the Council approved Res. 10-12, the awarding of the fire truck purchase to Smeal Fire Apparatus Company of Snyder in the amount of $365,966. Fire chief and Fire Truck Specification Committee chairperson Troy Shoemaker represented this bid.
The fire truck is custom built for the community’s in-town fire fighting purposes, Spartan Metro Star.
There was some discussion over the idea that the Fire Department’s budget for this purchase had previously been set at $300,000, and that the asking price is over $65,000 higher than expected.
Suspect Bound Over On Sexual Assault Charges
By MARK DYKES
Asst. Managing Editor
ALLIANCE — A Leavenworth, Kan., man has been bound over to Box Butte District Court, to appear on Feb. 24.
Shon L. Collins, 40, has been charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor, a Class II felony. According to court documents, Collins allegedly molested a 13-year-old on Jan. 5.
Damaged Utility Pole To Be Repaired
By MARK DYKES
Asst. Managing Editor
ALLIANCE — Thursday, shortly after 11:15 p.m., the City of Alliance Electrical Department responded to a fire on a utility pole at 16th and Emerson. Though the Alliance Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene as well, Electrical Superintendent Larry Heinrich said the city crew had the situation well under control.
Heinrich explained that at the top of the pole, single phase started “bleeding” through the pole, and the top two or three feet of the pole came off. When the incident first happened, he said, it knocked out power between 18th and 12th, from Platte to Cheyenne. The outage was later isolated to between 18th and 12th, on the west side of Emerson.
United Way Accepting Funding Applications
ALLIANCE — After completing a 2009-10 campaign that exceeded its goal, the United Way of Western Nebraska serving Box Butte County is currently accepting applications from 501(c) 3, non-profit organizations in Box Butte County for 2010-11 funding.
Applications are available at www.unitedwayofwesternnebraska.com. Agencies may contact the United Way Office at 224 Box Butte Ave. in Alliance or telephone at (308) 761-1142 for information.
UNK Women Win Pentathlon At CSC
CHADRON — Women from Nebraska-Kearney finished first and second in the pentathlon on Thursday during the first day of the Chadron State Twilight Open Indoor Track and Field Meet.
Jena Isaacson had the best marks in the high hurdles, long jump and 800 meters while rolling up 3,312 points for the victory. She cleared the hurdles in 8.67 seconds, went 18- 1⁄2 in the long jump and ran the 800 in 2:29.07
UNK’s Cameron Smith was second with 3,042 in the final standings, while Chadron State’s Stacee Craig finished third with 2,928.
CSC Women Outrun Regis, 91-54
CHADRON — The Chadron State women’s basketball team, which won just one of its first 10 games this season, continued to show improvement Thursday night by racing to a 91-54 victory over Regis.
The victory evened the Eagles’ Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record at 6-6 entering an important game at home Saturday afternoon against Metro State.
Tautuaa Leads Eagles To RMAC Win
CHADRON — Moala Tautuaa scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help lead Chadron State to a 71-57 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory over Regis University Thursday evening in Chadron.
The Eagles (8-11, 6-6 RMAC) have won three straight conference games for the first time since the 2004-05 season and they’ve already matched their win total from a year ago.
Chadron State is now third in the RMAC East Division and will host conference foe Metro State Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. for a key RMAC clash.
Thursday, February 4, 2010 4:02 PM
Candidate-Filing Deadlines Near For Primary Election
LINCOLN — Secretary of State John Gale issued a reminder that candidate-filing deadlines are fast approaching for the May 11 Nebraska primary election.
The deadline for incumbents is Feb. 16, and the deadline for non-incumbents is March 1, Gale said. An incumbent is anyone who holds elective office, including a person who holds one office and wants to file for another office.
The May primary election includes state constitutional offices, the U.S. House of Representatives and county offices.
Go Red For Women About Empowering People
ALLIANCE — The National Go Red for Women Day is Friday, Feb. 5. As always the Box Butte General Hospital Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department has thrown its heart into educating women about heart disease during the promotion.
“Go Red for Women is about empowering people with the truth about heart disease,” said Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab coordinator Nancy Leisy, RN, CHES. “Our Cardio Rehab program is designed to do just that, year round. But this is a special time of year and we always look forward to using the national promotion to reach out to our area residents so that we can educate them about heart disease.” February is also National Heart Month.
“We use this time to celebrate the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease,” she continued. “”The color red, and the red dress of Go Red for Women stands for the ability of all women to improve their heart health.”
Museum Interior, A Top To Bottom Job
By TRENT SHORT
Times-Herald Writer
ALLIANCE — “The second truck has arrived and has been unloaded this week,” said Becci Thomas, director of the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center.
All exhibit construction materials from 1220 Exhibits, the City contracted museum display construction company, have arrived and many city workers, museum staff, and those with 1220 Exhibits are spending their days putting these materials together and in place.
Inside, one will see that the Museum’s interior is changing rapidly and many items from 1220 Exhibits have been premade and are already finished. A wooden, fully painted, windmill is mounted. A life-sized teepee waits to be fixed in its place. The walls, many of them have already been painted according to a scheme that reflects the colors of our region. Movable display mounts, many the sizes of small stages, are in various stages of assembly. Colorful murals and pictures, both small and large, depict the area’s history on walls and display stands.
AHS’s Jerke Tags Opportunity With CSC Eagles
By TAMMY COWARD
T-H Sports Editor
ALLIANCE — Alliance High’s prospective 2010 graduate Brandon Jerke has signed with the Chadron State Eagles to play football at the next level. Jerke is excited and looking forward to continuing his football career.
“I’m really excited for it,” Jerke said. “I think it will be a good fit — I have always liked Chadron. We’ve went up to the camps the past four years and I really like the coaching staff and all the players — they are really good guys.”
Besides Jerke’s football focus he plans on studying Criminal Justice to lead him into his future.
AHS’s Anthony Tags Opportunity With UNK Lopers
By TAMMY COWARD
T-H Sports Editor
ALLIANCE — Alliance High’s 2010 prospective graduate Cody Anthony has signed with the University of Nebraska-Kearney to play football at the next level. Anthony is excited and looking forward to continuing his football career and feels Kearney is a great fit and suits him as a player of his caliber. Anthony has been extremely successful as a running back and holds rushing records for Alliance High.
“I decided on Kearney because of course football,” Anthony shared. “Then they had the academics I wanted. They have a really good program for excess sciences for what I’m going into.”
Anthony had other offers, but chose Kearney and felt that was best.
