Stories from Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Last week, General Kevin Chilton, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) was in Washington for a hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which I am a member. STRATCOM, headquartered south of Omaha at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, is charged with responsibility for many missions including, nuclear, space, missile defense, and cyberspace...

Aug. 2, 1920 - March 28, 2010 TRENTON -- Carl August Weidner died Sunday March 28, 2010 at the Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge. He was 89 years old. Carl was born to Carl F. and Dorothea A. (Kahle) Weidner on Aug. 2, 1920, at the family farm south of Culbertson...

Oct. 5, 1922 - March 26, 2010 HOLDREGE -- Donald LeRoy Carlson, 87 years of age, passed away on Friday (March 26, 2010) at his home in Holdrege. There will be no services as his family is honoring his wish for cremation. Donald was born on Oct. 5, 1922 on a farm located one mile west of Funk in Phelps County, Neb., the fourth of five children born to Carl F. ...

May 17, 1916 - March 27, 2010 OBERLIN -- Fern May Jording, 93, died Saturday (March 27, 2010) at Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born May 17, 1916, in Decatur County, Kan., to Franklin Towery and Augusta Soderlund. She grew up on a farm near Kanona in Decatur County. She attended Kanona and District 49 schools...

OTIS, Colo. -- Reavis L. Howlett, 85, of Otis, Colo., formerly of McCook, died Saturday (March 27, 2010) in Yuma, Colo. Funeral services will be Friday, 11 a.m., at the First Presbyterian Church in Otis. Interment will follow at the Otis Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at Brenner Funeral Home in Akron, Colo...

Tough times and major changes seem to bring out the worst in society, and the arrest of nine alleged radical "Christian" militia members seems to be a symptom of the conflicts raging in America today. High unemployment coupled with a feeling by many that government is intruding into the average citizen's life through health care reform feeds into the mistrust and paranoia felt by groups like the militia members arrested Monday...

Legislative Bill 862, a bill I introduced to amend the current occupation tax on the activity of irrigation on agricultural land, advanced from General File to Select file last week. I was pleased to see strong support for the bill, with a 43 to 3 vote...

EDITOR'S NOTE -- Today, Dick Trail is turning his column over to one of his McCook High School Class of 1955 classmates, Don Glaze, who lives near Chicago. Glaze says he may have learned more working at the Keystone Hotel than at MHS. He has also worked in economic development, and sees projects like that under way at the Keystone as a way "to get jobs going again":...

Aircraft will be used to plant native grass seed in what was the bottom of Hugh Butler Lake to keep undesirable vegetation down until the dam is repaired and water returns. Everything is set for the aerial seeding of native grass seed on approximately 630 acres of land in the Red Willow drawdown area, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation...

HOLBROOK -- A shooting in Holbrook Friday reported as an attack and home invasion was actually a self-inflicted wound and there is no suspect being sought by investigators. Nebraska State Patrol Criminal Investigator Sgt. Tim Arnold said Monday afternoon, "There was no home invasion and no 'victim.' This is a case of false reporting."...

The new McCook Redhawks took third place at the Kearney Blowout, March 20-21. The Redhawks went one and two losing by a combined 6-points in the two games, playing against seasoned teams. Great job Redhawks! Coaches L/R Tim Honn, Donovan Redl, Darin Morgan...