Stories from Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Last week, I traveled approximately 1,100 miles across Nebraska from Scottsbluff to South Sioux City, holding seven town halls, five round tables, and other meetings in 11 counties. I listened closely to Nebraskans' concerns and there is overwhelming anxiety about health care legislation...

Nov. 4, 1921 - Aug. 18, 2009 OBERLIN --Raymond Edward Kircher, 87, died Tuesday (Aug. 18, 2009) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Nov. 4, 1921, in Indianola, to Edd and Rose (Haag) Kircher. He grew up on the family farm near Indianola and attended Red Willow High School, graduating in 1939...

July 5, 1926 - Aug. 17, 2009 RANDOLPH -- Arlene Beth Rauch, longtime McCook resident, died Monday, Aug. 17, 2009, at Colonial Manor in Randolph. She was 83. She was born July 5, 1926, in Wheeler, Kan., to Arthur B. and May Ethel (Evans) Grosch. She attended school in Bartley and the McCook Beauty Academy...

The family of Gordon and Frary Rippen is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary Aug. 22. Cards of congratulation will reach them at PO Box 94, Culbertson, NE 69024.

The state may be united when it comes to football, but there are some things about which there's definitely not "One Nebraska." One example of where one size does not fit all is in what types of vehicles can be used in small towns. Law enforcement often looks the other way when golf carts or other unauthorized vehicles make short trips on streets, especially in small towns and when the drivers may have handicaps of one type or other that make it impossible for them to drive conventional vehicles.. ...

BENKELMAN -- USDA Rural Development has awarded $1,351,000 ($993,000 loan and $358,000 grant) to the City of Benkelman to construct a new water treatment plant that will serve more than 1,000 rural residents. A $350,000 Community Development Block Grant and $245,000 from the City will complete the funding package...

Mayor Dennis Berry is seeking community-minded citizens willing to serve on city committees. Berry noted at the regular city council meeting Monday night that several appointments are coming up on committees and asked city staff and council members for recommendations...

W Design and Associates was chosen to do engineering work for improvement projects at the McCook airport, through 2013. As part of the a consent agenda, the McCook City Council Monday night approved the recommendation of W Design, given by the city staff committee of City Manager Kurt Fritsch, Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff and Airport Maintenance operator Ken Vontz...

CASSELTON, N.D. -- The son-in-law of a rural Bartley couple helped organize what might be declared the world's longest fire truck parade. Greg Kempel of Casselton, N.D., organized the parade of 181 fire trucks that highlighted the Cass County Summerfest parade Aug. 15. If the new world record is verified by the Guinness Book of World Records, it shatters the standing record of 159 trucks in a parade in April 2006 in Switzerland...

My youngest granddaughter, Alycia, started kindergarten this week. She is not impressed. Apparently, you're not allowed to bring your little brother to kindergarten. She is inconsolable. That is sure to change. She isn't the first kindergartner to react to the first day, or even the first week of school, with tears. ...

City Councilman Aaron Kircher showed tenacity Monday night, as he again proposed during the second reading of the 2009-10 budget to set aside money to pay down water debt. As he had at prior budget workshops and readings on the $25 million city budget, Kircher made a motion, which died for lack of second, to take $250,000 from the $500,000 allocated in the budget for the future design/construction of a city municipal facility, and use to toward water debt...

By LORRI SUGHROUE City Editor Despite a decrease in water usage, water and sewer rates will not be increased, at least for next year. But, City Manager Kurt Fritsch warned that "we can't deceive ourselves that (rate increases) will always be at zero percent," due to inflation, what happens this year with usage and projected increases built into the financial model for the water and sewer funds...

The county is looking at a tight budget and the city needs to consider that before raising dispatching fees, Councilman Aaron Kircher said Monday night at the regular city council meeting. Kircher pulled from the consent agenda for discussion the agreement with Red Willow County, to increase fees charged for the 24-hour per day radio dispatch services...

Plans for a dog park were put on hold Monday night by the McCook City Council. During discussion of the $25 million city budget for 2009-10, up for second reading, the council decided to hold off on including $15,000 estimated for a dog park, as those costs, coupled with the estimated $20,000 to fund a feral cat program, would significantly affect the ending cash balance of general funds, now at $143,000...

Friends Shane Prentice, left, Chase Garrett-Knight and twin brother, Adin, right, share summertime stories on the first day of school at McCook Central Elementary Wednesday morning. Coach Tim Garcia and fellow teachers and staff greeted students as they returned to school. Today is the first full day of school as there will be no heat schedule, buses will run accordingly and lunch will be served...