<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1572272230052.jpeg"> The Chadron Public Schools Board of Education announced Friday, they have voted to negotiate with Mrs. Ginger Meyer for the position of Superintendent of Schools. Mrs. Meyer has been Superindentent at Scribner-Snyder Community Schools since 2011. The Board, along School Administrators, Staff and Community Members all met with Mrs. Meyer through the interview process. She was also given a tour of the facilities. The Board of Education will ratify Mrs. Meyer's contract at an upcoming meeting. The Board thanks all who were involved for their input, and they welcome Mrs. Meyer her husband Deron and their 2 children, Nia and Tobin, to the Chadron community and School District.

Chadron Public Schools set to hire new Superintendent

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575903672856.jpeg"> The Alliance Community Choir will present their annual Christmas Concert, “The Sounds of Christmas” on Sunday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m. at the Alliance United Methodist Church and again on Wednesday, December 18 at 7:00 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church.&nbsp; The performance features the Alliance Community Choir with Gordon Hoff as Narrator, plus Peals of Joy, the United Methodist Church handbell choir, Alliance High School Senior Aubrey Garrett performing her original Christmas song,&nbsp;and Alliance Musician and Singer Robbie Cerv will perform “Silent Night” accompanied by Jim Settle on classical guitar. The Choir is directed by Becky Mitchell and accompanied by Cynthia Horn on piano with Cheryl Lubash and Aiden Zaro adding percussion.&nbsp;Peals of Joy is directed by Merrily DeBusk.&nbsp;There is no charge to attend, but there will be a free-will offering.

Alliance Community Choir too present Christmas Concert

By Kerri RemppNorthwest Nebraska Tourism Director The murder of an Army scout, the Cheyenne’s run through the buttes after fleeing Fort Robinson, and railroad camps and tent cities that boomed with the coming of the railroad all share one thing: geography.&nbsp;Northwest Nebraska is rich in history; the story of the West unfolds in Dawes and Sioux counties, from Native American heritage to the era of fur-traders and homesteaders. Nearly three dozen historical markers serve provide historical context for the people and places that shaped Northwest Nebraska.&nbsp;Before the West was carved up by homesteaders and the free range fenced, Native American tribes walked the land of Northwest Nebraska and during the fur-trade era, many conducted business with the traders. James Bordeaux opened his Indian trading house in the mid-1840s near what is today the Museum of the Fur Trade. Bordeaux’s trading house was once attached by Crow warriors, who were eventually driven off by friendly Sioux Indians. He traded the Indians’ buffalo robes, furs and ponies for guns, powder, blankets and whiskey for nearly three decades in Northwest Nebraska.&nbsp; <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576259067110.jpeg"> But as westward expansion surged, disputes over land erupted. In September 1875, the Allison Commission met with thousands of Sioux Indians under a lone cottonwood tree near present-day Whitney. The commission members hoped to convince the Native Americans to part with the Black Hills, but negotiations failed. While the Council Tree or Treaty Tree died decades ago, its general location is still marked along Old Highway 20.The story of the Native American people continued in Northwest Nebraska as more settlers arrived, the military established outposts and tribes were assigned to dedicated “agencies,” where they were to live. A few years after the Allison Commission failed in its negotiations, a band of Cheyenne, led by Dull Knife, fled a reservation in Oklahoma, seeking to return to their homeland in Wyoming and Montana. Nearly 150 of the Cheyenne were captured and imprisoned at Fort Robinson, refusing to return to Oklahoma. In January 1879, several of the younger Cheyenne Warriors used smuggled weapons and broke out of the barracks, fighting a running battle across the Fort’s parade ground, eventually reaching the White River, scaling the nearby cliffs and escaping. The Cheyenne evaded troops for 12 days but were discovered hiding along Antelope Creek Jan. 22. The outbreak resulted in the deaths of 64 Cheyenne and 11 soldiers.&nbsp;Other Native Americans worked with the military, such as Baptiste “Little Bat” Garnier, who served as Chief of the Fort Robinson Scouts. Garnier’s father was French-Canadian, but he was raised among his mother’s Sioux people, earning a reputation as one of the best interpreters and big game hunters in the Rocky Mountain Region of the Nebraska Territory, according to “Fifty Years on the Old Frontier” by James Cook. Little Bat took part in General George Crook’s Black Hills Expedition, worked as a scout with Col. Merritt’s 5th Cavalry and was acting as a military interpreter during Wounded Knee when fighting broke out.&nbsp; ﻿<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576259201666.jpeg"> He was shot and killed Dec. 16, 1900, in a Crawford saloon by local bartender James Haguewood. After being shot, Little Bat stumbled into the street and was taken into a nearby building, where he died, Cook wrote in his book. His life and death are paid tribute with a plaque on the side of what is today known as the Corner Bar, where the fatal shot was fired. Haguewood was acquitted on a plea of self-defense.Little Bat’s death and interment records read that he was “brutally shot while wholly unarmed and without cause or justification.”&nbsp;The City of Crawford itself is recognized with a historical marker, having its start as a tent city in 1886. Named after a soldier at Fort Robinson, the town served as an important supply depot for the military outpost, and a center of entertainment for the soldiers stationed there. The historical marker telling the city’s story is located at the site of the Visitor’s Center at the junction of Highways 2/71 and 20.&nbsp;Crawford isn’t alone in its historic status; the village of Harrison is also recognized with an official state marker. Originally established as a railroad camp in 1884, the town was initially named Summit thanks to its elevation of 4,876 feet. It remains the highest town in the state today.&nbsp;Just west of Harrison was the Coffee Siding. Cattle ranching was king in Northwest Nebraska, and one of the largest cattle barons, Charles Coffee, constructed a railroad siding between Harrison and Lusk in order to ship cattle to Chicago and avoid Wyoming’s higher freight charges. Agriculture remains a key industry in Northwest Nebraska but trucks have taken over what was once the railroad’s domain.&nbsp;The complete list of Northwest Nebraska’s historical markers can be found at <a href="http://discovernwnebraska.com/museums/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); background-color: transparent;">http://discovernwnebraska.com/museums/</a>.

Rich NWN history makes a perfect road trip

Panhandle Post, and all Post websites in communities served by Eagle Communications, experienced a multi-day outage this week. The Eagle tech team worked quickly to restore the sites, which are functional as of this morning. During the outage we have heard via phone call, email and Facebook message from Post visitors unable to use the site. We appreciate all who read and enjoy the Post as a source for local and state news, sports stories, streaming audio of KCOW, Double Q Country and B94.7; and other services like obituaries and Open Mic listings, We are glad to be back serving the panhandle!

Panhandle Post website back after technical issues

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a regular meeting of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Chadron, Nebraska, will be held at 6:00 o’clock P.M. on Monday, December 16, 2019 in the City Hall Council Chambers at 234 Main Street, Chadron, Nebraska, which meeting will be open to the public.&nbsp; The Mayor and Council reserve the right to adjourn into executive session pursuant to Section 84-1410 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes. An agenda for such meeting kept continuously current is available for public inspection at the office of the City Clerk at City Hall during normal business hours; provided, the City Council may modify the agenda at the meeting if it determines that an emergency so requires.&nbsp; Individuals requiring physical or sensory accommodations who desire to attend the meeting or participate, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall at 234 Main Street no later than 4:00 o’clock P.M. on the Friday preceding the meeting. 	Donna J. Rust	City Clerk

Notice for Chadron council meeting released

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576255681626.jpeg"> Panhandle Public Health District (PPHD) recently partnered with area students to spread theword on the dangers of JUULing. The campaign featured high school athletes from around theregion who committed to saying no to the harmful effects of JUULing. One scholarshiprecipient was selected based on a social media campaign and we are excited to announce thewinner of a $250 scholarship is Alliance High School Senior, Joel Baker. Joel is the son of Michael and Valerie Baker of Alliance PPHD wants to remind everyone to not let the ads from JUUL fool you - JUUL&amp;#39;s flavored e-cigarettes can deliver the same amount of nicotine as 20 cigarettes. Last year, teen e-cigaretteuse spiked to 78%. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harmbrain development. Some e-cigarettes look like regular tobacco products, such as cigarettes. But in recent years, e-cigarettes look like other things, including USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items.JUUL is one of the most common e-cigarettes shaped like a USB flash drive. None of them aresafe for young people to use. Help us spread the awareness of the harmful effects of e-cigarette use by talking to studentsabout the dangers today. We commend each of the area athletes that committed to being aleader and helped raise awareness of this increasing problem by steering clear of the harmfuleffects of JUULing. For help quitting, the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), and for Spanish services at 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569). We encourage parentsand teens to talk to your healthcare provider about resources and support. For additionalresources visit www.QuitNow.ne.gov or www.pphd.org. Panhandle Public Health District is working together to improve the health, safety, and qualityof life for all who live, learn, work and play in the Panhandle. Our vision is that we are ahealthier and safer Panhandle Community.

Alliance High School Senior, Joel Baker, receives scholarship from Panhandle Public Health District

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565103625207.jpeg" width="256">Photo courtesy: <a href="www.canstockphoto.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.canstockphoto.com</a> Click <a href="https://www.panhandlepost.com/category/obituaries/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HERE</a> to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners. Panhandle Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to&nbsp;<a href="kcowradio@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">kcowradio@gmail.com</a>

Recent obituaries

The Alliance City Council held a special meeting Tuesday to discuss options to meet the City's Transit and Parks needs and also look at direction for the City owned property at 1200 Flack Ave..the former Bomgaars Building, which the City purchased in 2018.&nbsp; City Manager Jeff Sprock gave a detailed report of his findings, following requests by Council to look into expansion of current facilities, relocating the Parks and Street Departments, Building a stand alone Public transit Bus Barn and seeking options for rehabbing or marketing the former Bomgaars building.&nbsp;&nbsp; City Manager Sprock outlined the current needs for Alliance, which included a parks maintenance facility, expanded room for the public works, electric department, Police and Communications, City Hall, a new Airport Hanger and Fire Training facility. with the biggest needs being Parks and Transit.&nbsp; Sprock presented several options to the Council...remodeling the Bomgaars building,&nbsp;Expanding the Public works building or&nbsp;building a new facility...each with their benefits and challenges.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sprock outlined several ideas regarding expansion of the current public works building which would allow additional space for the Electric, Water and Public transit and would then allow the Street Department to move into Public Works facility and in turn the Parks Department would move into the Street Building.&nbsp;The upside of the expansion would be consolidation, transit money would be available to help with costs, More of the Citys reserves would be available and the building could be designed to meet the department needs.&nbsp;The downside would be the total cost is unknown at this time and what would the City do with the building at 1200 Flack.&nbsp;Sprock gave the council some estimated costs for the expansion, based on total square footage needed for each department and with some cost share funds available the estimated cost was just under 1.6 million.&nbsp; Sprock also outlined 2 options for remodeling the Bomgaars building. The benefits of which would be.... 1. Making good use of a vacant property2. The property is fenced3. Allows for the development of East 12th street The Challenges of remodeling the 1200 Flack Building. 1. It is an older building2. It has a concrete floor with no drainage3. It has interior support pillars4. The only paved access is off Highway 875. It is not centrally located6. 12th street would need to be paved to Potash Ave.&nbsp; Box Butte Development Director Chelsie Herian spoke to the Council about marketing 1200 Flack, saying she has spoken with several parties who expressed interest in buying the building. Some retail, some Industrial. Herian asked the Council..." could the building be sold" and could she move forward if the price is agreeable? City Manager Sprock wraped up his presentation saying the City has the borrowing capacity and reserves to afford any of the options discussed. Sprock said it is the recommendation of City staff to move forward with the expansion of the Public Works Building, Move the Street Department to that facility and move the Parks Department to the Streets building. Sprock said the next step would be to hire an engineer to assess the property and work with staff to create a design for the expansion.&nbsp; Mayor Mike Dafney asked for input from the City Department Heads. Cultural and Leisure Service Director Shana Brown said the Bomgaars building would not be the best for her department due to the distance from downtown and limited access. She would support following the staff recommendation.&nbsp;Electric Superintendent Kirby Bridge and Water/Sewer/Street Superintendent Ross Grant both said they would support the public works expansion.&nbsp;Fire Chief Troy Shoemaker and Police Chief John Kiss both said moving to the former Bomgaars building would allow their departments more space, but they would follow whatever direction the Council decided.&nbsp;Mayor Dafney said&nbsp;he would be in favor of following the Staff recommendations and stated that he felt the City made a mistake in purchasing the facility at 1200 Flack and it was time to own up to that and make a decision on what to do. Dafney said "the city has been sitting on this for 2 years" .&nbsp;Mayor Dafney asked the other Council members for their input. Council members&nbsp;Annora Bentley and Ryann Reynolds both said they would support selling&nbsp;1200 Flack and getting it back on the tax rolls. Councilman Brian Mischnick spoke on the potential impacts this project would have on the Citys ability to maintain their current sewer/water/electic and streets, if funds go to the expansion project.&nbsp;Mayor Dafney moved to follow the staff recommendation and the motion passed 3-1 with Councilman Mischnick voting no.&nbsp; Mayor Dafney then moved to allow Box Butte Development to explore selling the 1200 Flack facility with council approval of any potential sale. That motion passed 4-0.&nbsp;Councilman Earl Jones was excused from the meeting.&nbsp; In other business the Council approved a resolution authorizing an Amended Memorandum of Argeement with Western Nebraska Community College for leased space within the Alliance Library/Learning Center.

Alliance city council approves facilities expansion, looks to sell former Bomgaars building

Chadron Police and the Dawes County Coroner's Office are investigating&nbsp;the death of a 53 year old Chadron resident.&nbsp; According to a press release from Dawes County Attorney Vance Haug,&nbsp; On Monday Morning, December 9,&nbsp;at approximately 7:15 am,&nbsp;Chadron Police were called to investigate the unattended death of Scott Gibbons.&nbsp;Gibbons was found dead in the home of a family member, who discovered him to be non-responsive on the couch when she awoke that morning. The Dawes County Attorney/ Coroner's Office was contacted shortly thereafter and an autopsy was ordered to assist in determining the cause of death. Foul play is not suspected and the investigation is ongoing.

Chadron PD investigating death of Chadron resident

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, an outspoken advocate for Nebraska agriculture and trade, issued the following statement regarding the agreement reached on the USMCA trade deal.&nbsp; “It’s about dang time and it took a messy fight, but here’s the great news: we’ve earned a win for Nebraska farmers and ranchers. I’ve been working with the President for more than a year now, pushing Speaker Pelosi to get this done. I’m glad House Democrats have stopped stonewalling so we can let Nebraska keep feeding the world.”<img src="https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/TMJZYsU60nJeBj8ZjCg9q7zSkGNLevGsmhGot58eovtNKHRAbEhf50VwWoHESCob5UZPLahhhX_LhOSA83p402jeaTxP-lJgY2ARWmoiEPS_aLB_e_NifKRid0QeKLkX5lcEJFsgM3neTjARP0xTF18fjhv-T17RQNA=s0-d-e1-ft#https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/SenSasse/iqtrk.gif?crop=15559.13165588.6148222.7456038" height="0" width="0"><img src="https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/TMJZYsU60nJeBj8ZjCg9q7zSkGNLevGsmhGot58eovtNKHRAbEhf50VwWoHESCob5UZPLahhhX_LhOSA83p402jeaTxP-lJgY2ARWmoiEPS_aLB_e_NifKRid0QeKLkX5lcEJFsgM3neTjARP0xTF18fjhv-T17RQNA=s0-d-e1-ft#https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/SenSasse/iqtrk.gif?crop=15559.13165588.6148222.7456038" height="0" width="0">

U.S. Senator Sasse USMCA trade deal

The Alliance Public Library&nbsp; will host Humanities Nebraska with Gwen Meister- The mountain Dulcimer on Monday December 9th from 5- 6 PM.&nbsp; The Alliance Chamber of Commerce will have Santa in his house starting at 2PM on Saturday the 14th.&nbsp; Make sure you check out the Santa schedule on the community calendar so your kids can make their Christmas Wish.&nbsp;&nbsp;7th street dance studio will have 2 performances at the performing art center at 3PM and 6 PM on Saturday December 15th. The Alliance Community Choir will perform Sounds of Christmas on Sunday December 15th at the United Methodist Church at 2 PM as well as Wednesday December 18th at St. Johns at 7 PM! Don't miss out on your opportunity to hear them perform!&nbsp; This concludes the Box Butte County Activity Report brought to you by Box Butte Development Corporation &amp; Tourism as well as KCOW, working together to Build the Best Home Town in America.&nbsp; To Chart your Course find more local events all year round at VisitAlliance.com!

Box Butte Co. actiity report for week of 12/ 9/19

High School Basketball - December 10Boys Games<ul><li>Garden County 55, Sioux County 33</li><li>Gordon/Rushville 63, Crawford 55</li><li>Morrill 74, Hay Springs 37</li><li>North Platte St. Patrick's 81, Creek Valley 32</li><li>Sedgwick County, Colo. 51, South Platte 21</li></ul> Girls Games<ul><li>Gordon/Rushville 46, Crawford 35</li><li>Morrill 61, Hay Springs 29</li><li>North Platte St. Patrick's 74, Creek Valley 20</li><li>Sioux County 39, Garden County 17</li><li>South Platte 48, Sedgwick County, Colo. 32</li></ul>﻿<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575978019374.jpeg">

High School Basketball Scoreboard: Tuesday, December 10

By: Con MarshallCSC Sports Information There’s a Friday the 13th in December this year.&nbsp;And, this is the 13th consecutive year that Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs will be competing in the barrel race at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The 10 rounds of competition begin on Thursday and will run through Saturday the 14th at the Thomas and Mack Center.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We’ll have to wait until the fabled rodeo is almost over before we’ll know what kind of luck Lisa has when she and the three horses she took to run the cloverleaf pattern have in Vegas this year. However, she’s already left an indelible mark in the highly competitive barrel racing world, and she adds to it nearly every year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While Lisa did not do as well as usual at the NFR last year, finishing 11th, her lowest placing since she was 12th in 2008, she’s more than made up for that downturn this year.&nbsp;She’s third in this year’s standings with earnings of $146,352 going to Las Vegas. That’s the second highest total of her career during the “regular season” and only about $8,450 behind the leader, Nellie Miller of Cottonwood, Calif., whose earnings total $154,810.&nbsp;Sandwiched between them is last year’s winner, Hailey Kinsel of Cotulla, Texas, with $148,867. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kinsel had already won $192,834 to lead the 15 participates entering last year’s NFR, won another $157,965 there and finished with a grand total of $350,800. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Much of Lisa’s earnings this year came at two special events. In March, while riding what she called her “third string” horse, Cutter, a black gelding, for the first time in big time competition, she pocketed more than $26,000 while winning first place at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Fla. Then in July, she edged Kinsel by three-thousands of a second for top honors at the Calgary Stampede. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Calgary’s first place payoff totals $100,000 but only half of that amount can be counted toward NFR qualification.&nbsp;Still, $76,000 goes a long ways toward punching a ticket to Las Vegas. This year’s 15th barrel racing qualifier has earnings of $88,936, and she had to enter 73 rodeos to do it.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lisa entered 47 rodeos this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cutter is among the three horses Lisa and her husband, Grady, loaded onto the trailer Sunday morning after the weekend blizzard had subsided and the highways were reopened.&nbsp;Also making the trip was Rosa, the nine-year-old mare that began earning her spurs in the barrel racing world in early 2018 when she and Lisa won first and something like $33,000 at two Texas rodeos. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rosa also was the horse Lisa was riding when she won the Calgary Stampede last summer. Then there’s the “old faithful” of the Lockhart string. He’s Louie, now 16.&nbsp;He couldn’t be left behind. He’s familiar with the Thomas and Mack Center after being the mount Lisa rode in every go-round at the finals eight straight years. Besides having uncommon speed, he seldom knocked over a barrel, which is disastrous because it adds five seconds to the time.&nbsp;Three times over a four-year stretch through 2017, Lisa and Louie left all 30 barrels standing, helping them either win or place high in the averages.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When asked which horse she expected to ride in the opening go-round Thursday night, Lisa said she was leaning toward Cutter.&nbsp;She said he performed well during several rodeos they attended in September and seems to keep improving.&nbsp;&nbsp; While she’s never won the world championship, Lisa was the runner-up in both 2014 and 2015, was third in both 2013 and 2016 and fourth in both 2010 and 2011.&nbsp;She’s also finished fifth in both 2007, her first year in Las Vegas, and 2012. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her largest total payoffs were in 2014 and ’15, when she was the runner-up and tallied $265,000 and $285,000, respectively. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lisa isn’t the only South Dakota cowgirl in the NFR barrels.&nbsp;Jessica Routier of Buffalo has qualified again after finishing second in the world standings last year with earnings of about $241,000. She’s eighth among this year’s top 15 with paychecks totaling $96,582.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Two Nebraska cowboys also will be competing in Las Vegas. Steven Dent of Mullen is 10th in bareback riding with earnings of $93,798 and Riley Pruitt of Gering is eighth in tie down roping after winning $99,535 this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dent finished second in the 2018 bareback standings with $254,734 after scoring the most points in the 10 go-rounds.&nbsp;This is Dent’s 10th trip to the NFR. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is Pruitt’s second NFR.&nbsp;He finished 7th in the final tie down standings in 2016. His father, Troy, was the world champion tie down roper in 1990 and his mother, the former Martee Meter, was a top barrel racer while attending Chadron State College in the late 1970s and early ’80.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Don Meter of Minatare, Riley’s maternal grandfather, was Chadron State’s first national champion athlete in any sport when he won what was then called “calf roping” in 1954 at the college finals rodeo.&nbsp;

Oelrichs' Lisa Lockhart competing in National Finals Rodeo Friday

HOUSTON (AP) - Rookie Drew Lock threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns and Kareem Jackson had an interception and returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown against his former team . The Denver Broncos built a huge first-half lead and coasted to a 38-24 win over the Houston Texans. Lock made his NFL debut in a win over the Chargers last week. He threw for 235 yards with three TDs in the first half for the most yards passing in a first half by the Broncos since Peyton Manning had 282 in Week 5 of 2014. The San Francisco 49ers have regained control of the top seed in the NFC after earning a wild shootout win over the Saints in New Orleans Robbie Gould kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired to complete the Niners' 48-46 victory over the Saints. Jimmy Garoppolo's clutch completion to tight end George Kittle for a 39-yard gain, along with a defensive facemask penalty on fourth-and-2 from the San Francisco 33, helped set up Gould's winning kick. Garoppolo passed for 349 yards and four touchdowns as the 49ers improved to 11-2, one game ahead of the Packers, Saints and Seahawks. Niners receiver Emmanuel Sanders had a 75-yard touchdown and added his second-career scoring toss after taking a handoff on a reverse. The Saints took their last lead on Drew Brees' fifth touchdown pass of the game, an 18-yarder to Tre'Quan Smith with 53 seconds left. Meanwhile, the Niners regained sole possession of the NFC West lead with Seattle's 28-12 loss to the Rams. Jared Goff passed for 293 yards and two touchdowns as Los Angeles improved to 8-5 and increased its playoff chances. Todd Gurley ran for 79 yards and a fourth-quarter TD to help the Rams end the Seahawks' five-game winning streak. The 9-4 Chiefs clinched the AFC West as Patrick Mahomes completed 26 of his 40 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 victory over the Patriots. Tom Brady was under pressure all game and finished 19 of 36 for 169 yards, a touchdown and interception. The game was in doubt until Bashaud Breeland knocked away Brady's fourth-down pass attempt to Julian Edelman in the end zone, ending New England's 21-game home winning streak. Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes and the 11-2 Ravens secured their second consecutive playoff with a 24-17 win over the 9-4 Bills. Jackson finished 16 of 25 for 143 yards and appeared to seal the game by hitting Willie Snead for a four-yard TD to put Baltimore ahead, 24-9 with 9:49 left. Facing fourth-and-8 at Baltimore's 16, Josh Allen's pass over the middle was broken up by Marcus Peters at the goal line to secure the win. Diontae Johnson ran for an 85-yard touchdown on a punt return and caught a pass for another score to lead the Steelers past the Cardinals, 23-17. Joe Haden had two of the Steelers' three interceptions in the second half as Pittsburgh won for the seventh time in eight games to bolster its playoff hopes. Rookie free agent quarterback Devlin Hodges completed 16 of 19 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown in his third career start for the Steelers. Aaron Jones rushed for a season-high 134 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries as the Packers held off the Redskins, 20-15. Jones had his third 100-yard rushing game of the season and hauled in six catches for 58 yards as Green Bay improved to 10-3 to stay one game ahead of the Vikings atop the NFC North. Washington's Adrian Peterson became just the sixth back in NFL history to reach the 14,000-yard mark, running for 76 yards and a score. Danielle Hunter had three of Minnesota's five sacks in a 20-7 victory against the Lions. Kirk Cousins passed for 242 yards and a touchdown. Dalvin Cook had 75 yards from scrimmage and a rushing score on 20 touches over three quarters as the Vikings moved to 9-4 while handing Detroit its sixth consecutive loss. The Texans share the AFC South lead with Tennessee after Ryan Tannehill threw for 391 yards and three touchdowns in the Titans' fourth straight win, 42-21 versus the Raiders. Derrick Henry ran for two scores and the Titans bounced back from a deflected interception on the opening drive to score TDs on five of their next seven possessions. Henry rushed for 103 yards and broke a 21-all tie with a 10-yard TD run midway through the third quarter. Nick Chubb produced 99 of his 106 yards rushing after halftime as the Browns dumped the Bengals, 27-19 to stay in the AFC playoff hunt at 6-7. Denzel Ward returned an interception 61 yards for Cleveland's first score. Baker Mayfield and Kareem Hunt had rushing touchdowns to help the Browns overcome Joe Mixon's career-high 146 yards rushing and a touchdown. Jameis Winston threw for 456 yards and four touchdowns in guiding the Buccaneers to a 38-35 triumph over the sputtering Colts. Winston overcame three more interceptions and having one returned for a TD for the fifth time season, wiping out a 14-point, second-half deficit. Jacoby Brissett completed 19 of 36 passes for 251 yards, two TDs and no interceptions for Indianapolis, which is 6-7 following its fifth loss in six games. Philip Rivers threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns, including an 84-yarder to Austin Ekeler in the Chargers's 45-10 trouncing of the Jaguars. The Chargers scored on four of five possessions in the first half to take a 24-3 into the locker room. It was Jacksonville's fifth consecutive lopsided loss, all by at least 17 points. Matt Ryan threw the longest touchdown pass of his career and became the 10th quarterback in NFL history to reach 50,000 yards passing while guiding the Falcons' 40-20 thumping of the Panthers. Ryan finished off Carolina with a 93-yard touchdown pass to little-used Olamide Zaccheaus in the third quarter. The Panthers were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their fifth straight loss and first under interim coach Perry Fewell. Miami erased a 16-6 deficit before Sam Ficken kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to give the Jets a 22-21 comeback victory over the Dolphins. The winning drive was prolonged after officials overturned a non-call for pass interference. San Darnold finished 20 of 36 for 270 yards, including touchdowns to Demaryius Thomas and Robby Anderson.

Broncos topple Texans behind rookie QB's big day

Courtesy: Husker Athletics LINCOLN, Neb. - The Nebraska volleyball team reached its eighth straight NCAA Regional with a 3-1 win over Missouri in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Saturday night.&nbsp;&nbsp; The sixth-ranked Huskers rallied after dropping the first set, coming back for a 20-25, 25-20, 32-30, 25-18 win in front of a crowd of 8,091 in the final home match of the season. Nebraska, the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, will head to Madison, Wisconsin for regionals and will meet No. 12 Hawaii in the regional semifinal next Friday. The No. 4 Badgers will host No. 13 Texas A&amp;M in the other regional semifinal in Madison. Jazz Sweet had a big night to power the Huskers into their NCAA-record 35th regional appearance. Sweet led Nebraska with 17 kills, her most ever in an NCAA Tournament match and one shy of her career high overall. Sweet also tied her career high with six blocks and added four digs, two shy of her career high. Lexi Sun (13 kills), Madi Kubik (11) and Lauren Stivrins (11) also had double-figure kills for the Big Red. Nebraska committed nine errors and hit .000 in the first set but had only 10 errors while hitting .350 over the final three sets. The Huskers hit .267 overall in the match. Nicklin Hames dished out 42 assists and had 12 digs, while Kubik also had a double-double with 10 digs to go along with her 11 kills.&nbsp; <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575822651667.jpeg"> Defensively, Nebraska out-blocked Missouri 13-6 and out-dug the Tigers, 59-53. The Huskers were also strong at the service line with seven aces against only three errors, with Hames and Megan Miller each serving up three aces. Leketor Member-Meneh led Missouri with a match-high 19 kills to pace three Tigers in double-figure kills. The Tigers ended their season with a 22-8 record, while Nebraska improved to 27-4. Set 1: Sweet began the set with a block and two kills, and Kubik had a block and an ace as the Huskers claimed a 7-5 lead. But Missouri rallied with a 4-0 run to take a 9-7 lead and force a Husker timeout. Schwarzenbach and Sun struck kills and then teamed up for a block before Hames served an ace to restore a 12-10 lead. But the Tigers answered again with two blocks and a kill and two Husker errors, and Nebraska needed another timeout as it trailed 15-12. Missouri's run continued with two more unforced Husker hitting errors, and the 7-0 run had Mizzou up 17-12 before a service error ended it. Tyanna Omazic had back-to-back kills to make it 20-13 Missouri, but Sweet posted a kill and a solo block, and Miller served back-to-back aces to pull the Big Red within 21-18 and force a Mizzou timeout. NU ended up cutting it to two at 22-20, but the Tigers scored the final three points, including back-to-back aces by Omazic to end the set, 25-20. Nebraska hit .000 in set one with nine attacking errors, while Missouri hit .212.&nbsp; Set 2: NU came out of the gates with a 5-1 run, keyed by another Miller ace and two kills by Kubik. The Huskers led 9-4 after a kill by Sun, but Missouri ripped off four straight points to get within 9-8, but Sweet recorded two kills in a row to make it 12-9 Huskers. Stivrins had a pair of kills, and Sun had another as NU went up 18-14. Missouri responded with a pair of kills and an ace to get within 18-17, but Sweet sandwiched a pair of kills around one by Stivrins to put NU up 22-18. Stivrins terminated on the slide to earn set point at 24-20, and Nebraska evened the match with a 25-20 win. Nebraska out-hit Missouri .400 to .345 in the set.&nbsp; Set 3: Missouri ripped off a 7-1 run to take a 10-4 advantage. Back-to-back solo blocks by Hames and Sun started a 10-1 Husker run in which the Huskers posted five blocks. Schwarzenbach combined for three of them, and Sun gave NU a 12-11 lead with two straight kills. Hames served an ace, and a block by Sun and Schwarzenbach made it 14-11. Sweet, Schwarzenbach and Kubik tacked on kills for a 19-15 advantage, and the lead went to five, 22-17, after an ace by Hames. The Huskers earned set point at 24-20, but Missouri scored five points in a row to take a 25-24 lead. Sweet answered with a clutch kill to tie it at 25-25, and Kubik tipped one for another Husker set point, 26-25. The teams traded points to a 27-27 tie, when Member-Meneh terminated a kill for set point for Missouri at 28-27. A service error tied the score again at 28-28, and Member-Meneh and Kubik traded kills to make it 29-29. Sun put NU on top, 30-29, and the Huskers stayed ahead 31-30 after a Missouri service error. Sweet and Schwarzenbach produced a block to end the thriller at 32-20. It was the Huskers' sixth block of the set. Nebraska had seven set points, while Missouri had three chances to win it.&nbsp; Set 4: Nebraska took an 8-4 lead after back-to-back blocks by Stivrins, one with Sweet and one with Kubik, part of a 5-0 run. Missouri sliced the deficit to one at 13-12, but Sun terminated back-to-back rallies, and Sweet continued her phenomenal match with two more kills to take Nebraska to an 18-13 lead. Two straight kills by Kubik and one each by Stivrins and Sweet made it 23-15 Nebraska after a 5-0 spurt, and the Huskers advanced to regionals with a 25-18 win.&nbsp;

Nebraska rallies to tame Tigers and make NCAA Sweet 16

Courtesy: Husker Athletics Omaha – Haanif Cheatham had a team-high 14 points to lead five Huskers in double figures, but Nebraska's start proved costly in a 95-76 loss at Creighton Saturday afternoon. Cheatham scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half as Nebraska shot 61 percent in the second half but was unable to overcome a blistering start by Creighton in the first 15 minutes. Thorir Thorbjarnarson had a career-high 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, while Cam Mack (12), Matej Kavas (11) and Jervay Green (10) all finished in double figures for Nebraska (4-5). Marcus Zegarowski led four Creighton players in double figures with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists, as the Bluejays (7-2) shot 53 percent on the day, including 13 3-pointers. Ty-Shon Alexander added 22 points in the victory. Damien Jefferson, who entered the game 1-of-15 from 3-point range on the season, drained a pair of 3-pointers in a 18-2 Creighton spurt to open the contest that set the tone for the contest.&nbsp;Nebraska While the hosts got off to a blistering start, Nebraska struggled from the floor, missing 24 of 27 shots from the floor as Creighton raced out to a big lead and cruised to a 19 -point victory. The Huskers return to action Friday night when they take Indiana in its Big Ten opener.

Huskers frozen from field early, crushed by Creighton

By: John MurphyCSC Sports Information CHADRON, Neb. -- December 6, 2019 -- The Chadron State College women's basketball team shot 10-12 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and Sophomore Jori Peters scored a season high 24 points, as the Eagles defeated Regis 69-65, Saturday night in the Chicoine Center.&nbsp;The win improves CSC to 3-8 overall and 1-1 in the RMAC, while the Rangers drop to 2-6 and 0-2 in conference play.&nbsp;The Eagles outscored the Rangers by one in the first quarter, but entered halftime down three after Regis outscored CSC 14-10 in the second period.&nbsp;Chadron State used a 14-2 scoring run in the third quarter to build a four-point lead entering the fourth.&nbsp;After leading by as much as 11 in the final period, the Rangers responded with a 15-4 scoring run to take the lead with 1:11 remaining. Jori Peters made five free throws and a jumper and McKenna McClintic was 4-4 from the charity stripe in the final minute, helping the Eagles earn the victory.&nbsp;In the game, CSC made a season high 19 free throws, out of 23 attempts. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575822022770.jpeg">&nbsp;The Eagles shot 45.1 percent (23-51) from the field while Regis hit 304 percent (20-65). Chadron State outrebounded their opponent 39-37.&nbsp;Chadron made 4 of 14 three point attempts, for 28.6 percent. The Rangers shot 18 free-throws, making 13 of them for 72.2 percent. and converted 12 of 33 shots from three.&nbsp;Regis had four less turnovers than the Eagles, with 14. Chadron State scored eight points of Regis's 14 turnovers, while the Rangers scored 16 points off 18 CSC turnovers.&nbsp;Other than Peters, Melisa Kadic scored in double-figures for CSC. Kadic finished with 16 points while shooting an efficient seven of nine from the field in only 18 minutes.&nbsp;Freshman Olivia Jolley led the Eagles with eight rebounds. Taryn Foxen had a team high four assists.&nbsp;Whitney Jacob and Tashika Burrell each scored 16 points for Regis. Jacob finished with a double-double, after having a game high 13 rebounds.&nbsp;Chadron State is on the road until January 10, when they host Westminster College. Next weekend they travel to Gunnison, Colorado on Friday to face Western Colorado and Grand Junction, Colorado on Saturday, to face the Mavericks. Rangers overcome 13-point deficit to hand CSC first RMAC loss By: Con MarshallCSC Sports Information﻿<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575822179241.jpeg"> CHADRON, Neb. -- December 7, 2019 -- The Chadron State College Eagles outscored the Regis University Rangers 70-56 from the field Saturday night, but the Rangers outscored the Eagles 41-19 from the free throw line and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game 97-89. Regis, now 6-1, made 41 of its 48 foul shots while the Eagles sank 19 of 23. The differential started early.&nbsp;The Rangers were 20-22 at the line compared to Chadron State's 3-4 in the first half.&nbsp;Regis was 21-26 on its free throws and the Eagles 16-19 in the second half.&nbsp; "Giving up 97 points is not our brand of basketball," Chadron State Coach Houston Reed said. "We stress defense and don't expect teams to score 41 points on us at the free throw line.&nbsp;We'll watch the film and see what we can do better defensively to keep the other team from being at the line so much." Chadron State got off to a fast start by making six of its first eight three-point shots and take a 24-15 lead after 7:48 had been played. Another of their 12 treys put the Eagles ahead by 13 points--41-28--with six minutes left in the half.&nbsp;That was the game's largest lead. By then the Rangers were already in the bonus at the line and they made 14 consecutive charity shots without a miss to help them close the gap.&nbsp;The Eagles led 46-44 at halftime. The Rangers got many of the 29 foul calls against the Eagles by driving to the basket and making contact with a defender.&nbsp;&nbsp; During the second half the score was tied seven times. Regis took the lead for keeps on a layup by Brian Dawson to make it 79-77 with 5:07 to play.&nbsp;The Denver team never led by more than eight points and the Eagles cut it to 91-87 remaining on a pair of free throws by Brady Delimont with 27 seconds remaining. But Regis went 6-of-6 at the line before time expired. Senior guard Christian Little led the Rangers with 32 points, including 12 of 15 at the free throw line. Dawson and 6-8 center Toni Rocak each scored 19. Rocak was just 5 of 15 from the field and 0 of 4 from behind the arc, but was 9 of 12 at the line.&nbsp;Dawson made all 9 of his free throws. The Eagles had four double-figure scorers.&nbsp;Both Brian Rodriguez and Brady Delimont tallied 20 points.&nbsp;Guard Colby Jackson added 14 and center Jacob Jefferson 12. Both Jackson and Jefferson spent considerable time on the bench because of foul trouble and eventually fouled out. The Eagles, now 2-6, will play at Western Colorado and Colorado Mesa this coming weekend. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Regis--Christian Little 32, Toni Rocak 19, Brian Dawson 19, Roberto Vercellino 7, Will Cranston-Lown 6, Taffy Tela 5, Tomas Auruskevicius 4, Michael Bens 3, Kevin Ebiriekwe 2. Totals: 25-56 (6-17) 41-48 97 points, 39 rebounds, 13 turnovers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chadron State--Brian Rodriguez 20, Brady Delimont 20, Colby Jackson 14, Jacob Jefferson 12, Andre Sepeda 9, Kenan Gray 7, Walker Andrew 2, Stephon Bell 2, Dom Coleman 2, Kayden Sund 1. Totals: 29-64 (12-31) 19-23 89 points, 32 rebounds, 14 turnovers: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Regis University&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;44&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;53&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;---97&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chadron State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;46&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;43&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;---89&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3-pointers: Regis--Little 2, Dawson 2, Bens 1, Tela 1.&nbsp;CSC--Rodriguez 3, Jackson 3, Delimont 3, Jefferson 2, Sepeda 1,&nbsp;

Peters powers Chadron State past Regis for huge RMAC win

LINCOLN-&nbsp;Today,&nbsp;Secretary of State Evnen announced the roll out his new website, in time for the New Year. “The website has an updated design and is user friendly,” stated Secretary Evnen. The home page displays a photo of Chimney Rock together with a well-placed voter registration button. Users will find easy access to business searches and other business services, elections, international resources, rules and regulations, records, forms and filings. “The new look says Nebraska proud,” Evnen said. To view go to&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">https://sos.nebraska.gov</a>

NE  Secretary Of State rolls out new website

DECEMBER 13, 2019 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Throughout the holiday season, Nebraska State Troopers will be working hard to keep motorists cheerful by maintaining safe roads. For the final few weeks of 2019, the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) will join law enforcement agencies across the country in a campaign focused on impaired driving enforcement.The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort will run from Friday, December 13 through Wednesday, January 1. Throughout the campaign, troopers and dispatchers will be working overtime to remove alcohol or drug-impaired drivers from the road.“The holiday season is often filled with gatherings and celebrations,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “If those gatherings include alcohol, it is imperative for people to be responsible. If you’re planning to drink, plan ahead to have a sober driver take you home.”During a similar enforcement in December 2018, troopers arrested 64 motorists for impaired driving. Throughout 2018 in Nebraska, nearly one-third of all fatality crashes involved alcohol.The “Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over” campaign is made possible thanks in part to a grant for $28,000 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.&nbsp;

Neb. state troopers: "Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over"

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Today, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement on Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) Articles of Impeachment against President Donald J. Trump.&nbsp;“Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats have wasted countless hours and millions of taxpayer dollars trying to remove a duly elected President.&nbsp;Their sham articles of impeachment have come at the expense of the American people’s priorities, such as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement which has been delayed for over a year.&nbsp;Should House Democrats vote to impeach, I expect President Trump to be fully exonerated by the Senate.”

Gov. Ricketts issues impeachment statement

Nebraska grows the food that feeds the world.&nbsp;Generations of Nebraskans have worked to develop markets for our high-quality ag products, creating opportunities for our farm and ranch families.&nbsp;Our recent struggles with low commodity prices illustrate the continued importance of trade for Nebraska.&nbsp;To this end, I’ve been leading trade missions around the world, lobbying for the passage of new trade deals, and working to diversify our markets.&nbsp;&nbsp;This year, three international trade missions led us to four strategic trade partners: Mexico, Vietnam, Japan, and Germany.&nbsp;In Vietnam, we promoted Nebraska beef and urged officials to approve American biotech applications for soybeans, corn, and alfalfa.&nbsp;Nebraska beef exports to Vietnam grew 127 percent last year, and we want to sell even more.&nbsp;Vietnam’s rapidly growing economy will aid our efforts in the years to come.&nbsp;Our conversations with the Prime Minister of Vietnam and his cabinet officials led to approval of five biotech traits that had been stuck in red tape.&nbsp;Our face-to-face conversations helped highlight the importance of these applications.&nbsp;During our mission to Germany, Chapman-based Preferred Popcorn signed a deal to grow its relationship with Germany-based Haase Food.&nbsp;We also promoted Nebraska beef, which is set for significant growth thanks to a new deal between President Trump and the European Union (EU) to more than double American beef exports to the EU.&nbsp;These trade missions lay the groundwork for Nebraska’s future international growth.&nbsp;No company invests in a generic place called Nebraska.&nbsp;They choose to do business with specific leaders whom they respect and trust because they have a personal relationship with them.&nbsp;&nbsp;While we can build the relationships, free trade agreements open the door for Nebraska’s ag products.&nbsp;That’s why the Trump Administration’s work to secure new trade agreements for the U.S. has been so important.&nbsp;Last week, Japan’s parliament approved a trade deal negotiated earlier this year by President Trump and Prime Minister Shinzō Abe.&nbsp;The agreement is a big win for Nebraska farmers and ranchers and for Japanese consumers.&nbsp;Starting on January 1, 2020 the deal reduces Japan’s tariffs on U.S. beef from 38.5 percent to 26.6 percent.&nbsp;Eventually, the tariff will fall to nine percent.&nbsp;Tariffs on pork, corn, wheat, and other Nebraska-grown crops will also significantly decrease.&nbsp;Breaking down these barriers will grow the longstanding friendship between our two countries and give our Japanese customers even greater access to our high-quality food.&nbsp;The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is another trade deal that will help grow Nebraska.&nbsp;Sadly, Democrats in Congress have stalled USMCA and are preventing Nebraskans from enjoying its benefits.&nbsp;Last Wednesday, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse delivered a compelling speech on the Senate floor, urging Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to stop blocking a vote on the deal.&nbsp;We will continue to work with our federal delegation to end her senseless delay of USMCA.&nbsp;By actively pursuing new markets and pushing for new trade deals, we helped increase Nebraska’s total exports by $667 million (7 percent) from 2017 to 2018.&nbsp;Growth in ag exports represented one-third of this increase ($226 million).&nbsp;&nbsp;These are important accomplishments at a time when our ag producers have faced significant headwinds in the Chinese market.&nbsp;While the media likes to put the focus on President Trump, Nebraska’s trade relationship with China has been in flux for many years.&nbsp;From 1996 to 2003, Chinese demand for U.S. beef grew exponentially.&nbsp;Then, in late 2003, China suddenly shut its market to U.S. beef after the discovery of a case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).&nbsp;U.S. ranchers effectively had no access to China’s beef market for over 13 years until President Trump helped reopen it in 2017.&nbsp;Exports of other ag products to China have also varied greatly from year to year.&nbsp;China’s imports of our state’s corn collapsed from $119 million in 2013 to $11 million in 2014 and have remained near 2014 levels since then.&nbsp;In 2014, Nebraska exported a record $284 million of hides and skins to China.&nbsp;Just two years later, that amount had fallen more than 40 percent.&nbsp;These numbers show how China has been an inconsistent trade partner.&nbsp;Unpredictability in our trade relationship with the world’s largest country makes our strategic efforts to diversify our markets all the more important.&nbsp;In addition to the trade missions led throughout the year, we have been hosting international delegations here in Nebraska from the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, and other countries.&nbsp;The trade delegation from Taiwan agreed to purchase $2.1 billion in new U.S. ag products.&nbsp;And this week, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan visited to formalize an agreement with Valmont to purchase Nebraska center pivots to help Kazakh farmers become more productive.&nbsp;As Nebraska’s ag producers face ongoing uncertainty headed into 2020, I will continue to work to develop markets for Nebraska’s agricultural products around the world.&nbsp;If you want to share promising opportunities, please email me at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 402-471-2244.&nbsp;Together, let’s spread the word about what the Cornhusker State has to offer the world.

Gov. Ricketts weekly column

Even though School has been in session for over 3 months, it's still a good idea to remember to always stop for a School Bus that is loading and unloading in a School Zone. If the lights are flashing and the stop sign arm is extended, you must stop. A Nebraska school district is asking drivers to obey state traffic laws after getting reports that some drivers aren't stopping for school buses with their stop sign arms extended. The Hastings Tribune reports that Hastings Public Schools officials have gotten reports of motorists putting student safety at risk by disregarding the stop sign arms. David Essink, the district's human resources and operations director, says most people ignoring the stop sign are going in the opposite direction. <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/08/06/21/43/bus-878697_960_720.jpg" alt="Bus, School, Transportation, Education, Yellow, Stop">

STOP for School buses

<img src="https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/8mq5sOlMTWDQhSVtZuSqCPh-ww9OmIFtD6b4vAWx4okhixi-f1YZqvVjvcEtJzRlyaFntkD0g_YlJwTXjeJ3HSvAMbF_axrcQI-rzfr50h03SbbfQTShz57y7G_nYfWvoRFZbER3SHwztTNYbK25njjUoNij4lPxpic=s0-d-e1-ft#https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/NEGPC/2019/01/2342803/dark-divide_original.jpg" alt="news from the nebraska game and parks"> Deer harvest during the 2019 November firearm season in Nebraska is 2% ahead last year’s pace. During the nine-day season, there were 43,346 deer taken, compared to 42,466 in 2018. Mule deer buck harvest decreased 9%, with 7,172 taken, compared to 7,925 in 2018. The average age of mule deer bucks is very good, with 50% of bucks at age 3 or older; the all-time high was 52% in 2018. Only 11% percent of the bucks were yearling bucks, which is an all-time low. Whitetail buck harvest is up almost 8%, with 24,273 adult whitetail bucks harvested, compared to 22,562 in 2018. The average age of whitetail bucks also increased, with 40% of whitetail bucks estimated at age 3 or older, up from 37% in 2018. Biologists also collected lymph nodes for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing from more than 1,500 deer in Panhandle and northeast management units. Results should be available within the next two weeks. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will only notify a hunter if his or her deer tested positive for CWD.Archery and muzzleloader seasons close Dec. 31. The late antlerless season ends Jan. 15. Hunters are reminded that mule deer does are protected in many management units and public lands across the state. Refer to the 2019 Big Game Guide for details. Hunters who wish to donate venison can use the Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) and Deer Exchange programs. As of Dec. 4, Oakland Meat Processing in Oakland and Kelley’s Custom Pack in North Platte have limited processing abilities, so hunters should call ahead. Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAxOTEyMDUuMTM4OTc4OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8ifQ.JpZXfGxjU40PXVW3UvrVZlq7SfO6nbHf3ZrLwq24qOM/br/72359247531-l" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">OutdoorNebraska.org</a>&nbsp;for more details and to make cash donations to HHH. Also, the Antlerless Hunter Database is a new online tool that connects hunters who wish to harvest antlerless deer with landowners who are experiencing damage from deer on their property. Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAxOTEyMDUuMTM4OTc4OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9BbnRsZXJsZXNzSHVudGVyRGF0YWJhc2UvIn0.Yps1-hlC3x-r63ae34lJFeoIS06K0I-H7eYS6RfZJRQ/br/72359247531-l" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">OutdoorNebraska.gov/AntlerlessHunterDatabase</a>&nbsp;for more information

Firearm deer harvest numbers up slightly from last year

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The number of Wyoming hunting and fishing licenses sold to women has seen a marked increase over the past decade, while men are buying slightly fewer licenses, state officials said. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department said 30% more women are hunting in Wyoming compared to 10 years ago, KGAB-AM&nbsp;<a href="https://kgab.com/big-increase-in-female-hunters-seen-in-wyoming-men-down-slightly/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(28, 167, 218);">report</a>&nbsp;ed. Female anglers increased by 14% over that time. Meanwhile, the number of men participating in both activities is down by about 5%. Game and Fish Hunter and Angler Participation Coordinator Kathryn Boswell said the agency has been reaching out to women to get them more involved in not only hunting and fishing but also things like canoeing, photography, shooting sports and archery. “I think women are starting to see hunting as an activity that is accessible to them,” Boswell said in a statement by the agency. “And, it comes with a certain pride in putting healthy food on the table and knowing exactly how it got there — something I think all hunters regardless of gender can relate to.” Boswell also said the decline in male hunters and anglers in the state is not a concern. ''The demographics are changing. Our baby boomers are getting older and at the same time, women are seeing hunting and fishing as options for their food and recreation choices,” she said.

Big increase in female hunters seen in Wyoming

An oil field explosion in Wyoming has injured three workers. Fire officials say the workers were hospitalized after the blast late Thursday. Their identities and conditions weren't available Friday. The explosion happened near a small community southeast of the capital of Cheyenne. ﻿Companies have drilled dozens of deep oil wells in a wide area east and south of Cheyenne over the past decade.

Wyoming oil field explosion, fire injure 3 workers

A Lincoln man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for cyberstalking. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 20-year-old Alec Eiland was sentenced Thursday in Lincoln’s federal court. Eiland had earlier pleaded guilty. Prosecutors say Eiland sent an Instagram message last year threatening to rape one woman if she didn't kill herself. Officials say he also posted her photo and contact information online and invited solicitations for sex. ﻿ Prosecutors say a second woman accused Eiland of sending her demands for nude photos or he would rape her significant other or put a car bomb on her vehicle.

Man gets 2 years in federal prison for cyberstalking

AP - A pair from Minnesota face felony drugs charges after a traffic stop in Nebraska turned up more than 2 pounds (0.91 kilograms) of marijuana, several packages of THC concentrate wax, vape pen cartridges and concentrated marijuana edibles. The Nebraska State Patrol says a woman in the car told them all the drugs were bought in Colorado as a 21st birthday present to her. The Kearney Hub says the drugs were found Sunday when the couple’s vehicle was stopped for speeding Sunday on Interstate 80 just west of Kearney. ﻿ A 32-year-old man and the 21-year-old woman, both of Mankato, Minnesota, were arrested.

Drugs found in Nebraska traffic were birthday gift

CORAL GABLES, FL-(AP) The FBI says four people, including a UPS driver, were killed after robbers stole the driver’s truck and led police on a chase that ended in gunfire at a busy South Florida intersection during rush hour. An FBI official says both robbers were shot and killed, and the fourth victim was in a nearby vehicle when shots rang out at a crowded intersection in Miramar on Thursday. The incident began about 20 miles south during a robbery at a Coral Gables jewelry store. It was not immediately clear who fired the shots that killed the UPS driver or the bystander.&nbsp;

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