***Story has been updated with the latest results from the Lincoln County Court House.

North Platte, Neb. -&nbsp;The Lincoln County Court House has released its final unofficial results  for the 2024 election.  Below are the final unofficial results:

2024 Lincoln County Election Coverage: Final Unofficial Results  

North Platte, Neb. - The North Platte city council held a regular meeting on November 5th and different agendas were discussed amongst the council. Topics included approve an interlocal agreement with Lincoln County for animal impoundment, approve license agreement with NPICE and so much more.

On Wednesday, Post News Director Canon Rath chatted with North Platte Mayor Brandon Kelliher about the different topics from the council meeting. If you would like to learn more in-depth of what went on during the November 5th North Platte City Council meeting check out the podcast below or check out the video below the podcast.

(Audio) North Platte City Council Meeting, November 5th recap

On today's episode of Knight's Weekly, we sat down with Jacob Brandl, Head Coach of the North Platte Community College Men's Basketball team, to discuss the first two games of the season in Wyoming and prepare you for this week's action.

(Audio) Knight's Weekly featuring North Platte Community College Men's Basketball Coach Jacob Brandl

Night at the Museum with Dad is set for Monday, Nov.4th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm at the North Platte Area Children's Museum. The event is free to attend and activities for all ages will be available. Post news director Canon Rath chatted with Dara Cisneros from the Lutheran Family Services about this event. To learn more, check out the podcast below.&nbsp;

(Audio) Night at the Museum with Dad set for Monday

North Platte, Neb. - 4-H is America's largest youth development program across the United States that helps learn skills that will last a lifetime. The age requirement for 4-H is the ages of 8-18. There are many different categories that 4-H'ers can participate in during their time in the program including the clothing project.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Local 4-H'r Oakley Staab recently got involved with 4-H and doing different categories working with animals and even sewed a pillow for the clothing project. Staab comes from a long history of having family being involved with 4- H.

Post News Director Canon Rath talked with 4-H'r Oakley Staab and 4-H Development Extension Educator Caitlyn Jacobson.&nbsp; If you would like to learn more in-depth on the clothing project and Staab involvement with 4-H, check out the podcast above. To follow along on Facebook for more information about Lincoln, Logan or McPherson Counties 4-H, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LLM4h">click here</a>&nbsp;or for their website,&nbsp;<a href="https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/lincolnmcpherson/?fbclid=IwAR14YEAUI3fP9PwgydGtWvFLZyWMmc8p1vwQBk9gs8GkhzWK1THrQjZq3eI">click here.</a>&nbsp;

(Audio) 4-H'r Oakely Staab Chats About the Clothing Project and More!

All month long, Eagle Media is bringing breast cancer awareness conversations to you with our POST PODCASTS, brought to you by North Platte Kubota. We've also teamed with Great Plains Health, Premier Toyota, Tami Timerman-Lashey with Lashey Land Residential, Jordan Boston Insurance, U-Save Pharmacy, Select Abbey Carpet &amp; Tile, Platte Valley Electric, North Platte Union Pacific Employees Credit Union, Dr. Deb's, and Westfield Pharmacy to give bags to the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte for patients fighting cancer.&nbsp;

In this episode, Eagle's Derek Beck spoke with North Platte cancer survivor Jo Morphew about what she went through when she was diagnosed, and preventative things to do as an older woman.&nbsp;

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Cancer Survivor Jo Morphew (Kubota PODCAST)

The NPCC Student Life Department is hosting a trunk-or-treat public event on Oct. 28th from 5:00pm - 7:00pm in the northeast parking lot under the pavilion. Many clubs and athletic teams will be participate in the event. Kids are encouraged to dress up in their costumes.&nbsp;

Post news director Canon Rath chatted with Sydney Purdy, Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Engagement to talk about the event. To learn more, check out the podcast below.&nbsp;

(Audio) NPCC Trunk-or-Treat event set for Oct. 28th

North Platte, Neb. - The North Platte city council held a regular meeting on October 15th and different agendas were discussed amongst the council. Topics included another discussion on the airport authority for an additional 3.5% tax levy, improvement fund grant, sign the contract for Paving District No. 837 and more,

On Wednesday, Post News Director Canon Rath chatted with North Platte Mayor Brandon Kelliher about the different topics from the council meeting. If you would like to learn more in-depth of what went on during the October 15th North Platte City Council meeting check out the podcast below or check out the video below the podcast.

(Audio) North Platte City Council Meeting, October 15th recap

Oct. marks Domestic Awareness Month and is a month-long spreading awareness and hosting themes for domestic awareness. This week, RDAP in North Platte invites community members to participate for Thursday and Friday's themes. 

Post news director Canon Rath chatted with Taylor Hicks from RDAP about more Indepth of domestic awareness month and the themes for this Thursday and Friday here in North Platte. To learn more, check out the podcast below.&nbsp;

(Audio) Oct. is Domestic Awareness Month

North Platte, Neb. - The 22nd Annual G.R.E.E.N fundraising event for the North Platte Catholic Schools is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26th at the St. Patrick High School. The event raises funds that can be used for NPCS throughout the school year. This year's event features a nice meal, cash bar, games and more. Tickets are $100 to attend.

Post news director Canon Rath chatted with Wendy Dodson from North Platte Catholic Schools about the upcoming event. To learn more, check out the podcast below.&nbsp;

(Audio) NPCS 22nd Annual G.R.E.E.N event scheduled for Oct. 26th

North Platte, Neb. - Community members will gather on Wednesday, Oct. 23rd at Venue 304 in North Platte to hear the finalists' pitches for this year's Big Idea North Platte. The social hour begins at 5:00pm with live pitches beginning at 6:00pm. Changes have been made for this year's program which has the contestants meet with Individual's to chat about their product. Voting/judging has been changed for this year's event as well.&nbsp;

Contestants in the community category are competing for prizes. 1st place is $10,000, 2nd place is 5,000, and 3rd place is $2,500. The youth category is competing for scholarships to Mid-Plains Community College and the prizes are 1st place is $2,500, 2nd place is $1,500, and 3rd place is $1,000.&nbsp;

Post news director Canon Rath chatted with Cassie Condon and Christine Seck about the upcoming event. To learn more, check out the podcast below.&nbsp;

(Audio) Big Idea North Platte is just over two weeks away!

North Platte, Neb. - The City of North Platte wants to let residents know that due to Veteran's Day taking place on Monday, November 11th, there will be no bus services due to the public transit being closed. Bus services will be available on Tuesday, November 12th.

No public transit on Monday due to Veteran's Day 

ALLO Fiber is excited to kick off the return of ALLO for Education, a program where they support local schools throughout their fiberhoods. The program's success in the past has been a tremendous benefit to our communities as they have&nbsp; donated over $372,000 to local schools. With the help of their friends and neighbors, they hope to reach their goal this&nbsp; year and help promote education to build a brighter future for students and educators.&nbsp;

"At ALLO, we’re dedicated to closing the technology gap and uplifting the communities we serve. We believe the best way&nbsp; to inspire growth and innovation is to start with our children and schools, which is why the ALLO for Education campaign is&nbsp; so important to us,” said Tanna Hanna, Vice President of Marketing.&nbsp;

ALLO for Education is a program that donates $50 to a school of the customer’s choice for each new residential customer&nbsp; who obtains ALLO high-speed internet, TV or phone service between November 1st and December 31st, 2024.&nbsp;

"Technology is essential in the lives of students, schools, and our communities. ALLO’s all-fiber network delivers&nbsp; unparalleled speed, enabling students to explore opportunities beyond their classroom walls,” said Hanna. "The donations&nbsp; will help schools invest in technology-focused resources and improvements."&nbsp;

Visit AlloFiber.com/Education to learn more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALLO Fiber, a leader in providing fiber-optic services, has been dedicated to delivering world-class communications and&nbsp; entertainment services since 2003. With a commitment to building Gigabit communities, ALLO now serves over 45&nbsp; communities across Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas. ALLO is known for its reliable fiber&nbsp; networks and customized technology solutions that support businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit&nbsp; AlloFiber.com.&nbsp;

ALLO for Education program launched on November 1st

Keith County - The Keith County Clerk's Office has released unofficial 2024 election results. Below are the 2024 unofficial results:

2024 Keith County Election Coverage: Unofficial Results

The Hot Sheets: November 6th, 2024

The Lincoln County Court House has released its second round of results from the 2024 election. To view the up-to-date results, <a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/95f92fa4-bd22-4cdf-ab27-bfd4ceee279c">click here.</a>

The Lincoln County Court House has released its first round of results for the 2024 election.&nbsp; More results will come later this evening from the Lincoln County Court House. These results are from early voters. Below are those first round of results:

(Old Post) 2024 Lincoln County Election Coverage: first round of results 

North Platte Community College will be the site of an Applied Technologies Job Fair Nov. 13.

The event is free and open to the public. It is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon in Rooms 105, 107 and 109 of the W.W. Wood Building on the NPCC North Campus, 1101 Halligan Drive, in North Platte.

The fair will provide job seekers with an opportunity to network with representatives from area businesses and learn about open positions in a variety of applied technology-related fields.

An emphasis will be put on electrical, building construction, welding, HVAC, automotive, auto body, diesel and CDL.

Guests are encouraged to take résumés with them. At their discretion, employers may choose to interview candidates on site.

Businesses can register for a booth at:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://joinhandshake.com/">https://joinhandshake.com/</a>. More information about the fair is available through Amy Sabatka, director of career services, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sabatkaa@mpcc.edu">sabatkaa@mpcc.edu</a>&nbsp;or (308) 535-3619.

Applied tech careers to be featured at upcoming NPCC job fair

The day has finally come, it's election day in America at the presidential, federal, state and local level. The polls are open until 8:00pm tonight and just a reminder to bring your photo ID with you to vote.&nbsp;

Starting this evening, the POST will have coverage with updates on how the presidential, federal, state and local government results are going. Also starting this evening around 8:00pm (CT)/7:00pm (MT), the POST will have live updates on all radio stations throughout the evening and into the night with the latest updates on how election results are going at all levels. Those updates will occur at the top of each hour.&nbsp;

2024 POST Election Day coverage

NORTH PLATTE – The 22nd annual G.R.E.E.N. fundraising event for the North Platte Catholic Schools was&nbsp; held on Saturday, October 26th at St. Patrick High School. Generating Resources for Educational&nbsp; Excellence Now is the largest single event of the year for the North Platte Catholic Schools Endowment Trust, which serves as the fundraising arm for the Catholic school system.

 The event hosted over 260 guests Saturday and featured nearly 150 items on silent and live auctions. Though not yet final,&nbsp; Endowment Director Wendy Dodson estimates net proceeds will easily exceed $250,000, which will set&nbsp; a new record for the event that began in 2003. Proceeds support the annual fundraising campaign of the&nbsp; NPCS Endowment, which funds the general operations of the North Platte Catholic School system.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A portion of the monies raised at G.R.E.E.N. will be designated for two special projects at the North&nbsp; Platte Catholic Schools. Over $71,000 was generated through the Fund-A-Need appeal, which will&nbsp; provide new classroom lighting at McDaid Elementary and St. Patrick’s Jr/Sr High. Over $6,500 was&nbsp; donated to purchase classroom Wish List items submitted by McDaid, Little Leprechaun, and St. Pat’s&nbsp; teachers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Paul Knopick of North Platte won the Heads or Tails prize, and the G.R.E.E.N. Lucky Lotto winners were&nbsp; Tanner Pettera of North Platte and Tom Downey of Lexington. Winners of the three G.R.E.E.N. Spirit&nbsp; Wagons were: Bob &amp; Marge Braithwait, Rocky &amp; Robyn Torres, and Jon &amp; Kim Wieseler, all of North&nbsp; Platte.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dodson notes that many thanks are in order to the volunteers and sponsors who helped with G.R.E.E.N. Marty Troshynski donated his services catering the entire meal, which was served by St. Pat’s Jr/Sr High&nbsp; students. The Lincoln County Feedyard LLC donated all of the beef served at the event, and Noffsinger&nbsp; family farms donated potatoes. Skyline Liquor was the corporate sponsor for beverage service. Dodson&nbsp; encourages the North Platte Community to save the date for next year’s event on Saturday, October&nbsp; 25th, 2025.&nbsp;

G.R.E.E.N. Fundraiser Nets Record Proceeds 

&nbsp; &nbsp; The North Platte City Council will meet tonight in a regular meeting.&nbsp; Below is tonight's agenda. To watch tonight's meeting,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CityOfNorthPlatte/streams">click here.</a>&nbsp;The meeting is at 5:30pm at the City Hall Council Chambers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

11/05 North Platte City Council Meeting, Tonight's Agenda

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

North Platte, Neb. – Knights women’s basketball fell to McCook Community College, 57-56, at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center on Tuesday night.

It was a tightly contested game from start to finish, North Platte took an early 4-0 lead after a pair of free throws from Zaily Marazin. The Indians went on to outscore the Knights over the final 5:41 of the quarter to take a 14-10 lead into the quarter break.

McCook stretched their lead to 18-10 after a short run to open the second quarter. North Platte slowly chipped away at the deficit as they narrowed the margin to 22-20 with 1:07 to play. McCook would not relinquish their lead in the final minute, as they built a 24-20 advantage headed into the halftime break.

North Platte battled back to retake the lead on a bucket from Jada Thompson with 5:09 to play in the third quarter. The game remained within one possession until McCook built a four-point edge with 6:23 to play in the final quarter.

The margin was pushed to five, but the Knights cut the deficit to one on a three from Marazin with four seconds to play. North Platte would receive one final opportunity to earn the win with a strong inbound play, but the shot was just off the mark clinching the win for the Indians.

North Platte connected on 33.3 percent of their shots from the floor and just 12-of-23 from the free throw line. McCook won the rebounding battle, 40-37, while shooting 32.7 percent from the field.

Knights (2-1) host Eastern Wyoming College for their home opener on Friday. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Knights fall to McCook in early season rivalry game

North Platte, Neb. – North Platte Community College men's basketball fell in their home opener to Colby Community College, 78-72, on Tuesday night.

"I thought we played hard tonight," said head coach Jacob Brandl. "The season is young, and we will learn from our mistakes and get better."

Sedrick Nari led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Mo Diao finished with 16 points and six rebounds.

North Platte trailed early before a baseline jumper from Alex Harper sparked a 6-0 run to give the black and gold a three-point edge. Colby battled back to retake the lead on a 5-0 run while teams traded baskets for the next nine minutes.

A three by Nari pushed the Knights lead to 22-21, but the Trojans rallied to take a four-point lead with 3:11 remaining in the half. North Platte closed the half on an 11-2 run to take a 35-30 lead into the halftime break.

Colby erased the deficit in the opening minutes of the second half. A mid-range jumper by Diao halted the rally as teams exchanged buckets and the lead for the next ten minutes.

A Trojan transition layup ignited a 7-2 run with just under six minutes to play. A pair of free throws from Nari and a three-point play from Harper knotted the game up at 60-60 with 5:16 remaining. Colby continued to hold the momentum down the stretch, as they held off one final rally in the final minute to clinch the victory.

Knights shot 40.3 percent from the field, including 15-of-19 from the free throw line, while Colby finished the night shooting 39.7 percent from the field, including 51.6 percent from field goal range in the second half.&nbsp;

Knights (1-2) return to the road for the two-day Garden City Classic. North Platte will open with Dodge City Community College at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

Knights fall in home opener to Trojans

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Lincoln -&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/brice-williams">Brice Williams</a>&nbsp;scored a game-high 27 points, while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/connor-essegian">Connor Essegian</a>&nbsp;had seven of his 13 points off the bench in a decisive second-half run, as Nebraska defeated the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, 87-67 on Monday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Williams carried the Huskers (1-0) with 19 first-half points, and Nebraska eventually built a 15-point second half lead before UTRGV came back. The Vaqueros fought back and got to within 69-65 on K.T. Raimey’s basket with 5:52 left before Essegian took over.&nbsp;

The 6-foot-4 guard started a 12-0 Husker spurt with seven unanswered points, as he hit a 3-pointer and then connected on two free throws on the next possession to push the lead to nine with 4:13 left. Essegian then capped a personal 7-0 spurt with a driving layup to extend the lead to double figures with 3:52 left. NU, which got six straight stops, eventually extended the margin to 81-65 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/juwan-gary">Juwan Gary</a>&nbsp;basket with 2:40 left.&nbsp;

The Big Red had four players in double-digits, as&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/rollie-worster">Rollie Worster</a>&nbsp;had 18 points, nine rebounds and four steals while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/andrew-morgan">Andrew Morgan</a>&nbsp;added 10 markers.&nbsp;

Nebraska held the Vaqueros to 38% shooting and forced 20 turnovers which led to 26 Husker points.&nbsp;

Williams got the Huskers going early, scoring the first eight points of the night in the 2:51 span and NU lead 14-6 before UTRGV came back. The Vaqueros, who hit eight 3-pointers in the first half used a 10-4 spurt to take a 22-21 lead on a Howie Fleming Jr. free throw with 8:01 left in the half.

The teams would trade the lead back and forth, and Nebraska trailed 29-28 before the Huskers took control. NU ran off ran off six straight points to take a 34-29 lead on a&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/gavin-griffiths">Gavin Griffiths</a>&nbsp;basket with 3:45 left in the half.&nbsp; UTRGV pulled within 34-32, but Williams scored Nebraska’s final eight points of the half, as the Huskers took a 42-36 lead into the break.

NU opened the second half with a 15-8 spurt to stretch the lead to 15, at 59-44 after Worster's jumper with 14:35 remaining before UTRGV mounted a comeback.&nbsp;

The Big Red will continue the three-game homestand, as they take on Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, Nov. 9. Tip is set for 7 p.m. (CT) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tickets are still available for the matchup by visiting&nbsp;Huskers.com/Tickets.

Huskers open season with 87-67 Win

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Lincoln&nbsp;- Alexis Markowski set the school career record with her 41st double-double to lead six Huskers scoring in double figures, as the No. 23 Nebraska women's basketball team rolled to an 88-48 season-opening win over Omaha on Monday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Playing in front of 8,106 fans in a noon tip-off at PBA on opening day of the college basketball season, the Huskers got team highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 21 minutes from the three-time All-Big Ten center Markowski. The Lisa Leslie and Naismith Trophy candidate hit 7-of-8 shots from the floor while adding two assists and a block for the Big Red.

Markowski's 10th rebound to secure the record-setting double-double came on a hustle play when she dove to the floor near the three-point line and passed the ball ahead while lying on her back to create an uncontested transition layup for teammate Natalie Potts with 6:45 left in the game.

Markowski added an offensive rebound and a putback 45 seconds later to end her day with six minutes left and Nebraska leading 75-36.

Potts, the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, matched Markowski with 14 points while hitting 6-of-8 shots including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the first half. The 6-2 sophomore added six rebounds while helping set the tone for the Huskers with stifling defense in the opening 20 minutes. Potts' three-pointer to close the half gave Nebraska a 47-15 lead at the break and put her in double figures with 10 first-half points.

Logan Nissley added 12 points in just 11 minutes off the bench, scoring on four three-point possessions despite hitting just one three-pointer while going 3-for-3 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line. The sophomore guard, who was a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team a year ago, added three assists, two steals and a block.

Freshman Petra Bozan contributed 12 points of her own in just 12 minutes. The 6-3 forward/center from Croatia went 5-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, while grabbing four rebounds for the Big Red.

Allison Weidner pitched in 11 points, three rebounds and two steals in her return to the starting lineup after a 55-game absence following a pair of season-ending knee injuries. Weidner hit 4-of-7 shots from the field while joining Potts and freshman guard Britt Prince in suffocating the Mavs with pressure defense.

Prince put six Huskers in double figures with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in her regular-season collegiate debut. The 5-11 guard out of Elkhorn North High School also dished out a game-high five assists and added two steals.

As a team, Nebraska hit 57.6 percent (34-59) of its shots from the field, including 5-of-15 (.333) three-pointers. The Big Red also knocked down 15-of-20 free throws. The Huskers won the rebounding battle, 38-30, and claimed the turnover war, 24-20.

The Huskers jumped out to an 18-2 lead, before the Mavs cut the margin to 21-11 at the end of the first quarter. Nebraska then posted a dominant 26-4 margin in the second quarter to take a 47-15 lead to halftime. The Big Red won the third quarter 17-15, before closing out the win with a 24-18 edge in the final period.

Omaha's Alana Powell led all scorers with 15 points off the bench on 6-of-9 shooting, while Grace Cave put two Mavs in double figures with 11 points.&nbsp;

Nebraska returns to home action on Saturday, when the Huskers take on Southeastern Louisiana. Tip-off with the Lady Lions is set for 1 p.m. (CT) with tickets available now at Huskers.com. The game will be available to subscribers of B1G+ and can be heard on the Huskers Radio Network. SLU features three returning All-Southland Conference players and have averaged 20 wins over the last two years, including a trip to the 2023 NCAA Tournament under conference coach-of-the-year Ayla Guzzardo.

Huskers run past Mavs, 88-48

Estherville, Iowa – Jada Thompson scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting to lead North Platte to a 55-33 win over Marshalltown Community College on Saturday.

Madison Cheleen added her first double digit performance of her collegiate career, finishing with 12 points to go along with her two rebounds and one steal. Zaily Marazin led the Knights on the glass with 10 rebounds to accompany her four points.

It was a low scoring first quarter despite North Platte jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the opening 1:27. The Knights used an 11-2 run capped off by a three from Dezirae Gonzales to take a 15-2 lead into the quarter break.

Marshalltown went on a 4-0 spurt to open the second quarter, before a 7-0 run extended the margin to 22-6. The Tigers were limited to just five more points for the remaining 6:06 of the quarter, as the Knights carried a 32-11 lead into the halftime break.

A 9-2 run to open the third quarter helped the Knights build a 41-13 lead. North Platte took their largest lead of the game at the 3:40 mark on a runner by EmmaJo Locks, 46-15. Marshalltown closed out the quarter on an 8-2 run to narrow the margin to 49-23 headed into the final frame.

The Tigers outscored the Knights 10-6 in the final quarter, but the large deficit could not be overcome in the final ten minutes.

North Platte (2-0) will travel south to take on McCook Community College on Tuesday. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m. inside the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

Knights defense aids in win over Marshalltown

Cheyenne, Wyo. – Mo Diao notched his first double digit performance of the season, but a 31-3 run in the second half lifted Laramie County Community College to a 77-75 win on Saturday night.

“I am proud of the guys for battling at the end to give us a chance to win the game,” said head coach Jacob Brandl. “Laramie is a well-coached team, and they challenged us in the second half.”

Diao finished with 13 points to accompany his eight rebounds and six blocks, while Alex Harper and Sedrick Nari each notched 12 points, respectively.

Knights pushed their lead to 53-33 after a 10-3 run to open the second half. Laramie County responded to take their first lead of the game on a 31-3 run. A bucket by Justus Michael quieted the run, but the Golden Eagles weren’t done adding to their lead.

The deficit grew to eight before a North Platte 4-0 run cut the margin to 66-62. Laramie County answered by stretching their lead back to eight inside five minutes to play. North Platte made one last surge in the closing stages, but Laramie County held off the rally to complete the come from behind win.

In the opening half, Diao broke open the scoring before the Knights managed to push their lead to 16-6 on a pair of free throws by Michael. The Golden Eagles cut the margin to four twice over the next 6:29, but the Knights continued to hold the momentum.

An 8-2 run capped off by a Dennis Rocha contested runner in the lane pushed the margin back into double digits with 2:58 to play in the half. Knights continued to challenge the defense as they stretched their lead to 43-30 at the halftime break.

Knights (1-1) open the home portion of their schedule on Tuesday against Colby Community College. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Knights fall in nailbiter to Golden Eagles

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Columbus, Neb. – Knights volleyball fell in a tightly contested four set match to Central Community College in the Region IX Championship on Saturday.

Jaelyn Dicke led the way with 14 kills, 13 digs and two assisted blocks. Sydney Spillane totaled 10 kills while finishing the match with a .381 hitting percentage. EmiLee Walnofer posted 29 digs to accompany her five aces, while Aubrey Grant served up 42 set assists in the match.

Central jumped out to an 8-5 lead until a 5-1 run extended the margin midway through the set. Back-to-back kills from Grant and Ella Rotherham halted the run, until the Raiders settled back into their rhythm. The Raiders never relinquished their lead down the stretch to take set one, 25-14.

Looking to even the match, the Knights leapt out to a 7-4 lead on a kill from Nya Lual. A 10-2 rally midway through the set extended the Knights lead to 20-11, forcing Central to take a timeout. North Platte did not let the Raiders climb back into the set as they evened the match with a 25-14 set win.

An 8-2 rally helped the Raiders pull out to a 19-11 lead in the third set. North Platte countered the run with a 7-1 rally to pull back within two on an ace by Grant. Knights and Raiders traded points until a late 3-1 run sealed the set for Central.&nbsp;

Knights took an early lead in the fourth set on back-to-back kills from Zoe Maher and Grant. A 4-0 run pushed the Raiders back out front, 9-7. The set remained tight until a 4-0 run gave the Raiders a 20-16 lead. North Platte would not go down quietly knotting the game up at 23-23, but Central scored the final two points to close out the match.

The 2024 season comes to an end with the Knights posting a 14-24 overall record.

Knights season ends in Region IX Championship

North Platte Community College started its season out with a bang by defeating Eastern Wyoming College 62-59. Head Coach Jacob Brandl highlighted the keys that led to the Knight's first victory of the season.&nbsp;

"Our youth showed out tonight. We did a ton of things really well and then would turn around and have really bad stretches." Coach Brandl described, "Our guys battled and played hard though, It's tough to win college basketball games and even harder to win on the road."

Freshman Dennis Rocha finished with a team-high 18 points and collected 9 rebounds. Jaxson Brandl also finished with 13 points off the bench in the victory.

"Guys stepped up and made plays when they needed to. Jaxson Brandl gave us a big spark in the first half, and Dennis was so good and tough on both ends," Brandl said.

It's a quick turnaround for the Knights as they will be on the road and battle against Laramie County Community College tomororw at 7 PM.

"We need to have a short memory and get our minds ready for a tough LCCC group. We have to find a way to stop turning the ball over because we left so many points on the board. I trust our guys, and I'm proud of the fight that this young group showed."

Knight's collect their first win of the season against Eastern Wyoming

Story by Supernovas Communications&nbsp;

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas&nbsp;are excited to unveil its full 28-match schedule for the upcoming 2025 season, setting the stage for another thrilling campaign as Omaha builds off its inaugural championship win and having the distinction of being No. 1 in the world in professional volleyball average attendance.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Supernovas open their season in a battle of league juggernauts, taking on the Atlanta Vibe on Friday, January 10 at the&nbsp;CHI Health Center.&nbsp;That evening will also be&nbsp;Banner Night&nbsp;in celebration of Omaha’s historic first Professional Volleyball Championship, captured in thrilling fashion on May 18 with a sweep of the Grand Rapids Rise.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The energy and passion that Omaha brought in our first season was nothing short of extraordinary, and being crowned the inaugural Pro Volleyball Champions made it all the more special,"&nbsp;Supernovas Owner Danny White&nbsp;said. "Being No. 1 in the world in pro volleyball attendance speaks volumes about NovasNation and their love for the sport while showcasing our commitment in sustaining as a championship franchise. As we gear up for season two, we’re building on that momentum with even more excitement, energy, and opportunity. This season isn’t just about defending our title—it’s about continuing to set the standard for professional volleyball."&nbsp;

A key focus in building the 2025 schedule was prioritizing weekend matches to allow fans better opportunities to see the Supernovas in action. The Supernovas will play all but one match between Thursday and Sunday, with a single Wednesday road contest against the Columbus Fury in early March.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Of the 14 home matches, eight will take place on the weekend, featuring three Saturday showdowns and five Sunday matchups. Additionally, four matches are scheduled for Fridays, while two will take place on Thursdays. All starting times are central and are subject to change.&nbsp;

"Our 2025 schedule reflects our ongoing commitment to putting fans first,"&nbsp;Supernovas Partner&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;Thompson&nbsp;said.&nbsp;"We’ve strategically placed more matches on weekends, ensuring greater opportunities for NovasNation to show up in full force and create that unmatched home-court atmosphere that pushed our team to claim the inaugural championship. We’re also enhancing elements of our in-venue experience to make sure the passion, entertainment, and connection that define a Supernovas matchday continue to grow. From first timers to a returning season ticket member, this season will deliver the kind of moments that make every match unforgettable."&nbsp;&nbsp;

The full schedule can be seen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k5QVdsIdOyffNporYOSz9H6uZTXs-YFB8k2RhKzl6Yj9JFHjKirq6ahJ6hL1BldfSzEcaC5xed_af6aysVln3Vrmf6XxPFvOlJQH2zZltB52h3pRCdGfAIH6aUrxE6gg3_qgQGgCOUNwX9iD8gFtKh9ctBuptJDJSwUnscFIKLZPgA23ddfUWUgE06cKTw9oqyUuJK2d3lc=&amp;c=fvHYSzDLhBjT54R_jFGDrvh_KpWtuQUYZkPxf750Dlk1G-pOFeofkA==&amp;ch=E0EFkRzE-OI-Ryj4gGcdXUTuBgRcG17do1jaFvfXofIiHKYuZyTC9Q==">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Following the Supernovas home opener against the Vibe, Omaha hits the road for a rematch of the 2024 PVF Championship on Jan. 12 against the Grand Rapids Rise in Michigan. After a quick trip to face the Vegas Thrill on Jan. 17, Omaha returns home for a Sunday showdown against the San Diego Mojo on Jan. 19, who the Supernovas beat in the Champiosnhp Semifinal last season in the franchise’s first-ever reverse sweep. January ends with a road and home exchange with the Fury on Jan. 24 and Jan. 31.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Omaha opens February with the first of two three-match road trips, featuring stops against the Orlando Valkyries, League’s newest franchise, the Indy Ignite, and Atlanta. The Supernovas return home for another Sunday battle against the Mojo on Feb. 16 before heading out to San Diego looking for their first win in Viajas Arena on Feb. 20. The month ends with the Valkyries coming to CHI on Feb. 27 as Orlando looks to earn its first win over the Supernovas, finishing 0-4 against Omaha in 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Former Supernova&nbsp;Sydney Hilley&nbsp;visits Omaha as a member of the Indy Ignite for the first time on March 2. Afterwards, the Supernovas embark on another three-game road trip against Columbus, Indy and Orlando before returning for a four-match home stand. Omaha ends March with a string of matches which starts with the Ignite again on March 22. A trio of reunions follow, as former Supernovas’&nbsp;Kendall White&nbsp;and&nbsp;Allison Mayfield&nbsp;return with Vegas on March 28, and Paige Briggs-Romine of Grand Rapids come to town on March 30.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Supernovas wrap up its extended home stay with Orlando on April 5. A five-day break allows Omaha to rest before heading out to the west coast for a pair of matches against San Diego and Vegas. The home schedule ends with four consecutive matches at CHI starting with Grand Rapids on April 17, Atlanta on April 19 and Columbus on April 25. The Supernovas home schedule comes to an end on Sunday, April 27 against the Thrill.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Omaha finishes the regular season on the road with the Rise on May 2 and a showdown with the Vibe on May 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After the regular season, the top four squads will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship on Friday, May 9 and Sunday, May 11 at a location to be announced.

The Supernovas reloaded its roster in the offseason to defend their title, bringing back 2024 team captain and All-PVF First Team member&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller, superstar setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;and homegrown rookie&nbsp;Sophie Davis.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Omaha also signed a trio of former Nebraska Volleyball middle blockers, which include&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord, and&nbsp;NCAA National Champions&nbsp;Briana Holman&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kayla Caffey. Plus, former Creighton libero&nbsp;Allison Whitten&nbsp;signed with the franchise.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In one of the more massive signings of the free agent period, 2024 PVF Rookie of the Year&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;comes over from Columbus to join the Supernovas. Also signing is Serbian attacker&nbsp;Jovana Mirosavlijević&nbsp;and former Kansas opposite,&nbsp;Kelsie Payne, who has played in some of the top leagues in the world the last few years including Italy and South Korea. Big Ten Setter of the Year&nbsp;Mac Podraza&nbsp;teams up with Valentín-Anderson as the squad's two setters while libero&nbsp;Camila Gómez&nbsp;switched sides to Omaha from Grand Rapids.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Supernovas will look to add more to their roster through the PVF Draft, which is set to take place on November 25. Omaha has six picks in the draft, including three in the first 15 selections.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Defending Champion Omaha Supernovas announce 2025 Schedule, Home Opener Set for January 10 at CHI Health Center 

North Platte, Neb. - As the holiday season is quickly approaching, the Westfield Shopping Center is hosting "Christmas in the Neighborhood" on November 23rd from 11am - 2pm. The event offers many activities for all families to enjoy and even a special appearance will be made my Mr. and Mrs. Claus. To check out the activities going on during the event, check out the graphic above.

Christmas in the Neighborhood set for November 23rd

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/05/nebraskans-vote-yes-to-requiring-employers-to-provide-earned-paid-sick-leave/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska employers will now be required to provide earned paid sick leave for eligible employees, through a ballot issue that passed Tuesday.

Advocates had estimated that 250,000 Nebraskans were working full-time without paid sick days, leaving them to face choices that included ignoring their illness and sending sick kids to school to avoid consequences such as missing a day’s pay.

However, passage of Initiative 436 means that eligible employees now will have the right to earn sick time for personal or family health needs. The issue had about 75 percent support about 11 p.m.

“It’s another example of Nebraskans supporting Nebraskans and workers in Nebraska having a better day,” one of the co-sponsors for the initiative, Craig Moody, said Tuesday night as the vote count poured in favoring paid sick leave.

Moody, who runs Verdis Group, a sustainability consulting firm based in Omaha, has said the ballot measure would provide a strong return on investment for Nebraska businesses.

Under the ballot initiative, employers with fewer than 20 employees must provide up to 40 hours (five days) of sick leave annually, and larger employers, with 20 or more employees, must provide up to 56 hours (seven days).

The driver of the effort, the Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans group, said that paid sick leave was rarest in service industries (such as restaurants), construction, manufacturing, warehousing, retail, educational support and transportation.

The biggest resistance to paid sick leave came from some smaller businesses. Critics said it unnecessarily complicates an issue where responsible businesses can compete by offering benefits when they can’t compete as easily on pay.

The sick leave petition was the first of what ultimately became six ballot issues to qualify for the Nov. 5 ballot.

Organizers had announced in June that they turned in 138,000 signatures in support of the ballot measure. Election officials in August stopped counting after confirming 97,557 signatures — which was 11,000 more than the 86,500 needed for the 7% threshold statewide to change state law.

Nebraska also requires that its petition gatherers collect valid signatures from 5% of registered voters in at least 38 of the state’s 93 counties. The effort hit 5% or more in 47 counties, according to a release from the Secretary of State’s Office.

Nebraskans vote yes to requiring employers to provide earned paid sick leave

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/06/nebraska-u-s-reps-mike-flood-adrian-smith-sail-to-re-election/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood overcame strong Democratic turnout in the 1st District’s largest city, winning re-election Tuesday over State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue.

And Republican U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith cruised to re-election over Democrat Dan Ebers in Nebraska’s sprawling, rural 3rd Congressional District, which covers roughly three-fourths of the state.

Blood, who is term-limited in the Legislature, had argued that Flood was no longer the pragmatic Speaker of the Legislature who many Nebraskans remembered. She said he has shifted farther to the right than many in his district are comfortable with.

Flood denied changing his views after serving separate stints as a state senator from Norfolk.&nbsp;

He said he had always been conservative but remains willing to work across the aisle with people on issues such as national security and the future of finance, including crypto.

He won the 1st District’s Republican-leaning areas, as well as enough Lancaster County voters to overcome its Democratic lean.

He was leading 56%-44% as of midnight. The Associated Press called the race after the first couple rounds of Tuesday evening’s results were released.

Flood said he was grateful to have the two years to run a normal race after having to run in a rare special election and regular election in rapid succession in 2022. He said he’s getting more comfortable with the people and issues facing his district.

“It’s nice to be in an election that’s not a fire drill,” Flood said. “It gives you a chance to meet the voters and to go to different communities. You have to develop relationships in Columbus and Fremont and Seward and Clarkson. It takes time.”

Blood, who supports abortion rights, tried to make reproductive health a separation point in the race, given that Nebraskans voted Tuesday on two abortion-related ballot measures.

But Flood has been hard for Democrats to unseat because of his base of support in northeast Nebraska, where a large number of Catholic voters share his opposition to abortion.

He has described his tough-on-crime views, his adversarial stance on China and his pro-agriculture, pro-university research positions as being squarely in the mainstream of his mixed district.

Immigration was a flash point in the race, with Blood questioning whether Flood or his GOP colleagues were sincere about trying to fix a broken immigration system.

Flood argued part of the problem lay at the feet of a Democratic Senate and president.

Blood argued district deserved more effective representation

Blood argued she would do more to protect Medicare and Social Security for seniors. But, in the end, the district sided with Flood, who owns News Channel Nebraska and other broadcast stations.

Flood joined Congress after a special election in June 2022. He replaced U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who resigned after being convicted of federal crimes related to campaign finance. Fortenberry has since had his federal conviction overturned on a technicality of where the trial was held. He faces new charges, which he is contesting as political in nature.&nbsp;

Personal and family health issues kept Blood from the trail, but she said she did all she could. She said her campaign knocked on thousands of doors.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We knew that everyone was saying that we had like a 1 percent chance of winning, and my opponent entered the race with a million dollars,” Blood said. “The one thing we had to do was work harder.”

In the 3rd District, Smith easily defeated Ebers, who moved from Cambridge, Neb., to Lincoln for his job in hotel management. House candidates don’t have to live in a district to run there.

The district is one of the most Republican-leaning in the country. The race was largely over after the GOP primary, which Smith won 74%-19%. He was leading 81%-19% as of midnight.

“I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve Nebraskans in the House and continue the fight for tax relief and to cut wasteful spending, to secure the border, and to grow the economy,” Smith said.

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