Stories from Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Sept. 14, 1917-Sept. 25, 2004 OBERLIN --  Louise W. Nauer, 87, died Saturday (Sept. 25, 2004) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born Sept. 14, 1917, to Theodore and Sophia (Meyer) Duensing in Byron. She was raised in Norton and attended Emmanuel Lutheran Parochial Grade School. She attended Norton High School...

Nov. 4, 1961-Sept. 26, 2004 ATWOOD -- Samuel J. "Sam" Adams, 42, died Sunday (Sept. 26, 2004) at Citizens Medical Center in Colby, Kan. He was born Nov. 4, 1961, to Hubert and Berneice Adams in Colby. He was raised on the family farm. He attended Beamgard Learning Center in Atwood and graduated from there...

July 11, 1915-Sept. 25, 2004 HAYES CENTER -- Lawrence William Walker, 89, died Saturday (Sept. 25, 2004) at his home in rural Hayes Center. He was born July 11, 1915, in Maywood to Charlie and Mary Catherine (Teeters) Walker. He attended rural District 54...

The good news is -- a lot of people love their rural way of life and are working to see that it is maintained. The bad news -- several factors are conspiring to threaten that way of life. Monday afternoon's rainfall, and similar rain last week has put most of us in a better mood, but we're far from escaping the drought. And, drought was one of the main issues of concern raised during a recent statewide tour by the Center for Rural Affairs advocacy group...

**Dear Editor, As members of the Red Willow County Exercise Planning Team, we would like to recognize the following professionals for their help in making our school hostage exercise a success. Those involved worked very hard to make the exercise a success and we would like to take this means to tell them. ...

Everyone in the Midwest says a tornado sounds like a freight train; I know from personal experience that so does a hurricane. I have been in Florida for about 10 years, and never had one coming directly at me, so I did not know what to expect (from Hurricane Frances)...

Red Willow County Sheriff Gene Mahon told county commissioners Monday morning his office continues to coordinate its investigation of an assault Aug. 31 with officials from ICE -- Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The man believed to be involved in the assault incident northeast of McCook is Hispanic and worked at a dairy also located northeast of McCook. ...

Lt. Alan Kotschwar of the Red Willow County Sheriff's Office looks on as a MedStar helicopter lifts off from the scene of a semi-truck and train collision this morning, one mile west of McCook. The driver, a McCook man, was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney at 11:04 a.m. The northbound truck was loaded with cedar trees. The accident was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, with the assistance of the Red Willow County Sheriff's Department...

County Treasurer Marleen Garcia and Assessor Sandra Kotschwar told commissioners Red Willow County will have to refund $18,591.68 to Level 3 Communications LLC of Broomfield, Colo. Garcia said the company laid the fiber optic cables along Midwest highways several years ago, but that these cables have never been put into service. Garcia said the state taxed the company as if the cables were in use and, through court litigation, has been forced to refigure the company's 2003 taxes...