Stories from Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Dec. 2, 1921--Dec. 5, 2010 OBERLIN, Kansas -- Phyllis V. McCartney, 89, died Dec. 5, 2010, in Topeka, Kansas. She was born Dec. 2, 1921, to Harry E. and Hattie F (Bliss) Armstrong in Decatur County, Kansas. She was raised on a farm northwest of Oberlin. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1940...

"Going green" is a great idea in theory, but the road to non-fossil fuel energy is fraught with bumps and potholes. One once-promising plan -- to create ethanol using methane gas produced from cow manure -- ran off the road with the explosion of a boiler in 2007 that helped drive the project into bankruptcy...

If you took the cut wood that was south of Culbertson, you owe a 74-year-old man a big thank you. Plus you owe $75 per pickup load to the Culbertson Methodist Youth. The wood had been sold for a work project. Send to P.O. Box 457, Culbertson, NE 69024...

Singing in Handel's Messiah during Christmas is a musical experience that a number of McCook's residents remember and treasure. George Frederick Handel (1685-1779) was born at Halle, Germany. He took his first music lesson at age 7. When he was 12, he was an assistant organist at the Halle Cathedral. By the time he was 18, he was in Italy composing German and Italian operas...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Governor Dave Heineman today announced that Col. Bryan Tuma, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, is planning to retire from the post he has held for nearly five years Col. Tuma is a 31-year veteran of the State Patrol. His retirement is effective March 1, 2011...

Our recent day trip to Denver was an exercise in endurance. We have discovered we are no where near 25 anymore. Once upon a time, a time we thought would last forever, we could have done a marathon trip like this, grabbed a couple of hours of shut-eye, gotten up and done it all over again. I know this to be true, because we did it. Frequently. And that was with three small children and traveling twice the distance...

OGALLALA, Nebraska -- A pursuit in southern Keith County has left one suspect wounded and another in jail. Just before 8 pm (MST), Tuesday, Dec.7, 2010, a Trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol Troop D Headquarters- North Platte, stopped a 1999 Dodge Durango for speeding, south of Ogallala on Highway 61 in Keith County...