Stories from Wednesday, January 24, 2007

SCOTTSBLUFF -- McCook High School swimmers and divers competed at The Twin City Invitational in Scottsbluff on Friday and Saturday. Led by Whitney Korgan with four medals and Madeline Shaddock with three, the swimmers finished the meet with 15 medals to add to the two won by the divers the night before...

Nov. 16, 1925 - Jan. 20, 2007 OBERLIN -- Francis Krizek, 81, died Saturday (Jan. 20, 2007) at Decatur County Hospital. He was born Nov. 16, 1925, in Jennings, Kan., to Frank and Anna Mae (Flata) Krizek. He grew up a farm in the Jennings area. He attended country school and graduated from Jennings High School...

June 15, 1923 - Jan. 18, 2007 DUMAS, Texas -- Gilbert 'Gib' Richards, 83, died Thursday (Jan. 18, 2007) in Dumas, Texas. Services were today at 10 a.m., in Morrison Memorial Chapel, with the Rev. Beth Harrington, pastor of the First United Methodist Church officiating...

Aug. 16, 1937 - Jan. 23, 2007 BLUE HILL -- James E. Premer DVM, 69, died Tuesday (Jan. 23. 2007) at Bryan LGH West in Lincoln. He was born on Aug. 16, 1937, to Noel G. and Vesta E. (Ohlson) Premer at Bartley. He graduated from Bartley High School as the Salutatorian. He attended McCook Junior College and then attended and graduated from Colorado State University...

Sam Osterman pulls friends on inner tubes, on the quiet streets of Indianola after a snow storm Sunday. Taking turns on the tubes were Austin Grube, Tanner Teel, Tanner Noyes, Heath Teel and Tyler and Trevor Van Pelt. Temperatures in the 40s today and Thursday should put a dent in the amount of snow remaining on the ground...

Shelby Steele, a sophomore at Hayes Center High School and the 15-year-old daughter of David and Sandi Steele, qualified at the USA Powerlifting Mid-west Senior States Powerlift-ing Champion-ship in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in December, to compete in the national championships in Baton Rouge, La., Feb. ...

While Iraq was the 800-pound gorilla in the House chamber, President Bush's comments about energy struck a note in the heartland during Tuesday night's State of the Union address. If America is successful in reducing gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next 10 years, Southwest Nebraska and the rest of the Midwest will play a big part, through the manufacture of ethanol...

My snow boots have gotten quite a workout this winter. Actually, the current weather pattern is precisely how I remember the winters of my youth -- before drought came to afflict us in fits and starts. Every outdoor chore has become a major undertaking. We don our warm winter clothes, squeeze our double-insulated feet into suddenly snug winter boots, slip on gloves, coats, scarves and hats, all to walk the 40 odd steps to the alley dumpster to deposit each day's refuse...