September 2014 – Page 56 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Nebraska’s Pierson-El named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week

Posted on September 15, 2014

For the second straight week, a Husker earned the Big Ten’s top special teams’ accolade, as freshman De’Mornay Pierson-El was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week Monday morning.

Pierson-El earned the honor after returning five punts for 150 yards in Nebraska’s 55-19 win at Fresno State. His performance including an 86-yard touchdown return, the longest ever for a Nebraska freshman and the longest punt return for a TD by a Husker since 2010, as well as a 51-yard return to set up another Husker score. His 86-yard punt return for a score is the longest in the FBS ranks this season. His 150 punt return yards more than doubled Nebraska’s entire 2013 team total in that category.

Pierson-El’s performance against the Bulldogs ranks ninth on the Big Ten’s single-game punt return list and marked only the second time in 30 years that a Big Ten player had at least 150 punt return yards in a single-game. He currently ranks 12th nationally at 18.0 yards per return and is the only freshman ranked in the top-20 nationally in the category. Pierson-El was also named the College Football Performance Award’s National Punt Returner of the Week.

Sam Foltz was Nebraska’s most recent Big Ten Special Teams winner, as he earned the award for his performance against McNeese State last week.

The Huskers, who are 24th in this week’s AP poll, return to host Miami this Saturday at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and also available on the Husker Sports Radio Network.

— NU Sports Information —

Kansas voter wants to keep Democrat in Senate race

Posted on September 15, 2014

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas voter says he wants to cast his ballot for the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate who is trying to get his name removed from the ballot.

An attorney for 57-year-old David Orel of Kansas City, Kansas, asked the state Supreme Court on Monday for permission to file friend-of-the court arguments as the justices consider a petition from Democrat Chad Taylor. The court is hearing Taylor’s case Tuesday.

Orel’s filing said removing Taylor from the ballot would divest him of his right to vote for his chosen candidate against three-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts.

Taylor dropped out of the race at the urging of some Democrats who see independent candidate Greg Orman as the stronger rival for Roberts and don’t want to split the anti-Roberts vote.

NASA inspector blasts asteroid protection program

Posted on September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s effort to identify potentially dangerous space rocks has taken a hit.

On Monday, the space agency’s inspector general released a report blasting NASA’s Near Earth Objects program. The program is set up to hunt and catalog comets, asteroids and relatively large fragments of these objects that pass within 28 million miles of Earth. The purpose is to guard against their potential dangers.

Most of these objects harmlessly disintegrate before reaching Earth’s surface. But there are exceptions, like the nearly 60-foot meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013, causing considerable damage.

In a 44-page report, Inspector General Paul Martin says the NASA program needs to be better managed with a bigger staff. NASA’s science mission chief, former astronaut John Grunsfeld, agrees and promises the problems will be fixed.

Texas governor to campaign for Brownback

Posted on September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry is scheduled to be in Wichita next week to raise money for Gov. Sam Brownback’s re-election campaign.

The Wichita Eagle reports Perry is to attend a reception Sept. 24 at a bank office that formerly housed the Carnegie Library. An invitation on Brownback’s campaign website requests donations of $500 to $4,000 for Brownback and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer.

The two Republican governors have had a close relationship for years.

Both are former state agriculture secretaries, and Brownback endorsed Perry’s 2012 campaign for the GOP nomination for president. Brownback also attended a Houston prayer rally hosted by Perry in August 2011.

St Joseph Fire Department responds to house fire in South End

Posted on September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

Fire 224 E. Missouri Street causes damage to home.

The St. Joseph Fire Department responded to a house fire in South End St. Joseph Monday afternoon.

Just after 1:30 Monday afternoon the fire department was called out to a fire in the 200 block of E. Missouri street.

St. Joseph Fire Dept. Captain Patrick Linscott said three adults and one teenage boy lived in the home.

Two adults were in the building but were able to escape the building safely before fire crews arrived on scene.

Electricity and water were the only utilities hooked up to the home at the time of the fire. Fire inspectors are still investigating the cause, however upon the initial investigation it appears it could have been caused by an electrical issues in the wall.

The building has been deemed unlivable by the fire department and Midland Empire Chapter of the Red Cross was called out to assist the family.

Court reworks Mo. early voting ballot summary

Posted on September 15, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri appeals court panel has rewritten the ballot summary for a proposed constitutional amendment dealing with early voting.
At issue is an item on the November ballot that would authorize a no-excuses-needed early voting period for future general elections, but limit it only to business hours on weekdays.

In its ruling Monday, the appeals court panel said the summary prepared by the Legislature was misleading because it didn’t mention the early period would occur only if the Legislature and governor provide funding. The appeals court ordered additional wording to be added to the ballot summary that voters will see.
The legal challenge to the measure had been brought by an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a St. Louis civil rights leader.

St. Joseph woman wins free groceries for a year

Posted on September 15, 2014

Mary Milbourne wins free groceries for a year from Apple Market

One St. Joseph woman can’t decide what to buy first after winning free groceries for a year from Apple Market Monday.
“I could not believe it when he called. I said, you got to be kidding. I never won anything in my life,” Mary Milbourne said.
It was the third year for Apple Market’s free groceries for a year raffle fundraiser. Proceeds raised from the raffle are donated to the Boy Scouts of America Pony Express Council. This year $6,000 was raised to benefit area Boy Scouts on top of giving away free groceries for a year.
Because Milbourne decided to buy a ticket to help support the Boy Scouts she was entered into the drawing and won 52 $100 gift cards to use at Apple Market.
“I intend to get some things I haven’t been able to get before and maybe help my granddaughter out a little bit,” Milbourne said.
Last year’s winner Gladys Freeman said she made a pledge after winning groceries for a year to donate $12 to $20 a week of food to the food pantry at her church.
“It gives you a whole new way of shopping,” Freeman said. “It’s been fun and I’ve enjoyed it and I’ve tried to pass it on.”

Flooding closes Nodaway River Bridge on Route A

Posted on September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

The bridge on Route A over the Nodaway River, just east of Maitland, is now closed, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. Once flood waters have receded, inspectors from the state bridge division will determine if recent flooding has caused deterioration to the structure. The bridge closed this afternoon and will not reopen until inspectors are certain the bridge is safe for motorists. Motorists are asked to use Routes 113, 46 and U.S. Highway 71 as detour routes.

The 51-year-old bridge carries approximately 2,300 vehicles a day. Inspectors, concerned that recent flooding may have caused excessive scouring, have closed the bridge until a complete inspection is conducted. Once flood waters recede and inspectors have an opportunity to conduct a thorough inspection, they will determine if the scour has reached a point that continued use would exceed safe conditions.

“Safety is our highest priority at MoDOT, and closure of this structure ensures that travelers are not at risk,” said MoDOT District Engineer Don Wichern. “Our team of inspectors will investigate and determine if it is safe for travelers to reopen the bridge or if it will need to remain closed until repairs can be made.”

The Route A Nodaway River Bridge was built in 1963. All bridges throughout the United States are federally required to be inspected at least every two years. MoDOT’s Northwest District has more than 1,300 bridges among its 20 counties.

Kansas woman dies in head on-crash

Posted on September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

OSAGE COUNTY- A Kansas woman was killed in an accident just after 7 a.m. on Monday in Osage County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Bradley John Ruppert, 34, Garnet was eastbound on Kansas 268 just east of Kansas 368 when it crossed the centerline and collided with a 2002 Toyota Camry driven by Dawnette Sue Hoerner, 52, Quenemo, that was westbound.

Hoerner was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.

Ruppert was transported to KU Medical Center.

The KHP reported both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident.

Mo. education commissioner will step down

Posted on September 15, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Missouri’s top education official said Monday she will resign at the end of this year.

State Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro announced her departure Monday. She has served as head of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education since 2009.

Over the past year, state legislators and some officials have criticized Nicastro for her handling of high-profile issues.

An audit released last month faulted the department’s process for hiring a consultant for a potential overhaul of the Kansas City School District. Some state lawmakers also have been upset with the way the department has handled a student-transfer law for unaccredited districts in the St. Louis area.

During Nicastro’s tenure, the department implemented the Common Core educational standards, which some lawmakers oppose. It also adopted a new school accreditation system.