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Nebraska National Guard Museum celebrates Airborne Day

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Nebraska National Guard Museum celebrates Airborne Day


LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Friday was National Airborne Day. It’s meant to honor the first men who volunteered to jump out of a plane in 1940. Nebraska has it’s own airborne division and a history of men who literally jumped into combat.

Honoring the current and former airborne members took center stage at the Nebraska National Guard Museum Friday afternoon. The national day was created by former president George W. Bush in 2002.

In Nebraska, the airborne group is the second battalion of the 134th Infantry Regiment. They were established in 2019.

But just because the battalion was created recently, doesn’t mean Nebraskans didn’t jump into combat. In World War 2, Eldin Hermann jumped at D-Day and Market Garden. In the Korean War, Frank Nitz jumped on two different occasions.

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For the members of the 134th, it’s an honor to do what those men did so long ago.

“The men that paved the way for us back during World War Two and Vietnam, the valor that they had and doing something that was completely unknown, jumping directly into combat, that’s something that we always remember each time that we jump,” said Staff Sgt. Natalie Hernandez, Nebraska Army National Guard.

Three members of the regiment are sisters. Two of them are in the airborne battalion, and the third loves getting to watch them and cheer them on as they jump out of the aircraft.

“I feel a lot of a sense of pride. I’m I’m their biggest fan,” said Spc. Jessica Figueroa. “I have my phone now I’m recording, I’m taking pictures and I’m like, you guys did it. You guys are safe, no broken bones”

For the ladies who are jumping out of the aircraft, it was a little nerve-wracking at first.

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“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this,” said Sgt. Maria Figueroa. “I’m gonna jump out of a aircraft with the parachute, but that’s supposed to deploy. “Looked up my parachute had deployed so I was very happy about that and then I remember just taking it all in, in the air just floating in the air taking the view in. I could see the horizon and it was just peaceful.”

The airborne members jump about five to eight times a year for training.
If you want to learn more about the National Guard and the airborne side of it, you can visit the National Guard Museum in Seward. It’s free to the public.

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Nebraska

Southern Illinois Transfer Defensive Back Jamir Conn Commits to Nebraska

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Southern Illinois Transfer Defensive Back Jamir Conn Commits to Nebraska


KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE’s representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 



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Coach Mick Cronin Critiques UCLA’s Performance After Loss to Nebraska

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Coach Mick Cronin Critiques UCLA’s Performance After Loss to Nebraska


The No. 15-ranked UCLA men’s basketball team suffered its first Big Ten Conference loss of the season, falling 66-58 to Nebraska on Saturday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The defeat dropped the Bruins to 11-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference. Despite a strong defensive start, UCLA’s offense struggled, particularly from beyond the arc, where they shot just 4-of-28 (14.3%).

Coach Mick Cronin was blunt in his assessment of the game when he addressed the media postgame.

“We didn’t play well enough to win against a good team on the road.” he said. “That’s really all I have to say.”

Cronin didn’t mince words when evaluating the performance of his bench players.

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“Dylan Andrews has got to play way better or Dominick Harris or Trent Perry got opportunities today,” he said. “They played a combined 17 minutes, neither one of them scored. I told them they were going to get an opportunity with Eric out. They played for 17 minutes and didn’t get a basket.”

The Bruins’ struggles from the floor were evident, as Cronin pointed out.

 “If you shoot the ball as poorly as we did, the only chance you have is to take care of the ball,” he said. “You can’t give them 17 points off your turnovers. You’ve got no chance, can’t overcome it. It’s just math at the end of the day.”

UCLA’s poor shooting performance was highlighted by a drastic dip in their 3-point shooting percentage. 

“We shot 42% from the three in the month of December as a team. Today we shot 14%,” Cronin said.

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He explained that when the Bruins couldn’t hit their shots, Nebraska’s defense tightened, making it even harder for UCLA to score. 

“They did a good job, but I got to be honest, we missed a ton of open shots,” Cronin said. “They just try to take the paint away from you, and what happens is, in Basketball, and this isn’t just this game, when you can’t make a shot, they pack it in even tighter. You start making shots, all of a sudden, their cutting, their laying it in because you’ve got to open your defense up. So, the floor gets real, real small and easier to defend when nobody can make a shot.”

Despite the tough loss, Cronin was quick to credit Nebraska for their defensive effort. 

“Their players did a great job on the defensive end. They were the better defensive team today, and that’s why they won,” he said. “I don’t think environment has anything to do with anything, I just don’t. I think it makes it more fun for the players … somebody cheers so you play better? Not a big believer in that.”

Tyler Bilodeau led UCLA with 15 points, while Lazar Stefanovic added 10. Kobe Johnson contributed a career-high 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the offensive struggles. Despite solid individual efforts, UCLA couldn’t find consistency as a team, especially from long-range.

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The Bruins will return to Pauley Pavilion to host Michigan on Jan. 7. Cronin and his team will need to refocus and recover from this setback as they continue their Big Ten journey

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Snow showers will stick around until early Sunday afternoon

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Snow showers will stick around until early Sunday afternoon


NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – It’s really going to feel like winter as we go through the next week with highs falling through the 30s to mainly in the 20s. There will be lots of cloud cover this week, and we will be on the western fringe of a snow system that will give light to moderate amounts of snow and ice to the Central Midwest. For us, some could pick up 2-3″ of snow as it stays breezy from Saturday through Sunday.

A very chilly Saturday to start the weekend.(Maxuser | Justin Craft)

Saturday we kept mostly cloudy skies with snow showers/freezing rain; it was breezy with highs in the lower 20s. Sunday snow showers taper off late morning/ early afternoon, then we keep the mostly cloudy skies; colder with highs near 16. We’re under a winter weather advisory until 6:00 pm Sunday.

About another inch or two of snow through Sunday morning across Greater Nebraska.
About another inch or two of snow through Sunday morning across Greater Nebraska.(Maxuser | Justin Craft)

Monday we will have partly cloudy skies with highs near 30. Tuesday brings mostly cloudy skies with highs in the low 20s. Wednesday we will have sunny skies; warmer with highs in the mid-30s.

Thursday look for partly cloudy skies, it will be breezy with highs in the upper 30s. Friday sunny skies and highs near 34. Next Saturday partly cloudy skies and highs near 43.

Seasonably average temperatures coming up across Greater Nebraska.
Seasonably average temperatures coming up across Greater Nebraska.(Maxuser | Justin Craft)

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