Stories from Thursday, December 23, 2004

Chris Schleeman brings home first-place finish LEXINGTON -- The McCook Junior High School wrestling team's season ended with the Lexington Invitational Saturday. Schools competing were Broken Bow, Cozad, Gibbon, Gothenburg, Holdrege, Kearney Catholic, Lexington, McCook, Minden, Ogallala, North Platte Adams, North Platte Madison, Ravenna and Wood River...

MAYWOOD -- Maywood kindergartners and first graders have learned that Christmas is about more than new toys and lots of presents. It's more than getting out of school for a couple of weeks. The students of Shauna Buchfinck and Staci Vaughn have learned they are indeed fortunate, and that everyone has something they can share. They've learned the true meaning of Christmas -- thinking of and caring for others...

After months of effort, SW Energy LLC is getting close to starting construction of a $70 million ethanol plant at the Perry location four miles west of McCook. New attention was focused on the plant Wednesday when it was announced that the Invest Nebraska Board had unanimously agreed to award incentives to SW Energy. Those incentives, in the form of tax breaks, will start flowing to the ethanol company when at least 25 employees are hired at salaries of $28,378 and above...

For years, I've been accused of being the epitome of the Christmas Scrooge. I don't like Christmas shopping and hearing once-beautiful Christmas Carols howled out by the likes of Elmer Fudd, the Muppets and the Chipmunks causes an overwhelming desire to withdraw my .270 Reuger and blow a hole in the radio...

ATWOOD -- C. Wayne Harper, 86, died Wednesday (Dec. 22, 2004) at his home in Atwood. Services are Monday, 10:30 a.m., at the United Methodist Church in Atwood with the Rev. Terry McGuire officiating. Interment will be in the Grace Cemetery in McDonald, Kan. There will be military honors...

Dec. 26, 1934-Dec. 21, 2004 OBERLIN -- Franklin Urban, 69, died Tuesday (Dec. 21, 2004) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 26, 1934, to Ralph and Eleanor (Kundysek) Urban on a farm southeast of Atwood. He was raised in rural Atwood and attended country school...

Oct. 11, 1910-Dec. 21, 2004 LEXINGTON -- Wilma H. Sanderson, 94, of Lexington, formerly of Arapahoe, died Tuesday (Dec. 21, 2004) at Tri-County Area Hospital in Lexington. She was born Oct. 11, 1910, to George and Hattie (Chitwood) Carpenter in Franklin. ...

July 2, 1931-Dec. 21, 2004 ORLEANS -- Leonard E. Slade, 73, died Tuesday (Dec. 21, 2004) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born July 2, 1931, to Guy and Fern (Ridlane) Slade in Benkelman. He was raised in Benkelman. He lived in several places including Colorado, Palisade, Enders and Indianola before moving to Orleans about four years ago. He worked on farms and had been a truck driver at one time...

While leadership roles in the state capitol are still up in the air, there's no doubt it will be business as usual. State Sen. Tom Baker is looking forward to an interesting year, with the upcoming change in the governorship and in legislative leadership...

May 24, 1923-Dec. 22, 2004 HERNDON -- Anna Mae (Wolfram) Ketterl, 81, died Wednesday (Dec. 22, 2004) at her home near Herndon. She was born May 24, 1923, to George and Edith (Klient) Wolfram on a farm north of Herndon. She attended Pleasant View No. 76 school and graduated from Herndon High School. She also graduated from Fort Hays State University...

Rob and Brenda McConville announce the birth of a daughter, Summer Marie McConville. She was born Tuesday (Nov. 2, 2004) at Community Hospital of McCook and weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Grandparents are Bill and Lorie Crocker of Indianola and Bob and Cindy McConville, also of Indianola. Great-grandparents are LaVera Brooks of McCook, Robert and Kathy McConville of Indianola, Jane Blume of Indianola, and Robert and Polly Hitman of Calgary, Alberta, Canada...

July 28, 1917-Dec. 22, 2004 Doris Opal Stewart, 87, died Wednesday (Dec. 22, 2004) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born July 28, 1917, to Orin and Opal (Troedson) Ely in Sutton. On July 8, 1939, she married Dale E. Bridgmon. To this union two children, Ramona and Ronald, were born...