Stories from Wednesday, December 29, 2004

May 10, 1920-Dec. 27, 2004 NORTH PLATTE -- Elwyn H. Hansen, 84, died Monday (Dec. 27, 2004) at his home in North Platte. He was born May 10, 1920, to Hans and Mary Wilgus Hansen south of North Platte. He graduated from North Platte High School with the class of 1937. During high school and following he worked for the University of Nebraska Experimental Station...

Feb. 12, 1928-Dec. 27, 2004 McDONALD -- Norman Lavell Mears, 76, of McDonald, Kan., died Monday (Dec. 27, 2004) at Life Care Center in Aurora, Colo. He was born Feb. 12, 1928, in Cheyenne County, Kan. He was a farmer/rancher. Survivors include his wife, Ivalee M. ...

Cities across the country are experiencing water contamination. Some have high nitrate content, some have high uranium and some have high arsenic levels, but the city of McCook is experiencing a unique problem -- its water is high in all three. That situation has presented a special problem to engineers developing the city's water treatment system, but a new test pilot study is proving to be effective in removing all three contaminants...

Astronomer Bob Linderholm of Cambridge is keeping an eye on passing Comet Machholz, discovered only in August 2004 and now about 34 million miles from earth. "This image shows a very faint 'tail' (upper left) due to solar winds blowing residue off the comet, which consists of ice and rocks," he said. ...

When it comes to our American system of government, nothing is more basic than one citizen, casting one vote, and having that vote count. We must be careful, therefore, with any proposal to tamper with any mechanism so important to the function of our democracy -- just as we would be cautious about heart surgery or the overhaul of our car's engine. One wrong move could mean disaster...

Once again, the hoopla is behind us for another year. Presents, whether selected with care or purchased in a "make haste and hope" frenzy, have all been opened, oohed and ahhed over and integrated into the bounty that makes up this life of abundance enjoyed by most Americans...

Aug. 28, 1912-Dec. 27, 2004 Frances M. Trail, 92, died Monday (Dec. 27, 2004) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born Aug. 28, 1912, to Lynn Bartlett and Helena Margaret (Hellriegel) Hoyt in Hitchcock County in her grandparents home. She attended District 68 School and graduated from McCook High School in 1930. She also attended McCook Junior College and much later graduated from McCook Community College in 1977...