02-19-13

Posted on Feb 19th, 2013 at 7:35 am

Happy Birthday Wishes to:

Nancy Boche, Gary Brodecky, Linda Cross, Connie Ingram, Kevin Johnson, Linda Varn

Skywatch Weather:

Today, a blend of clouds & sun early, then clearing, high 20. Tonight, mostly clear early, then increasing clouds, low 0. Wednesday, becoming mostly cloudy, high 28.

Sports:

ESPN Radio now at 105.9 WJAG-FM & 780 WJAG-AM Mon-Fri at 5:00 PM & Sat & Sun at 4:00!

A South African prosecutor charges Olympian Oscar Pistorius with the premeditated murder of his model girlfriend. The prosecutor said today that Pistorius shot 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door of his home in a guarded and gated complex in the South African capital, Pretoria. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court the door had been broken open. The family of the 26-year-old Paralympian and Olympic athlete says police evidence will show there should be no murder charge in the Valentine's Day shooting.

The Creighton men’s basketball team fell out of the USA Today Coaches Poll after being 23rd last week. The 21-6 Bluejays split two games in the last week, falling at Northern Iowa last Wednesday 61-54 and then beating Evansville at home last Saturday 71-68. Creighton will be in action next when they host 11-15 Southern Illinois tonight at 7:05. In other Creighton men’s basketball news, for the seventh time this season and twelfth time in his career, Doug McDermott has been named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week. The honor breaks the single-season mark he had held with National Player of the Year Hersey Hawkins (1987-88), and his twelve career honors trail only Hawkins’ mark of 14. In the process, McDermott became the first junior in league history to surpass 2,000 career points.

Local Schedule: Nfk High Vs. Omaha Marian at Lincoln SE (GBB A-4 Dist. Semifinal-7:00); Nfk Cath Vs. Pierce at Nfk High (BBB C-1-8 Sub-Dist. Semifinal-8:00); LHNE Vs. Plainview at Nfk Cath (BBB C-2-6 Sub-Dist. Semifinal-6:15); NECC at Central CC at Columbus (W&M BB-6:00); Southern Illinois at Creighton (MBB-7:05); Chicago St. At Nebraska-Omaha (MBB-7:00).

Tonight: The Class C-1-8 Boys Sub-District Tournament from Norfolk High School continues with semifinal action as Battle Creek takes on Boone Central/Newman Grove at 6:00 followed by Norfolk Catholic versus Pierce at 8:00. Pregame coverage at 5:40 on 106 KIX & 106KIX.com. Also, the Norfolk High girls basketball team faces Omaha Marian at Lincoln Southeast High School in an A-4 District Semifinal at 7:00. Pregame coverage at 6:40 on Newstalk WJAG 105.9 FM & WJAG.com.

Local Scores: Battle Creek 57 Madison 54 (BBB C-1-8 Tourn. At Nfk High); Plainview 45 Neligh/Oakdale 29 (BBB C-2-6 Tourn. At Nfk Cath).

Kwifax:

Divots has Outdoor Ice Skating! Yep .. 35 degrees or below it’s open! 402.844.2985

According to legend Cupid fell in love with Psyche

News Briefs:

U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska says he will not seek re-election in 2014. The Nebraska Republican announced in a statement Monday that he would not seek a second term. The former Nebraska governor and U.S. agriculture secretary says he and his wife, Stephanie, have decided that the time has come "to close this chapter of our lives." Johanns joined the U.S. Senate in 2009. He served as agriculture secretary under President George W. Bush and was Nebraska's governor from 1999 to 2005.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman says he'll consider a run for the U.S. Senate in the 2014 election, but it's too early to decide one way or the other. Heineman said Monday that a U.S. Senate seat was "the farthest thing from my mind" until he received word that Sen. Johanns wouldn't seek re-election. Heineman says he'll give some thought to running. The Republican governor is leaving office in 2015 because of term limits.

Nebraska lawmaker Charlie Janssen says he will run for governor in 2014. Janssen made his announcement Monday in his hometown of Fremont. Janssen says he is running to keep Nebraska's conservative values alive. He says as governor he would work to limit government and grow the business sector. Janssen, a Republican, is known for his strong opposition to illegal immigration. He also has introduced guns-rights bills this year and is trying to end state-funded prenatal care coverage for illegal immigrants. He says his decision to run was not swayed by former Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy's recent exit from the 2014 race.

The United States Department of Agriculture has invested millions of dollars in rural American in everything from home loans to infrastructure. The director of USDA Rural Development for the State of Nebraska - and former Lieutenant Governor - Maxine Moul was in Norfolk to celebrate the closing of a loan for a couple who recently purchased a home in the Elgin area. Moul says last fiscal year, the USDA invested $257 million in the state through community, non-profit, business and home ownership loans.

Nebraska Public Power District representatives spent the afternoon in Norfolk yesterday hearing from their Northeast Nebraska customers and presenting the non-profit public utility's Integrated Resource Plan. The IRP is completed every five years and is designed as an economic tool to help NPPD protect its customers from cost volatility while maintaining reliable electric service. NPPD generates energy from coal, nuclear plants, natural gas, hydro plants and wind turbines.

The 2nd Annual Celebrate Giving event in Norfolk will honor philanthropists and celebrate the spirit of giving in Northeast Nebraska. The event is slated for Saturday night at the Divots Conference Center. The social hour starts at 5:30; youth philanthropy projects will be on display at that time. The dinner and program begins at 6:30. Tickets available online at philanthropycouncilne.org.