Stories from Tuesday, April 29, 2003

W Design engineers looked for the middle ground they felt existed between opponents lined up on the two sides of the playground, as the engineers and a building committee researched and inspected McCook's public elementary schools. The report engineers Dave Wilson and Greg Wolford presented to school board members Monday dispelled both beliefs -- that the three buildings can be easily remodeled and modernized, and that they are overcrowded, outdated hulks that should be done away with...

The current 1 percent city sales tax will expire soon, unless it's extended for five years by McCook residents only, next Tuesday, May 6. At the last election McCook voters decided it was time for all trade area residents and visitors to help pay for McCook city streets, ball parks, improvements, pool improvements, library and senior center expansion and not have the burden on just city home owners...

For the past 10 to 20 years, the McCook school district has been between a rock and a hard place when it comes to elementary schools. The grade school buildings have been steadily declining in condition and in their ability to adapt to changes in curriculum and programs...

Doug and Mellisa Koetter of McCook announce the birth of a daughter, Olivia Jean, born Friday (April 18, 2003). She weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces. She has one brother, Seth, who is 7. Grandparents are Dick and Marilyn Koetter of McCook and Dr. Dale and Jean Wee of Ogallala...

HAYES CENTER -- Josh and Amie Broz of Hayes Center announce the birth of a daughter, Addison Katheryn, born Sunday (April 20, 2003). She weighed 5 pounds, 13.5 ounces and was 20 inches long. Grandparents are Carol Collicott of McCook, Dean McQuiety of Cambridge and Jim and Kathy Broz of Hayes Center. Great-grandparents are Elise McQuiety of Cambridge, Alice Ruppert and Vincent and Marge Broz of McCook...

CARLIN, Nev. -- Misty and Charlie Phillips of Carlin, Nev., announce the birth of their daughter, Josie Desiree, on Tuesday (March 25, 2003) in Carlin. She weighed 7 pounds and 5 ounces. She has two brothers, Skyler, 10, and Elias, 4. Grandparents are Brenda (Nelson) Kendall of Haiger, Idaho and the late Evan McCartney. Great-grandparents are Phyllis and Byron McCartney of Oberlin...

SMITHFIELD -- Bill and LeahAnn Brell of Smithfield announce the birth of their daughter, Kennedy Rose, on Friday (April 25, 2003) in Kearney. She weighed 8 pounds and 2 ounces. Grandparents are Matt and Barb Andrew of Elwood and Larry and Cheryl Brell of Smithfield. Great-grandparents are Renata Brell and James Schlagel, both of Elwood and Lucetta Andrew of Arapahoe...

Steve Quigley and Tamara Scott model the T-shirts and polo shirts being sold to benefit the Work Ethic Coalition. They and other Work Ethic Camp employees are selling the shirts as a way of supporting the effort to continue state funding for the facility. ...

Red Willow County commissioners agreed Monday not to abandon the 48-county license plate designation, although the state's largest counties will sport new alpha-numeric license plates starting in 2005. County treasurer Marleen Garcia told commissioners she has adequate storage space for all of Red Willow County's license plates, whereas the larger counties experience major problems with many more plates. ...

The proverbial pot of gold must be somewhere in Southwest Nebraska, judging by the full-sky rainbow which appeared near Max on Sunday, photographed through a camera lens dotted with raindrops. Rain is as valuable as gold during these parched times, and last year's bales of hay have a golden hue all their own...

Spotters were unable to see a tornado indicated by radar 61/2 miles east of Atwood early this morning, with hail accompanied by heavy rain in portions of the Golden Plains. Radar indicated as much as 3 inches of rain across the border in Decatur county, with unofficial reports of 1.45 inches of rain north of Oberlin, 1 inch in Oberlin, a half inch in Bartley, .80 of an inch in Danbury and 1.30 in Parks...

To gardeners, dandelions are weeds, something to be eradicated. To young children, they're a spring-time fascination, pretty flowers to give Mommy, puffballs to blow on and release the fairies held within. Kayla Baumgartner, the daughter of Shannon and Darian Baumgartner of Indianola, huffed-and-puffed on dandelions during the annual Red Willow County rural school track meet Friday...

BENKELMAN -- Reinhardt August Heinrich Lunzmann, the fifth child of Gustav Fred and Frieda Emma (Oeastmann) Lunzmann was born in Nemaha County on Dec. 24, 1916, and passed away at his rural Dundy County home on April 26, 2003. Reinhardt was baptized at St. Paul's (Hickory Grove) Lutheran Church in the rural Auburn area on Jan. 10, 1917...