07-02-09

Happy Birthday Wishes to: 

Troy Berryman, James Bush, Lyle Carmichael, Grant DeYonge, Dave Graverholt, Steve Stover

Skywatch Weather: 

Today, partial sunshine, chance for showers or storms through midday, high 85. Tonight, partly cloudy, low 61. Friday, partial sunshine, chance for showers & storms, high 84

Sports: 

ESPN Radio now at 105.9 WJAG-FM & 780 WJAG-AM Mon-Fri at 6:00 PM & Sat & Sun at 4:00!

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Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are on the move. A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle to free-agent contracts with Gordon and Villanueva. The team is not allowed to announce the free-agent signings until next week. Gordon took a five-year pact worth at least $50 million after averaging 20.7 points for Chicago last season. Villanueva's contract is worth at least $35 million over five seasons. Villanueva averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season for the Bucks. The contracts came a day after President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars fired head coach Michael Curry following a 39-43 season. Dumars says he wants a new coach in place before Tuesday's opening practice for the NBA developmental league.

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Wayne State College Director of Athletics Eric Schoh announced yesterday that John Manganaro has stepped down as the head baseball coach of the Wildcats to become President of the Ultimate Baseball Academy in Omaha and has promoted assistant coach and former Wildcat player Brian Disch to interim head coach of the Wildcat baseball program effective immediately. Disch takes over a Wayne State program that was 45-15 this past season and set a new record for wins by a Northern Sun Conference team in league play, going 27-4, to capture a sixth straight NSIC regular season title. The Wildcats reached the title game of the NCAA Central Regional before falling to Mesa State 8-2. Disch, a Norfolk High School graduate, has served as the team’s hitting coach and third base coach for the last five seasons. The 55-year-old Manganaro served 20 seasons as a coach with the Wildcat baseball program, including the last 17 as head coach. He built Wayne State into one of the top programs in NCAA Division II, winning the last six NSIC conference regular season titles while guiding the Wildcats to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances and seven trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last nine seasons. Manganaro is a four-time NSIC Coach of the Year Award recipient and led the Wildcats to five NSIC Tournament titles. He coached the Wildcats to a pair of NCAA Regional championship games, falling to Central Missouri in 2004 and Mesa State this season.

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Local Schedule: Kelly’s 18’s at West Point (SB-7:45); New Orleans at Omaha Royals (Bsbl-7:05).

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Local Scores: New Orleans 4 Omaha Royals 3 (13 Inn.) (Bsbl).

Kwifax: 

Just 311 people participated in the first modern version of The Olympics in 1896

News Briefs: 

The Nebraska Public Power District is planning a $49 million upgrade to serve a pipeline that will deliver oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. It wants to build new substations and 70 miles of transmission line to serve the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

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The capital campaign is over, construction is underway -- and now the J. Paul and Eleanor McIntosh College of Nursing in Norfolk has its first administrator. Virginia Tilden, dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, says Dr. Ruth Macnamara has been appointed assistant dean of the new UNMC College of Nursing Northern Division in Norfolk. Macnamara is the founding and transitional dean, and one of her tasks will be to identify a permanent assistant dean by Janua

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Like many non-profit organizations, Bright Horizons of Norfolk is struggling to balance its budget -- with increasing needs for services but declining donations. On Wednesday, Norfolk State Senator Mike Flood presented a check for $20,432 to the local domestic violence advocacy agency, representing part of a settlement with Mattel Incorporated and Fischer Price. Bright Horizons Executive Director Linda Olson says the funds will be used to help balance the agency's budget.

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Thousands of educators are gathered in San Diego this week for the 147th annual meeting of the National Education Association, and one of the topics of discussion is reauthorization of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Jess Wolf, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, says he hopes Congress will reevaluate the policy so that school districts aren't "testing themselves to death."

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Now is the time for soybean producers to be checking their fields for the yield-robber soybean cyst nematode. Burt County Extension Educator John Wilson says SCN test plots indicate the best solution to an infestation is to plant resistant varieties of soybeans. Wilson says SCN damage is not visible by looking at the plant. It becomes apparent only at harvest when yields are lower than might be expected.

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The 14th annual Dynamite Duo and the Sparklers concerts will be offered tomorrow night and Saturday afternoon in Norfolk, but don't expect only patriotic music. Organizer Carla Post tells WJAG NEWS the concert is combination of patriotic music, show tunes, hymns, marches and golden oldies. This year, some of the performers will do musical pieces from the movie "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." There will also be patriotic readings, dances, a unicycle demonstration and a whistler. The concerts will be held in First Presbyterian Church at 7 Friday night and 2 Saturday afternoon. There is no admission charge.

Today's Tickler: 

Pessimist’s den: room for doubt


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