12-13-12

Posted on Dec 13th, 2012 at 7:39 am

Happy Birthday Wishes to:

Mark Brugman, Jeff Gaspers, Meaghen Hendershot, Tom Johnson, Jill Marsden, Dick Schlecht, Brian Signor, Joel Splittgerber, Fran Stewart

Skywatch Weather:

Today, a blend of clouds & sun, high 46. Tonight, mostly clear, low 22. Friday, mostly sunny early, the increasing clouds, high 45.

Sports:

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

Four Nebraska volleyball players were honored yesterday, as the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced its 2012 All-America team. Senior setter Lauren Cook led the charge as a first-team selection, while senior outside hitters Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth earned second-team honors and freshman middle blocker Meghan Haggerty was chosen as an honorable-mention selection. Nebraska continues to lead the nation with 74 AVCA All-America certificates by 37 athletes with at least one Husker earning All-America honors in 31 consecutive seasons. In 13 seasons at Nebraska, Head Coach John Cook has coached his players to 39 All-America honors. Creighton's Megan Bober and Kelli Browning were named Honorable-Mention. In other Husker volleyball news, Two-year starter Lara Dykstra is leaving the team to move closer to family and play beach volleyball. Cook says in a statement that Dykstra lost her passion for indoor volleyball and wants to be able to play collegiate beach volleyball.

The 2-2 Lutheran High Northeast girls basketball team visits 3-2 Norfolk Catholic tonight at 7:45. The Lady Eagles are ranked sixth in the Omaha World Herald & eighth in the Lincoln Journal Star in Class “C-2” while the Lady Knights are ranked third in the Lincoln Journal Star and fourth in the Omaha World Herald in Class “C-1”. Lutheran High Northeast has beaten Wisner/Pilger & Twin River while falling to West Point Guardian Angels & Concordia of Omaha. They are being outscored on average 53-43. Norfolk Catholic has defeated Madison, Winnebago, and Hartington Cedar Catholic while falling to Pierce & Bishop Neumann. They are outscoring their opponents on average 49.2-40.6. In the head-to-head matchup, dating back to 2005-2006, the Lady Knights hold a 3-1 edge outscoring the Lady Eagles on average 43.3-39.5. Lutheran High Northeast won last year’s game on December 15th at home 44-24. That win snapped the three game losing streak to Norfolk Catholic.

Saturday Morning: Sportstalk on 106 KIX & 106KIX.com from 9:00-10:00 AM from Hy-Vee West. Get the lowdown with the coaches.

Saturday: The Norfolk High girls & boys basketball teams visit Lincoln Northeast for a doubleheader starting with the girls game at 4:45. The boys contest will start at approximately 6:30. Pregame coverage at 4:25 on Newstalk WJAG 780 AM, 105.9 FM, & WJAG.com.

Kwifax:

It takes 80 to 100 years for an aluminum can to degrade.

News Briefs:

The Norfolk Public Schools Board of Education has given approval to a contract for a company to manage more than $2-million in roof repairs on district buildings. At Tuesday night's meeting, the board agreed to hire Heartland Roofing to manage all of the district roof replacements, repairs and resurfacing. Superintendent Marlene Uhing says Heartland will put the specs together for the bidding process, accept the bids and explain the differences to the board as they make their decision on which companies to hire. Heartland will also supervise the work on the projects, and advise the board when it comes time to sign off on completed work. Work will take about three-and-a-half years, and Heartland will be paid 6.5 percent of the total cost for managing the projects.

The Nebraska Public Power District says it's energized a new 345,000-kilovolt transmission line that will help ease a bottleneck in the regional transmission grid. NPPD says energizing the line from Axtell to a line in Kansas indicates the project is nearing conclusion. In May 2010 the Nebraska Power Review Board approved construction of the 53-mile stretch from Axtell to the state line. The project includes a line south to Spearville, Kansas, extending a total of 225 miles between the two towns. NPPD said the line is needed to ease congestion on its other transmission lines, raise the reliability of the regional transmission grid and improve the flow of electricity in western Nebraska.

Nebraska officials are preparing for a likely water shortage next year that would require extra conservation along the Republican River. Nebraska Department of Natural Resources deputy director Jim Schneider said Wednesday that his agency is in talks with Kansas and Colorado on ways to comply with the Republican River Compact. The water-sharing agreement among the states dates to 1943. A preliminary state forecast shows Nebraska's natural resources districts might need to make up 20,000 acre-feet of water next year to stay in compliance. Schneider says the districts have until Jan. 31 to share their plans for conserving water. He says districts are moving forward with augmentation plans that would draw water from more abundant groundwater sources. Otherwise, they might have to buy water from reservoirs or restrict usage.

Even though they are sold for only about six weeks each year, poinsettias are America's most popular potted plant. Burt County Extension Educator John Wilson says the poinsettia is native to Mexico, and was introduced into the United States in 1825 by the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett. Wilson says, when purchasing a poinsettia, be sure to select one that is fully branched with bright color in the leaves and bracts. And, contrary to the old wives' tale, Wilson says poinsettias are NOT poisonous for children or pets.

One newborn baby in Nebraska has come into the world with a little once-a-century good luck. The Nebraska Medical Center says Robin Heaton of Fremont gave birth to her daughter, Zoey, by C-section on Wednesday. That happens to be the date of 12-12-12 on the calendar. Even more luck comes with the fact that Zoey's birth was clocked in at 12:12 p.m. Officials later posted a photo of the newborn on their Facebook page, which has already received hundreds of well wishes.