March 6: State Capitol, Sandhills and basketball
State Capitol lighted in support of Ukraine
Gov. Pete Ricketts issued a statement March 4 condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine cannot be tolerated,” he said. “The United States and our allies should step up sanctions on Russia’s energy exports to cut off funding of Putin’s war machine.” The State Capitol will be lighted in blue and yellow–the colors of the Ukrainian flag–from March 5 to13 to show support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence from Russia and to show respect for those who have lost their lives defending their homeland. The governor urged Nebraskans to pray for the Ukrainian people and encouraged businesses and government entities to join in illuminating their buildings to show support for Ukraine.
Nebraska women’s basketball team loses in semifinals
The No. 6 seed Husker women’s basketball team beat No. 10 Michigan in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament on March 4. They won 76-73 and went on to face Iowa in the semifinals on March 5. The Hawkeyes won 83-66.
Researchers name Nebraska Sandhills Earth’s largest remaining intact, temperate grassland
A new study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers Dirac Twidwell and Rheinhardt Scholtz has found that the Sandhills are the largest remaining intact, temperate grassland in the world. The Sandhills are in northwest and north-central Nebraska and cover about a quarter of the state. There are only six other grasslands of any type that remain mostly intact. According to the study, grasslands are the most threatened and least protected biome.
Man cited for smoking marijuanna while speaking at Lincoln City Council meeting
A 28-year-old Lincoln man was cited and released after smoking a blunt at a Lincoln City Council meeting on Feb 28. “To sit in and lead by example, this is how we do it,” he said while standing at the podium. Then, he lit the marijuanna cigarette and inhaled. A Lincoln police officer who was at the meeting escorted him out of the building and cited him for the possession of marijuanna and failing to comply with the no-smoking sign.
Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski wins Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Alexis Markowski, a Husker women’s basketball center/forward from Lincoln, was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year on March 1. She averaged 13 points and 7.9 rebounds this season. “THIS IS INSANE! Couldn’t have done this without my teammates and coaches believing in me since day one. Thanks for all the support Husker nation,” she said in a tweet.
Hundreds gather at State Capitol to protest health mandates
Protesters assembled outside the Nebraska State Capitol on March 1 to speak out against medical mandates. The Nebraska People’s Convoy, a group inspired by the trucker protests in Canada, put the event together. While some Nebraska communities have had mask mandates during covid, there have never been state medical mandates of any sort.
